Five easy & fun ways to get ahead at work this summer!

Posted on July 09, 2014 by Helen Dayen, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.

Those of us that work in financial services know that summer is a time when the markets slow down and the pace of competition relaxes a bit. Many of you will be taking half-day Fridays and weeks off to bask in the sunshine enjoying grilled steaks and the beach. However, when September rolls around what will you have to show for it besides an awesome tan? I am not telling you to work hard while everyone else rests but I am challenging you to try these five easy steps to getting ahead at the office while being out of the office! You will be beating your competition while enjoying the sunshine!

Throw a party in your backyard – elevate your popularity and deepen your professional relationships. Remember back in high school when it was time for summer parties? There was always the one kid with the amazing backyard and really cool parents that were never around. You wanted to be friends with that kid. Hell, we all did! Now you can be the popular kid and that means your clients and your coworkers will want to be on the coveted invite list. Throw a summer get together for your family and friends but also invite your coworkers and clients. Now that you have had a chance to grill for your client or playing beach volleyball by the pool, I can guarantee that he/she will be eager to pick up your calls and more likely to trust your advice going forward.
Go play a round of golf or a tennis match in the afternoon on a weekday. Quiet afternoon in the office? – stop browsing the internet and get out for a tennis/golf game with your client or coworkers. People are naturally happier and thus more open with a bit of extra sunshine. A few hours on the green and you are sure to have deepened your relationship. The better your personal relationship the better for you professionally.
Listen to an audio book during your weekend commute. Sitting in traffic on the way to the Hamptons? Download an audio book on the audible.com app and listen to it during your ride. Even on our most ambitious days there are books we could never sit through. Listening to the book is a great way to absorb the information while driving. No only will you be insanely well read by the end of the summer but also that brutal summer commute with fly by.
Hire a career coach – you might be busier on the weekend but your weekdays are probably a lot lighter. Hire a career coach that will work with you to hone your sales/marketing skills. By the time your boss is back from his 2 weeker you will have the confidence and know-how to properly ask for the promotion and salary increase next year. By the time Labor Day rolls around you will be armed with the tools and know-how to make an impactful pitch to your clients to close more deals!
Be curious about your coworkers’ summer experiences. We have already established that everyone’s weekends are so much more exciting in the summer. Use this knowledge as an excuse to get to know your boss better. Ask him/her what he did for Memorial Day, what he got for Father’s Day and how he is planning to marinate his steaks for Labor Day. Do you see how many easy conversation starters you have? If there is someone you wish you had more connectivity with, the summer provides you with easy and pleasant conversation starters.