10 Ways to Stand Out at Work—Other than Work Hard
Source: Dev.to
It took me two years to go from being just another developer in the room to sitting in meetings with the president at a small software company. In my early days I was consistently behind schedule, staying late to catch up and fixing bugs in my code. I wasn’t my team leader’s favorite, and it took hours of studying, practice, and hard work to prove I was more than a “problematic” developer.
1. Deliver your work on time
Aim for on‑time delivery—neither early nor late.
2. Document and automate your work
Avoid becoming a bottleneck or a “hero” by making your processes transparent and repeatable.
3. Ask for context
Always inquire why a task exists and why it’s needed now.
4. Understand the business side
Know how your work contributes to the company’s revenue and overall goals.
5. Speak up in meetings
Ask questions, share suggestions, and engage actively.
6. Volunteer for the unwanted work
Take on tasks nobody else wants, ensuring you can either do them or figure out how.
7. Share improvement ideas
Propose ways to enhance the company, product, or workflow, and be prepared to help bring at least one idea to life.
8. Be reachable during working hours
Especially important when working from home.
9. Be easy to work with
Treat colleagues respectfully; invest in soft/human skills. This is often the most memorable factor.
10. Make your boss look good
Help your manager shine in front of their superiors.
11. Ensure every task is solved
Either solve it yourself or follow up with the right person/team to get it resolved.
Note: Although the list contains 11 items, the original intent was to present 10 ways. If I had to pick just one, it would be #9: Be easy to work with.
Further reading: To help you stand out as a coder, I wrote Street‑Smart Coding, a roadmap with 30 lessons for progressing from junior/mid‑level to senior.