How do I become irreplaceable at work?

Question

I work in an office where I am the only native English speaker, I have heard it say that to be irreplaceable you have to make yourself so different to everyone else that you cannot easily be replaced. My contract is due to run out at the end of June, I want to make myself irreplaceable. I think the language thing is important but perhaps others have ideas? Let me hear them?

Additional Details

I work for a large global corporation, most workers are on contract here. We work on a project by project basis. I have actually had a very hard time to learn how stuff works and find answers to questions regarding the project... I believe that my fellow colleauges are trying to prolong the end date of their contracts by not sharing knowledge or being willfully neglectful in updating certain databases with information... perhaps I should too become like this? or maybe not?? Perhaps I should better try to master all the systems.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

All the dressing right and being respectful stuff is good advice but the most important thing is to be the best at what you do. If you take the time and trouble to excel at your job to the point where, whenever some one has a question they say...Go ask Joe, and you're Joe, then you become irreplaceable. You need to be so good at what you do that every one knows that you're the "GO to Guy". To do this you don't have to be smarter or prettier then anyone else.....You just have to want it more and go to the trouble to learn to do it better then the next guy.

Asker's Rating:

Asker's Comment:

"GO to Guy"

Answer 2

Good for you! You are right, stand out...Always be on time, always be respectful to folks, dress right, smile, learn everything you can about your projects, the company, etc. Even if it's on your own time....None of us is irreplaceable but you can stand out among your peers. Be confident too...Good Luck!

Answer 3

Do things that make your boss's job easier.

Here is an example to show what I mean...
My boss was responsible for doing monthly calculations on a spreadsheet. I wrote a macro that made the job much faster. It was not my job to to the calculations; it was my Boss's job. I really did not have anything to gain, but my boss was really happy, and wanted to keep me around once I started doing things to make HIS job easier.

Answer 4

well i guess that would be good at many different tastks.


Here is what it really is though.

Be a good brown noser, have the boss like you, a lot,
that will supersede any work ethic.
atleast that's how it's been at every place that i have worked at.

Answer 5

Well, I had an approach that you might think is crazy but i assure you, it works. I made myself "irreplaceable" by making myself replaceable. I was open on things I was doing and how i did it. Part of this is a realization that if I am irreplaceable, I am also not promotable, they can't move me to a better job because no one can do my present one.
Every chance i had, i would offer to help my co-workers and superiors without taking any credit directly. I did make sure that key people knew that I was helping like when my boss is in earshot I call out "Hey Jerry, did you need any more help on the xyz project? That does several things, shows your a team player, promotes team work, you are more knowledgeable than Jerry, etc.

Answer 6

Even if you improve your language, it may not help you.
Being a global company, they will ensure that they should not depend on any single individual, however brilliant he may be !.The present policy of any management, worth its name is to ensure that nobody is indispensable !

Answer 7

it's best that you upgrade yourself taking up degree or further studies, and yes language is also imporant everywhere for a better communication in the office/customers, good luck.

Answer 8

Excel, excel, excel. Be the best at what you do, never be afraid to ask questions to clarify something you don't understand (so you can excel), keep learning, and be willing to take on more responsibility (including showing some initiative).

Source(s):

I work in a Career Services Office.

Answer 9

Take as much BS of the boss's hands as possible.
You want to get yourself into the position , when, if your boss;s boss asks him how he's coming along with a project, he can say " I gave it to ----." If your boss';s boss then says " ok,fine!" and walks away, you're IN that position.

Answer 10

No one is irreplaceable or indispensable

The language thing is not important, that your colleagues can speak other languages is more of a threat

Working from contract to contract will drive you crazy, either ask them if they can make you permanent or move on. If your colleagues are really that bad why do you still want to hang around?