The way I define assets has changed. I formerly thought of an asset as something that held value – a vehicle, a home, a piece of equipment, furniture, or a piece of real estate. My definition of an asset has changed to “anything that produces a stream of income, particularly if it produces income that outpaces the rate of inflation.” Under that definition, very few items cut the mustard. A paying job is the one thing that always qualifies as an asset, especially in a recessionary environment. But a “job” isn’t tangible – YOU are the asset, and increasing your value at work is the surest way to secure your future.
Learning strategies, techniques, and tactics to increase your value in your boss’s eyes is something that we all should be undertaking. In all reality, losing your job at this point would be disastrous for the average person, since few employers are interested in growing their staff or increasing their payroll. Increasing your value should be high on the priority list!
How to make yourself more valuable
1. Learn a new language. There’s a very good chance your company is international or is affected by international events, or deals in some way with international customers, suppliers or vendors. If you’re the only person at your company fluent in Mandarin Chinese and you frequently purchase goods from China, your value just skyrocketed. If your company frequently sells to Latinos, learning to speak Spanish, when highlighted against the backdrop of your experience with the company, will make you stand out from your peers.
2. Further your education. Advancing your career by getting more education is how countless thousands have already made themselves more valuable at work. The fact is, by brushing up on skills valued by your employer, you automatically increase your own value. There are endless possibilities to further your education with schools such as Colorado Tech that all offer online programs. You can advance your career while still working WITHIN your career.
