Who needs to show commitment first, the company to a new employee or the new employee to the company? By new employee, I mean any person who is newly working for a company as an employee, temporary staff, contractor, consultant, or intern. Before you answer, I see no third option, as the canned response of “well, both the company and employee should show commitment to each other” is just a wishful dream and only exist in the realm of utopian theory.

Today, you have to earn your place and then continually earn the right to stay. A little harsh you might say, maybe, but for upwardly mobile individuals it is reality. Anyone who wants a permanently position in a company, or to cement their current position, must demonstrate commitment to the company long before they should expect to be on the receiving end.

Commitment to the company is demonstrated everyday and mainly in small ways. Many of the below suggestions are just common sense, but we all know that common sense is not so common.

• Always complete work deliverables with high quality and slightly ahead of schedule if possible.
• Show up to meetings on time or a couple of minutes early.
• Whenever there are lulls in workload, help someone else on their assignments and offer to help peers with their projects.
• Be proactive about job assignments and do not be afraid to suggest new projects or assignment.
• Show up to work a few minutes early and stay a few minutes late.
• Keep long lunches or time spent time on personal activities (calls, e-mail, shopping, etc.) for at least the first six months to an absolute minimum. During this time, you are setting people opinions of your work habits, so set them with care.
• Be enthusiastic about job assignments even when they are brain numbing and always look for ways to shine or improve the process. Do not engage in negativity or complaining about assignments.
• Minimize taking any time-off, but when needed, give your manager as much notice as possible. It is also very wise to “ask” and not “tell” when it comes to taking time-off. This is the time to lock in the impression of dependability.
• Confidential information should be kept confidential and information security taken seriously.
• Ask questions about the company and its direction. Ask your manager, HR, and when appropriate at any company meetings. This will demonstrate that you are engaged and looking to the company’s future.
• And express appreciation for the opportunity the company has provided.

Commitment is a two-way street, but it will not be the employer who starts the ball rolling. They want to know for sure that they have the right person before they commit. We show our commitment, effort, and desire in order to earn our position, and then continue to give it on a perpetual basis to demonstrate that we can be trusted with even more responsibility.

When you started you latest position, how did you show commitment?