My first job out of college was at the local office of a major test prep company. It was easy to see early on which one of my co-workers was the office MVP. He was the only one who could do everything that needed to be done in that office, from delivering seminars about any of the tests we taught, to training teachers, to planning marketing campaigns, preparing bulk mailings, and even fixing our networked computers. When something needed to be done, people would turn to him first to ask how. He was the opposite of those people who shirk responsibility and say, “That’s not my job.” When he got a big promotion to run his own office (in Hawaii!), the void he left was immediately noticeable. I remember thinking that if I could leave a void that big when I (hopefully) got my own big promotion someday, I’d have done something right.
You don’t have to be the best, smartest or fastest to make yourself a valuable member of a team, club, organization, or part-time job. Just ask yourself, “What could I do today that would leave a big void when I graduate and move on?” Make it a daily habit and you’ll be indispensable.