Laura Jane Thompson
by Laura Jane Thompson
Whether you are applying for a new horse job or are hoping to score a promotion, impressing the boss is always a good idea. Not only will standing out make you more attractive for hiring or promoting, but you’ll also make a greater contribution to the horse business in which you work.
Too often, we get wrapped up in the employer-employee mindset. But if you align your goals with those of your employer, you’ll be working together for the common good.
1. Show up early. Pretend that your work day starts 15 minutes earlier than it actually does. This will give you time to prepare for your role in the horse business, and your employer will notice your dedication. Plus, you won’t be late if traffic slows down your morning commute.
2. Lend a helping hand. It might not be your job to help a boarder find a lost halter, but doing so will impress your boss as well as the client. Make it your mission to solve problems as they arise, whether or not they fall under your job description. And, if you are not qualified or equipped to help, offer to find someone who is.
3. Admit you don’t know. The horse industry can be dangerous, and the safety factor becomes particularly serious when equestrian professionals pretend to have more knowledge than they do. For example, if you’re asked to wrap a horse’s leg and you don’t know how, ask your boss to show you. He will respect your honesty and you’ll learn something new.
4. Offer your opinion. Maybe you aren’t very high on the horse business totem pole, but if you have an opinion, go ahead and voice it. Offering new ideas to solve problems or increase efficiency is a great way to get noticed and make valuable contributions.
5. Volunteer. Does your boss need someone to come in early Saturday morning to help prepare for a horse show? Raise your hand. Volunteering for extra work means you are a team player.
6. Ask questions. Make it your mission to learn everything you can about the horse industry. Treat your boss as a mentor and try to learn everything he or she knows. Your employer will recognize your initiative and respond accordingly.
7. Under-promise. Think you can get something done in thirty minutes? Say you’ll have it done in an hour, and your boss will be pleasantly surprised if you’re able to meet your first estimate. Don’t take this too far, but make sure you’re never in a position where you over-promise and disappoint your boss.
8. Work the problem. It is a good idea to admit when you don’t have the answer (see #3 above), but figuring out the answer on your own can also impress your boss. Before you run to him or her with a question, make sure you can’t work out the solution for yourself. Resourcefulness is often rewarded.
9. Show enthusiasm. Employers love workers who are excited about their jobs. You might be mucking stalls, but you’d better act like stall cleaning is your life’s passion. You don’t need to be fake, but you should be grateful for every opportunity and eager for the next challenge. Your boss will wonder, if you’re so excited about stall cleaning, how will you act if you’re given more responsibility? That’s a good thing.
10. Make friends. You don’t need to become best friends with your co-workers, but you should get along with them. Make an effort to get to know the people you see every day and to care about how they are doing. Be courteous and gracious.
11. Ask for specifics. Bosses are busy people and sometimes they are unintentionally vague. Rather than assuming you know what your boss means when she says, “Have that done soon,” ask what time she would like it finished. That way, you’re never guessing about what your boss really wants.
12. Dress professionally. The horse industry isn’t exactly conducive to suits and wingtips, but you should look like a professional. This means clean, ironed clothes that are appropriate for your job. Revealing outfits, exposed tattoos or piercings, and mismatched clothes are unacceptable. It is also a good idea to keep a clean change of clothes at the barn for those dust- and dirt-related emergencies.
13. Show improvement. You don’t need to be perfect to impress your boss, but you do need to get better, little by little, as time goes on. Don’t repeat mistakes.
14. Become a mimic. Imitation is supposed to be flattering, so try to mimic your boss. This doesn’t mean becoming a carbon copy; it means learning how he or she likes things done and making note of them.
15. Relax. This is perhaps the most important advice I can give, and it is so rarely followed. Try to relax at work if you want your boss to notice you. Remember that you love your job, and try to have fun at work. Smile often, be friendly, and don’t worry about the little mistake you made last week. Keep working hard, and it will all be forgiven.
Following these tips might lead to a raise, a promotion, or any number of other opportunities in the horse business. If you want to remain in this industry and create a name for yourself, you have to work with your boss as well as for him.
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Laura Jane Thompson is a horse business consultant and freelance writer living in Houston, Texas. You can find more tips on the horse business at Riding Instructor University.
