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If you want to advance your career, there’s no better way to do it than to impress your boss.

After all, it’s your boss who is responsible for your trajectory in the company, and into the wider world of work. If you want to advance in your existing company, then your boss’ positive thoughts about you are a necessity. If you want to move to another firm for a promotion, then you’re going to want your boss to give you a sparkling recommendation. Essentially, whatever direction you want your career to move in, impressing your boss is a vital part of that.

Below are a few ideas for strategies that can help nurture a feeling of positivity when your boss contemplates your status as an employee. You don’t have to do all of these; pick and choose a few that you think would work well for your particular boss’ attitude, then dive right on in.

#1 – Be Punctual

Sometimes, lateness is unavoidable– you get caught in a traffic snarl during your commute, or your tech fails and means you miss a deadline. However, wherever possible, you should aim to be punctual with every aspect of your attitude to work. Many workers don’t see punctuality as an important quality, which means that your efforts will stand out all the more.

#2 – Volunteer For Tasks

When your boss asks for help with a task, you should always have your hand in the air and a smile on your face. Yes, you might increase your workload in the meantime, but being the employee who is always willing to take on new challenges will improve your status dramatically.

#3 – Improve Yourself

Many people think that self-improvement is about being hired; when you have a job, they just sit back and don’t seek to further their knowledge. Don’t be that employee; be the employee who is always trying to improve. You can take vocational courses or study for an online accredited MBA, showing that you know you should never stop learning, and that you want to excel. When you’re signed up, casually drop a mention of what you have undertaken into conversation– any good boss will notice, and be impressed, by your endeavors.

#4 – Always Speak Up

Many people assume that if their boss asks: “is everyone okay with what you’re doing?”, then the answer should always be “yes”. This isn’t the case. Asking questions — even if you already know the answer — helps to show that you are engaged with the process, rather than just agreeing automatically. There’s no need to pepper your boss with asinine questions during a normal workday, but if a new system is introduced or policies change, make sure you stand out from the crowd by asking for clarification, helping to underline the fact you’re the employee who always wants to make sure they’re getting everything right.

#5 – Show Confidence

Whether it’s asking for a pay rise or always participating during group meetings, confidence is vital to ensuring your boss thinks well of you. It’s important to always speak up and make a case for yourself, building a reputation of thinking clearly and executing tasks cleanly. If you struggle for confidence, then learn how to fake it— in time, the fakery will become reality, and your confidence will exude in everything you do.

Good luck impressing your boss– and may it hugely benefit your career to have done so!