How To Be A Star Employee!

The first few days on a new job are usually the most exciting for a new employee and it is really crucial because it is the time when both you and the employer form an impression about each other.

Ideally speaking you want the impression to be a positive one. A good employer will hire the best candidates for the job, train them, provide them the tools and resources to do their job, provide guidance, and recognize the good work that employees do. On the flip side, employers want to see that new employees are engaged, enthusiastic, take initiative, and are quick and dependable employees.

However, the reality of our industry is that many employers only seem to hire when they are short staffed or plan on an expansion. In both scenarios, this leaves the employer with very little time to recruit and properly train employees.


Regardless of whether or not your employers invests the time in providing you with sufficient training or not, there are a few things that you can do on your own to quickly master your new job and distinguish yourself as a star employee.

Before we get into how you can become a star employee we need to define what a star employee is. A star employee is someone who:

1. 1. Learns their job quickly and performs it exceptionally well, with a SMILE!
2. Takes initiative and does the work that needs to be done without waiting to be told to do it.
3. Has a sense of urgency and does not waste time.
4. Has a high standard of work ethics and respect of their work, colleagues, and customers.
5. Comes up with solutions to problems rather than complaining about them.
6. Is ready to step in and help others when needed.

There’s more, but these should get you started. You’ll notice that the only skills based item on that list is number 1, the rest are all about your attitude. No one can teach how to have the right attitude. That is something that you need to develop and work on. What you can be taught; however, is how to accomplish item number one, learning your job quickly and performing it exceptionally well, with a SMILE!

Here are a few tips to help you achieve that:

#1. Get the SOP

SOP stands for Standard Operating Procedure. Companies with a brand name or a chain typically have a standard way to perform every job in the company and it is documented step-by-step in a manual called the: SOP, Operations Manual, or Owner’s Manual. If you work in a large brand hotel like Starwood or Hilton you may find a SOP for each department.

Ask your supervisor for a copy of the SOP or for the opportunity to read it while you are on break. The SOP will answer a lot of questions that you may have about the job that your employer may not cover. It also will describe the correct way perform each task.

Well what if you work for a smaller company that doesn’t have an SOP? No problem, read the next section.

Watch and Learn

Whether your employer has an SOP or not, it should not prevent you from being able to learn what the job requires and how to perform it. Identify the current star employees in your company and study how they:

• prepare for work
• perform each task
• communicate with guests
• communicate with managers

Find out what makes these star employees stand out and replicate their methods. Take notes if necessary.

#2. Ask Questions

If you don’t understand something, ASK! That’s how we learn and are able to improve. Sometimes just knowing why we do things a certain way allows us to learn how to do it faster.

#3. Practice

A part of being a star is learning the job well and doing it correctly and quickly. Speed comes with practice and confidence. So if your job allows you to practice some of the tasks that you need to do during downtown or break, take advantage of the opportunity. If not, depending on the job that you have you may be able to practice at home.