If you are an ambitious warehouse operative looking to take the next step in your career it can seem daunting.

As unlikely as it may feel, you would be surprised how many senior managers and directors started at the bottom and worked their way up through the ranks.

We have put together these 6 tips to help you stand out and succeed in a warehouse environment.

Let Your Employer/Supervisor Know That Your Goal is to Progress

One of the biggest mistakes people make in warehouse work (or any job) is to appear complacent. If you are happy fulfilling a role and showing no sign of wanting to progress or learn, why should your supervisor think any differently?

Make it clear to your supervisor that you want to progress through the company and make a career out of your time there.

Being an ambitious warehouse operative is extremely desirable to managers and directors who are looking to grow their business.

Who better to help improve the company and service than those who are hands on and know the products?

Ask your supervisor for advice. It is rare that somebody is recruited directly into a supervisory position so chances are they will have started where you are now and will know the best path for progression.

Don’t be aggressive about this, you are not looking to take their job, only use them as inspiration for your own personal development.

See more: How to Find and Secure a Warehouse Job

Work Hard

This can’t be said enough. The easiest way to get noticed in the work place is to work hard. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – but be sure to learn from them.

Take responsibility for you actions and learn how to improve them. You will gain far more respect from your co-workers for owning up to a problem than looking for somebody/something to blame for it.

We are all human. We make mistakes. Any workplace will understand this and respect you for taking ownership to ensure that it does not happen again.

Be Punctual

So much can be said for being on time. It is rarely noticed if you are on time every day, but you will stick out like a sore thumb if you are late.

Try to arrive 10-15mins early every day and if your company allows it – stay late when it is needed to help out.

It goes without saying that it is easier to notice your efforts when you are the only one willing to make sacrifices to progress your career.

Learn Everything You Can

To work your way up through the ladder in any business you need to learn as much as possible about the products, services and customers – knowledge is the key to success in any industry.

Some companies will offer training progression paths to help you grow and expand your knowledge. But if your company doesn’t offer this – make sure you volunteer for any opportunities that may come up, such as:

Fire Marshal Training

  • First Aid Training
  • Forklift Licences
  • Keyholder Positions

Taking on any of these roles will increase your value to a company and expand the opportunities that will arise.

Positions of trust like Keyholder positions, Fire Marshal’s and First Aider’s should be taken seriously.

These roles are essential to the day-to-day running of a warehouse. It can be extremely damaging to an organisation if these positions of trust are given to members of staff who do not appreciate the impact of the position.

See more: Warehouse Operatives – Everything You Need to Know

Do Not Make It About the Money

Yes, we all go to work to earn money, however one of the biggest gripes any employer will have is with people wanting all the benefits with none of the effort.

Be willing to take on the responsibilities for a position without the pay cheque to back it up.

Volunteering to take on extra responsibility without demanding extra in return is a sure-fire way to get noticed when active roles and progression opportunities come up.

In many situations these opportunities will actually be created off the back of somebody stepping up and taking ownership.

Aspire to Be A Leader, Not A Boss

You should always strive to lead by example. You cannot expect people to give their all and go the extra mile unless you are stood beside them when the going gets tough. Being a good supervisor, manager or director is all about being a good leader. Your team need to know that you have their back and in return they will have yours.

A leader will earn respect from his team where as a boss will try to take it. It is far harder to motivate people when they do not trust your judgement.

Get Started with BMR Solutions

A running trend that you will notice with all of these tips is that it is 90% attitude and 10% application. You need to have ambition and focus your efforts to think about tomorrow. This is true for any sector or market.

Sometimes you will do all of these things and it will still go unnoticed. That is no fault of your own, but maybe that just means that your ambition is beyond your current working environment.

Just remember that the skills, mindset and attitude that you will have adopted as a motivated, ambitious warehouse operative will allow you to walk into a more senior position elsewhere.

If you are looking to explore new options, then make sure you talk to our team today.

BMR have been helping employers find ambitious, motivated individuals just like you for over 30 years.

Call the team today on 0117 871 4700

Or fill out our contact form here