From the highest paid executive to the lowest paid employee (and outside the workplace as well), everyone values the quality of loyalty. It’s a concept everyone can understand — there’s a reason why the stereotypical dog name is “Fido,” meaning “faithful” or “loyal.” And as a potential employee, you want to demonstrate company loyalty to an employer. In this article, we’ll consider why employers value loyalty so highly, and we’ll look at how to promote your own loyalty through your cover letter and resume.
The norm in the business world has changed—you don’t see employees staying at one job for the entirety of their careers, either by their own choice or that of their employer (or the economy, admittedly). Because loyalty has taken on some new definitions, as an employee, can show yours in various ways.
- Contributing to more than your position. Even if you stay at a job for 3-5 years before moving on, what you put into the company you work for demonstrates loyalty, whether it involves participating in (and leading) work-related, extracurricular activities or willingly joining in a team-building exercise. These sorts of commitments demonstrate your desire to be part of the company when you’re not getting paid to do so.
- Willingness to learn. If, as an employee, you’re asked to do something you’ve never done before, such as take on a new skill or work with a client you’ve never dealt with before, your attitude demonstrates your loyalty to the company. The employee who sees these as opportunities to shine and promote her workplace will both show her own commitment and earn it from her employer.
- Honesty combined with discretion. A loyal employee will speak up when he disagrees with his superior, especially when he feels a mistake or decision will harm the company. Loyalty does not always involve acting as a “yes-man.” In fact, the employee who thoughtfully debates his superior when he believes it’s in the best interest of the company truly demonstrates his loyalty. But loyalty will also prevent him from airing any of his concerns in public—and he’ll back your play in front of others even if he disagrees with it.
So how do you demonstrate this kind of loyalty in a cover letter or resume? Particularly with regard to the first two points, make sure to list those extracurricular activities that you actively participated in, especially if you took on a leadership role. Make it clear in your job duties that you took on new projects—and, hopefully, how doing so improved the bottom line. Emphasize the fact that while you enjoyed working for your former employer, you’re looking for a new place to commit yourself to and grow.
Every employer wants loyal employees, and, honestly, most employees want to find a workplace that inspires loyalty. Show yourself to be the kind of person who cares enough to commit to an employer, both on and off the clock. For help demonstrating this, reach out to the staffing professionals at PrideStaff Thousand Oaks.
