So now the obvious question: How do you become the kind of employee that companies cannot live without? Here are 10 things you can do right away to make you an indispensable employee in the eyes of your supervisors:

1. Be the best at something no one else is.
Develop your own niche at work by picking up a skill or technical knowledge that is vital to your company, yet relatively hard to learn. Maybe it's learning sophisticated software that will automate your department's operations, or becoming familiar with complicated regulations or procedures. Be the best at something no one else is, and you will dramatically raise your level of importance to your organization.

2. Give everything you've got . . . and then some.
If you want to advance in your company, take on more work than you are expected to accomplish. Volunteer to help on a project that is running over deadline and make yourself available for extra projects. You will be noticed.

Frequently, companies need assistance with rush jobs like proposals. On jobs like these, quick turnaround is imperative and higher-ups always appreciate employees who pitch in and volunteer to be on the team.

Do the little things that make a difference. Go the extra mile on every task you undertake and the rewards will follow.

3. Work even harder when the boss is away.
In thousands of offices across the country, great sighs of relief can be heard the minute the boss goes out of town on business or vacation. People drift into each other's offices, the telephones light up with personal phone calls, and lunch hours are stretched to the limits.

Managers generally report significant reductions in productivity when they are away from the office. That is why working, even at your normal pace, when they are away will impress your supervisors.

The best strategy, however, is to work extra hard. To add to your indispensability when supervisors are away, try to complete jobs they assigned before their departure. There is nothing a boss appreciates more after a trip than hearing --"Here's the job you wanted. It's done." And the subtle, yet deep-seated message you convey is long lasting.

4. Get accolades for your group.
Getting credit for the entire group of people you work with can advance your career. This seeming irony, standing out by praising the group, makes sense in the overall business context. Those who make it to the top levels of management are the people who are able to motivate others to do their best and to work well in group situations.

What are you really saying when you say, "My team did a great job"? Those above you know that when a group does well, it's at least partly because someone exhibited leadership. Highlighting the team is especially useful when you are managing the group. It indicates your ability to facilitate good work.

5. Make your boss look good.
Similar to the concept of getting credit for the group of people you work with or manage, making your boss look good can only reflect favorably on you. Both your boss and his or her supervisors will appreciate this. The best way to make your boss look good is to handle your work efficiently and thoroughly. If your boss is fair, he or she will give you credit for the work, increasing your chances of promotion. If your boss is not doing his or her share of the work, leaning on you unfairly without giving you the credit, it is still likely that you will be promoted when your boss is promoted. That person knows you have been doing more than your share, and he or she will not be able to take a new position without your help.

6. Develop key client relationships.
If your job involves working with clients who do business with your organization, particularly key clients on whom your firm depends, you are already strategically positioned to become indispensable. Each time you interact with the client, either by mail or in person, you are planting the seeds of a personal and professional relationship.

If you have done your job well and have proven time and again that you are a professional upon whom the client can rely, your relationship with the client, in part, becomes one of your company's important assets. As such, it must be protected just as other tangible assets such as the plant and equipment are protected.

An important caveat to developing key client relationships is not to threaten your supervisors professionally by undermining, overstepping, or otherwise harming the relationships they may have with clients.

Wherever you work, bringing new business into your organization will surely vault you to the head of the class. Whether you have direct marketing responsibility or not, be prepared. Developing new clients is time-consuming and rigorous. However, when you do land a client, surely you'll be the one they trust, the one they have known from the beginning.

7. Serve as a mentor.
You are never too young to share your experience with junior members of your organization. This can be accomplished on an informal, ad hoc basis, and you can literally choose the amount of energy you're willing to commit. Helping junior members always looks good to those above you, especially at performance time.

8. Praise your boss if it is deserved.
Everyone likes to be praised . . . yet, how often do we praise our bosses? They are people, too. If your boss has been extra supportive of you, tell him or her that you appreciate it. Remember to praise your boss to your coworkers and other supervisors. Be honest, however. A phony attempt can be detected immediately. But everyone has some good points that can be praised. Be aware of any special quirks your supervisor may have. If he or she is feeling personally insecure about a particular client or project, help out and give the credit to your boss instead of taking it for yourself. You may need similar support some time later.

9. Keep on top of your job.
Do not forget the basics. One way to become truly indispensable is to be on top of your job, your department's goals, and your company's objectives. This three-way strategy includes reviewing your job description, deciding precisely what your department's goals are, and determining your company's objective.

First, knowing your job description and following it, or amending it if necessary, will protect you from any misunderstandings. It will also give you an idea of the part you play in the total picture of the organization, an important factor in your work satisfaction and chance of promotion.

Second, be sure to learn and understand the goals of your part of the company. Knowing your group's goals will help you to set priorities for your own work and to make intelligent decisions concerning how jobs should be done.

Finally, be aware of your company's objective. Any company, from the smallest business to the multibillion-dollar corporation, has an objective. It might be to expand sales, increase mergers, solidify a market already captured, or make a specific contribution to research.

If you are unsure of the direction you should take on a particular project and are not receiving sufficient guidance, look at the problem in light of your company's objective or objectives. Is what you are doing in line with those objectives? Will it be good for the company over the long range? Your ability to make the correct decisions will be greatly enhanced by your awareness of your job description, your group objectives, and the company's goals.

10. Become an expert.
Individuals who become indispensable in carrying out a certain aspect of the company's function will usually be promoted, even if a new title has to be created for the position.

In your present company, are you developing expertise on a particular topic? If so, make your superiors aware of your special knowledge and the extent to which people depend on you to provide that knowledge. Or, if there is an area in which you feel that your department is sorely lacking, perhaps market research, coordinating functions, or follow-up work, why not be the one to fill the gap and reap the rewards of career advancement?

Now, make it happen.
Most employees work hard, do a good job and want to get promoted but most do not understand what bosses really want from those they would promote. You now know what it takes to make yourself indispensable to your boss and your organization. Now it is up to you to make it happen.

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