Not everyone is “working their wage” or “quietly quitting” — and here’s why you shouldn’t as well.

This article from Julie Holmes, Co-CEO of Virginia Tire & Auto, also appears on Medium.

So much has changed in the workplace over the last few years, and from my vantage point as Co-CEO of Virginia Tire & Auto, those changes expand well beyond the rise in popularity of remote work.

In 2019, terms like “work your wage” and “quiet quitting” didn’t exist. And these terms, while buzzy and headline-grabbing, don’t tell the entire story of what is going on in the workforce today and what it still takes to grow in your career.

Before I continue, I want to make it clear that I am completely opposed to a company that takes advantage of any or all of its team members. This is not the way to treat employees, and it’s also not the way to attract or retain talent. This belief is implied by all of the recommendations I share below.

With all of that being said, “working your wage” is not what you want to be known for, today or in ten years, and it is also not what will help you get ahead in a tight job market. I am a full proponent of having a balance between work and life, but as a business owner, I will also tell you that we intentionally try to screen out people who have this type of work ethic, and instead, we focus on attracting people to our organization who share our values of being professional, attentive, genuine, and forward-thinking.

Even though some people are working under a new set of work ethic rules, there are plenty of people, young and old, who are still working under the premise that hard work never hurt anyone. They still care about doing the best job they can, whether waiting tables, working retail, or changing oil. These people are winning at all levels, first job, last job, corporate, or blue-collar—and they are doing it with hard work.

In the same way that every employee is not just “working their wage” or quietly quitting,” every employer is not exploiting the talent on their team. So, I recommend that you give your company the opportunity to do the right thing.

If you are entering the workforce and are looking to set yourself apart, here are some recommendations I have based on what I’ve seen in my own company.

1. Demonstrate a strong work ethic.
A strong work ethic is essential to success in any career, in any field, and at any level. This means being reliable, punctual and committed to doing your best work. We can teach someone a certain skill, but it is much harder, or even impossible in some cases, to teach someone to be reliable and committed to doing their best.

If an individual demonstrates talent and drive, we will coach them and work with them to improve their timeliness. However, if they have already demonstrated little to no work ethic and a tendency towards tardiness, we follow the “hire fast, fire faster” rule simply because there is nothing for us to work with.

Any job that serves customers, clients, or patients requires you to show up on time—from servers in restaurants to retail workers (which includes everyone from kids at after-school jobs to Target managers) to the doctor that you see when you break your foot.

2. Treat work as a reciprocal relationship.
Embracing the reciprocity of the employee/employer relationship can help you both set boundaries and establish a solid work ethic that is needed for career advancement.

Your employer pays you to do the job that you were hired to do. Doing the bare minimum of that role will mean you stay in that position indefinitely, but looking for opportunities to perform beyond your specific job requirements can set you up for bigger roles.

And it is also important to keep in mind that if you have discovered that a job is truly not a good fit for you, quitting in a respectful way is as important as everything else I’ve mentioned here. Giving notice (two weeks is customary) and working the notice that you’ve given puts you in the position to leave on a good note and keeps the door open for everything from future employment to a positive reference.

3. There are big benefits to proactively solving problems.
For new hires, we have a hiring bonus which is $500 for every new hire who consistently shows up in the first 90 days of working with us, as well as a compensation guarantee.

Those who are no-call/no-shows in those first 90 days lose their hiring bonus. The second time, they lose their guarantee of pay, which is our commitment to our new hires that they will earn their hourly rate and a portion of their incentives even though they are spending a lot of their time learning in those first 90 days.

We regularly call our new hires and let them know that by not coming in on a set day, they are giving up $500 (i.e., their hiring bonus). If someone is making $20/hour, that $500 is equivalent to 25 hours of work.

But here’s the thing, if something comes up in those 90 days and the team member can’t come in for their shift for some unforeseen reason—solving the problem and finding a coworker to cover their shift keeps them on track to get their bonus.

For us, it’s not just about showing up (although that’s part of it too); it’s about being proactive and solving problems, and most importantly, showing you care. People who do so won’t always be working hourly at the entry-level. They will get opportunities and move up in their career. Managers invest in those people, and they ultimately get new and better opportunities.

4. Give the job a real chance.
Stepping into any new environment is uncomfortable, and during an interview process, both employer and employee are putting their best foot forward. In any job, there are certain aspects of certain personalities or parts of the job that are less exciting than the others. Nevertheless, it is important to give every job a genuine chance and to acknowledge that every career has both good aspects and also some drawbacks.

Many business owners and managers will tell you about the new phenomenon of people applying for jobs, going on two interviews, signing all the paperwork, and then leaving at lunch during the orientation.

I am not exactly sure why this is happening, but based on the people I speak to, it is happening across industries and at all levels. The common thread is that it’s easier to quit than to work through something, to lean in and try.

As I mentioned above, make sure you take the time to learn your new job, take yourself out of your comfort zone, give it your best effort, and build relationships. In the event that it isn’t the right fit for you, then it isn’t the right fit, but at least you will have put forth a genuine effort before walking away.

I recognize that nothing I say above is groundbreaking, but I will tell you that after managing a company for 12+ years, demonstrating everything I’ve listed above is even more important than mastering any of the skills you will learn. They will be important for the entirety of your career and also give you the kind of reputation that opens doors.