Congratulations on starting a new job!
Beginning a new position is an exciting milestone
in your career.
However, it can also provoke anxiety
about how to put your best foot forward in a new environment.
That's why I'm here to share the 4 DO's and DON'Ts when starting
a new job.
These tips for success and mistakes to avoid
can help you make a strong first impression as you take
the next step in your career.
Make sure to stick around until the end for the last most
common mistake people make.
You don't want to miss this one!
DO prepare before your first day.
Spend some time at least one day prior
considering logistics-- when and where you'll arrive,
what you'll wear, the best commute, and where you'll park.
Note the location that you're directed to.
It isn't always your department.
Sometimes you're directed to arrive at the human resources
office.
If you're working remotely, review the instructions
for online onboarding, test your equipment in advance,
and pay special attention to how you
can gain access to your work email and messaging tools.
Regardless of how you're joining the workplace,
it's wise to reflect on what you know about the job
before your first day.
Review your notes from your interview
to familiarize yourself with your team
and the responsibilities that you'll have
and what you're going to be learning about.
And now that leads me to the first mistake
to avoid when starting a new job.
DON'T go in trying to know everything.
Go easy on yourself.
Even with all the preparation in the world,
the majority of the information that you'll
encounter when starting a new role
will be new and unexpected.
The first few days can feel overwhelming,
but, thankfully, no one expects you to know everything,
so relieve yourself of that pressure.
Also, consider the attitude that you bring.
Remember that no longer how long have you been in the field
or how excited you are to contribute,
your primary goal when beginning a new job is to learn.
Instead of making judgments, ask questions.
And it's especially wise to ask questions
that are going to help you understand why things are done
the way they are as opposed to why they aren't done in a way
that you're more familiar with.
As you become more familiar with the team, strategy,
and processes, you can, of course, propose suggestions.
But by keeping a learning mindset early on,
you're showing that you have a desire to understand.
Taking the time to gain context will
strengthen the future recommendations that you make.
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DO show your eagerness to succeed.
When you start a new job, you're rebuilding
your professional reputation.
Now, you were probably a standout performer
in your last role.
But your new company will be forming an opinion of you
based on how you present yourself now.
Take steps to establish yourself as a thoughtful contributor.
You want to produce high-quality work,
and take notes to avoid asking the same question twice.
Be friendly, responsive, and eager to take on assignments.
Do remember, if your goal is to rise up in the company,
you first have to prove that you can
do all of the tasks required in your current position and more
at a high level.
DON'T be overly pleasing.
It goes without saying that, it's
worthwhile to build friendly relationships with your peers.
However, there's a difference between being
and trying too hard to please.
Many early professionals find it hard to strike
the right balance from beginning a new job.
You might feel like new, learning,
and toward the bottom of the totem pole.
It's a natural to express gratitude for people's help
by saying things like, thank you so, so much.
Or this is really incredibly kind of you to help me.
But keep in mind that your coworkers aren't simply helping
you out of the goodness of their own hearts.
They're preparing you to contribute to the business
goals.
So in other words, it's part of their job to help you.
While you should always express thanks,
over-the-top sweetness may be perceived as insecurity.
And this especially applies to written communication.
Be authentic, polite, and appreciative.
But remember that being seen as a gracious friend
and a respected professional are two different things.
For more advice on how to communicate in the workplace,
be sure to check out this video here.
Now let's move on to my next tip for starting a new job.
DO make strategic connections right away.
You might already know that it's beneficial to introduce
yourself to many people when you're
starting at a new company.
But when it comes to setting up meetings or more
in-depth conversations, it can be
difficult to figure out which connections to prioritize.
Start by looking at your company org chart.
If your company doesn't have one,
ask your manager questions to learn
how the company is structured and who
you're going to be interacting with the most.
Put extra effort into building relationships with your manager
and other people who are going to be reviewing your work.
And this includes those that you might reach out
to for help, such as other teams in your department, IT support,
or even HR.
Similarly, once you know the essential responsibilities
of your job and who you're going to be collaborating with,
reach out to discuss how you can best support them.
It's useful to understand their work styles and goals.
Pro Tip: Toward the end of your first 90 days,
set up a skip-level meeting.
This is a meeting with the person who's
one level above your manager.
Give your boss a heads-up, but let
them know that you're interested in introducing
yourself and learning how their manager has grown
in their career at the company.
DON'T wait for people to get in touch with you.
This tip is straightforward, but it's really easy to forget.
Some folks might immediately connect with you,
but others are going to be head-down in their own work.
This is especially true in a remote work environment.
They may not even be aware that there's a reason that you'd
like to speak with them.
So if there's someone that you want to talk to,
take ownership.
Whether you ask them to lunch or to a more formal meeting,
actively reaching out makes it much more likely
that you can get up to speed.
Plus, it demonstrates initiative and confidence.
Take notice of how meetings are scheduled at your workplace.
If you can see other people's calendars, find an open window.
The person that you're hoping to meet with
will be more willing to connect if you don't double-book
their calendar.
For more tips on networking, I highly
recommend checking out this video.
Do you ask informed questions.
It may go without saying, but, as a new hire,
there will likely be many things that you can't figure out
on your own.
Feel confident about asking for tools or information
that are going to help you perform your job.
Your company may have a stellar onboarding process.
But things may inadvertently slip through the cracks.
There's a saying that goes, you don't
know what you don't know, so be sure to speak up
when you have questions.
That being said, make your goal to do
your job without requiring unnecessary input from others.
Instead of pinging a co-worker every time you have a question,
wait until after your first week and ask yourself,
do I have the tools that I need to begin performing my work?
Some related onboarding questions
might be, "do I have access to all company communication
methods?
Do I have permissions to all necessary tools?
Am I aware of my team's strategy?
Do I know how my performance will be evaluated?
Do I know who to reach out to for X, Y, and Z?
Do I understand my immediate priorities?
Do I have a clear understanding of my daily responsibilities?"
By waiting and asking yourself these questions first,
you're saving your colleagues time
and giving yourself a chance to absorb as much as you can.
But it's common to not have every answer yourself.
When that happens, refer to your notes, conduct a web search,
or review company-provided information
before asking your manager or a colleague for help.
If you can answer the question on your own, great.
If not, then at least you've gained more context
and can explain the path that you took before reaching out
for their input.
Pro Tip: create bookmarks to keep
track of important resources, like meeting agendas, strategy
docs, and your most used tools.
We all lose track of things from time to time,
but it's not an informed question if you say, hey,
can you send me that link you shared with me earlier
this week?
Reserve questions for the tough stuff
that you can't figure out on your own.
And lastly, let's address one of the most common mistakes people
make when starting a new job.
Don't focus on going above and beyond right away.
Some career coaches may tell you to add value or start
improving on things on your very first day at a new job.
While you should certainly pay attention
to where you can contribute, don't put pressure
on yourself to knock it out of the park as soon as you begin.
Onboarding takes time, and employers know that.
It can often take several months for a new employee
to begin producing work at the same rate and quality
as an existing employee.
Learning all of the duties required to do your regular job
is a lot, let alone thinking about how
you can add value beyond that.
If you try to go above and beyond too early,
your normal responsibilities may suffer.
As a general rule of thumb, give yourself a month or two
to learn, ask informed questions,
and nail the basics of your role.
After that, look for ways to add extra value.
All right, let's quickly review the top 4
DO'S and DON'Ts of making a great first impression
in your new job.
DO prepare before your first day.
By reviewing logistics, how you're presenting yourself,
and what you know about the job, you
can walk in with confidence and poise.
DON'T go in trying to know everything.
Give yourself grace and embrace a learning mindset.
DO show your eagerness to succeed.
Build a strong reputation by being polite, friendly,
and producing great work.
DON'T be overly pleasing.
Instead, aim to be respectful and kind without lowering
your own status.
DO make strategic connections right away.
Prioritize forming relationships with your managers,
frequent collaborators, and those you may ask for help.
DON'T wait for people to reach out to you.
By taking the initiative, you're showing drive
in helping yourself get the information that you
need more quickly.
DO ask informed questions.
Independence takes time.
In the meantime, speak up when you have a question.
DON'T focus on going above and beyond right away.
Onboarding is hard enough.
Take note of possible improvements
you can make later on.
But right now, just focus on doing great work.
If you found this helpful, please
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For more career development tips,
I recommend checking out this playlist,
or check out this video right here
on how to develop emotional intelligence
to succeed at work.
Best of luck at your new job.
We'll see you next time.
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