Congratulations, you have been offered a new job. Time to sign the contract and change job and perhaps change company.
You have probably gone through a tiresome and tough interview process. And now it is your time to start a new job, join a new company and excel. But before you start celebrating and perhaps fail while celebrating here is what you need to know about a new job and/or a new company.
There are things you probably should do or not do during your first few days if not months in order for you to excel and impress in your new job.
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It is indeed true that it is the duty of human resources department and hiring managers to co-actively put in place a firm onboarding process for new hires. But in real life people create processes and rules they do not normally follow completely and in some cases many people are asked to lead one task thus leaving the task with no direct owner and hence no strict adherence or ownership for follow up. On a wild case – what if your company doesn’t have human resources department?
As a new hire, there is need to own your onboarding process and first few-weeks success for your new job
SolarEyes International, 2022
After rigorous research and interviews with hiring managers, human resources personnel and people who have changed jobs and/or company, SolarEyes International has compiled a list of 11 tips that new job hires must do such that they won’t feel unprepared, disoriented, clumsy and isolated when they step into office the first day and onwards.
11 Tips to excel on your new job
1. Anticipate and embrace change
From now onwards accept the idea that things have changed and will probably change for better or worse – and it is your duty to make things change for better.
SolarEyes International, 2022
Expect new people, new processes, new rules and new environment for your new job. Also know that a lot of people consider quitting within the first month of their hire due to various challenges which include inconsistence between the advertised position and how the job is in real life – therefore better know that this discrepancy can as well happen to your position.
But do not worry all this can be managed – there will probably be someone that will join the company soon after you and you will not have that awkward feeling of being the newest hire anymore.
2. Be punctual and professional
Arrive on time at least every day for the first one to two months of your new job – or at least for your probation period. You don’t want to appear like an everyday late comer on your few days into joining an organization- that might change the perception your superiors have towards you. Understand the dress code and follow that – at least this section is usually clarified in the contract. Choose your outfit wisely – and do not worry you will become more flexible when fully integrated in the company.
3. Build relationships
Get to know your colleagues – team mates and non-team mates. Introduce yourself to your co-workers, let them know your name, your new job role at that company and it is not bad for them to know your previous role, previous company and what you enjoy doing outside of work. You might find instant friends and company the first day based on this.
If not done on your behalf, this is probably the best time to reach out to your co-workers and schedule quick first meetings – this sounds not important but you will realize that your life will be easier later if you have done a conversation with someone.
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For example if you are in Engineering department you might think that there is no need to build relationships with Finance department until you run into a finance problem that needs their intervention. Therefore at least know who does what for all the key things that you know will concern you and your job – for example payrolls and salary payment etc.
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For physical office position take time to go round in people’s offices to do initial discussion – but do not take too much time and do it at an appropriate time. Five to fifteen minutes is ok.
Be available for lunch with any of your co-workers as this will help you integrate into the organization. Eating time can be a good time for your colleagues to actually see the better side of you.
And yourself too – you can learn a lot about your colleagues during lunch time as it will be a small environment away from work but in-between work.
SolarEyes International, 2022
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Some companies pair a new hire with a buddy or mentor for a new job. If your company does that please make great use of the person to understand more about the company. Ask as many questions as possible the first days. If your company does not provide this kind of person find one yourself – there is no harm in doing this but rather it will help you to have that go to person who can answer almost every question for you and simplify your integration into your new job.
4. Ask team mates what they expect from you
Ask and understand what your team mates expect you to be doing and write it down for accomplishment. They likely know what your job should be like because they have been with the company before you. Get this feedback from three to five people as it will help you define your roles apart from what the contract says. There is a high chance that the job description and contract were generic and what is on ground is now specific and this requires you to adjust.
For example a Sales Manager at company A will be doing different things from a Sales Manager at company B even though these are companies in the same sector.
5. Understand your manager
Know your manager’s likes and dislikes. Learn her/his perspective on doing work properly. At the end of the day it will be her/his evaluation that will matter most on your overall performance evaluation– so master this part. Know the key performance indicators from which your performance will be evaluated. But do not worry much to perform much or make a difference on your first week or month– you probably won’t do much.
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6. Learn and understand the organization
Time to understand the company. Learn and understand what the company does in general, their mission and goals. Website and social media sites will be your greatest tools for this exercise. Just remember that during your first day in office for your new job people might be discussing about their current project they are working on and you will feel not lost if you already new something about this on your own.
Ask as many questions as possible but most importantly listen to what your co-workers are saying and this might mean listening to conversations not meant for you as they will help you understand the company more.
SolarEyes International, 2022
After this, understand your department as this will help you deliver in your new job. Know the goals of the department, current projects and the work the department is responsible. Perhaps not bad to pre-identify some areas you think you can help the team.
For physical office take time to walk and observe workspaces and surroundings – visit the kitchen too you will learn a lot. Know and mark people who are open for questions and you can use these people to understand more about the organization faster.
7. Have an apprentice mindset
Learn every day and be mindful of the tasks you perform. By learning new things each and every day the spectrum of things you can do widens. It is true that through a job change pain and frustration will come but you need to learn to love these two. Identify skills gaps you need and work towards achieving them – the sooner you do that the better for your performance on your new job.
8. Take notes
Have a note book or pad for taking notes as you will probably be bombarded with important information you wouldn’t want to forget. You can use this same note book or pad to prepare questions you have. Be careful – using a phone for taking notes on a new job might send a wrong impression even if you are indeed taking your notes on phone.
9. Take initiatives
Be proactive and start things on your first few days if not months. Do not worry this is probably the best way to bring initiatives into an organization without the fear that you won’t be making sense. However the pillar point to this is ‘fail fast and forward’, meaning that if you fail do it very fast and go on to the next thing.
10. No gossip
The last thing you need to do or be is to be labelled as the queen/king of gossip during your first days of work. Gossip will do more harm than good to your personality and performance in general. Therefore do not be involved in gossip – at least not for now.
11. Go extra mile
This is probably the rightful time for over delivering. Best time for showing your hard working character and capability to take overflowing tasks from your co-workers’ or manager’s plate. Take and accomplish tasks that you know your manager is not good in doing but are important to the department and organization.
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The cheat code for employment is solving problems and simplifying work for your manager. This way your manager will definitely feel your impact to the organization and would love to keep and promote you.
SolarEyes International, 2022
In conclusion
After doing all the above, relax and know that a time will come when you will be fully integrated into the organization and team and for that time you will be free and able to do a lot of things without being too cautious about what you say, how you say it and how you behave. Enjoy your new job and please remember they already like you, hence they selected you for the position.
Keep yourself plugged!
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