When you begin your first day at a new job, you are entering totally new territory. The novelty and the opportunities presented in a new workplace can be daunting and thrilling all at once.
Your first 90 days at a new job sets the tone for how your career journey will manifest. It is the perfect time to establish an excellent first impression, immerse yourself in new responsibilities, and get to know the company inside and out. Therefore, strategically conquering your first 90 days can make it easier for you to demonstrate your abilities and confirm to your supervisors and colleagues alike that they made the best choice in hiring you. So, how can you ensure a successful start?
Know the Expectations
Spend the first few weeks at your new job attempting to understand your new role and how it supports your colleagues and the company. Upon gaining such valuable information, review it thoroughly, and do not be afraid to ask questions. Recognizing your position, how your performance will be evaluated, and the goals that you need to achieve will enable you to successfully move on to the second item.
Make an Action Plan
It has been heavily suggested throughout the past couple of years that strategic preparedness and feeling in control over your workflow can help reduce stress levels. So, while the first few days at a new job can feel stressful enough, it is important to begin implementing plans that can help you deliver what is expected of you. Additionally, once you become more integrated into your team, you will become more acquainted with larger projects and be more involved in whatever processes are being done.
Cultivate Good Habits (While Reducing Bad Ones)
As human beings who possess the ability to think consciously, employees can cultivate a set of habits over the course of their careers, or more generally their lives. Some of these habits are positive ones, like standing up for one’s morals or turning up to work on time. However, there are also these negative habits that can hold you back from doing the job well.
Beginning a new job is an opportunity to start fresh and embrace whatever the future holds for you. Therefore, the first 90 days can be spent in forming your personal brand and the habits that you know will help you get the job done, while also taking control of those that can jeopardize your new career.
Listen
In 1988, researchers have found that the average person possesses a 25% listening efficiency. And yet, while most people agree that listening is a highly effective skill, most people don’t feel the strong drive to improve their own listening skills.
Take the time during your first 90 days to learn and apply the art of listening. And yes, you can only absorb so much information. Therefore, take the time to also ask as many questions as you can about your new role and the company. Being and wanting to stay knowledgeable about it can impress your colleagues and supervisors – an ideal start.
Network
Networking provides you with the opportunity to form meaningful professional bonds with colleagues and supervisors alike, eventually helping you in the future by opening doors to new possibilities. Additionally, networking enables you to share ideas with your colleagues and access the professional wisdom of those in higher positions in the company, giving you a more enriched mindset on career life and the world itself.
These five steps are just the basics in successfully conquering your first 90 days in a new working environment. And while these five steps are easier said than done, always keep in mind that performing or not performing them can make or break your career and its future. Because if they impact your career, they effectively impact life.
