Starting a New Job

Before starting your new job, take time to understand the company’s mission, structure and culture. Familiarize yourself with its key products, services and values. This knowledge builds confidence and helps you to understand how you fit within the team and your potential contributions.

Many newcomers feel pressured to prove themselves from day one. However, remember that your new boss and colleagues don’t expect you to solve major problems immediately. It’s important to pace yourself – trying too much too soon can lead to mistakes.

Most employees take about 90 days to adapt fully to a new role, so allow yourself this time to learn and grow without undue stress.

Focus on a Few Quick Wins

Concentrate on securing small, quick wins that will build momentum and establish your credibility.

Understand how your new company defines success. For some, a win might be fostering open discussions within your team, while for others, it could be achieving measurable outcomes. Prioritize wins that resonate with your boss’s goals.

Make these early wins count by aligning them with your long-term objectives.  The way you handle these initial successes can also lay the foundation for future endeavors.

Ask for informal feedback on your performance. This proactive approach will allow you to fine-tune your strategies and address any issues before they escalate. However, resist the urge to tackle too many challenges at once. Focusing on one or two key areas can prevent you from being overwhelmed and ensure more effective results.

If you need help with what to start working on, our article Pareto Analysis will help you to choose.

Build the New Skills You Need

Starting a new job can feel overwhelming, and you might worry about meeting expectations.

Remember, your new employer chose you for a reason. They likely valued your potential to grow into the role, not just your current skills.

When you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Being new comes with a learning curve, and seeking assistance demonstrates your commitment to adapt and improve.

Develop a learning plan early on to address any skill gaps systematically. Start with a personal SWOT Analysis to understand your strengths and weaknesses relative to your new job.

Next , identify essential skills you need to develop, and set specific goals acquiring them. Learning each new skill should be a goal during your first few months. (If you'd like more information on setting great goals, our article Personal Goal Setting can help.)

Navigate the New Culture

Every team or business unit has a different culture. Even in the same company, the culture of any new team you're joining will differ from the one you just left. In addition to learning how to operate successfully in this new culture, you'll also have to deal with office politics. This is an issue in many organizations, and you, as the new team member, can easily make mistakes if you're not careful.

One of the biggest mistakes a new hire can make is entering a new organization full of unrealistic goals and a huge list of changes. Yes, you were probably hired to replace someone else and make a positive change. And it's natural to want to impress your boss and co-workers by showing them your vision of how things should be.

But trying to change things too early can threaten and alienate the people you're trying to make your allies. Remember, you're a stranger to them, so don't try to deal with big issues right from the start. Spend time getting to know your company's new culture and the subcultures likely to exist in each team or environment.

Learn Who's Who

When you start in a new department or organization, identifying key team members and understanding their roles and level of power is essential for your success.

Start by getting to know your immediate team – determine who does what and how their work intersects with yours.

As you settle in, focus on forging effective working relationships. Initiate conversations, engage in social events, and participate in group activities. These interactions not only help you fit in but also provides a solid foundation for your future at the company.

Once you’re comfortable, expand your understanding by observing how well each team member handles various tasks and responsibilities.

However, merely compiling a list of everyone on your team could lead to information overload. Instead, create a master list of skills like problem-solving, creative thinking, decision-making, and interpersonal skills. Gradually compile a skills matrix for your team, which can guide you when assigning tasks or launching projects.

During your first few weeks, it's also important to start identifying your potential allies. Good allies can make a dramatic difference in your career, and our article Finding Your Allies can help you find the right ones.

Tips for Starting Your New Job

• Make sure you understand from your first day why you were hired and your goals for the first six to 12 months. This can help with your direction in the weeks to come.
• It's not weak to ask for help. If you don't know how or where to find the information you need, you'll waste your time if you search for it yourself. Ask your boss or colleagues for help when you need it.
• Many people feel overwhelmed when they start with a new company. Everything is dramatically different, which can leave you feeling stressed and chaotic. Try to identify stability zones to help you find peace and stability in your new environment.
• Avoid making comparisons between your new company and your old company. Your new team doesn't want to hear, "At my old job, we used to…" Focus on what you need to do now, not what or how you did something in the past.
• If someone on your new team does not respond well to you, don't take it personally – at least in the beginning. Remember, you might be in a role that someone else used to have, and that person might have been a friend of this team member. It will take time to establish trust. If someone on your team is being especially rude or difficult, our article Dealing With Difficult People shows you how to resolve things diplomatically.