THE FIRST FEW DAYS IN A NEW ORGANIZATION CAN FEEL OVERWHELMING, LET ME SHARE MY OWN DO'S AND DON'TS
Starting a new job can be such a whirlwind. For me, there is a mix of excitement, nervousness and uncertainty that no other event can rival. I recently started a new job a few months ago and honestly, I have found it difficult to navigate the waters of the corporate culture. So, I wanted to share my top tips to help ease your transition into a new company.
Tip #1 - Do not talk about your previous company
While you were likely hired based on the accomplishments in your past role, your new manager, peers and team does not want to hear about how great of a performer you were in your last role. They want to see what you can do in real-life (a.k.a. at the new company).
DON'T - Use saying things like "Well, at my old company I transformed the old training program and I think I could really help the training program here" or "I noticed sales are struggling here and at my old company I helped sales increase 20% in only a few weeks, let me know if you want some help". Honestly, in my experience I have found this only makes you sound stuck up and your new peers will start to tune you out.
DO - Leave your company name out of the conversation and share your ideas with others. If another leader or peer is clearly frustrated with the training program offer to brainstorm some ideas together at lunch or make suggestions to improve sales on a personal note.
Tip #2 - Follow along
DON'T - Ask about the break or lunch process, assume something is a priority, do something you think would be considered going above and beyond - for at least the first month. Even companies within the same industry can operate very differently and you need to take the time to figure out how your actions will be perceived.
DO - Join in on group break/lunch time and copy the actions of other leaders or peers. While this may not be natural to you, it will look entirely natural to everyone else. It can also help to create a common bond with others in the company and it allows you to judge the boundaries of what is typical behaviour (and what it is not).
Tip #3 - Make personal connections
DON'T - Rush to get your work done, forget to ask simple questions and not thank people for their time. The first few weeks in a new role is precious time - the expectations of what you will produce are the lowest they will ever be and everyone is wondering what kind of joy or misery you will bring to their life.
DO - Spend time getting to know those you are shadowing personally, ask questions you may already know the answer to, learn everyone's name and extend your gratitude early and often. Take the time to make a genuine connection with others and this will pay off down the road - you will enjoy your role more and be able to get results much easier
My approach or tips may not work for everyone or for every role, but remember take your first few weeks slow. Although you only get a chance to make a first impression once, when starting a new job, you have a chance to build up to your full potential (whether it seems like it or not!).