First 90 Days: Plan for New-Job Success
Your new job is starting. Are you the one who decided to get a new job? Now there's no more pressure to sell yourself. And nothing at the new job could be worse than unemployment, right?
Well, our reactions to a new job can surprise us.
Let's look at feelings to expect, and practical actions to take, during the first months on a new job. These tips apply to a new job with a new employer, or with your current company.
Feelings to Expect
- No one knows me.
- They don't seem to trust me.
- This is hard.
- Can I really do this job?
- Will I last?
- I've got to prove myself fast.
- I'd better not ask for too much help.
Two issues are probably at play here - status and self-confidence.
First, in your last job, you knew who to ask for help and how to get things done. And co-workers consulted you too. You might have enjoyed an "old-shoe" effect, where you no longer had to prove what you could do.
In your new position, that status is gone. Even if there is status in your job title, you still need time to build up the kind of relationships and trust you had in your last job.
In a new position, learning who does what, who will help when asked, whom to avoid, and how to persuade others takes time. Feeling a bit adrift is natural.
Where does self-confidence come in?
It's not unusual for people who've been out of work to feel their self-confidence go way down when they start a new job. This can also be true for those who have many accomplishments but who've never had a paid job. And even for career-changers who wanted to leave their last job. Or retirees who are now going after their dream job.
It can sound sort of crazy. Shouldn't self-confidence go up when we get the job we've wanted? When all the work of finding a job is over? It does, for some people. But for many of us, it takes some time to feel secure again. Along the way, we wonder if our skills are still good or if we're doing a good enough job.
When we have such worries, it's normal to want to prove ourselves fast, or not show what we don't know. But those normal desires may get us in trouble.
Here are some guidelines to use on your new job - especially when you start feeling low on self-confidence.
- Try to avoid comparing what worked well at your old job with
what needs fixing at your new job.
Of course, your new boss or company hired you because of your experience. Even so, no one likes to be on the negative end of a comparison.
If you start by saying what needs to be fixed or done differently, co-workers are likely to see you as a know-it-all - even if they really do want new ideas. Wait a while before you suggest changes. Wait before you try to make a big splash with something new.
- Give your new colleagues the benefit of the doubt if you
don't feel at ease with them right away.
Think how long it takes for stepfamilies to get used to each other. The dynamics can be similar for a new worker. On one level, your new work team will welcome you. On another level, they may worry about how they will have to change because of you.
Any change takes time. Try not to take any initial awkwardness too seriously.
- Assume that you have a lot to learn - and show that you want
to.
Learning how to work in a new job is often harder than knowing a technical skill. It's all about working in a new work culture. A work culture is the combination of behaviors and rules that run the company, organization, or department. Some of these may be in writing. Most will be unwritten, and it takes time to learn them.
Ask a lot of questions. This won't show up any lack in you. Rather, you'll show that you can learn what you need to know.
Let others know that you're interested in how they do things. Figure out their work style. Use that before you try to change the way things are done.
Practical Steps on the New Job
- Be on time.
Obvious, right? But maybe not. Say your new job is in a different part of the plant where you've worked for years. Or in a different location of the same organization. You always punched in 15-20 minutes early; it was expected. Or you've come in a half-hour late because that was OK with your boss. Until you know what's expected and OK with your new boss and co-workers, follow the rules to the letter.
If you've been out of work for a while, following new work hours could be harder than it seems. What if you've been picking your grandson up at school in the afternoons? What if your spouse has been working extra hours and you've taken on new household tasks? Who will have time for them now?
Of course, you'll adjust. Just give yourself some slack at the beginning of your new job. Talking over new schedules with family and friends - or re-dividing who does what at home - can help.
What about transportation? Timing a trial run to your new workplace is always a good idea. Especially if you'll be using a different method of transportation than in the past.
- Dress right for the workplace.
Say you're starting with a new employer. At your two interviews, you noticed people dressed in all sorts of ways, from casual to very formal. Now that you have the job, it's fine to ask what dress code you should follow. Modify later, when you understand the unwritten rules better.
- Introduce yourself.
Your new boss will do everything to help you fit in, right? Many new employees - of all ages - believe this. But it's not always true. You may be on your own. For the first few days or weeks, take the first step to introduce yourself to co-workers. What if you forget whom you've met and introduce yourself twice? That's better than running the risk of appearing aloof.
- Ask your boss how you're doing.
Schedule periodic meetings with your supervisor to get answers to your questions. Use these meetings to check on how you're doing. Ask for specifics.
Make sure you know the length and terms of your probation period. It's natural to feel anxious about this. But you don't have to wait until the end of the period to get feedback on your work. Go ahead and set up some talks with your boss. Point out what you've accomplished so far. And ask about each area of your new work. What is going well? What could be improved - and how?
Additional Resource
Starting a New
Job
Find Job Success articles on starting your new job and passing
the probation period.
Books
Find these books online at Barnes and Noble.com
So You're New Again: How to Succeed When You Change Jobs, Ed Holton, Sharon Naquin, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001. The focus is on mid-life workers. Understand how employees see new colleagues, so you have the best chance of using your skills in your new workplace.
The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels, Michael Watkins, Harvard Business School Publishing, 2003. Helpful for all new managers. Even if you're not a supervisor, learn here about the dynamics of transition to a new job and a new work culture.
