Starting a new job is scary. Regardless of where you are in your career, starting with a new company or getting a promotion with higher responsibilities can make you feel like an outsider. To thrive professionally and socially, not only do you need to learn how to do your job, but you also have to learn the work culture, get acquainted with your team members, figure out what’s acceptable to wear, adopt the lingo and pick up on what behaviours are okay.
Big transitions aren’t a regular part of daily life. So preparing for these huge changes will set you up for a successful career. Don’t just jump in head first and hope everything works out. Keep reading for tips to help you not only survive and thrive in your new job.
Be okay with being the newbie
No one likes being the newbie. But at some point or another, everyone’s been the new kid on the block.
Anytime you change responsibilities, there will be an adjustment period. It takes time to settle into a new role. There are tons to learn, and all this new knowledge might not sink in immediately. Acknowledge the discomfort and use this time to ask questions and learn about your new situation.
Set healthy boundaries early on
Do you have a hard time telling others no?
Would you consider yourself a people pleaser?
Are you often putting in late hours?
If you said yes to any of those questions, then this tip might be a tough one to swallow. But if you value a work-life balance, you must set boundaries early on. By doing so, you’re defining what’s acceptable and unacceptable in terms of how late you’re willing to stay, whether you will answer emails or phone calls outside of work hours or how personal your relationships with colleagues will be.
Once you show what you’re willing to do, it can be hard to go back when you decide to enforce boundaries, so be sure to set them early on.
Ideally, you’re working for a company that respects and encourages boundary-setting. Asking the right questions during your interview will help you understand the company culture.
Build relationships
Depending on the size of your company, you might be meeting a ton of new people. The first day can be overwhelming, and you might forget everyone’s names but don’t let that stop you from fostering new workplace relationships. Make yourself approachable, and go in every day ready to meet some new faces.
As much as you receive, find ways to offer your support to colleagues. Don’t just focus on your leaders and direct reports. Look to your peers and horizontal co-workers as additional pillars of support. You’ll set yourself up for success when you have a strong bond with your team members.
Ask for and accept feedback
Starting a new job is an opportunity to learn. Accept the fact that you’ll probably make mistakes and focus on how you learn from them. Ask for feedback from your boss and colleagues to get a better insight on how to be a more effective employee. Check in with trusted team members to ask if you are meeting or exceeding expectations and areas you can improve. Don’t just wait for an annual review to receive feedback; instead, make it a regular practice.
Don’t take feedback personally. Be coachable and see each day as a new opportunity to grow.
Take initiative
Initially, your priorities are getting a handle on your primary responsibilities and settling in. Find ways to take initiative as you become more comfortable in your role. Offer solutions to challenges or issues the company is facing. If you see something that needs to be done, go for it.
IT Recruitment Agency in Toronto | About Live Assets | IT Staffing Solutions
Live Assets is a boutique IT Staffing/Recruiting firm specializing exclusively in building IT teams of excellence for the Information Technology sector.
We are a small, but productive team that works closely together and has had a 96% success rate for the past number of years!
We have a diverse number of clients and industries and focus on both full-time and contract I.T. opportunities.
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