No matter how experienced you are or how long you've been working, starting a new job can be scary. So how do you behave at a new job? You want to prove to your employer right away that they made the right choice by hiring you and make a good first impression on your colleagues and co-workers. But if you spend half your time in the first few weeks trying to remember everyone's names and passwords for your new company, know that you're not alone. That's normal.
Content How to Handle a New Job: Clearly Define the Context of Your PositionAdapting to a New Job: Create a 90-Day PlanHow to Handle a New Job: Focus on Building RelationshipsAdapting to a New Job: Learn the Company CultureHow to Handle a New Job: Don't Be in a Hurry to Show Off Your SkillsAdapting to a New Job: Set Yourself Up for Success
WomanEL understands that you have so much on your plate, but we ask you to take a breather. We will share the best tips from successful women that will help you impress everyone at your new job.
How to behave in a new job: clearly define the context of your position
According to leadership consultant Elizabeth Lotardo, successful women have a clear understanding of the context of their role. They challenge themselves to understand why their role was created and how it contributes to the organization’s strategy, what senior leadership is most concerned about, and what metrics indicate success. This, Lotardo explained, ultimately enables them to come up with better ideas, understand the company’s decisions, and make meaningful contributions.
To contextualize their role, Alison Campbell, founder of burnout prevention company unBurnt, says successful women spend time with their manager early on to make sure their goals are aligned. This not only demonstrates commitment and a willingness to learn, but also confirms that they are a team player and will fit in easily with the work environment.
Adapting to a new job: create a 90-day plan
It’s easy to lose sight of your goals as you adjust to a new role. But Tracey Newell, a C-Suite executive, says successful women avoid that by starting a new job with a 90-day plan. She explains that after they figure out what’s expected of them, they’ll identify their “North Star” (aka the big goal) as well as other small wins they want to achieve within the first 90 days. For example, taking on a challenging project would be the “North Star,” while building relationships, participating in weekly meetings, and identifying areas for improvement would be the small wins.
However, creating and writing that plan isn’t always enough. According to Newell, successful women take it a step further by presenting it to their boss and other key team members. Newell explains that they do this for two reasons. First, it ensures that they have clearly mapped out their desired trajectory and are on track to achieve it. Second, it secures the support of key players in the company. It shows that they take their work seriously and that they value and appreciate the contributions of others.
How to behave at a new job: focus on building relationships
Show that you know how to work in a company, Source: freepik.com
Being a newbie isn’t always easy. That’s why Campbell says successful women focus on building relationships in the workplace right away. They do this by introducing themselves to their colleagues and showing genuine interest in their work. They also set aside time to get to know the people they’ll be working with directly. Campbell explained that this not only helps establish rapport and trust early on, but it also speeds up the learning process. After all, enthusiasm is contagious. And of course, successful women will regularly check in with their managers and team members to learn about their work and how they can improve it.
But trying to build relationships with colleagues when you're working remotely can be a challenge, to say the least. But according to Ashley Kera, founder of Kera Coaching & Consulting LLC, successful women combat this by making visibility a top priority. They schedule regular meetings with colleagues, participate in virtual meetings, and use video calls and email to strengthen relationships. The connection may be virtual. But these tactics still help establish rapport and trust, and show employers that they're reliable people who are willing to go the extra mile.
Adapting to a new job: learn the company culture
Unfortunately, finding a work buddy or mentor isn’t as easy as it looks in the movies. It’s rare for an extrovert to come to your desk and explain to you how decisions are made, who the “right people” are, and what topics to avoid during a lunch with management,” says Lotardo. Of course, no one wants to make a bad impression, but in the first few days on the job, it’s common to accidentally say the wrong thing or overdo it.
Successful women actively study their company culture to avoid this. Kera explained that they pay attention to how people communicate in the workplace, whether meetings are formal or informal, and whether employees socialize outside of work. Studying this information is very important because it shows how employees function in the workplace. This, in turn, makes it easier to learn and fit into the team.
How to behave at a new job: don't rush to show off your skills in the business
“Successful women understand that success in a new role is not just about productivity. It’s also about relationships, adaptability, and strategic positioning,” says Kera. So they won’t immediately show off their skills and experience, but will listen and observe first. Similarly, they will ask thoughtful questions in the first few weeks of a new role.
Instead of asking, “Why are we doing this?” Kera says that successful women will say something like, “Could you help me understand how this process works?” This is to demonstrate curiosity and respect for the processes in place. This will not only allow them to define the company culture, but it will also keep them from overstepping their bounds.
Adapting to a new job: set yourself up for success
Adapting to a new job requires the right mindset – it’s a process, not an event. That’s why successful women always cultivate a mindset of success when they start a new job. They know that starting a new job can be scary, but they don’t let feelings of insecurity or discomfort get in the way. Instead, they do their best and use the tips above to build their authority and gain trust in their new role.
Ultimately, success doesn't come overnight. Rather, it's a series of purposeful steps along your career path that will ultimately help you achieve your goals. Nothing worth having comes easy. And if you decide to work hard towards your goals, combined with these habits, you will achieve tremendous success in any job.
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