Congratulations on your new job! The first day and week can both be exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time – but it doesn’t have to be. Follow these tips to be more prepared and get rid of the jitters.
NOTE: This is assuming that you are already planning to show up a little early (about 15 mins), know your commute and where to park, dress appropriately, etc. Here are some additional reminders to ensure that you start out strong!
#1 Prepare your introduction:
The chances of you meeting a lot of new people is pretty high on your first few days. So it’s important to know how you are going to introduce yourself. Whether you’ll be introducing yourself in a group setting or in a one-on-one conversation, it’s helpful to come prepared. Here’s an introductory example that calls out some key information such as your name, role, projects you will be working on, what you look forward to, etc.
| EXAMPLE: Hello, I’m John. I’m a recent graduate from Slater University and the new Data Analyst on the team. My role includes maintaining the current data system and exploring AI opportunities for the team. I look forward to learning from all of you. |
#2 Listen, Learn and Ask for Feedback:
One of the great things about being new is that no one really expects you to know all of the answers quite yet. A lot of grace is given here so be a sponge.
Ask questions, feedback and help when necessary. Learn what the company culture is and what the team goals are.
This also means that you do not need to try and fix anything (unless directly asked to) so take that pressure off yourself. No need to prove yourself quite yet – you’ll have time for that later on.
Don’t get me wrong – you will need to start proving yourself but before you do that, seek to understand the situation first. Assume less, listen and learn more.
The listening part also includes any gossip or disparaging comments you may hear. Good rule of thumb is if you have anything negative to say, report it to your leadership team. However, if you have anything good to say, share it around with others.
#3 Find the organizational chart:
Most big companies have an organizational chart in the HR system. At the very least, your manager or a peer should have one for the team.
The organizational chart tells you who the potential stakeholders or decision makers are. This will help ensure that you are talking to the right people.
Also, since you’re new and don’t really know anyone yet, an organizational chart is helpful to identify who you should ask for information. For example, if you need to contact an IT person for help, either call the help desk or find who is part of the IT department in the organizational chart and just cold email if you must.
#4 Participate in office activities:
If the team is forming a group to run the next department meeting, raise your hand. This is a great way to socialize and work with people who you normally do not work with. This also includes accepting lunch invitations or a walk to a local coffee place.
#5 Do Meet & Greets:
It’s important that you intentionally build relationships early on – it’ll be harder to do later when you are knee deep working on your projects. Building relationships will make it easier for you and for the other person later down the line because you’ve already opened that channel of communication and won’t have to “cold call” them for future projects.
As the new person, your manager should ideally have ‘meet and greets’ scheduled for you but if that is not the case, don’t let that stop you. Ask a peer for recommendation on who you should meet and just send the meet and greet calendar invite yourself.
Keep in mind that you can also do a meet and greet after you’ve “met” them in a meeting. For example, if there’s someone I don’t know in a project meeting, I send them a calendar invite that says meet and greet just so we have a chance to connect on a more personal level.
You’ll be surprised as to how many people are happy to talk to you. Of course there are other ways you can do this but just know that the main focus is to build relationships. Be intentional with building the relationship now and it’ll be easier to collaborate in the future.
#6 Update your LinkedIn:
Share with your network that you started a new job. Give other people a chance to celebrate with you. Who knows, they may have some additional insight for you. Further on this note, connect with your current teammates on LinkedIn. Perhaps give it a couple of days before doing that.
#7 Sign up for your benefits:
Within the first week or so, it’s probably a good idea to sign up for the company benefits such as medical insurance, 401K contribution, and any other paperwork submission that you need to do. After the first week, you most likely will be busier and will either forget or don’t have time. The HR team will appreciate it when you complete all your paperwork on time.
#8 Avoid taking notes on your phone:
I do everything on my phone. For example, I write my questions for my doctor’s appointment on my phone. I write my shopping list on my phone. I even have the notes on how to change car oil on my phone. However, unless it’s part of the company culture (it most likely not), stay off your phone as much as possible.
It looks pretty bad if you look like you’re always on your phone during meetings, even if you are taking notes.
#9 Know your performance metrics:
If your new company has a formal performance evaluation process then it’s best to know early on. It’s important that you know what you will be evaluated on. However, if your company does not have a performance evaluation process (some companies opt for a continuous feedback type program), it’s even more important that you know your manager’s expectations to avoid misunderstanding later on. This will also help you set your priorities when you have more and more work.
Lastly, keep track of your performance. Note the actions that you took and what the success and results were. This is a good rule of thumb for everyone, not just for new hires.
Ideally you would have this conversation with your manager during your 1-on-1. Most managers will already have scheduled a 1-on-1 meeting with you. But if they have not, take the initiative to schedule one with them.
Again, congratulations on your new job! Be curious, build relationships, ask for feedback and you’ll do great!
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