Ready to start your new job?
Hey, everybody. Don Georgevich here with Job Interview Tools. Today, I want to give you my 14 best tips for after you get the job, because I know you’re awesome and I know you’re going to land your dream job. In fact, I bet you already did. So, the next thing you’re going to want to do is make a great first impression.
So, if you want to look like a star at your new job, tell me now, by hitting the “Like” button and we will jump right in.
So, you have a new job. Congratulations. Now, you want to make a great first impression. So, let’s get you into the right mindset, so you look awesome.
Step number one; find out what people are wearing. It used to be traditional to wear a suit on your first day, but that is old-school thinking. You don’t want to stand out like an oddball in a suit if everyone else is wearing jeans or business casual. Now, do you?
Now, you should already have got an idea of what people are wearing from when you went on job interviews at this company. Okay?
Step number two; if you have questions before showing up for your first day, just ask. Reach out to the hiring manager or someone in human resources and ask your questions. Don’t be afraid to call on them. After all, they’re not going to take away the job that they just gave to you.
Step number three; obviously, you want to be polite to everyone, but to really grow your new job and to make a good first impression, strategy helps. So, get out from behind your desk and meet people in your department.
Even if you won’t be working with them directly, just connect and build rapport. Be social and let them know who you are. And that if there’s ever anything that you can do for them, let them know.
And when you get out there and you meet people, this action will build rapport and you will create an imprint in their minds that you are someone who is genuinely happy to be here, willing to serve and eager to work.
It simply sets the tone for yourself. Obviously, you can’t meet everyone on your first day, but taking time to make rounds and connect with your co-workers will pay off in time. So, get out there and meet people and show them you’re excited to be there.
Step number four; don’t be afraid to ask for help during your first 30 days. Your manager wants to see you succeed. But before you ask a question, try to think through the whole problem and try to solve it yourself and then ask for help, if you need it. Asking for help is okay, but you don’t want to overdo it.
Number five; learn what everyone else does. As you’re meeting your co-workers and introducing yourself, find out what everyone else does. Ask their titles, the projects that they work on and anything else that you feel is important to know at the company.
Knowing these things is going to be very helpful to you when you need something or you need to refer a colleague to someone who can help them. Have you ever worked somewhere that someone just knew everything? I have. And I always went to them to get what I needed. And this is the person that you need to become.
This will elevate your status in the company. And when it comes time to promote someone, who do you think is going to get the promotion? The person in the know. And that would be you.
Number six; don’t stress out yourself. Starting a new job is stressful enough, but you’re not going to learn everything you need to know in the first week. It usually takes three to six months for new hires to become fully productive.
Now, during your first 30 days is when you have the biggest grace period to come up to speed. So, use this time to learn everything you can, because in the coming months, you will be expected to start doing your job at a much higher level.
So, let’s move on to number seven; ask smart questions. Have you ever been in a meeting and you ask a question and then felt like an idiot for asking it? I think we all have. Asking those kinds of questions shows that you don’t understand what’s going on. And since you’re new and you don’t know what is going on, you want to ask questions that show curiosity and a desire for understanding.
So, when a co-worker explains, let’s say, a process, you might say, “Why do we do it this way?” And a question like that shows a desire to learn.
Now, most people are going to say, “Why don’t we do it this way?” which sends a completely different message and forces your co-worker, your boss to defend their method.
Do you see the difference on that? I mean, one is a smart question with an opportunity to learn and the other is a negative question where the action must be defended. All right?
Number eight, don’t be afraid to ask your co-workers or your boss how you’re doing. Keep that feedback early on, so that you can make adjustments and improvements to your performance. I mean, after all, you want to do your best work, right?
Number nine; to make a great first impression, you need to perform your job to the best of your ability. I mean, you might think that it’s obvious, but any hint of slacking or subpar performance is quickly noticed by your boss and your co-workers.
So, whatever job you’re assigned to do, do it to the very best of your ability and ahead of schedule. Negative impressions are formed very early and usually within the first 90 days. And since you’re new, you don’t want people to get a bad impression of you.
Number 10; don’t be a suck up or so nice that you come across as fake. I mean, I’ve worked many jobs where the new hire tried to fit in by being super nice. I mean, don’t get me wrong, being nice is good. But as with anything, there is a balance. I can assure you that your new team does not want to deal with someone who is overly nice to the point of overdone.
Now, if you’re a naturally super sweet person, try to contain yourself and let it out slowly and give your co-workers time to get to know you, the real you, and then you can be as sweet as you want. Because you are who you are and you’re not going to change. And the last thing in the world I would want is for a super sweet and kind person to be any less than who they are.
I mean, everything in life is balance. If you’re generally {indistinct 06:00}, then loosen up a little bit until your team gets to know you, and then let the real you shine through. Using this strategy will allow you to make a healthy first impression and build a strong relationship with your new team.
Number 11; timing. Don’t arrive too early for work. Maybe 10 to 15 minutes is ideal. And don’t leave too early or right on time because that shows you’re a clock watcher. And then take a short lunch, if you can’t. But in all likelihood, your co-workers are going to want to take you out to lunch on your first day. But I’ve always packed my own lunch and eat in the cafeteria, just to save time and money.
Number 12; don’t be a diva. No matter what your status is, don’t start demanding things from your co-workers. It’s okay to be firm, but for people who start a job and act like demanding divas, all they’re really doing is lacking confidence inside and trying to cover up their insecurities by ordering everyone around.
A lot of new hires don’t realize that they just need to be honest and upfront from day one, so their co-workers don’t get the wrong impression.
I’m not suggesting to be someone you’re not, but be vulnerable and let people see the real you. Too often, new hires hide who they are and then false impressions form.
Be you. Be genuine. Be there to help and do it enthusiastically. And when you first start a job, no one knows you. You’re either going to form good impressions or bad ones or even worse, none at all. At least, for the bad impression, there are some people that will be drawn to you.
Number 13; don’t be a know-it-all. Just be humble and let your co-workers teach and enlighten you, even if you know what they’re talking about. I mean, every company does things differently. So, hear them out before you try to start doing everything your way.
And lastly, number 14, lay off social media and avoid using company provided equipment and Internet surfaces for personal use. Even if they tell you it’s okay, don’t do it for at least six months after you start your new job.
So, there you have it, my friend. My 14 best tips on making a great first impression on your day job.
Now, if you want to go further, if these 14 steps just weren’t enough for you and you want someone to come in and help you and advise you to grow in your new job, reach out to me. Just reach out. I have a specialized coaching program that’s designed just for new hires.
You can go to High Performance Coaching and set up a time where you and I can meet on Skype and I can walk you through your new job. You can tell me all about it and I can give you some strategies to grow. And so, you can kind of grow into the superstar status that you want to while you’re there.
All right. That’s all I have for you today. Good luck on your new job. And I’ll see you in the next video. Bye now.
