There are certain attitude adjustments and expectations to manage when starting a new job. Whether you are a fresh graduate on you first job, or a senior-level executive switching to a new organisation, starting a new job brings with it many of the same challenges and conflicts.
It pays to understand the culture of your organisation, and finding your niche in it, which can be a very time-consuming process. Following are a few suggestions that may help you accelerate the development.
Don’t hit the ground running
This trait is as common in job starters as it is in seasoned workers – when starting a new job in a new company the pressure to impress leads one to go all out and chase assignments from day one. While this isn’t a bad thing and it certainly impresses the boss, it can get one in trouble.
You are bringing experience, connections, and a plethora of other intangible assets, but you don’t know the culture or the players. Your actions may alienate colleagues, disrupt the method and pace the company is comfortable with, or have long term repercussions you cannot yet fully see. Take time to do the groundwork and figure out the company. Ask for your colleague’s perspectives instead of just your boss. You won’t get a second chance.
Say less, learn more
The first few days, take advantage of being silent and observe and listen to your colleagues in different circumstances. Process and analyse all the information that you collect from conversations and try to figure out who you can trust and who you need to be wary of.
The less you say, the better you position yourself to learn how the company works. This doesn’t mean you should be rude or shy; it means not to volunteer opinions or information unless they are asked for.
Build a diverse circle
It is easy to talk to colleagues in your department or work with colleagues who are just around you, but to excel at your new job you must build a diverse circle of trust comprising of people in different functions in the organisation. When you socialise with more than just your immediate colleagues you gain a more holistic understanding of your company and the way it works.
Furthermore, when you have people to count on throughout the company, you have multiple sources feeding your important information, fresh pair of eyes for any problems that may arise, and ease of operations for projects requiring interdepartmental collaboration.
Let go of the past
Engage fully at your new position by showing loyalty and appreciation. The longer one spends at a job the more used to one gets to it; when starting a new job, let go of all your previous work habits, customs and team dynamics.
Differences in practice will be clear to you, but do not even mention your previous job unless asked about it. If you constantly bring up “At my old job, we did things this way” or “At my old job, I undertook this many projects” your new colleagues will soon tire of you, creating unnecessary friction. You earn the right to critique your new workplace once you’ve been there long enough to understand it.