Tips for starting a new job well
Congrats on the new position! It’s a beautiful and exciting time. Few things compare to that feeling just before you start in a new role. Energy, excitement, and fear all rolled into one. You want to hit the ground running and you feel like you only get one shot to make a powerful first impression.
We’ll focus here on a few areas that can truly move the needle in your first few days and months.
The Learning Curve
You can shorten it. One often overlooked way is to use reflection as much as you can.
It is the easiest thing in the world to get caught up in the momentum of the new situation, sometimes you’re just trying to keep up, sometimes you’re just lost, sometimes you are completely focused on taking action. Remembering to make notes, journal, putting pen to paper, about how you did this or handled that is a great way to bring awareness to the process, which will supercharge your automatic, natural learning. Believe it or not, this is true even if you forget to go back and reread the notes.
Pay especial attention to what is uncomfortable and articulate it. Otherwise, we have a natural tendency to avoid discomfort without even realizing that it often holds the key to unlocking some serious growth.
Also take note of your questions that occur along the way. Don’t assume you’ll remember what they are, the new is coming at you like a firehose. A moment of clarity can lead to a question that can save you weeks of darkness. A lot of questions you’ll be able to answer yourself just by articulating them. And then asking your colleagues across the organization the questions you can’t answer yourself is a great way to connect with folks and to show your level of care, thoughtfulness, enthusiasm and interest level.
Remember, the beginning is the best time to ask questions!
Relationship building
One of the best parts of starting at a new job is meeting all kinds of new people you’ll get to make magic with. A company is like a big brain. You have access to this incredible power, but it’s a good idea to take responsibility for building your own connections. Onboarding varies greatly from one organization to the next, and even the best processes will not replace your own exploration. This is especially true for those operating in a remote environment. And the beginning is the best time to meet people for absolutely no reason other than you are new.
As you go, you can take note of where you feel you are lacking and connect with folks who can help you fill those gaps, and for whom you will be able to be helpful as well. There are generally key individuals who are well connected within the organization who are happy to help and who can significantly supercharge your ability to contribute very quickly.
Manager
Is there any more important relationship than the one with the person you directly report to? Get up to speed early with how that is expected to go. For example, finding out how best your boss likes to communicate, what types of questions are welcomed, what types are irritating, what kind of hours are expected of you, and so on. This is a long list that varies with each individual relationship, but universal is the value in learning the key things early on. Direct questions, that are thoughtful, that you cannot easily answer yourself, are almost always appreciated, especially at the beginning.
Make sure to ask for feedback early on if necessary. You should always have a good sense of how your manager thinks you are doing.
Self-care
This one gets lost very easily. In the hustle and bustle of starting a new job, maybe after relocating, maybe while other things are going on in your life, you will be tempted to, and will succumb to, taking shortcuts on self-care. Everyone wants to go that extra mile at the beginning to show you care, but you can’t burn yourself out. Establish early the habits that will assure that you will stay healthy and in the game. When will you get exercise in? How will you make sure you eat healthy the vast majority of the time? How much sleep do you need to function and how will you set up your routines to make sure that doesn’t suffer? Long term success requires that you maintain that initial enthusiasm and desire. If you’re getting five hours of sleep a night, strung out on caffeine and going to the doctor because of your declining health, you’re not serving your new company, you’re not serving anybody.
Any habit that has a chemical/emotional/hormonal component is going to be persistent. You will become addicted to that morning/afternoon/evening/whenever cup of coffee or three. You will become addicted to that glass or three of wine at the end of the evening to wind down. Those tasty treats you consume when you’re ready to snack will own you. But so will that afternoon walk, that Wednesday morning run with a healthy smoothie at the end of it, that solid feeling you get from enough sleep, and so on. Set those habits up early, pay attention to what you’re doing to get through your day. That’s quite literally what your life is. Do your day consciously (and without beating yourself up when you fall short).
In the end, don’t sweat it. Have fun, what will be will be. Do your best and that’s really the whole point. Want more pointers on how to take off in your new role? Feel to reach out to us at info@getrocket.com
About Rocket
Rocket pairs talented recruiters with advanced AI to help companies hit their hiring goals. Rocket is headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley but has recruiters all over the US & Canada serving the needs of our growing client base across engineering, product management, data science and more.
