Articles
6 Steps for New Job Success
The first few days on a new job can be hectic, stressful, and, at times, almost overwhelming. But if you want to get noticed and get ahead, you need to focus on the big picture and what's most important.
Here are the 6 Steps For New Job Success
- Build credibility with your boss.
Set-up meetings with your boss to establish a clear understanding of expectations so both of you are on the same page. Meet those expectations and make sure you prove your value and worth early. You want your boss to feel good about hiring you. Remember, one of your first points of focus is to make your boss's job easier. This is one of the most important of the 6 steps for new job success - Focus on your boss's most important priorities.
By understanding what is most important to your boss, you can prioritize your work to accomplish that first. Your boss will gain immediate confidence in your work and be excited by the future possibilities. - Identify early wins that can be easily accomplished.
When you gain an early win, you help establish a positive perception of yourself. You also show your peers, your boss and senior management that you were a terrific hire and will help make your group and the organization succeed. - Learn about office politics.
Too often people join a company and are bombarded by the politics. Don't get enmeshed in office politics; however, try to glean as much as you can so you aren't negatively affected. Once you have a clear understanding of the culture and politics of the company, you can choose how best to navigate them. - Be prepared.
Since there are usually several days or weeks between when you accept the job offer and show up at work, use this time productively. Become more familiar with the company and its organizational structure. Identify influential people in the firm so you can work toward establishing relationships with them early. - Proactively manage perceptions.
Spend some time in advance determining how you want to be perceived by others in your new workplace. For example, complete these two sentences: "I want my new boss to perceive me as _______, ______, ________, _______ and ________." "I want my new coworkers to perceive me as ______, ________, _______, _______ and _______." Then, after each day during your first week on the job, make a self-evaluation to see how well you are measuring up to these goals.
By implementing the above 6 steps for new job success, you will be establishing yourself as a productive and valuable employee.
Copyright 2007, Joel Garfinkle, All Rights Reserved.
Joel Garfinkle leads managers and executives to higher levels of professional and personal achievement. Partial client list includes: BofA, HP, GAP, Citigroup, and Eli Lilly. Visit Joel online at Garfinkle Executive Coaching.
All articles related to Executive Coaching may be reprinted or forwarded to colleagues and friends as long as the above copyright notice and contact information is attached in its entirety.
If you reprint this article, please let us know that you have done so and forward a copy of the article source or a link where the article may be viewed to Joel Garfinkle.