3 things to keep in mind while starting a new job
Congratulations!
You earned that new job. The worrisome phase of multiple interviews, assignments, and waiting for results is over.
Give yourself a pat on the back.
Now comes the next phase.
In any new job, here are three things you need to keep in mind as you begin:
- The valley of loneliness – Remember the first day of school in a new city? You don’t have any friends, you don’t know the vibe of the school, and all the teachers are new. Everyone else knows each other already, and you will feel like a bit of a social misfit. You’ll feel the same way during the first few weeks of a new job. But don’t worry. This time will pass soon.
- Learning curve – Any new job requires a period of time before you feel comfortable with everything. Everything from systems, processes, and stakeholders will be new and you will need to learn it all from scratch. Right from where to find the data you need to how and when to present plans to the senior management will all need to be decided. Lean on your boss and co-workers during this period to keep track of things. Use weekly or even daily task lists to keep yourself on top of things.
- Earn trust from others – Once you start the job, you will be given a honeymoon period, where the expectations from you will be low to begin with. This is your chance to get up to speed with things. Any major win from your side during this period will have a disproportionately positive impact on your trust level in the company. So try to begin with early wins to earn the trust of your seniors and colleagues.
