Caught up in the whirlwind of moving again? Don't let the months and months of PCS madness distract you from making a great impression during the first week of work.
"The first week on a new job is the time when you set the impression that the company builds on for your future with them," said Mark Renn, Chief Executive Officer of The CS Team, a career marketing firm. "It's also a time to learn about the people and the company; take the time to become part of the group."
Here are seven strategies that will show your new boss and co-workers you will be an asset right off the bat.
1. Dress the part
On your first day dress conservatively, but very professionally. To pick the right attire, think back to your interview and take it one notch higher than what you saw others wearing. It's better to be told you can dress down than counseled to dress up. To be safe, avoid piercings, tank tops and short or revealing clothes.
2. Learn the culture
"Be an observer of the culture and then you will be able to fit into the culture," said Robin Ryan, Author of 60 Seconds and You’re Hired. "Have lunch or coffee with different people to get advice, information and perspective from more than one source," she said.
3. Take copious notes.
Take notes throughout the first week of work so you will remember everything people are trying to teach you and so you can refer back to them later. Good notes will help close some of the gaps and add clarity to things you may not have fully understood the first time you heard them.
4. Ask questions
"To learn the job to the fullest extent possible, ask questions," Ryan said. "For example, ask for timelines on the big things that happen in the course of a year and ask questions to help you be sure things you did in the past are acceptable here," she said. "You will make mistakes, but you don’t want to make a lot of big mistakes.
5. Know management's priorities
Study the business priorities and make them your priorities too. Request a meeting with your manager to be clear about expectations and what he or she wants you to accomplish in the first month. It's a great practice to follow up with an email that outlines the details you discussed to confirm that you are on the same page.
6. Keep a low profile
"Be careful about making instant friends," Ryan said. "Sometimes, it's the early friend who is the troublemaker or gossiper and not the person you want as you new BFF," she said. "Since you don't know the politics, a low profile is the best profile."
7. Be a team player
"This is a time to be extremely collaborative; show interest in helping and being a part of the team," Renn said. "Don't come across as someone who will be attempting to change the current status of the company, which many times upsets the people that may have been instrumental in establishing the current systems," he added.
When all is said and done, your first week is about learning; absorb as much as possible on your way to success.
