Congratulations on landing your new job! You have beaten out the competition and if you are like most you are filled with some mixed emotions:
- Elation at finding and accepting a new position
- Nervousness that accompanies any new job or assignment
- Worry that the job and the people are as advertised
Believe me, your new employer has these very same emotions. Your first 30 days are very important. During this time initial impressions and judgments will be formed about your performance as an employee, your reliability, and the outlook for your long-term employment. If these initial assessments are negative, they can result in termination, being put on a performance plan, or at the very least serve as an obstacle to be overcome.
My recommendation to all professionals when beginning a new work endeavor is to consciously work to build TRUST during your first 30 days. This TRUST needs to extend to your management, co-workers, peers, internal clients, and vendors. Here are some tips and pointers:
- Work with your manager to establish goals and objectives for your first 30-60-90 days. These goals and objectives should be tangible and measurable.
- Establish a dedicated time every week for a one-on-one reviewwith your manager. This is especially important during the first 30 days when you are both learning how best to work with each other.
- Treat your manager as a customer that needs to be satisfied. Having this orientation will build your awareness and sensitivity to your manager’s level of satisfaction. Besides your 30-60-90 day goals and objectives what other conditions of satisfaction does your manager have? Be sure to ask if there is anything else that you could be doing to have your manager more satisfied with your performance.
- Follow a “No Surprises” policy during your first 30 days. If deadlines are in jeopardy, communicate them as soon as you know so that other actions can be considered.
- Eliminate any potential drama…no car trouble, latenesses, bursting water pipes, illnesses, etc. Anything and everything that occurs in the first 30 days are magnified.
Each of these pointers will support you in building TRUST with your new employer and will help in validating their hiring decision. These pointers when implemented long-term will also support you in continually meeting your employers expectations and will help greatly in leading to a long and productive relationship.