How to Start a New Job on a Good Note - The Muse

How to Start a New Job on a Good Note - The MuseHow to Start a New Job on a Good Note Youve done all the hard work and totally rocked your job search. You got a great offer- and you even negotiated a better salary. Kudos and congrats Now, you show up on your first day, ready to knock it out of the park. But like so many new hires Ive coached, you arrive to a lukewarm response. Theres no marching band heralding your arrival. In fact, your anfhrer is in nonstop back-to-back meetings for the next two weeks and left absolutely no instructions for what youre supposed to do in the meantime. Dont despair. Here are eight tips to help you hit the ground running- even if you have absolutely no direction.1. Get to Know Your JobEven without your manager on board the first day (or more), you can start drilling down into what your job is all about. How? Pull out the job description originally listed for the role, and highlight what it describes as your key outcomes and deliverables. Note anything you have specific questions about, and ask your colleagues to help you better understand until you get some face time with your boss. Find others in the organization who have the same job title, and ask to meet with them to discuss how to get started successfully.2. Find Other NewbiesDont reinvent the wheel as you start your job. If there are others on the team who have started in the past six months or so, go chat with them Ask about the most important things you need to know about working there. Find out what went well for them when they first started, and what they would do differently based on what they know now. Get their suggestions about how you can get started swiftly and successfully, and add those things to your startup plan. 3. Get to Know the OrganizationYou did a lot of research on your way to getting the job offer. Now that youre in the position, start learning about the company in new ways. Comb through the organizations internal website and review pages for departmen ts including training, IT, HR, business development, sales, marketing, and customer service. Read about the organizations value and culture. Learn more about how exactly the company does what it does, and start thinking about how youll fit in. Also, review the org charts to get a sense for the names and roles of key leaders. Read personal messages or videos published by executives. This will help you develop a feel for leadership messages and themes you can bring into your own work. Then, if its published, review the organizations financial information. Immerse yourself in the key manahmes and success metrics for the next 12 months. Connect the work youll be doing with the big-picture goals of the organization. Finally, learn as much as you can about your own department. What big projects are priorities right now? How does your team measure success? Who are the key players? This will help you indoctrinate yourself quickly to your immediate work group. As you do all this, jot down qu estions or observations to share with your manager when you eventually get some one-on-one time. 4. Get to Know the IndustryIf youre in an industry thats new to you, youll experience a learning curve. Ask your new colleagues to recommend publications, blogs, or other media sources that will help you get familiar with the business. Get a sense for the other players in the industry, as well as your companys direct competition. This will help you develop ideas and speak intelligently about how you can bring a competitive advantage to your organization and department. 5. Befriend the AssistantsEven if your boss isnt around in the early days, theres still plenty to learn about how things get done. After all, youll need to figure out details from how to order your laptop to where to send work for printing. Based on what you know about your job, make a list of the work processes you might need to learn. Then, turn to the people around you for answers. If there are administrative or executi ve assistants, make them your best friends. They know tons about how the organization is run, what the managers expect, and how the processes of the business work. They can point you to the right people to have conversations with and help you avoid any booby traps you might inadvertently step into.6. Figure Out the Seven Most Important RelationshipsNo matter what job you have, successfully completing your work will require relationships with others. Now that youre getting more familiar with the organization, identify the seven most important relationships essential to doing your job well. Seven is a good number to start with its a realistic goal to accomplish, but wont overwhelm you.Obviously, one will be your manager- but who else do you need to get to know? The graphic designer? The digital content expert? A team lead from a department youll work closely with?Start reaching out to schedule one-on-one conversations with these colleagues. Introduce yourself as a new member of the te am, ask for 20 minutes on their calendar, and tell them that youre looking forward to working with them. Then, during the meeting, find out what exactly they do and ask how you can help them be successful. Your new colleague will appreciate your initiative and effort to build relationships. 7. Update Your LinkedIn ProfileNow that you officially have the new job and the title, take some time to revamp your LinkedIn profile. Update your employer, title, industry, and location, if needed. Build a brief description of your new job in the employment section, revise your summary, and update your contact information. Then, once you start meeting your new colleagues, connect with them on LinkedIn as well 8. Create a 90-Day PlanYou may not have time to complete all these steps before your boss sits down with you- but theyre all important for your success. So, sketch out a plan for learning the ropes, meeting with colleagues, developing relationships, and hitting those short-term milestones w ithin your first 90 days. If your boss is up for it, schedule a regular weekly update with him or her so you can share your plans, report on your success, and clarify direction for moving forward. In my experience, most onboarding experiences leave a lot to be desired. If your new employer hasnt mastered that process, take heart. Using these tips, you have lots of options to get up and running quickly- and meaningfully- in your new job.Photo of woman typing courtesy of Death to the Stock Photo.