One of my clients just got a new job, yay! And so we spent our last session talking about some of the upcoming things to think about.
You want to set yourself up for success and also be cognizant of any first and second impressions. Beyond thinking about your first-day outfit and having a fresh notebook plus a couple of good pens here are some areas to focus on.
- Celebrate – We all know getting a job can be a full-time job, often on top of a full-time job. You knew you only needed one and you did it! Give yourself some credit for all of the steps that this took and how you were able to evaluate the right fit for you and convey that you were the right fit for them. Also, if you’ve managed to get some time off between gigs enjoy this small sliver in life where you don’t have to worry about work.
- Practice self-care – New jobs are exhausting. We tend to forget what that felt like. Everything is new from the work to the systems to the people to figuring out where the bathrooms and conference rooms are. If you can plan your schedule around it plan for some light time.
- Shore up your connections – I know you probably spent a lot of time connecting with people to get that job but you’re not done. Make sure you’re connected with everyone from the job you’re leaving and get ready to keep your LinkedIn going with your new role. And yes you’ll want to update your LinkedIn profile.
- Start good habits – New situations are one of the best times to create the habits you want. If your brain used to associate getting a doughnut on your way to your new job if you get a fruit cup on your first day that will be 100% of the new experiences. Use this to your advantage. From personal habits to planning. Block your calendar for daily/weekly planning and deep thinking time. Leave on time Wednesdays for the new kickball league you joined. What kind of person do you want to be?
- Start a listening tour – Being the new person is the best time to ask lots of questions. Write them down as they come to you so that you have them ready when you get a good time. Some companies do a great job of onboarding including suggested 1:1s, if not start to seek them out anyway. This is also a great opportunity to understand available roles and career paths to set the stage for your own next steps. If you’re managing a team you might be tempted to start changing things right away but connecting with your team and understanding what’s really going on is critical in starting out on the right foot.
- Managing up – Work with your boss to set up regular 1:1 meetings, understand their preferred communication styles, and understand their vision and pain points. Understand how your work fits into the company and team goals. Set up a system for ensuring that there’s transparency on your priorities and anticipated time spent as well as performance metrics and a way to share successes. Be proactive about setting up a review, typically at 3 months to make sure you’re getting feedback on how it’s going.
- Be aware of Imposter Syndrome – While you were clearly hired for the job because you were qualified, it’s very easy to start doubting yourself (I find this also true for a lot of people who get promoted). You’ve come from a place where you probably knew basically everything and everyone and had history and work friends. Coming to a new organization can leave you off your game as people throw around new systems, new acronyms, and whatever else is different. And there may or may not be clear expectations. Remember this will take time. But also remember you’re likely bringing experience that your new team doesn’t have. One of the best shortcuts is finding someone you vibe with that you can float any ‘dumb questions.’
A new job is full of possibilities. You’ve probably done some thinking to get here about what you want in the big picture. Don’t lose sight of that as you dive in. You still likely have a good amount of job crafting ahead of you so think about what you really want.
And enjoy this next chapter!
If you know someone who isn’t sure whether they should look for a new role or not please share my info, I’d love to have a chat.
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