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Starting a new job is always a difficult and stressful time. Here are 10 practices for new employees, courtesy of our guest blogger, Andrew Ceperley, Director of the Silicon Valley Program at Claremont McKenna College.
1. Adopt the right attitudes—Model your attitude after successful people in the organization. Practice humility. Express willingness to learn. Be respectful of others.
2. Adjust your expectations—You may have received considerable attention when you were recruited; that attention may subside.
3. Master breaking-in skills—You cannot change the system until you are part of it (the nail that sticks up gets hammered down). Avoid “big splash strategies.” Fit in first before showcasing your own style.
4. Manage impressions you make—Later in your career, your reputation takes over and you can make minor mistakes; early in your career, you have no track record to fall back on. Even if more experienced people demonstrate poor behavior, it is not necessarily OK for you to do so.
5. Build effective relationships—Do not just focus on the tasks but the people as well; you cannot succeed without them. Find a mentor.
6. Become a good follower—Learn the art of managing up.
7. Understand your organization’s culture—Learn the “around here-isms.” An organization wants people to “fit” its culture and limits the amount of individuality it allows. Culture is rarely written down.
8. Develop organizational savvy—Understand the politics and try to avoid them. Don’t get lost in the “official procedures,” but find out how things really get done.
9. Understand your new hire role—Pay your dues. Try to discern the big picture. Don’t let yourself get so micro-focused you don’t obtain an understanding of the entire organization.
10. Enjoy the learning experience—Good days and not-so-good days, it is not forever. Grow from it.
