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8 Things to Do on Your First Day at a New Job

March 23, 2018 | Posted by Julia Malacoff

The rst day of a new job presents a chance to make a good impression on the
people you’ll (hopefully) be working with for years to come. Of course, you’ll
want to ask smart questions, meet your colleagues, learn the of ce layout, and
get your desk organized, but there are some more subtle ways you can set
yourself apart as an exciting addition to the team from the moment you walk
into a new work environment.

Here’s the best advice HR pros, executive coaches, and career counselors have
on nailing day one at your new gig. 

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1. De ne success in your new role.

The key to doing an amazing job? Knowing exactly what’s expected of you.
There’s no better time to nd out just what that is than on your very rst day.
“Ask your boss how your success will be measured and over what time frame,”
advises Roy Cohen, a career counselor and executive coach. “Without context
Next Article: 6 Smart Ways to Deal With a Passive-Aggressive Coworker
and expectations, you will have no clue as to deliverables, the time required to
come up to speed, and the resources you will need to deploy to achieve success
productively and ef ciently.”

2. Focus on people, not issues.

You’ll most likely be meeting a lot of new people on your rst day, so give them
your full attention. This advice is especially relevant if you’re in a management
position and will be meeting your brand new direct reports. “Your job is to work
on the strategy and execution of the issues, but it is not possible to make an
impact or create change without connecting with the people and having them
trust and value you,” explains Shefali Raina, an NYC-based executive coach.
“Many new managers make the mistake of rushing on day one to talk about the
issues without rst understanding the players, from a misplaced belief that this
will show credibility.” Instead, focus on making connections, making a good rst
impression, and showing interest in what your new colleagues think and need.

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3. Seek out the right reading materials. 

“Immerse yourself in reading all that you can about the company’s culture and
norms: old newsletters, articles, decks, org charts, etc.,” says Amy Zimmerman,
Head of Global People Operations at Kabbage. These types of documents can
give you a decent primer on what’s important to your new organization. “If done

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effectively, you will have far more context and information, which will help you
understand the company, your role, and what success looks like.”

4. Shift the focus to your new colleagues. 

It can be tempting to tell your life story to new co-workers, but try to spend
more timeNext Article: 6
learning aboutSmart Ways
them to Deal
than youWith a Passive-Aggressive
do talking Coworker
about yourself. “To start
gaining respect of colleagues and superiors on the rst day, make it about them,
not about you,” says Jason Sackett, an executive coach and author of
Compassion@Work: Creating Workplaces that Engage the Human Spirit. “A
common rst-day trap is to talk up your own past accomplishments and future
ambitions, which makes people nervous or annoyed because they don’t know
you. Instead, get curious and inquire about the roles, talents, and achievements
of your colleagues to establish a persona as a listener, learner, and collaborator.”
Expressing a real desire to learn from others will also put people at ease and
start the work of establishing trust, he says.  

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5. Con rm how your manager likes to communicate.

“One question you should ask very early on is how your manager likes to
communicate,” says Alexander Lowry, a professor of nance and advisor and
board of directors member for ntech and nancial services companies. Do they
prefer that you drop by and talk about things in person? Send them emails or
messages via Slack? Text them on their work phone? “Do not wait for the
manager to tell you, and do not assume s/he communicates like other managers
you’ve had before.” 

Share 6. Don’t wait to be introduced. 

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Your manager will probably introduce you to the rest of your department, but
it’s a good idea to branch out beyond that, even if you’re not prompted by a
superior to do so. “Reach out your hand and initiate a greeting, especially
focusing on those who work near you, on the same team as you, or that you
might interact with frequently in the future,” suggests Katie Rasoul Chief
Awesome Next Article: 6
Of cer at TeamSmart Ways to Deal
Awesome With a Passive-Aggressive
Coaching. “This may be a Coworker
little
uncomfortable for some people, but it is temporary, and you will have started
relationships from day one to ease that discomfort later on.” 

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7. Listen for language cues.

“All organizations have their way of talking, and if you can catch some of the
lingo and patterns early, you’ll sound like you belong faster,” explains Colin T.
McLetchie, HR pro and president of Five Ways Forward. “Ask when you don’t
know a term or acronym (every organization has its alphabet soup) and make a
list of those. If they don’t have a list for you, create one and share it with HR and
new people when they join.” 

8. Offer to help during downtime. 

The rst day—and the ones that follow—are often slow-moving as you get up to
speed. “There may be some downtime during your rst few days on the job as
your boss and team adjust to having you there,” Lowry says. “But don’t sit around
waiting for others to gure out tasks for you—volunteer to help your new
teammates on a project. You’ll show initiative, build rapport with your boss and
co-workers, and learn about expectations, procedures, and how things are
done.” 

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