4 Tactical Tips for Your First Days at a New Job

Article Originally Posted on Levo League

Starting a new job should mean new adventures, new possibilities, and new outfits. However, the reality is usually far less glamorous. During my time at LivingSocial, I’ve trained hundreds of new hires, and I watched as some instantly demonstrated their capability, while others tripped over their shoelaces (figuratively speaking). Even experienced managers sometimes fall victim to amateur mistakes, so here’s a list of four tips to help guide you in your first 30 days on the job.

1. Build Relationships

Being the new person in the room, you may be waiting for a colleague or manager to introduce you to everyone else. However, they may not remember to do it. That doesn't mean you get a free pass. You should never miss an opportunity to introduce yourself. On the crooked path of networking, you never know who’s going to recommend you for your next plum project or future position.

My insider tip is to not just meet everyone in every room, keep notes on who was there. When you go back to your desk, send each of them a personalized email saying that you enjoyed meeting them and you hope your paths cross again. I like to use a uniform subject line for these notes (ex. “Lovely to meet you!”) so when I search my inbox, I have a listing of everyone I met and the date I met them.

2. Show excitement for your role

The most painful new hire interaction I ever witnessed was when someone in his first day on the job openly asked about applying for a new position within the company. Though it may be tempting to put yourself forward as a candidate, most companies expect you to be in your position for three to six months before they’ll even consider you for an internal transfer. Also, asking about other opportunities may cause people to question your loyalty and enthusiasm.
If you do hear about openings in a department that really excites you, see if you can get to know people who work there. When you casually ask them about their projects over coffee, it seems as if you’re demonstrating an interest in both them and the company, not like you’re sniffing out your next move.

3. Know when to ask questions and when to go it alone

As a new hire, there are a lot of things you won’t know. This ranges from not understanding how to use the phone system (a sometimes embarrassing reality) to being unsure of the organization’s strategic priorities. You want to make sure you’re asking the right questions, or else you may seem like the office mosquito.

Keep a notepad by your desk and write down your questions. You’ll be shocked by how many you cross off on your own. After you have four to five questions collected, you’ll be prepared to approach your manager with an organized list. As he or she answers your questions, make sure to take careful notes and listen for how they found the answer. That way, you won’t have to ask them for help next time.

4. Learn how to be a casual professional

Some office environments are extremely buttoned up, while others are far more relaxed. I’ve worked in both, and what I’ve seen is that one type of person always prevails—the casual professional.

A casual professional never compromises on the fundamentals of professionalism: being on time to everything, accountable for her work, and extremely respectful of her colleagues. However, she also understands how to authentically represent who she is as a person. Successful professionals often end up working long hours, and it’s neither fun nor realistic to only talk about work. You should selectively let your colleagues know a bit more about you – it’ll humanize you and make you more fun to be around.

Please be warned that it can be difficult to strike a good balance, so to make sure you’re on the right side of casual, watch the behavior of people who are admired at all levels of the organization. If you think they’d do it, go for it. This may mean telling your co-workers about a non work-related interest (food, sports, and the arts are usually safe), or buying beer for your colleagues at the end of a particularly rough (or awesome!) week.

Whether you’re starting today or in two years, please know we’re wishing you the best of luck in your new role.

Have you recently started a new job? What do you wish you had done differently during your first month?