Be prepared

 

Things are going to be different to your previous position. Your new business is likely to be different. It may have a different approach, a different culture or your role and responsibility may be completely different. You may feel that they are doing things wrong or different to how you are used to doing them. This is all completely natural and it takes time to adjust to a new working environment. Be patient, remain positive and things will get easier as time goes on.

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You may miss your old job

Often candidates report that they miss their previous job; certainly within the first few weeks of their new position. This is a natural feeling as you go through a period of change and adjustment. Sometimes the comfort and familiarity of your previous position can make you miss it but you have to remind yourself of your reasons for leaving and allow time for you to adjust to your new business.

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Being the newbie

We’ve all been there, the expert in our previous firm, the person everybody used to go to and now all of a sudden, you are either the most junior person in the team or the newest person in the team. It’s an overwhelming feeling and candidates often beat themselves up for asking so many questions but this is completely expected. Building relationships with colleagues will help you to build a support network and taking notes will help you to retain answers to the questions you may have asked. Be resilient and it won’t be long before you’re no longer feeling or recognised as the newbie.

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Be you

It’s important to be yourself when joining a new business. Often candidates try to be somebody they are not or put on a personality that they feel suits the business. Be true to yourself; they hired you because they felt that you would fit the team and by being yourself will help you build relationships with colleagues that you get on with and have things in common with, making it an easier transition.

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Identify top performers

Identifying top performers within your team or business is a great thing to do early on. It’s importent to observe their work ethic, their behaviours and their skills to work out what it is that makes them a top performer. This will help you understand what the business values and what skills or abilities you may need to focus on. It’s also really important to make sure that you associate yourself with positive people.

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Arrive early or stay late

Early on in your role, your colleagues and line managers will be keeping more of an eye on you. New employees are typically assessed on their effort rather than their skill. This is the time to really show that you are putting the effort in. By getting in early or doing a little extra work outside of your standard working hours can bode well with a new employer and give them the impression you are doing everything you can to make the opportunity a success.

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Get involved in activities

The easiest way to settle in to a new position is to build a network of colleagues and friends that can act as a support group. The easiest way to get to know people is often outside of the working environment so be as proactive as you can when it comes to getting involved in team activities. If perhaps you’d prefer more of a one to one interaction then invite one of your colleagues for a coffee.

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Look after yourself

Starting a new job can be exhausting, overwhelming, tiring or you may feel many other feelings and emotions. You have to ensure that you take care of your own physical and mental health . Whilst feeling like you have to dedicate yourself to every element of your new role, doing so can have a negative impact on your health and therefore your overall performance. It’s important to maintain a healthy work life balance so that you can always perform at your best.