7 Things that you MUST do as soon as you Join a New Company

So you left your current employer and joined a new one (or maybe this is your first job). What exactly should you focus on during the first 6 to 9 months to enjoy an extraordinary start that can pave the way for your future success in this company?

Here are 7 tips that, if you applied, can make a huge difference:

1- Work on giving a powerful first impression.

Giving a powerful first impression is crucial during the first few days when you join a new company.

Make sure you are dressed well, speak only when needed, add value and act with confidence.

2- Know why you are there.

Are you planning to stay in your new position for the next 5 or even 10 years? Or do you want to get promoted? Or do you want to have a salary increase while staying in your position?

Knowing why you are there and what you want is crucial because each of these options has a different game plan and activities that you need to do.

3- Connect, connect, connect.

I cannot tell you how very important this point is, and how most of the people that I met usually ignore it.

If you want to have a better understanding of what your new organization is doing. If you want to finish your tasks faster and better. And if you want your initiatives to be considered, then you need to have a strong network inside the company.

And not only a normal network, but you also need to have a balanced network that contains the movers and shakers within your company, and the normal operational people.

In the first 6 months, make it your goal to know 2 new people from other departments each week. Build a powerful connection with them. Know who they are, why they are doing what they are doing, and what they are doing each day at work, and learn more about their families and their hobbies.

In short, be human.

4- Know who is your boss.

What is the type of your boss? 

Is he or she the type of person who likes discussions and teamwork? Or he or she is the type of person who does not want to be involved and does not like discussions and only wants to hear the bottom line?

Knowing your boss is crucial because this will allow you to understand how to deal with him or her and hence avoid a lot of conflicts.

5- Create your own development and progress plan.

When you enter as a newcomer, most probably your boss will prepare for you something like an induction plan. That’s good to have and follow, but do not depend only on it to get up to speed or to improve yourself inside the company. 

Create your personal plan and ask yourself ''what are the most important 3 skills that I need to develop in my new job?'' then create a development plan for yourself to develop each skill in 3–4 months.

6- Listen to what others will tell you, but do not pre-judge.

When you are joining a new team, a lot of people around you will either complain or praise a person, a department or a process, or even the whole company. 

There is no problem in listening to these people’s opinions, but keep in mind that it is you who needs to make your final judgment based on how people are dealing with you.

The bottom line is, do not pre-judge.

And remember, each person is different, with different character traits, goals, and skills.

So if a colleague told you something bad about another colleague or that he or she hates this person, do not take it as a fact, and remember that this does not mean that you have to pre-judge this person and hate him or her also.

7- Attend meetings with the intention to observe.

You will learn a lot of things about the people, the business, and the internal processes if you talked less and observed more during your first company meetings.

Instead of just looking at the screen in the meeting, look around you and see how people react, behave and speak.

And here is a small tip. If you really want to observe, then sit in the back of the room and not in the front.

Do not sit directly beside the screen while someone is presenting. Because if you sit directly beside the screen, then you will not have the chance to see what others are doing beside you as long as someone is presenting something on the screen.

I hope that you find these 7 tips useful, and see you in the next article.