Have you recently started a new job?
If so, then this can be an exciting as well as nerve wracking experience and can be impacted by your own attitude to finding a new job and how smoothly the recruitment process went.
In the last few weeks you may have either applied for a job directly, or been approached by a recruiter, re-written your CV (and wondered if it is good enough), attended interviews (whilst trying to work out whether they like you) and been through the wait of hearing whether you have got the job.. all nerve wracking enough in themselves; now you actually have to sit at your desk and do the job you have been hired for!
So here are some tips to help get you off to a flying start in your new role; perhaps some you have thought of and others you haven’t.
The first 3 months can be vital to your success in the company. It is an opportunity to position yourself, offer a fresh perspective, make a positive impact to your fellow colleagues and bosses and build a platform for continuing success. To do this, it pays to have a clear strategy in mind.
The first month
Learn about your new company: To succeed in your recent interviews you will have conducted research about the company to demonstrate your understanding. You now need to take this opportunity to learn as much as possible about your new employer, understanding what their aims and objectives are and how your role fits into this. This way you will get a better understanding of the culture and brand, to successfully do your work.
So, read the website, staff bio’s, blogs, social media, reports, anything you can find.
Ask questions: Sometimes asking questions is the best way to learn and it is always good to portray that you are curious and interested in understanding your new role and responsibilities. But try not to ask the same question more than twice! However, be certain to make sure you understand something if you don’t initially. You may feel that you can’t ask a question later on as you gave the impression that you understood!
Take notes, a lot of notes: You will be bombarded with a load of new information making it almost impossible to remember everything! Colleagues’ names, job roles, important company information etc. The best way to remember, is to write it down in a notebook, or on the notes of your smart phone.
Sit with your boss and learn what is expected: Set clear expectations so you know what your boss expects from you and what they want you to accomplish in a specific time scale. This is where setting targets can be very valuable. You will then have something to work towards which gives you personal satisfaction as they are achieved. This is important in giving you confidence in your new role, as well as a psychological boost when targets are achieved.
Get to know your colleagues: Building strong relationships with your colleagues is a good way to feel comfortable in your new role and feel part of the team. Especially gaining valuable insight into the company culture. Maybe set up getting-to-know meetings, especially with those who know your work area well and can offer support and knowledge. If you take an interest in your colleagues from an early stage, it will make those down times more enjoyable when you can have something to talk about other that work. It will also make asking those obvious questions easier to ask.
Second month
Now that you have learnt, asked questions, listened and written notes, you should now understand the company and your role itself and be ready to show what you can do.
Have you recently started a new job?
If so, then this can be an exciting as well as nerve wracking experience and can be impacted by your own attitude to finding a new job and how smoothly the recruitment process went.
In the last few weeks you may have either applied for a job directly, or been approached by a recruiter, re-written your CV (and wondered if it is good enough), attended interviews (whilst trying to work out whether they like you) and been through the wait of hearing whether you have got the job.. all nerve wracking enough in themselves; now you actually have to sit at your desk and do the job you have been hired for!
So here are some tips to help get you off to a flying start in your new role; perhaps some you have thought of and others you haven’t.
The first 3 months can be vital to your success in the company. It is an opportunity to position yourself, offer a fresh perspective, make a positive impact to your fellow colleagues and bosses and build a platform for continuing success. To do this, it pays to have a clear strategy in mind.
The first month
Learn about your new company: To succeed in your recent interviews you will have conducted research about the company to demonstrate your understanding. You now need to take this opportunity to learn as much as possible about your new employer, understanding what their aims and objectives are and how your role fits into this. This way you will get a better understanding of the culture and brand, to successfully do your work.
So, read the website, staff bio’s, blogs, social media, reports, anything you can find.
Ask questions: Sometimes asking questions is the best way to learn and it is always good to portray that you are curious and interested in understanding your new role and responsibilities. But try not to ask the same question more than twice! However, be certain to make sure you understand something if you don’t initially. You may feel that you can’t ask a question later on as you gave the impression that you understood!
Take notes, a lot of notes: You will be bombarded with a load of new information making it almost impossible to remember everything! Colleagues’ names, job roles, important company information etc. The best way to remember, is to write it down in a notebook, or on the notes of your smart phone.
Sit with your boss and learn what is expected: Set clear expectations so you know what your boss expects from you and what they want you to accomplish in a specific time scale. This is where setting targets can be very valuable. You will then have something to work towards which gives you personal satisfaction as they are achieved. This is important in giving you confidence in your new role, as well as a psychological boost when targets are achieved.
Get to know your colleagues: Building strong relationships with your colleagues is a good way to feel comfortable in your new role and feel part of the team. Especially gaining valuable insight into the company culture. Maybe set up getting-to-know meetings, especially with those who know your work area well and can offer support and knowledge. If you take an interest in your colleagues from an early stage, it will make those down times more enjoyable when you can have something to talk about other that work. It will also make asking those obvious questions easier to ask.
Second month
Now that you have learnt, asked questions, listened and written notes, you should now understand the company and your role itself and be ready to show what you can do.
Professional development: It is important to know what value you can add to the company, so it is time to take responsibility for your own development and seek out new learning opportunities. Small steps you can take are attending meetings, training courses, reading industry news or familiarising yourself with their content management systems. You may also like to read around your subject area, understand who the competition is and how you can stand out.
Your ideas: Try to avoid stepping on anyone’s toes but now is a good time to reveal your ideas in line with the company’s objectives. Portray those key skills you used in your interview to sell yourself, whether that was as a problem solver, a strategic thinker or a creative mind. Take the opportunity to show what can you do, even if you think it’s only minor, as it still might make a positive difference. Being proactive at this point will make your bosses think that you know what you are doing and that you do not need to be micro-managed.
Volunteer: Take this opportunity to volunteer for any extra work, for example charity work the company are involved in. It will show your eagerness to take on more responsibilities, along with giving you the chance to build on your network. However, don’t take on more responsibilities if you are unable to focus fully on the role you were originally employed to do.
Third month
Mentor: Seek out a mentor within the company that you respect professionally. Having a mentor can help grow your network, improve performance and help you up the career ladder more quickly. Having someone as a sounding board who will listen to you impartially is important. Being able to have the reassurance that you are working in the right way and achieving the correct goals will give you the confidence to move on to the next level of your development.
Three-month review: Request a three-month review with your manager if one has not already been scheduled. This is your chance to gain feedback about how you are doing in your role, what you are doing right and what you could do differently. Any major issues ought to have been covered before the review, so there shouldn’t to be any surprises. It gives you the opportunity to present your accomplishments to date and any new challenges you would like to implement. The three-month review is an ideal time to review objectives and development goals and put new ones in place. It is also an opportunity to re-align your objectives and focus on what you need to achieve in order to be successful in your new role.
At the end of your 3 months, you should be confident in your new role and be ready to start making decisions and taking action. Good luck!
Thornton Legal is a leading legal recruitment company, recruiting for legal jobs in across the North West, West Yorkshire and West Midlands. We are passionate about providing a professional, innovative and reliable legal recruitment service that is focused on quality and ensures our clients are matched with the strongest legal talent available. Contact one of our legal recruitment consultants today on 0151 307 5757 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to see what we can do for your law firm or legal career.