Differentiate Yourself In Your New Job
Published: Aug 05, 2009
Congratulations on getting that job. But you’re not out of the woods yet. Proactive career management is long-term. So getting the job is just the first of many steps. Here are three areas to manage overall but especially in your first 100 days because what you do here can quickly distinguish you on the job:
The questions you ask.Don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to get clarification early than to go down the wrong path and have to back track. That said, make sure you listen, and ask clarifying and thoughtful questions that show you are listening. Bring a notepad to meetings (and wherever you go for those spontaneous interactions) so that you retain the details.
The people with whom you associate.Work is different than your social life but it still entails socializing. Eat lunch with different people. Don’t just stick to your own group – if you are in PR, get to know the marketing, sales, and finance folks. Don’t just stick to your own level – try to meet people more senior and junior to you. You want to know your new employer quickly, and information varies based on its source. So cultivate a diverse set of sources, and you will get a thorough lay of the land quickly.
The areas on which you focus. It’s a paradox: for a long-term career you want to keep your eyes on the broad strategic picture, but for the immediate term you need to do your job. For the first 100 days especially, just focus on your immediate job. Too many newbies are seen as uncommitted because they are going above and beyond their job responsibilities without first doing an amazing job exactly where they are. So sure you can focus on business overall, but only to the extent that you can do so while retaining laser-like focus on doing your immediate job well.