Starting your first career-related job is an exciting yet stressful milestone in any young adult’s life. There are so many things to worry about. Will you like the people you work with and will they like you? Will you learn quickly and avoid mistakes? Will your first few months be memorable-in a good- way or not? Making a good first impression over your first 90 days is crucial, but don't stress! We've got advice.
It’s your time to shine, says Tiffany Wilson, national campus recruiter for Deloitte & Touche. “You’re not going to be able to shine in terms of project deliverables in your first 90 days because you’re still learning, but you can certainly show off your work ethic,” says Wilson. Expect a huge learning curve when it comes to new ways of doing things, so keep an open mind and don’t act like you know everything, she advises.
Jackie Morton, director of human resources for Canadian Partnership, MacKay LLP, agrees keeping an open mind is key when you’re learning things for the first time. “You may question processes and procedures. On the surface they may not make sense,” Morton says. “But it’s important to understand they’ve evolved over time and there’s a lot of context and history behind why certain things are the way they are, so keep an open mind, adapt and embrace the new things you’re learning.”
No one expects you to know everything about a company you just started working for. In fact, it’s expected that a new employee will have a lot of questions. “Definitely ask a lot of questions,” Morton says. “But take good notes so you’re not asking the same questions over and over again.”
Lindsay Grigor, Meyers Norris Penny’s regional human capital advisor for Ontario, says asking questions shows initiative, creates understanding, and helps the individual to be effective. Even questions about the location of washrooms are understandable, especially during the first week, she says, although it’s best to save those questions for your colleagues and not your boss. “Tailor whom you ask what questions to,” says Grigor.
Wilson agrees and adds that it’s also wise to find out the best way and time to ask questions. For example, is it easier for your colleagues or boss to answer questions as they come up, once per day, or in meetings once per week?
Believe it or not, your new colleagues and employer are not waiting for you to wow them with ten revolutionary ideas at your first meeting. They just want to you to show up on time, in appropriate clothing and with a positive attitude and an open mind.
If you make a mistake, take responsibility and learn from it. Don’t make personal phone calls or emails during working hours. And don’t take overlong lunch breaks. Basic stuff right? And for goodness’ sake, make the effort to get to know your co-workers, says Morton.
As for office gossip, DO NOT partake. “You don’t want to be seen as the ‘negative Nancy’ or ‘complaining Kathy,’” says Wilson.
In other words, keep it simple, and you should have no problem passing your first 90 days with flying colours. jp