Mastering Your First Week: Five Pillars of Career Success
Introduction and Mission
Today we’re going to be talking about your first week in a professional job. Five tips designed to be used during that first week to help you lift your career right from the very start. There’s really no such thing as a typical first week at work and that’s because there’s just a range of variables that are going to determine the specific situation that you’re going to find yourself in from the industry to the location, the company culture, the type of role, the person you’re working for.
Challenges in Onboarding
What we do know is it often doesn’t go well. The polling company Gallup reports that 88 percent of employees say their employer did a poor job with onboarding and up to one in five employees leave their new job within 45 days, according to the Human Capital Institute. So the question is, what can we do during our first week at a time when we’re setting our foundations at work and how can we improve our odds for success? One thing we can definitely do that’s going to help us massively is to prepare properly. In fact, we recently ran a straw poll online to ask how well people thought they prepared for their first week at work and here are the results. About sixty percent admitted they prepared badly or didn’t prepare at all and less than one in ten thought they were well prepared.
Learning from Experience
By following the five steps below, you’ll have the head start that many new starters never get.
Tip 1: Write Everything Down
Documenting Information and Policies
Tip number one is to write everything down. Carry your notepad and your pen with you wherever you go and make lots and lots of notes because you’re going to be meeting lots of people and tons of new information is going to be thrown at you no matter what role you’re in. There’s no way you’re going to remember everything and also having something that you can refer back to later is going to help orient you in your new workplace. Pay special attention to rules, regulations, and policies and anything else that could get you or your company into trouble and obviously anything else that seems to be important. And remember to write down any unanswered questions that you might have so that you can get answers to them later.
Ideas, Actions, and Glossary
And if you start to spot things that you think could be done better or differently, make a note of those as well and include any ideas that you might have to improve them. And always write down actions that you need to take so that you can follow up on those ones later. Mark up notes with different symbols next to really important things, questions, ideas, and actions, so that you can reference those later on. Doing this saves a heap of time and frustration.
You don’t have to do exactly that, of course, but finding some way of categorizing your notes as you’re making them will help improve your productivity. Also consider making a little glossary for yourself because there’s going to be a whole new language of acronyms, special terms, maybe even new words, so the glossary is going to help you understand and use this new language.
Tip 2: Stay Close with Your Manager
The Importance of One on One Time
Tip number two: stay close with your manager. In a recent study by LinkedIn, 72 percent of employees said that one-on-one time with their manager was the most important part of their onboarding. And in another study of more than 350 organizations, 57 percent said their managers just don’t have the time to support onboarding properly.
It’s a massive problem but here’s what you can do about it. The best way to make sure that you can stay close with your manager is to get them to lock away some of that one-on-one time in their diaries as soon as you can. So as soon as you can, ask your manager for regular catch-ups during your first week. Just let them know that you want to make sure that you’re on track, focusing on the right things, progressing well, and that you’d like to be able to ask questions as they come up.
Scheduling and Agenda Items
Ask if they can set aside 20 or 30 minutes each day during your first week and when you put it like that, it’s a very reasonable request and most managers are just not going to have a problem with this at all. Obviously for a variety of reasons, there’s a chance this might not happen exactly as planned, so you might have to settle for whatever you can get.
As soon as they agree to this, then clarify who’s going to be sending the invites out and also what the agenda’s going to be looking like. Yes, you need an agenda. As far as the agenda goes, include three items at a minimum. These are very simply number one, your calendar for the week; number two, what you’ve been working on; number three, what you’ll be working on next. If you’re the one sending out the invite, don’t forget to include the agenda items and put them in as dot points.
Preparation and Planning
Now that you have these in the diary and you’ve set some expectations with the agenda, prepare really well to demonstrate that you’re structured, organized, and proactive. First, make a list of all the things you have on your plate, all those things that might not already be in your calendar: training courses, reading materials, meet and greets, maybe some tasks that you already have on your plate.
Then bring some structure to all of this. Pull it together as a plan for the week so that it’s ready for you to discuss. Just don’t get too fancy and waste your time making presentations or anything like that. Entries in your calendar or a hand-drawn page in your notebook is absolutely acceptable. If you have nothing but a full week of induction and training, then make sure that you’re clear on that, like what topics will be covered on what days and if you’re really lucky, this might have all been done for you.
Engaging in the Meeting
On the other end of the spectrum, if you don’t have anything on and you’re feeling a bit lost, which can sometimes happen and it does happen a lot, then start by asking yourself: what don’t I know that I would like to know? So that you can discuss this with your manager and there’s a very good chance that you’ll end up with something more interesting to do very quickly. Now what actually happens in these meetings?
Firstly don’t forget to follow the agenda even if you go off track from time to time, otherwise you’re going to find that you don’t get to cover some of those important points. But apart from that, the general idea is to firstly demonstrate that you’ve accomplished something the day before, no matter how small, something you completed, something you learned, whatever; and secondly, that you’re ready to discuss and receive advice on what you’re going to be working on next.
Receiving Advice and Asking Questions
You’ll find by being proactive in this way that your boss is quite likely to offer some really good advice like, ah if you’re going to do it like that, you should really speak to Susie and accounts, I’ll introduce you to her. Or instead of doing it like that, have you considered doing this other way instead? This feedback is going to save you a bunch of time, it’s going to save you a bunch of effort, it’s going to improve the quality of your work and help to kick start a solid working relationship with your manager.
Also refer back to those notes you made earlier, get answers to those questions, and if you had any ideas written down, discuss those too. Then ask if there’s anything else that you should be doing or that you should know. Open-ended questions like these are going to engage your manager and get them thinking in the right way so that they can help you better.
Power Tip: Requesting Feedback
When you meet with them for the last time in that first week, whenever that is, hopefully it’s right at the end of the week, do something a little bit different. Tell your manager that you’d like to get some feedback on your progress, on how they think you’re tracking. Getting their candid feedback at this stage is critical because even in a worst case scenario, even if they’re unhappy with your performance so far, the first few days is a pretty forgiving time, so you’re giving yourself the best opportunity to set things straight. And also, in this last meeting of the week, unless they’ve already scheduled them, ask your manager to set up regular one-on-one meetings for the future. This is super important. 30 minutes each week is considered pretty standard and it’s a very reasonable request, so get these locked in.
Tip 3: Be Social
Connecting with Colleagues
Tip number three: be social. It’s easier for some, it’s harder for others and you might be tempted to just sit there at your desk, but make sure that you do at least take a walk around the office a couple of times each day. Make eye contact with people and say hi. If someone offers help or suggestions, accept it even if you don’t think you need the help.
Take the opportunity, get their opinion on your work or your approach because it’s quite possible their advice is going to help improve your work in some way. If not, it’s a great opportunity to just engage in conversation without having to think of what to say. You should also accept whatever social event is on offer, whether that’s lunch or something else, because it’s a good way to connect with your colleagues and also you’re going to want to pick up important tidbits of information that get discussed at these things.
Understanding Office Dynamics
Gossip is unproductive, but office dynamics including how people are feeling and what motivates them are really important to understand if you want to do a good job and this stuff often comes out at these events. Try to identify and meet and greet the important people around you, that means your team, the colleagues you’re going to be working most closely with, people sitting nearby in the office, subject matter experts in your area, and so on. And if you’re lucky enough to have been assigned a buddy, then lean on your buddy, catch up with them at least a couple of times during that first week and ask them lots and lots of questions.
Leveraging the Ben Franklin Effect
Don’t be afraid to ask someone for a favor. There’s something called the Ben Franklin effect. It goes something like this: when people do you a favor, it makes them feel good about themselves and it makes them feel good about you too, so don’t be afraid to ask a favor.
Tip 4: Build Trust
Establishing Reliability Early On
Tip number four: focus on building trust. When you’re in a new role with a new boss in a new company, unless you’re already a big star with a big reputation, you’ll very likely be starting off with a very low level of trust and that’s just the way it is. So you’re going to need to gain trust to earn you more flexibility, extra responsibility and so on. In those first few days you’re not going to have many ways of building trust, so you’re going to have to maximize the opportunities that you do have and there are a few things we can do straight out of the gate.
And the fastest way to build trust is to deliver. That means finish what you said you’d finish and if you don’t think you’re going to be able to complete something in time, say so and ask for help. If you have the opportunity to over deliver, that means faster, better, more, then go ahead and do it but never sacrifice the quality of your work to do this because setting a high standard of quality in whatever you do will also build trust.
Managing Your Time Effectively
Good time management is another. If you have any down time, which is pretty common in your first couple of weeks, then make sure you use it effectively and that means while your colleagues might be on social media, you’re using your time to review your notes, learn more about the business, meet new people and help others. Putting maximum focus in on those first few days is going to help you in many different ways down the track. Also on the topic of time management, of course, punctuality is a really important one, so be on time. Don’t turn up to meetings late. By being on time you demonstrate you’re in control and you know how to balance your priorities.
Using Company Language and Avoiding Pitfalls
Use the language we spoke about picking up: company jargon and making yourself a little glossary. Try to use some of the new terms yourself. When you use the language of a new culture, it signals to others that you’ve acquired some knowledge and you’re part of the family, so this is also going to help you build some trust. Now there are some things that can ruin trust fast especially in those first few days so watch out for these ones. If you’re always obsessing over the next break, watching the clock, if you’re always the last one into work the first to leave, you’re not coming across as particularly dependable or serious about work. Also put your device away, don’t use social media while you’re working and that means anytime you’re not on a break. Also be mindful of how you come across to others.
Tip 5: Be Proactive
Taking Initiative and Asking for Help
People don’t know who you are yet, so every little thing you do or say is a little clue for them. You’re going to be under a little more pressure than normal so be aware of it and have it at the top of your mind during those first few days at work. Tip number five is be proactive. This one’s going to earn you trust as well but being proactive in your first week is important enough to be a topic all on its own because it’s where often due to pure inexperience, so many people could be doing a lot better with a little bit of guidance. So here’s a couple of things to watch out for.
Don’t sit on problems for too long; definitely always try to solve them yourself first but speak up if you’re having trouble. Whilst you do learn something along the way, it’s just not the best use of time and you’re going to learn faster and contribute more by putting your hand up and asking for help.
Contributing Insightful Ideas
If you’re able to take action on something, if it’s not going to impact your work or risk messing something up, then just go ahead and do it. For example, it could be as simple as filling up the photocopier with paper when it runs out. Always remember you’re there to contribute and add value, so contribute and add value wherever you can. And lastly, don’t hold back if you have something insightful to share. If that little voice in your head is wondering, should I say it should I say it, just say it especially if it’s in your area of expertise and especially in group situations like meetings or workshops. What you have to add might turn out to be incredibly helpful.
Conclusion and Recap
Reviewing the Five Pillars
Tip number one was about writing everything down, being able to easily reference important aspects later on. Number two was about staying close with your manager by setting up regular meetings and preparing for them in the right ways. Three was all about being social and generally being open and receptive to your colleagues. Four was about how to start building trust and how to avoid losing trust. And last but not least, tip number five was about being proactive, adding value and contributing wherever you can.