New Job? How to be an Office Rock Star From Day One
Posted by jefferson on Mar 26, 2012 in Career Advice | 22 comments
So you crafted the perfect resume, made it through the interview process, and are starting a new job? You deserve some kudos for making it this far, but now is when the real work begins. First impressions are huge, and you would be smart to plan out your first few weeks ahead of time. The goal should be to maximize your impact and to begin to convince your management and co-workers that you are going to be a big-time contributor.
I have worked in a large corporate environment for over ten years now (in a few different companies) and have seen newbies of all sorts come and go. Some new employees make good impressions and are still with the company and doing well, but more folks just don’t do anything to differentiate themselves. The reality is that good help can be hard to find these days. Managers and HR reps both know that the majority of new employees end up being average or below. Because of this, by showing a little bit of initiative and dedication, you can get management to take notice and be considered an office rock star.
Don’t Wait To Be Told What to Do
I can’t even count the number of times that we have brought aboard somebody new, and they have just hid in their cube, waiting to be told how they will be utilized. Bad move. Typically, the rest of the team is busy in their own assignments, so nobody takes the initiative to get the new guy up to speed, and weeks of potential productivity are lost. Don’t let this happen to you.
Starting on day one, let your teammates know that you are going to shadow them. Don’t spend the day talking to them about why Androids are superior to iPhones, or why “The Bachelor” is the greatest television show ever. If they start these types of personal conversations, certainly it is fine to join in as you naturally want to be friendly. The point is that you don’t want to be the one constantly starting conversations about non-work-related things, or you will quickly get labeled as a walking distraction. That is the opposite impression that you are wanting to make. You want to be known as someone who gets things done, not someone who prevents others from getting things done.
Instead, follow along with how your teammates are spending their day. Bring a pen and notebook, and take detailed notes about what they do, and the methods they use. Feel free to ask questions for clarification, and ask them to email you important documents and links. One thing that I like to do during these initial shadow sessions, is to ask teammates if I can help them with some of their more tedious activities. If your teammates see that you are willing to work, then they will know that you are going to make the team stronger, and will see you as an ally.
Don’t Rock the Boat (Right Away)
The first few weeks on the job should be spent watching and listening. Yes, they hired you because they liked your experience and wanted some new perspectives, but don’t open your mouth and start spouting out new ideas to totally revamp all of their processes right away. The procedures that everyone is using right now might seem antiquated and inefficient, but the folks you are working with could very well be the same ones who created those procedures.
Spend the first few weeks learning the ins and outs of the way that things are presently done. Even more importantly, learn as much as you can about the organizational culture, what it takes to get things moving, and who the decision makers are. The time will come to make your move later, but you must first understand how to connect the dots. Opening your mouth before you know the whole picture will just make you lose credibility.
Also, if your team has multiple responsibilities, try to take the role as a “jack of all trades.” The more things you get exposure to, the more chances you have to find new and better ways to do things. While employees typically have job functions that will become their specialty, getting completely bottled in is never a good thing.
Be a Documentation Wizard
I have already mentioned a couple of times the importance of taking good notes. If I am taking the time to train a new employee on how to do something, and he doesn’t even bother to write anything down, then I feel like I am wasting my time. Even if you already know what you are being shown, you should take the time to notate how things are different in this company, as compared to your last.
One trick that I have used when joining a new company is to immediately offer to step up and improve their documentation situation. Pretty much every team, everywhere, could use a little bit of TLC with their documentation. As you sit with your co-workers and take notes on the procedures that they follow, offer to publish those notes to a Wiki, or Sharepoint, or a team website. If they don’t have one of these already, offer to do the legwork to stand one up. It isn’t difficult. You usually wont be handed any meaningful project work for the first few months, but you can immediately make a mark on your new team by beefing up the team’s documentation.
Lunch and Learn
Finally, office rock stars shouldn’t eat alone. Eating lunch with your co-workers is a great networking opportunity, and a great way to build relationships. Sitting at your desk and browsing the internet while you eat will probably get a bunch of crumbs in your keyboard, and certainly isn’t going to help your career. On your first day on the job, ask your teammates what they like to do for lunch. If they like to stay in, see if they will join you in the company cafeteria or a common area. Even better, offer to take a group of co-workers out to lunch, and they will certainly feel obligated to return the favor.
I am not suggesting that you go out to eat in a restaurant 5 days a week, as that will take a toll on your wallet, but once or twice a week can actually pay huge dividends. Your teammates will be more honest about things when they get off property, and this is a great time to informally bounce new ideas off of each other. In addition, you can often get folks from other teams to come along, which provides a great networking opportunity.
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These are just a few tips to get you started. Becoming a true office rock star involves jumping off from here and bringing something new to the table. Find new and better ways to do things, and give your boss (and his boss) something to talk about in meetings. Before long, you will be considered an indispensable resource, and that is when the real fun begins.
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I def agree with the documentation wizard. I train so many managers at my place of work and barely any take notes. Needless to say I end up training them again and again. I wish I could say no to more training but the bosses will not allow it. So I just smile and say sure…grrrr
Good timing! I’ll be starting a new job soon and I definitely need to implement some of these points.
Sounds like a good plan to make a great impression with a new company. While you aren’t likely to get fired in those first few weeks, the better impression you can make, the more it will help going forward. Bosses and supervisors will quickly learn to trust you more and give you more important responsibilities. Raises and promotions will also come much easier if people are aware of your contributions. On the flip side, if you make a bad impression early, it will be tough to change people’s opinions of your work habits and importance to the company.
These are great points, Jefferson!
I will add that I don’t think going out to lunch with just anybody is a great use of time and money. Sure, as you’re getting started it’s good to get to know everybody, but as a new employee you definitely don’t want to join a group of people that are bad-mouthing the company or don’t like where they work.
You obviously joined the company for a reason, so spending time and building relationships with people that share your desires and motivations are the best use of resources (time and money).
Being a documentation wizard was my biggest challenge over the years. I never liked writing things down, and felt that doing so was wasteful. However, an old employer hounded me about keeping notes during those one-on-one meetings. Since then, I never fail to bring a notepad with me to every meeting, and I always make sure that I take copious notes. It conserves time, and prevents you from looking like an idiot when you forget a small detail, and have to go back and ask for a repeat. Plus, taking notes is a form of job security.
I also don’t know how valuable the lunch tactic is. I think you should wait to assess that one. Not only is a potentially pricey way to build networks, but you can’t really determine which networks are worth cultivating yet.
I am glad that others have had similar experiences with documentation.. It is long been a key component with how I differentiate myself from my peers.
About the lunch situation.. I have seen plenty of “lunch hermits” come through at places where I work. Doing this, it is easy to lose touch with the pulse of your team. Yes, some people will complain about their job, but knowing others’ frustrations is a valuable asset. You can use this information to find ways to improve the team situation, and to make it a better environment for everyone.
Again, I am not suggesting eating out every day.. I certainly don’t do that, as it would destroy my budget. But I do tend to grab others and eat lunch with them here in the office, so that I can talk to them about both work and personal things.
But I do think it is a mistake to NEVER go out to lunch with peers. You don’t want to be the lunch hermit on your team. You just miss too much potential information and networking opportunities.
Nice Tips… Especially don’t wait to be told what to do.. However that is sometimes not the case. I got reprimanded for doing too much one time. Jealousy of course but it bit me in the face.
You have a lot of good advice here! I can second the advice of taking good notes and showing even just an ounce of ambition to let managers know you’ve got your head in the game.
Definitely some great stuff here Jefferson. I’ve definitely benefited form taking great notes, too. Appearing organized and enthusiastic goes a long, long way. Also, smiling like @Christopher is a great idea, too!
There are more than a few grumps around my office these days.. Smiling actually goes a really long way.
I totally agree with “don’t rock the boat too soon”. Many of the managers that have come into my agency have been quick to offer “advice” that was shot down immediately. If you’re the new guy/gal, sit back a little at first to see how things work. You might be suggesting a change that has already been suggested and shot down. A lot of succeeding in business is politics. Learn the politics before you share helpful input, or you might be suggesting something in direct opposition of the person/people who hired you.
I like employees who pick up the initiative and run with it. We are all adult, so act like one!
All good point but the first one is my favorite. Obviously! 
very valuable points included. Moving to a new job is not easy and many people face problems adjusting with a large variety of problems.Thanks for sharing
Great advice about the TLC on the documentation. Even something as simple as working on the new-hire documents can be beneficial, and usually appreciated and remembered.
When I was consulting, lunch out was the norm, but at my current job, I usually have lunch in. We have a pretty nice common area to eat though, many people just use it as down time. Good advice though to network where you can!
I think it’s really important that a new employee doesn’t just wait to be told what to do. If you are sitting there doing absolutely nothing you make a horrible impression right of the bat. I think it’s best to shadow your co-workers or even just asking for something to do.
These are actually very good tips. Especially not waiting around and not eating lunch alone.
I love this article – great tips! Especially the documentation one. It’s so true and can apply to any level. I hope all is well!
Hi Jeff,
I have included this post at my site’s weekly roundup
These are good tips. Sometimes keeping low profile and not running for everything helps. I would rather try to play wait n watch game to understand how things work and how brains think part. I would like to be accustomed with the atmosphere and understand new co workers during those first 90 days.
Nice! I have just started a new job and I am happy to learn your notes and guidance. Thank you so much!