5 Things You Must Do When You Start A New Job

5 Things You Must Do When You Start A New Job After rounds and rounds of interviews, youve finally signed the papers and landed the jobhooray But dont breathe a sigh of relief just yetthe trial period has just begun.All eyes are on you as a new employee, so you want to pay extra attention to the way you present yourself to your manager and colleagues during your first months at the office. In fact, how you come across right out of the gate can play a parte in how youre treated and whether or not youre considered promotion later on, says Brandi Britton, district president for Office Team, an administrative staffing company. First impressions make long-term lasting impressions, she explains. If you make a great first impression and you make mistakes down the road, people are more likely to forgive you. It is harder to overcome when you start off on the wrong foot and then make yourself look better later on. To help you get off to a fabulous start, she shares what to do when at the star t of a new job.1. DO observe and mirror the culture.Use the first month or so at your new company to get a feel for your organizations culture to assess what you need to do to fit in,in the best sense of the term. Observe how people behave, dress and interact (for example, whether they prefer communicating via text, phone or face-to-face), and model your behavior, dress and interactions accordingly. For example, if other working parents at your company normally take calls from their family while at their desk, it may be OK for you to do the same, but if youre unsure, have a talk with your anfhrer about it.Theres one exception, however, and thats timeliness. Even if you are at a relaxed workdistribution policy and see colleagues arriving late and leaving early, as a new employee, you always want to be on time. In your first month, you need to adhere to your original time schedule. You dont need to be there till the lights go off, but dont be the first one out the door either, Britton suggests.2. DO clarify what your job duties are with your manager.Though you may think you have a good idea of your job duties and expectations, its wise to talk to your boss about them anyway in case youre missing something. Doing this confirms with your manager what your to-do list should look like and also shows that youre eager to do your job well.3. DO mingle with your new colleagues.Unless you happen to know someone at your new job, chances are, youll have to start from scratch when building relationships with everyonewhich can be intimidating. Dont hold off on socializing though, since making work alliances is better done sooner than later. Its important to get that internal network going very early in, says Britton. If you run across someone in the kitchen or hallway, introduce yourself. The office kitchen is a particularly good place to socialize, since its a more casual environment and where people are already comfortable because theyre not focused on work. You could even ask a colleague out to lunch, or try Brittons clever technique for promoting office chat having a candy dish at your desk, which seems likely to attract all kinds of co-workers.4. DO ask your manager for regular feedback.In addition to knowing what work youre supposed to be doing, you also want confirmation that youre doing a good job so you can start feeling more comfortable. At your first meeting with your boss when youre setting expectations, schedule some time to receive feedback as well, Britton suggests. To avoid over-scheduling ansicht meetings, (too many make you appear like youre unconfident with your work), have your boss determine how often he or she would like you to solicit feedback.5. DO get a system going.Once you get a better idea of your day-to-day workload, develop a routine or system. This even goes for your desk. By keeping your desk organized, youll have an easier time locating things and youll project a professional image to your managers. Even though there ar e varying schools of thought about this, a cluttered desk doesnt exactly scream efficient to many people. Overall, says Britton, your ability to do your work effectively will come down to how well you understand the job and how organized you are.--Fairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer