How To ACE the First 90 days at Your New Job

Everyone, I have a confession to make… I LOVE CHANGE! There, I said it!

Change is one of the only constants that we have in life. Truthfully, I’ve always embraced change in my personal and professional career, but 2020 has certainly thrust it upon me. This year alone, I transitioned to working from home (not unlike many of you, I’m sure), started a new job, and create this platform where I get to talk to you guys about it all!

Although all of this change is exciting to me, I will admit that it hasn’t been easy. Did you catch that part about me starting a new job? In the midst of everything that 2020 is throwing at us, I had to learn how to work in a new organization – and I had to learn how to do it from home.

You know me, always up for a challenge! So, I gave it my all. I didn’t let the fact that I couldn’t physically work with my colleagues deter me from following my 30-60-90 Day Plan. I simply adapted and found ways to apply the things that I know work well to my remote work. And it, well, worked!

Indeed reported that 65% of newly employed people start looking for jobs again withing the first 3-months. Now that I know my Plan for acing the first 90-days at a new job can work under any setting, I’m ready to share it with you.

New Beginnings

They say that if you want something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done to get it. If you feel like you’ve reached your highest potential in your current position, it might be time to look to a new situation and, while that thought might be scary, new situations bring new opportunities for success!

To make sure your newest venture is as successful as possible, you have to enter into it the right way. That means:

·       Introducing yourself

·       Focusing on others

·       Finding a “work bestie”

·       Getting to know your boss(es)

Introducing yourself

Research shows that tons of anxiety that arises in new situations is rooted in the inability to confidently introduce yourself. In the first few days at a new job, it’s absolutely crucial to make your presence known – in a professional way – and let your new colleagues know who you are.

In the days leading up to your first day, prepare a quick and energetic introduction that you can use for each person that you meet. When introducing yourself, make sure it is done in a natural way – do not interrupt conversations or meetings to announce that it’s your first day.

Do your best to remember names (keep a cheat sheet if you have to!) and ask valuable questions to show that you have an interest in the people that you’re going to be working with.

Focusing on others

Throughout the first few weeks in your new position, take the time to really get to know your team. Do your best to learn what they’re proud of, their strengths, weaknesses, what they need to succeed, and what their blind spots are. Some of this will come through conversation, while others will come through careful observation on your part. Don’t be afraid to keep notes on each team member if you feel that referring to them will help you make the team stronger.

Finding a “work bestie”

Once you’ve learned plenty about your peers and colleagues, you should be able to have a good grasp on who you will “vibe” with, so to speak. Work besties are crucial in the workplace for a couple of reasons:

1.      Having social connections at work actually help us to do our jobs better. Research shows that these types of connections help to boost productivity and deepen the connections between employees and their jobs – making us more likely to love our job!

2.      When you find someone to lean on, you can form a mutually beneficial partnership. Perhaps you both have certain strengths that each other needs to be more successful in your positions.

Develop connections with individuals on your team by taking them out to lunch or coffee. If you’re doing remote work, try to set up a “happy hour” to get to know your peers in an informal (video) setting.

Getting to know your boss(es)

I cannot stress the importance of making an impression on your bosses enough – and doing it early on. If you are able to personally get to know the people in positions above you, do so and offer value immediately.

One of the best ways that you can show your bosses that you’re there to deliver results is to ask them what their biggest pain point is. Where do they see the company falling short? What are some goals that have been on their “to-do” list for too long? Seek out ways that you can lighten the load on your higher ups as well as your peers – but make sure to do it in a way that doesn’t step on anyone’s toes or feel as though you’re there to change things. You’re there to make things happen!

Looking at the bigger picture

Once you’ve got the details of your job figured out and you’re comfortable in your day-to-day motions, you can start looking at the big picture of your position – where you are now and where you want to go. In the first 90-days of your new job, you’re going to really establish yourself and take ownership of your new role.

You have everything within you to be wildly successful in your position, you just need to know how to take your passion for what you do and apply it to your new digs. You can do so by:

·       Becoming a student of the business

·       Speaking up in meetings

·       Setting up a 90-day review

·       Developing a 1-year strategy

Becoming a student of the business

If you’ve done your homework correctly, you already should know everything about the business from an outsider’s perspective. Now, it’s time to dig in a see what makes this business tick! Spend time with tenured colleagues and subject matter experts to learn how the company makes money from the insiders’ perspective. No matter what company you work for or the position you hold, it’s all about driving profitability for the organization.

Find out who is an expert of what and ask them probing questions to figure out the what and how of every aspect of the business. Go over old reports and make notes about where you think improvements could be made or things that you would like some clarification on. Never stop learning about the business. It’s important to remember you own your own training and development. Do not wait for someone to lay this out for you. Seek out the experiences you need to become proficient. The sooner you acclimate, the more promising your future will be within the organization.

Speaking up in meetings

It can feel nerve-racking to speak up as the newbie in a room (or virtual room) with your peers and colleagues but remember that you are there for a reason! There’s no one else who can offer the type of insight that you have so you should be sharing your perspective on a topic in every single meeting. The more you make yourself heard in meetings, and the more confident you will become in your position, the more confident your boss will become in you!

When you exemplify open communication styles, you are effectively showing your team members that you welcome the same from them. This type of synergy will translate into everything that you do and help you to better communicate your expectations with your team and business partners.

Setting up a 90-day review

Many organizations will already have a 90-day review set up for you. If yours does not have that practice in place, see if you can set one up between yourself and your boss. Check in with each other and revisit some of the topics that you discussed in your first couple of weeks at work. Did you relieve some one those pain points? Knock off to-do list items? In short, are you attaining your goals?

Developing a 1-year strategy

The thing that’s going to set you apart from your peers and colleagues is going to be your ability to always be working toward the next goal. After your 90-day review, you should have enough information so that you can create a 12-month plan.

Break the plan up into quarters or months, whichever makes more sense for your business, and then set smaller goals within each section. For each goal, write down 30-40 steps that you and your team will take to attain those goals.

30-40 may seem like a lot, but the reason I say to list so many steps is because I want you to get as specific as possible. Don’t leave any wiggle room or guesswork. Develop a strategy that is laced with a sense of urgency to deliver results!

I realize that the job market isn’t what it used to be. Back in the day, it was standard practice for folks to get a job in their teens or twenties, rise up the ranks, and then retire when the time came. Today, most millennials don’t expect to stay at a job for more than 3-years and they seem to be okay with that. I want everyone to find a job that they LOVE and that works for them – one that will help them reach their long-term goals and fill their life with success and value. The first 90-days in a job are huge in determining exactly what that future is going to look like so I hope my plan can help YOU settle into that job of your dreams.

Do you have any specific new job concerns? Let me know in the comments below.