9 Things To Do in The First Week

9 Things To Do In The First Week Of A New Job - Business Insider
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9 Things Successful People Do In

The First Week Of A New Job
JENNA GOUDREAU
(HTTP://WWW.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM/AUTHOR/JENNAGOUDREAU) AUG. 23, 2013, 12:44 PM
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Starting a new job gives

me the jitters. Like
traveling alone to a
foreign country, it's
exciting to learn and see
new things but also
nerve-racking to navigate
logistics and interpret an
alien language.
I've been on this rollercoaster before and
experienced it anew this
Jenna Goudreau
See Also
week as the new editor of

Strategy and Careers here
at Business Insider. I
wondered, how
important is that first
impression and what can
a professional do right
from the start to set
themselves up for future
success?
(http://www.businessinsider.com/6traits-of-the-most-successful-people2013-8)
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"The first three
Page 2 of 8
months of any
Tech (/sai)
new job are an
Strategy (/warroom)
Life (/thelife)
Search
All (/)
extension of the
interview process,"
says Amanda
Augustine, career expert
at TheLadders
(http://www.businessinsider.com/talkingabout-your-goals-keeps-you-fromachieving-them-2013-8)
Say What? Talking About Your Goals

Makes You Less Likely To Achieve Them
(http://www.businessinsider.com/talkingabout-your-goals-keeps-you-fromachieving-them-2013-8)
(http://www.businessinsider.com/15things-you-should-experience-in-yourcareer-by-age-30-2013-8)
(http://www.theladders.com/), an online job-matching service for

professionals. "From the first day, you need to be on your game."
With nearly a decade of experience advising high-level professionals,
Augustine details what the most successful people do that first week in a
new job:
1. Be a geek about introducing yourself.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Take the initiative to meet people. Say hello in the

elevator, kitchen or bathroom. It will pay off in the
end. "It could be a fast-paced culture, and they don't


2013-8)
8/24/2013
Page 3 of 8
have time to come to you," says Augustine.

"Start with
the group that's closest
Tech
(/sai)
Finance directly
(/clusterstock)
Politics It
(/politics)
to you,
the
people you're
working with."
will be in their best interest to

get you
started on the
foot, since
your
Strategy
(/warroom)
Liferight
(/thelife)
Entertainment
(/thewire)
Search
All (/)
work will directly affect theirs.
2. Befriend a veteran who can help you

navigate politics (and find the pencils).
Learn who the players are, and who's been at your
company
awhile, Augustine advises. Find the battered
veteran who has a good handle on what works and

doesn't and can show you around. "Companies have
their own language and inside jokes," she says. "Look for the one person
to help you decode the acronyms and office politics." Plus, you'll need
someone to go to for the silly things. Asking your boss where to find the
pencils is a bit below their pay grade.
3. Set expectations with your boss and

employees.
"Get on your boss's calendar," says Augustine. Use
that initial meeting to establish what they believe
success will look like in the first week, month and
three months. At the same time, if you're in a
managerial position, it's important to begin setting
expectations with your direct reports. From
communication style to office hours, that first week
sets the tone.
4. Figure out the coffee situation.
Learning where the coffee
(http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-makeperfect-coffee-2013-8) is will always be a good
strategy for success. It's also important to figure out
the unwritten rules of the office that, if violated,
make people go ballistic. Who washes the dishes?
Which shelves are communal? "In our office, there
are several refrigerators, and people get upset if you
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2013-8)
8/24/2013
Page 4 of 8
use the wrong one," says Augustine. "Be a sponge,

and
watch how people are doing
Tech (/sai)
(/clusterstock)
things.
There'sFinance
nothing
wrong with
how to use the coffee maker."Strategy (/warroom)
asking
Life (/thelife)
Search
All (/)
5. Start demonstrating and documenting what

you sold the company on.
"Whatever you sold them on in interview, make it
your mission to demonstrate that you're going to do
it," Augustine says. If you said you were a social
media whiz or good with numbers, immediately start
revamping the social accounts or making sense of the
company's analytics. And start a brag sheet. Keep
track of all your accomplishments, major
contributions, and when you get positive feedback.
You want to get in the habit early and have the
information at the ready for future performance
reviews and salary negotiations.
6. Get organized to set good habits.
Especially since a lot of new information is coming
your way, setting good habits and getting organized
from the start will make your life easier down the
line. It's also a good time to improve your bad habits.
"It's a great opportunity to overcome any challenges or weaknesses from
your past," says Augustine. If you've struggled with time management, for
example, use that first week to map out how you'll spend each day and
begin putting it into practice.
7. Reinforce your new connections on social

media.
Once you're officially on the job, it's important to
update your title across your own social media
platforms and also start following your new company
and colleagues. As you meet new people, cement the
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
relationships by finding them on Twitter or


2013-8)
8/24/2013
LinkedIn. Augustine advises identifying the platformthat

makes the
most sense. Facebook, for
discretion.
Tech (/sai)
instance,
is
Page 5 of 8
Finance
(/clusterstock)
(/politics)
viewed
by many
as personal,Politics
so use
Strategy (/warroom)
Life (/thelife)
Search
All (/)
8. Reconnect with former colleagues.

Perhaps counterintuitively, Augustine says the first week of a new job is
the perfect time to reach out to colleagues from your previous jobs. "Go
back and reconnect with people at your old company, and ask for
LinkedIn recommendations," she suggests. The best time to get referrals
is when you're not looking for a new job, she says.
9. Find your go-to pharmacy and take-out

lunch spot.
Learn your new neighborhood. Do you know where the nearest CVS is?
What about where to get a sandwich, take people for coffee or a nice
business lunch? "Logistically, you need know where to go get a Band-Aid
when you need one," Augustine says.
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Jenna Goudreau (/commenter?
id=520e4680eab8eae143000009)
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24, 11:35 AM
(http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5218d2d369beddd070000003) said:
@Stay Quiet: Smart points. Stay open but don't be too forthcoming
until you get the lay of the land, right?
Reply

id=520e4680eab8eae143000009) on Aug
24, 11:29 AM
(http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5218d15b6bb3f7fb2d000012) said:
@Victor Bergonzoli: All good advice. I especially like "listen"

because I think it's so important to be open to new ways of doing
things.
Reply

24, 11:30 AM
(http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5218d18aecad04762800000f) said:
@RThomas: Thanks! Excited to be here.

Reply

24, 11:32 AM
(http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5218d20569bedda75c000053) said:
@Work: Yes, at the very core, these points are of course most
important. How have you gone about learning what needs to be
done in your roles? Is it as simple as having a conversation with
your boss? Or do other culture factors and team dynamics come
into play?
Reply
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9 Things To Do In The First Week Of A New Job - Business Insider

9 Things Successful People Do In

Starting a new job gives

week as the new editor of

Researchers Have Found The

(http://www.businessinsider.com/personalityLinked To Success And