First impressions may not be the last, but they definitely are lasting. A new job, a different role and bigger responsibilities can mark the beginning of a major career transition, especially if it’s a dream project that you had been eyeing. It is important to prepare oneself in order to avoid being overwhelmed by change.
- Prepare Before You Turn Up
Research is the key to any job as much as it is a new project or assignment. Know your company well, its stakeholder, products, and most importantly, its culture. The first few days in the office is going to be about orientation and a blur of names, rules, HR formalities and regulations. Give yourself a bit of a head start by reading the company website followed by its LinkedIn page. Get to know the company values by researching about the top management and the board of directors through published material on the Internet.
- Talk Less, Listen More
When in team meetings listen more and imbibe the knowledge imparted. Take notes during meetings and do not hesitate to ask questions. Keep the questions short and make a note of the answers you get to the questions. While your opinion matters during part of group discussions and brainstorming sessions emphasise listening over speaking. The most rookie mistake that people make during their first few days in a company is to come under the impulse of “taking the stage,” of speaking before the other one could say what he intends to or very often say something generic and clichéd without giving any actual insight.
- Dress for Success
When moving to a new organization, it is important to understand culture and dress accordingly. It is not only important to wear what is followed by code, but it is important to look the part that you are hired for. Do not over-dress or under-dress. This could have a negative influence on your employer and team members and could even overshadow your efficiency and personality. Grooming is a part of any workplace. Whether your office follows a formal dress code or casual dressing, being well-kept is key to making a good impression.
- Be Confident, Not Over-Confident
If you don’t have confidence in yourself to understand your abilities and the value you add, it could be holding you back from reaching your full potential. At the same time, over-confidence, also termed as ‘star sickness’, presupposes that we are absolutely pleased with ourselves which means that there is no need to grow. Star sickness lowers the level of self-criticism. It seems to you that you make everything ideally. You just do not have any shortcomings!
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