Starting Strong: How to Succeed in a New Job
Starting a new job is stressful. New employees are typically concerned about two issues. Will I be able to do the job? Will my new co-workers like me?
Will I be able to do the job?
Assuming that you didn’t misrepresent yourself on your resume or during the interview, you should have the ability to do the job for which you were hired. However, you may feel challenged or even overwhelmed the first few months or so. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You can say something like, “I just started last week, and I am not sure how to organize these monthly cost reports.”
Don’t apologize for yourself. If you use statements like, “I realize I should know how to do this; I guess I’m just not very bright,” it won’t take long for your co-workers to agree with your own assessment of your ineptitude.
Avoid criticizing the company or anyone in it. Steer clear of statements like, “At my old company, these forms were easy to fill out,” or, “John gave me this useless project to work on and I don’t even know where to begin.” These types of comments will not win you any points with your new co-workers and will likely label you as a malcontent.
Say “thank you” for any help you receive and give credit to your co-workers. If the boss compliments you on a job well done, say something like, “Kathy really helped me out by orienting me to the file system. I couldn’t have done it without her.”
Reflect on your previous position and consider what you could have done to make it better. This could be your chance to begin fresh. Your new position offers a tremendous opportunity to transform yourself into the employee you’ve always dreamed of being: an efficient, positive, respected team player who enjoys their job.
Will my new co-workers like me?
Remember your first day of junior high? Or, when your parent got transferred and you had to move to another town as a third-grader? As adults, we experience that same panicky feeling when we leave our old, comfortable environment to move into a new, unknown one.
These feelings are completely normal. Remind yourself that each day will become more comfortable than the last, and soon you will wonder how you could have been nervous about working with such wonderful colleagues.
Every workplace has its own culture. Keep your eyes open and gather as much information as you can. Observe people’s personalities. Some may be quite different from yours. But that doesn’t mean you can’t understand them and find a way to work together. Building positive relationships with your co-workers will lead to less stress and make the work environment more enjoyable.
Dragseth, Ph.D., is the Baker Boy Professor of Leadership and the 2024 Dickinson State University Distinguished Professor of the Year. Her monthly column offers practical solutions to common workplace issues. This article is published as it appears in the Heart River Voice (November 2024, Vol. 6, No. 11).