If you are one of the many people whose new year resolution involves beginning a new job, how can you best prepare?
It is not uncommon for professionals to decide to leave their current role as part of their new year resolutions. What is perhaps rarer is for people to actually do it. But if you have taken that leap and are about to begin the next chapter of your working life, you may be nervous about having a productive start.
Taking the next step in your career is always going to be intimidating, but there are a multitude of ways in which you can set yourself up to have the best possible start. So, if you want to know how to get yourself career ready then read on for some helpful tips and tricks.
Start as you mean to go on
First impressions are important, but rather than putting the sole focus on going above and beyond to appear perfect, start as you mean to continue. By doing your best to be friendly, courteous, hardworking and committed, while still meeting your own expectations, people will see your work ethic and you will build a reputation as someone who is credible and dedicated.
Whether you are working in an in-person capacity or entirely online, rules of etiquette still apply, however outdated that may sound, so make sure that you maintain eye contact where possible, that you actively listen, and that you speak and act in a professional manner.
This includes noting how online internal and external communication is approached, as well as how co-workers carry themselves when in the presence of other stakeholders.
Welcome new opportunities
Starting a new job is more than just jumping on to the next 9 to 5. It is an opportunity to develop your skills, create strong networks and lay the foundations for the future of your career. New experiences can be exhausting, as often you are starting from scratch and have to put in the hours to become settled, but that doesn’t mean that you should shy away from taking on extra responsibilities.
Not only is this an ideal way to further ingratiate yourself with co-workers and the organisation, it is also a means by which you can showcase your own initiative and propel your career forward. No one expects you to enter into a new role as though you have been there for years. However, it can’t hurt to go in with confidence and a plan.
Learn from others
Strong mentorship has the potential to completely change the trajectory of your career, so, if your company has a mentorship programme, you should certainly take advantage of it. It could widen your circle and give you insight into how best to carry out your role, and having a friend in a new place is always welcome.
It also means that, in the unlikely scenario that significant issues arise before you are in a position to confidently advocate for yourself, a mentor could act as an intermediary or advise you.
Many companies have initiatives designed to gently ease newcomers into their roles. If yours doesn’t, you could always speak to your co-workers or your employers about having a mentor assigned to you, as it is also a fantastic opportunity for more established colleagues to develop their own skills.
Be balanced in your feedback
When you start a new job, despite having pursued the role, you might find yourself making comparisons between your current and previous positions. Some aspects of the new role might be slowing you down, alternatively there may be elements that are vastly superior to what you have experienced in the past.
Suffice to say, if you are going to offer feedback as to how you could do your job better, make sure that it is relevant, given for the right reasons and balanced. Every company is different and their processes are going to reflect that, so be mindful that everyone has to be considered and it may not be widely convenient to implement your suggestions.
Additionally, if you have a solution to what appears to be a common organisational issue and you feel that your feedback would be welcomed, don’t hesitate to share it. Having an answer to a problem is a great way to show initiative and your dedication to the future of the organisation.
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