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Your First 30 days at a new Job……is there ever a better time to focus on personal improvement? |
One error newly-hired employees often make is assuming they have been hired based on what they achieved in their past employment. While that does contribute to getting hired, the deeper reason for getting the job is that your new employer saw beyond what you have done…they saw what they believe you are capable of doing. If you believe you should grow and learn with each new opportunity, then it follows that you must view each new opportunity with a firm commitment to “do better”. Before starting any new position, and during the first 30 days, consider taking the following actions, which will help ensure that you get off on the right foot: 1. Privately take stock of your shortcomings, or times when you failed to succeed. Be honest!!! Determine the actions or attitudes that got in the way of your success. Example: If you tend to be defensive, or avoid working extra hours, make changes to prevent carrying these traits into your new job. There is no easier time in your career to improve your performance than when you make a job change. 2. Make your strengths immediately obvious. The people who hired you are expecting to see you do what you said you could do. If you are a great team member, look for ways to be especially helpful to others. If you have a strong work ethic, show it by dedicating yourself to extra work or time. Make your strengths stand out. 3. A wise man once told me, “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and erase all doubt.” If you have something worthwhile to contribute to a conversation, say it. But, if you are just speaking because you want to participate, or because others are speaking, be careful of what you say. Think back to a time when you heard “the new guy” say something that was not received well. You do not want to be that guy in your first 30 days. 4. Make connections with a couple peers who have been around awhile, and who impress you. Buy them coffee, or just ask to sit and talk for a few minutes. Ask them about the company culture, what they find most positive about the company, what they think you could do to make a positive impact early. This is no time to ask them what is wrong with the company, or what they would change if they could. Stay focused on the positive…you will gain a couple allies, and be respected for your interest and concern. 5. Following up on what you learned from My Gorilla Guide, research the Internet every week for information on your new employer. If it is a public company, check the stock trading symbol for financial information. Stockhouse, and Scottrade are sources that will have this information, plus links to news about your company. Pay close attention to unbiased news reports, and balance those with the press releases you will find. You may be surprised to learn that you know more about the company than most tenured employees. 6. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, BE POSITIVE…ABOUT EVERYTHING! Don’t buy into negative info just for the sake of being “chummy”. When you hear negatives, look for something that might be positive in the issue, or outcome. If someone tells you, “I just heard that we are only getting a two-percent COL increase this year”, you might reply with, “Well, in this economy, a lot of places are giving no increase…that’s what is happening in my last company.” Don’t fabricate things just to sound positive, but also don’t forget what your dear Mother once told you, “Every cloud has a silver lining, you just have to look for it.” |
Reaaaaally horribly interview answers…just for fun. Certainly, many of us have interviewed someone who seriously failed to make the grade, sometimes in a memorable way. I admit to having been on the other end of the interview table while making a bonehead comment, or two. However, have any of you ever topped these “10 incredibly disastrous answers to interview questions”? Without further explanation (as if there could be any), here is the list: |
How much do the little things really mean to employees? |
When asked why people leave their jobs, most bosses offer the canned answers…low pay, poor hours, lack of advancement, etc. It is the rare boss, indeed, who knows the truth lies with the person in the mirror. While doing research for a new book, I found surveys ranking poor behaviors and habits of bosses as the number one reason for resignations. Up to 80% of people surveyed indicated some form of dissatisfaction with the boss as the major contributing factor for leaving. How can this possibly be? More than ever before, American companies are striving to protect employees from bad workplace behaviors. Billions are invested annually in programs educating bosses on how to identify and handle employee dissatisfaction. Millions of production hours are channeled instead into presentations on everything from harassment to how to prepare a performance evaluation. And still, problems with “the boss” create the greatest share of turnover, and at a time when too much turnover can bust an already stretched-thin profit margin. Employees cite lack of appreciation, poor or ineffective communication, inability and/or indifference to dealing with problems, and little sense or effort of “team-building” from the boss as some of the contributing weaknesses.
Looking seriously at the first 4 items above, it would take just 10-15 minutes per employee each week. What do you think might be the rewards for just that much time spent? Item number 5 may take 10 minutes a month, or an hour, but what huge benefits could be gained for such an investment? |
