|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
What do you do when you finally get the job, and it is day one? It’s taken a lot of work for you to get to your start date, and you don’t want to deliver a stellar performance throughout the recruiting process only to fumble the bag in your first ninety days.
We’re bookending this series about career transition on how to capitalize on your new opportunity and feel empowered by your previous experience(s) to deliver value in your new role.
Since my introduction into the workforce, I’ve had three different periods of transitions into a new role at the same company or exiting the company altogether. In this final piece of the series, I’m focusing on external transitions at a new company.
Let’s reminisce back to freshman year of high school. What were some of the emotions you felt the night before? I remember mine. I was worried because of the new responsibility I would have to shoulder being in honor classes, athletics, and extracurriculars. Anxiety consumed me the night before because I was insecure about my braces, the bowl haircut the barber gave me earlier, and the brown satchel bag I was positive would cement my image as the nerdiest person in school. Despite those late-night feelings, the first day turned out great and people even loved the satchel.
Starting a new job feels the exact same way—except now you are paid to be nerdy.
Four Priorities for the First Ninety Days
Just like the night before freshman year, the buildup to your start date is exhilarating, but it requires some strategy and judiciousness to maximize the first ninety days on the job.
From my experience, I have identified four key priorities that require execution during this initial ramp-up period:
- Culture: Search for alignment between how culture is described by the organization and how it is executed
- Relationships: Curate a positive image by building relationships and making good first impressions
- Metrics: Determine what the organization cares about by what metrics it is tracking and then align your performance self-evaluation according to those expectations
- Performance: Demonstrate competency that garners trust early on
This strategizing begins from the moment you commit to your new company.
Additionally, consider implementing some of the tactics mentioned in the following section to generate momentum as you begin your new role.
Maximize the First Ninety Days
You’ve got your four priorities. Now here is how you can maximize your momentum.
Schedule strategic coffee chats.
In one of my previous articles, PIE: The Secret to Upward Mobility, I reiterated that 60 percent of all promotion considerations come from people in positions of decision-making knowing your name. This means creating exposure for yourself that extends throughout the organization, even into rooms you are not in.
To kick-start creating exposure, schedule coffee chats with people you have something in common with. Then, ask for referrals to create an organic list of additional people to contact and leverage as a mutual connection when making a warm introduction.
Use the following language as a template until you find a phrase you are comfortable with: “Who else would you recommend I connect with given what you found out from our conversation?” Pay attention to the names repeatedly mentioned. This is generally a signal of the movers and shakers of the organization.
Pay attention to what matters.
Whether at your company’s conference, quarterly meetings, or all-hands calls, pay attention to the metrics being reported. Typically, this information highlights what management considers relevant to the company’s current state and wants all organizational members to see how their individual efforts contribute to the greater mission.
The real reason to internalize the company’s metrics is because that is how you will be evaluated. Aligning how you evaluate your individual performance with company metrics enables you to accurately communicate how your work is moving the company forward.
Build good habits.
Believe it or not, we still live in a world where mediocrity is accepted and perpetuated. Don’t be that person especially when you are the new kid on the block; you being mediocre on day one will be much more noticeable than, say, the twenty-year veteran strolling in late to the leadership call.
Start right and start right now: show up five minutes early to every meeting, dress well, be engaged and ask thoughtful questions, conduct the appropriate amount of preparation for whatever meeting/client engagement/project you are responsible for, and limit distractions so you can execute well.
Get involved with your organization.
Nothing says “I love being at this company” quite like being the first person to volunteer to stand up and recite the company’s code of values or signing up to volunteer for a Saturday at a company’s sponsored booth. Getting involved communicates enthusiasm, commitment, and willingness to lead by example.
Make it a point to speak with human resources or your talent department regarding opportunities to get involved. Then, introduce yourself to the internal team members leading the engagement opportunities to discover where you align best.
Go Forth and Prosper
Those first ninety days are crucial to establishing a foundation from which to springboard toward success at your new company. Don’t squander the opportunity to present your best self and set a new standard that will raise the performance level of others around you.
Get involved, build good habits, pay attention to what matters, and build solid relationships. Anticipate the bumps, give yourself time to process all the information coming at you, and remember life doesn’t stop so over prepare. Lastly, execute well by delivering flawless work that garners trust.
I hope this series has delivered value and provided actionable steps for those currently going through a transition. If you are still struggling and need additional guidance on how to catapult your career forward, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself or members of the NextGen comunidad.
Read and share the previous articles in my career transition series:
- Why Losing Your Job Is Not the End of the World
- In a Career Transition? Leverage LinkedIn and ChatGPT
Benjamin Gomez is a management consulting analyst at Sendero Consulting. In 2023, he was named an honoree of the NextGen Collective 30 Under 30 award. He also hosts BRÜTalks, a podcast that covers career success, business etiquette, and social networking.
