Since 2019, I have settled down in 3 new jobs. Not at the same time, but they were new teams. Each time I was taught something new for the next new job. Now, as I am finishing my graduate scheme, my department is getting ready for a new graduate, and I have been tasked with inducting them. I told them that my induction was not great, and that I have learnt from other experiences to bring to the team. I thought this would be valuable to anyone, not just people starting their first “adult” job but starting a new job anywhere. This does follow on from “Your first day on the job”.
Dress Comfortably for a new job
Nerves are inevitable. We all get them, it’s natural and because of a sense of the unexpected. You don’t know what’s to come in the new role. Even if you know the team you’re going to, and they briefed you really well, unless you actually got the chance to work with them, you won’t know what to expect.
To reduce these, get comfortable. Wear something appropriate for the job, but comfortable.
On my placement scheme, I wore a smart summer dress. This was fine for when I was sat in the office. It was not fine for when I was walking outside on a seaside company with a breeze.
On my graduate scheme, I wore a smart winter dress (October start date). There were stairs and wind, and I was all good. I didn’t worry about my appearance, I was comfortable in my own skin, so I could focus on taking in my new environment.
Engage in introductions
It can be amazingly overwhelming to get to know a whole new team. Especially when they are all present on your first day, and you are bombarded with new names and faces. One of the most over-stimulating moments of your first day, is the introductions. You are stopped in your induction steps to be introduced to someone, whose name you will have forgotten by the time they have walked away.
First thing: DON’T WORRY ABOUT FORGETTING THEIR NAMES! My first big team, I was so scared to re-introduce myself to others to get their names, that I stayed away from them. (for months) This is a collaborative environment, especially if you work in the office. The last thing you should ever do, is avoid people there. The thing is, they have also forgotten your name too, so don’t be embarrassed, embrace the opportunity. Don’t just get to know their name and their work, get to know them a little, so you have something to associate with their name. That helps the brain to remember them.
Second thing: Get a chance to meet the team members individually. If they are a big team with small sub-teams, meet the sub-teams individually. This allows you to get to know what they do in the team, and for the business. You also get a smaller more concentrated conversation to get to know them better. It’s significantly less overwhelming too.
Show up to the new job
This is only applicable if you’re ok with it, but I do recommend showing up to the office and joining casual chat, when you start at a new job. Or if you’re remote, actively trying to talk to people on calls.
During my placement year, people said I was quiet. I turned up to work everyday, but I was that silent, no one noticed me. Because of my quietness, I didn’t get offered cool jobs and tasks to engage a lot more in the team. It was a real shock to me, as up until that point, I had been under the impression that staying quiet and keeping your head down, was a good thing. It’s not. Be Loud, Be You, Be Noticed.
On my secondment, I pushed myself to engage in conversations with people in the office. This meant they got to know about extra skills that I had, that would be of benefit to the business. I told them about the blog, my social media adventures, and I got to learn a lot from the marketing team. It was valuable experience, that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise if I kept to myself.
As I prepare to induct the new graduate to our team, I am scheduling weekly catch ups with them and for their manager. This will allow them to get used to talking with each other, and to also ask questions that they felt uncomfortable to ask. Overcoming the new job jitters takes time, so I find it best to do 1:1s in the meantime.You can either organise them yourself, or your manager/support network might organise it for you. But take advantage of it.
In my graduate scheme, my manager used the 1:1s to understand me and how I worked, as well as answer the really technical questions I was scared to ask.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
No question is a dumb question. And if anyone says otherwise, raise it to someone. Especially, when you’re in a new job, there is never a dumb question. People in the office already know what’s going on, but they can’t expect you to know. If they do, raise it to someone (or speak up).
During my secondment, I gained so much understanding of my projects from my questions, that I felt confident to lead them alone, within a couple of months. I felt prepared to handle them, but also really confident to ask more questions later. There is nothing worse, than speaking up. Delaying it, only makes it worse.
I’m not saying I didn’t struggle. When I came back to my graduate scheme, I expressed wanting to change teams, with 7 months left. They told me, I should have come earlier. Now I am working for a team that I don’t feel I am contributing any value to, because I don’t find the work interesting. I am in the process of trying to re-direct my career trajectory and it’s a little difficult because I didn’t ask earlier.
Moral of my story:
- Dress for comfort first – They say smart casual 99% of the time, but casually smart is better.
- Associate a memory to a name – This helps you to remember them, plus conversation starter.
- Reintroduce yourself – 100% they have forgotten your name, just like you did theirs. Take your time and just do it.
- Engage with them – They are your coworkers, and healthy coworker relationships, make settling in that little easier.
- No question is a dumb – Ask. Just always ask. And if it scares you, ask someone you trust. At the end of the day, we are all navigating the same path, when we are in the same team. More brains are better than 1.
