7 things you should do in the first month of starting your new job

No matter which stage of your career you’re in, whether you’re starting your journey or already have years of experience in employment behind you, starting a new job is often a challenge.

The first few weeks in a new role can be tricky to navigate, as you look to settle in and find your feet; adjust to your new working environment, the people in it and approaches that you may not be accustomed to; and, of course, look to make the very best start you can.

Therefore, it pays to prepare yourself for what to expect and what your new employer may expect from you – which is why we’ve collated a few handy, easy to follow tips for starting a new job successfully for you below.

Our Tips For a Successful Start to Your New Job

-          Don’t be shy, introduce yourself to your new co-workers: Make sure you introduce yourself to your immediate team and extend this out to the rest of your co-workers. If your paths cross in the kitchen, lift or stairs, make sure you say hi, talk to them and start creating relationships. It is a great way to break the ice, help you feel more at ease in your new environment, and get to know who you’ll be working with, or who to go to for certain requests or information.

-          Update your social media: Updating your details on LinkedIn and connecting with those who will help you be successful within your new job is another good way of getting yourself out there. If you are connecting with a new work colleague, just be sure you have created a relationship first before trying to connect with them otherwise it may look like spam. Also, use the appropriate social media channels (and use them appropriately!) Remember, LinkedIn is a professional social media platform. Facebook is more personal and X (Formerly known as Twitter) is a hybrid of the two.

-          Got any questions? Ask, ask, ask!: In your first month, there will be a period when you are adjusting to your new role. Don’t worry – your colleagues will understand this, having experienced it themselves. This period is an excellent time to ask those ‘why’ questions and also queries which may challenge the status quo. It is also a good time to absorb as much information as possible – this will not only set you in good stead for your role, but also give you all sorts of insights and information regarding the wider business and how it operates.

-          Be organised: It is likely that you will be given a lot of information during your first few weeks and months, and being in new surroundings can easily lead to being overwhelmed. A great way to overcome this is to ensure you’re organised and ready to tackle what comes your way. Take the first month to understand how you’ll need to manage your time, process all this new information you are being given and prioritise your tasks.

-          Contribute to meetings: It is natural to feel like you need to take a back seat in meetings and to observe rather than participate. This is fine for a short while but by proactively joining in on the discussions and putting forward ideas, this will help establish you within the team and demonstrate your expertise and experience in your specialist field. Again, it’ll also help you build relationships with colleagues – within your direct team, and the wider business.

-          Be the person your new employer recruited: Make use of the skills and experience that you demonstrated in your interview by reviewing what is in place with a fresh pair of eyes and suggesting how you could improve it (if applicable). And always be your authentic self – remember, you were selected for the role because your employer recognised not only your skills, talents and expertise, but how your personality would fit with their team.

-          Know what is expected of you: Although your boss will give you a bit a flexibility when you first start, it is important to establish early on what your manager will expect from you so quickly define what success looks like after 1, 3 and 6 months, set goals for yourself and strive to achieve to the very best of your abilities.

For help with any aspect of finding and landing your next great job, call us on +44 (0) 1329 227 000