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Making a Positive Impression on Your New Employer |
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Land a Job
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Getting back to work can be almost as stressful as looking for a job! New surroundings, new people, new culture, new rules and being the new person on the block you may feel all eyes are upon you. During the first couple of weeks on the new job, you have a responsibility to show your supervisor and others within the organization that you have what it takes, both personally and professionally to fit in and succeed with the company.
Listed below are some tips that professionals can utilize to increase their chances of making a positive impression on their employer:
Dress for Success
It is important to dress professionally at work. Employers appreciate workers that take pride in their job, and by taking the extra step to look your best, you demonstrate that you take your position and company seriously. Don’t “over-do” your wardrobe and “out-dress” those you work directly with. It is important, at least for the first couple of months to try and “blend-in” with those you are working with regarding apparel.
Give 150% effort
Giving 150% effort and going above and beyond the call of duty is the key to standing out in your job, as well as demonstrating your worth to a company. This is especially important during those critical first months on the job. Here is a brief list of ideas of how you can maximize your efforts to make an impact at your new job:
• Develop a list of goals to achieve in your new position and discuss them with your supervisor.
• Be the first one there in the morning and the last to leave in the evening.
• If a colleague seems to be extremely busy, ask what you can do to help out.
• Attend after-hour company events.
• Proactively seek company needs that are not currently being addressed, and pitch a new project or add to your list of duties, such as organizing, researching, proofreading and filing.
• Ask for input on your performance so you can continue to improve or modify certain tasks to ensure your success at the company.
• When you don’t understand something, ask questions. This shows that you have a genuine interest in developing your knowledge and skills relevant to the job.
Play by the Rules
The best way to be viewed as a valued employee is to act like a valued employee. As quickly as you can, learn the “rules” of your new organization. This includes those rules and procedures that are documented company policy and also the “un-written” cultural rules of the organization. Here are some suggestions:
• Arrive to work and meetings on time.
• Avoid taking extended lunches or leaving early on a regular basis (and when you do make sure it is approved by your supervisor).
• Become familiar with company policies and guidelines.
• Limit personal phone calls, Internet activity and personal business while at work.
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1) Identify a more senior executive that you seem to get along with. See that person regularly. Mine was quickly promoted to the CEO and for years I had a hidden mentor. My career would not have been so spectacular if I did not have this mentor.
2) Never, never, never sit gossip about how bad things are. This is especially true if you are outside the facilities in the public with some of your co-workers. This comes back to haunt you if not fire you.
3) The company's email is owned by the company and anything you receive or write is their property. More than 70% of the companies have software filters on key words and phrases that will identify your inappropriate email.
Once while working at IBM I received a pornographic picture from an executive friend at a major company. Once I opened the email it was too late. I informed my friend to never send me anything like that again. I found a person in the group that read those emails and explained what happened. He said you would not believe the amount of these that come in every day. You can be fired for emails that are far beyond the acceptable range of unacceptable and you have no grounds to fight it.
4) Social Media can be read by anyone. Randomly, companies check up on their management and key employees to see what they are saying on say FaceBook. You may be very careful on linkedin.com and be totally over the top on FaceBook. Your profile identifies you work at a specific company who may not want to identify with what you say and especially your pictures and who you associate with.
Most companies do not give guide lines and training about Social Media because it is too new and senior management has no idea of the power both positive and negative. Ask for these guide lines and training. And women, never go on these dating sites exposing and posing in an inappropriate manner while showing your face.
Enjoy your new job because I just got one and that is what I am going to do.
Best,
Fred