Sunday, July 24, 2016

Starting a new job? 5 things you can do to make a good impression!


... Hired, Employment

For the past 6 years I’ve been responsible for a training program that brings in a group of new employees, right out of school, and gives them an opportunity to learn about our organization and participate in hands-on job shadowing rotations over the course of a year.  During this one-year process, I get to witness their ups and downs of starting a new job and wondering “what’s next,” and along the way I offer feedback about their individual performances: “If you know you get sleepy in the afternoon, maybe you should become friends with the coffee machine.”  Every so often I give advice and answer questions on how to handle work-situations:  “Is it okay to email a top executive directly?”  My answer is usually “Yes,” followed with a quick, “but it depends.” (It’s always ok to thank someone for their time or follow up on an initial meeting. It’s not ok to email a list of your suggestions for “things we need to improve” if it’s your first week on the job.)

My new group just started work a couple of weeks ago, so I thought it’d be a good time to share some of my most frequent “make a good impression” pointers as they’re starting their careers: