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

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: 

Ask a lot of questions – you’re supposed to! It’s your first week of work. There are probably a lot of things you’ve thought of between the time you were hired and now.  Bring a list (you’ll look very prepared), and start with your manager.  If they don’t know the answers, they’ll find out for you or show you how to get the answer yourself.  As you go along, keep that list of questions – you’ll probably add to your original list – and write down the answers so you can refer back to your list. During weeks 2 and 3, you may not recall your original questions, but before asking AGAIN, you can check your question/answer list. 

Don’t be a know it all. Even if there are things you already know, it’s rude to cut people off or act disinterested in the information they’re sharing with you.  Again, you are NEW, so these first impressions are important.  If you are hearing the same thing for the 5^th time, you can politely let the person know, or better yet, find a way to get their insight on the topic.  Chances are, if it’s something everyone is mentioning, it’s probably important.

Be a quick study – take notes and READ the emails people are sending you. This one ties back to #1, but in other words, try not to ask the same question more than once, and try not to ask questions that have already been answered for you (in emails or information you’ve already received).  I’ve heard many a manager or employee express frustration in having to answer questions that shouldn’t have to be asked “if people would just READ their emails.”

Smile and introduce yourself to everyone – especially the security guards and the cleaning crew. This is a 2-for-1, and may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people start a new job or start at a new office and expect that someone will eventually introduce them to everyone they need to know.  In reality, those people you expect to introduce you probably WON’T.  Maybe you’ll be lucky enough for the entire office to roll out the welcome wagon, but if not, start introducing yourself.  It’s not enough to smile and give a generic “good morning.”  You need to learn names and start using them.   And remember, EVERYONE has been here longer than you have – including the cleaning crew and the security guards – so you can get the inside scoop on all sorts of things if you make those connections!

Never let your manager be surprised.  I’m sure I read this early in my career, but I didn’t really get it until I became a people manager.  You need to keep your manager in the loop as much as possible – on the good and the bad – and it’s not as easy as it sounds.  There are going to be plenty of day-to-day things that come and go, so how do you filter the updates so they don’t look like a minute by minute account?  My rule is, if there’s a chance someone will speak to my manager (either directly or in passing) about something, I need to give her a heads up.  The “bad” stuff is easy to recognize, but keeping track of the “good” can sometimes get lost.  A couple of years ago, I was in a meeting with other managers and they started complimenting me on what a great job my employee had done on XYZ project… I knew my employee was working on the project, but apparently they had reached a big milestone, and I wasn’t in the loop about it.  I did my best to accept the compliment (i.e. fake it), but I wished I had been given a heads up from my employee first!  I know some people who don’t like to toot their own horn, but a simple email/text/conversation about accomplishments keeps your manager informed, and may mean kudos for you!

As with most lists like this, the advice applies to any situation where you’re new or want to make a good impression.  If you’re a manager, what other tips are on your “top 5” list?  If you’re a new employee, what tips or advice do you wish you had been given when you started?