subject: Starting A New Job, 5 Strategies To Make The Transition Simpler [print this page] Naturally, starting a new job makes people a little apprehensive about how they will do, if they will be trained appropriately and most of all how they will get along with their colleagues and bosses. All of these are legitimate concerns and should not be taken lightly, above all if it is your goal to make the best probable impression. Practice the following tips to make the transition into your role go as smoothly as possible.
Have patience. It is OK to feel a little bit like you are in over your head for at least the first week or even the first month. Try your hardest not to get frustrated by this. If you need to, spend extra time going over manuals, do extra research and try your best to set strict schedules and follow them. While this tip may not apply in all situations, it is a great way to get used to the work routine and will help to quicken the transition.
Ask for help. No one expects you to know everything about your new role immediately, unless you are hired as a CEO. Therefore, if you have done all the necessary research on your own and you are still uncertain about the correct way to approach a situation, it is best to ask someone who is a bit more experienced in the area.
Set a standard for your work. While it is important to be efficient, it is even more important to be accurate. Try to maintain both by putting in the extra time if you have to. You can further impress your colleagues by giving alternatives that were not even requested, this will make you a stand out worker in your department.
Toe the line between being friendly and diplomatic. One of the things that many people struggle with in the work environment is how to be liked and respected by everyone. This is almost impossible and sometimes not even worth trying to achieve. However, if you feel so inclined, one of the best pieces of advice for achieving this is to know when to relent, remove yourself from a situation and when to persist.
Relenting is probably the hardest and will take some getting used to if you do not have that type of personality naturally. An example of when to relent is realizing that the person with seniority often has the final say. Always remove yourself from a situation that has no benefit to your work, especially idle chatter. Persist when you know that your idea can benefit the company, do this in a respectful way by presenting proposals that support your ideas.
Maintain the good standards that you have set. After a while many people tend to get comfortable and fail to realize that they are always being assessed. Do not forget this and always come through the door with your work persona. Anything short of that will leave you vulnerable to negative criticism.
Starting a new job is hard for anyone. It takes some time to get used to the routine and to know the unspoken rules. However by practicing the tips above, you will be able to transition into the role smoothly and able to apply the tips long term as well.
