How to Learn to Stop Worrying and Impress your New Boss

One of the primary reasons for an early job dismissal is the failure of an employee to fit into the corporate culture of the employer. During the first weeks of a new job, boss and co-workers are forming their impressions that may last through an entire professional relationship. One of the first things to remember when entering a new job is that no one expects you to be perfect. What’s most important is to show your motivation, ability, and adaptability within your new position. Fortunately, there are myriad ways to both prepare yourself to start a new job and to get off on the right foot with your colleagues.

One good way to prepare yourself for a new position is to take some time to clear your palate. Take a week or two between jobs to adjust to the transition and refresh. This alone can help your demeanor and energy level which will reflect positively on how people see you. Another pre-first day activity can be to memorize the names and titles of the individuals you met at the interview. Greet them on the first day and share your gratitude and display your eagerness and willingness to be joining the team.

Arriving early on the first day will keep you from feeling rushed and flustered as you attempt to adapt to new surroundings and find your way around. At the end of the day, remain at your station at least until everyone else leaves. No early days; especially during the first several weeks of work. You will undoubtedly encounter situations early on that require asking others for help. Be sure to show your appreciation to everyone who helps guide you through the learning process.

Keep track of your organization’s standard operating procedures. You may need to keep a journal at first to keep everything straight but it will help to make you look like a quick study. Also, get to know your boss. The more you know of what he or she expects of you, the better you can adjust your interactions to best suit his or her preferences. When receiving task instructions, clarify the priority issues so that they can be addressed immediately and determine the preferred frequency of updates. One of the best ways to know what is expected of you is to understand how you will be evaluated. Ask how your performance will be judged so that you can focus your efforts on the tasks most relevant to those aspects of your job.

Get to know your colleagues. Developing professional relationships with the people you will work with on a regular basis is necessary when developing an atmosphere of trust and information sharing. As your boss and teammates come to know you better and understand your abilities more thoroughly, they will begin to feel confident with expanding your workload and heightening your responsibility. Finally, work to make your boss and co-workers look good. Share credit where it is due and don’t participate in the gossip mill. The more you avoid the political games within the office place, the better positioned you will be to make and keep as many friends as possible.