5 Practical Ways to fit in at your new job

To succeed in any new job or temporary assignment, you must do more than perform your job duties. You must learn how to successfully navigate the new culture. You are not in Kansas anymore, and you need to learn how to adjust….quickly. Therefore, here are 5 practical tips – from your friends at Snelling – you can use to fit in at your new job.  

1. From the minute you walk through the front door, pay attention. Watch your new coworkers interact, dress, maintain their workspaces, etc. When you spend time observing (and not interacting) you learn a lot. Zero in on the most successful team members – the lynchpins, if you will – and follow their lead.
2. Mind your p’s and q’s. Silence your cell phone. Don’t endlessly chitchat. Meet all of your commitments. If you say it will be done, get it done. Treat everyone with respect. It may seem nonsensical, but keep socializing to a minimum. Everyone has work to do, and everyone wants to get that work done. Being disruptive and / or disrespectful does not make you endearing.  It makes you annoying.
3. Leave your habits at the door. Sure, you are going to arrive on the scene with a new set of eyes and great ideas. This is probably one of the reasons that you were brought on in the first place. However, one way to get yourself in trouble is to try and push your opinions, ideas and insights onto your new work cohorts too quickly. The company probably has well-established ways of getting things done and expects you to conform to their standards. So follow tip #1 (above) until it is appropriate to speak up.
4. Dress correctly. The old adage to “dress for the job you want and not the one you have” is really good advice, and it does not take much effort. Be clean. Be conservative. Use common sense. Have good fit.  Remember, you clothes influence the way your manager and co-workers see you. It is the basis of any / all first impressions. So try to look polished at all times.
5. Steer clear of office politics. The euphoria you feel after you are offered the job can quickly peter out once you formally enter the workplace. Office politics are a natural part of most work environments. If you are on a short-term assignment, the best choice is to simply steer clear. If you have accepted a full-time position, you need to learn how to effectively deal with these undercurrents. Remain positive. Do not gossip. Ever. Establish a reputation as a hardworking, positive employee, not one as a participant of water cooler chatter.

Remember, Snelling is here to help.  If you are looking for a job or your next great temporary assignment, we are ready to meet with you. We can carefully match your career goals, experience, talents and strengths with a company’s culture and job requirements.  So locate your local Snelling office today, and let’s get started!