New Hire Goals
The nerves have calmed and my first day→ week→ month on the job are now in the past. I was sensibly trained over the course of time and I now have my own tasks to complete. In moving forward, I wish to share my “New Hire Goals” that I found useful in the first phase of my career!
Understand My Role
Of course, when starting a new position, a job description is supplied. It’s important to go back to that job description and read what is expected of this role. These tasks are what come first and foremost!
Understand the Company
Depending on the company, you may have the flexibility to apply your skills outside of what is described in the job description. If this is an option, speak up! Be respectful and voice your suggestions at an appropriate time.
Establish Reliability
Creative thoughts may be brewing in your head but before you are able to share them, be mindful of gaining respect. Your team will be more willing to support your ideas if you show that you are serious about your position. So, arrive on time, do what is expected, give suggestions when asked, and be friendly with coworkers.
Listen to People
If you notice that a coworker has a lot of respect within the company then listen to them when they offer advice! It is a personal decision whether or not you act on that advice, but listening never hurts. It also demonstrates your ability to work in a team environment.
Make Good Use of Down Time
Ask, observe and use your common sense! Ask a manager or coworker if there is anything that can be done. If they say no, then leave it alone and don’t be offended.
Observe what seems to be the norm around the office when there is downtime. If coworkers are watching Netflix, use your common sense, and don’t do it! (Remember: you are also trying to establish reliability).
Look up articles on how to improve your downtime, search for webinars that could be useful to your position, list ideas, and create goals that could potentially benefit the company.
These are just a few goals that I found useful when settling into a new work space. Create your own and review them periodically. Don’t be afraid to add to them as you evolve within the company!