While being hired for a new job at a new company is exciting, it can also be a very stressful and nerve-wracking experience. You’ll likely feel a bit awkward and uncomfortable at first as you get your feet wet and begin to understand your position and start meeting new people.
Luckily, there are a few great ways for how you can quickly adjust and feel better about your situation. Remain patient because it will take time for you to feel more at ease at your workplace and in a new environment. Stay positive and open to learning and growing as you embark on this journey and advance in your career.
Introduce Yourself to Various People & Departments
Now isn’t a good time to get too cliquey with any one particular group of people or to commit to being friends with only certain groups. Go around the office and introduce yourself to individuals from all the different departments. Put a smile on your face and be friendly as you strike up conversations with those who you’re just starting to get to know for the first time. Let people know that you’re new and you’re always open to learning and hearing more about what they do and how it relates back to your position.
Go to Lunch with Your New Coworkers
One practical way to start adjusting to a new job is to go to lunch with different people. Make it a point to ask various individuals if they’d like to join you for lunch and pick their brain about the company and get to know them on a personal level too. While you may need to spend a little money doing this, it’ll be worth it because you’ll likely soon feel like part of the team after having gone to lunch with a wide variety of people. Also, get up and take breaks throughout the day and casually find coworkers who don’t look like they’re busy and use this time as an opportunity to keep growing your circle of acquaintances.
Understand Your Pay & Benefits
While you’ve already signed a contract and committed to a certain amount of pay, there are likely other benefits your company offers that you should know about. Take time to read the manual or handbook and learn more about what’s available to you as an employee. In addition, check out Timeclock Hub to educate yourself on how to set up a direct deposit for your paycheck at your company so your money goes directly into your account and you don’t have to deal with any paper. This way you won’t need to go to a bank or worry about losing your paycheck and not receiving the money you earned.
Set up Time to Speak to Your Boss & Create Goals
It’s a wise idea to figure out who your boss is early and get in touch with them immediately. Be proactive and schedule a time to meet so you two can go over your experience at previous employers and future goals for this company. Come prepared with a list of questions you have as the new person and try to soak up as much information as possible. It’s likely your boss will have a lot of knowledge to share with you so make sure you take notes so you can refer back to them at a later date. Be sure to get a feel for how and when they like to be approached throughout the day should you have further questions.
Learn from Your Mistakes
Unfortunately, the reality is that your first few days and weeks at a new company aren’t going to be all smooth sailing. It’s more than likely you’re going to mess up and make more than a few mistakes as you learn and take on more responsibility. What you should avoid is to beat yourself up and instead learn from your errors and try not to repeat them going forward. Keep a journal and write down exactly what it is you had trouble with along the way and how you’d approach the situation differently going forward.
Find A Mentor & Ask for Help
You can’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help when you’re the new person. Although it may feel like you’re being annoying, you can’t let these thoughts stop you from locating the information you need to proceed and do your job. One solution is to find a trusted mentor who you can turn to and consistently get help from and bounce ideas off of when you’re feeling stuck or lost. This way you’re not always trying to find a mix of different individuals to assist you, and you’ll start to get more comfortable with this person as time goes on.
Give Yourself A Break
The most important action you can take when starting a new job is to go easy on yourself. While you should work hard and not slack, you also want to give yourself a break and realize you’re going through a learning curve. Putting extra pressure on yourself to succeed right away will probably only lead you to making more mistakes and not being your true self. Remember why the company hired you in the first place and why you decided to take the job when you’re feeling defeated. Make a list of all the qualities you bring to the table and past experiences you have that will allow you to perform well in your new role.
Conclusion
One of the most challenging times in your life is going to be when you’re taking on a new job. You have high expectations for yourself to succeed and it can be overwhelming to try to adjust to a new atmosphere and coworkers. Give it your best shot and know in the back of your mind that you can always change jobs if it’s still not working out for you after a few months. In the meantime, have fun and try to make the best of it and you’ll likely have an enjoyable experience.
