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A basic checklist to avoid getting stuck with a wrong image or get wrongly labelled while navigating skilfully in your new place!

The first day or rather the first few days in any new job is full of trepidation and anxiety for most of us.

What if I goof up? What if they think I am not good for this job? Wait, aren’t they right about it if they thought so? Why am I taking so long to figure the system out? The doubts are endless.

I even know people who clamp down on their ambitions to move up in their career just out of fear for change. They do not want to get out of their comfort zone and want to save themselves from the pain of a few first days at the new job. Proving oneself good is a tough job.

This pattern is an indication of something we have known all along. That perception management has a vital role as important as learning new skills in any new job. It continues to be important as you go up the ladder as well. But, getting it right at the onset makes the rest of you work life stress-free and removes hurdles from your growth trajectory. If, however, you start on the wrong foot then getting back on track becomes tougher. The image of a misfit gets embedded so badly that recovering is impossible in some cases. Some of the negative perceptions can get stuck with you for life and travel alongside you to your new job as well.

There are some critical faux pas that one needs to avoid at work. Taking care of these would ensure smooth sailing and settling into your job with ease:

Not figuring out the work and social culture of the new office – Every office has its own clearly laid out ways of functioning and protocols which might be different from your previous job. It is important to understand that and fall in line accordingly. It could be something as basic as a dress code, mailing system to hierarchy and reporting structures. Not following the structure and protocol and going on with a standalone methodology of functioning cannot take you far
Being aloof – Not being participative and keeping away from being part of the team would lead to a much lower growth pace. This would only make others reciprocate non-cooperation as well. Blending into the office environment requires participation even if you are uncertain of how you will be received. Chances are warmth is returned in kind with warmth.
Being over friendly – The other side of the spectrum of not having boundaries and being over friendly and oversharing should be avoided as well. To err on the side of caution is always a good practice in any new environment. Time for office friendships, work alliances, sharing of common grouses etc is better after there a weeks or months of testing the waters. Till then a stand of guarded involvement is best.
Talking ill of your previous employer – Your personal integrity and ethics becomes obvious with the way you talk about your ex-employer. Even if the circumstances leading to leaving your previous job weren’t pleasant or you did actually have a mean boss, it can be information safe inside your mind. There is no benefit arising with talking about it. A few words of sympathy in return for your confession or outbursts is not as valuable as a proud display of discretion. And you never know what the future holds, burning one’s bridges is not a great idea.
Taking on too much work – It is very easy to fall into the trap of wanting to please everyone you come across at work. There are a few devious people at all workplaces who could, leverage this and palm off their responsibilities to the eager-to-please-newbie at work. Eventually, an endeavor that started with an intention to please your higher ups could become your veritable cross to carry.
Taking up too little work – Hesitancy to take up a fair share of responsibilities and owning up projects will be seen as lack of initiative and would antagonize peers and superiors as well. The challenge is in figuring out the right quantum of responsibilities and not ending up over burdened or under.
Missing deadlines – This is a cardinal sin in the corporate world. Having a clearly updated calendar with deadlines for all responsibilities is important always; more so in the initial days so that a routine is set and you have control of how your work days pan out. Understanding priorities and scheduling work accordingly is a necessary skill in any job at all stages.
Bad personal habits and work ethics – Consistently coming late to work, messy work spaces giving excuses for delayed or missed deadlines and being disorganized could reflect badly on you. Superiors would be hesitant to trust you and give responsibilities.
Not asking required questions – They say, “It is always better to ask questions at the risk of being considered a fool than not asking and proving to be one”. How true it is! In fact, your colleagues would prefer that you ask questions which helps you get enough clarity for doing the job to expected standards. It is important to understand the scope and timelines for finishing it as well with clarity.
Seeking help from wrong people – Many careers have floundered because of allies chosen unwisely and because of misplaced trust. There could always be people with jealousy or ulterior motives. Being able to have a filter to identify them and nip them off from your interaction lines is crucial for survival in your new role. Confiding or seeking advice should happen with the right people who are in possession of skill sets that qualify them for your trust.
Relying on memory and not keeping notes – I am a great believer of note taking and its effectiveness in making life confusion free. As discussed in my previous blog 90% of the things we gather as information is forgotten within the first 24 hours. So, anything learned new is better kept written down as a soft copy or noted down in the old-fashioned way. Mistakes are quite unattractive.
Moving on after a mistake – Mistakes sure are unattractive. But then they do happen to even the best of us in spite of best efforts. Moping and feeling guilty for a while are quite natural. However, after a reasonable amount of time it is important to dust off and move on. To err is human…

If you are looking for some help in preparing your team or equipping them to develop and nurture the soft skills required in maintaining excellence in their roles or coach them to the reach for the next level in their careers do write to us at harish@harishrao.world to know how we can help you with it. We would love to work with you on this or any other business coaching needs you may have!