JOB SPECIAL ...Take control of your onboarding

Take control of your onboarding

Now that you’ve landed your new job, it’s time to continue building the power image you projected during the interview

You have excelled and put your best foot forward in the interview and landed that new job. What’s next? Don’t get too comfortable and think that you are immune to scrutiny and criticism. You were chosen because you were most likely the ‘best fit’ for the role. If you want to excel in a new job, you can’t rely on your company’s onboarding process to prepare you. You need to take control of your integration with these steps:

Cultivate connections across verticals

As a new hire, one distinct disadvantage you face is your limited internal network. It’s typical for new employees to initially place most of their focus on the relationships with their direct manager and those they manage, but others across the organisation can be just as critical in influencing your career. Spending time early on to figure out who the key influencers are in relation to your role, and getting to know them face-to-face, can pay big dividends down the road. If you were hired for an externally facing role, for example, your stakeholders should include customers, business partners, suppliers and industry opinion leaders. Ask them questions like: What are your most critical business issues over the next one to two years and how can our departments partner to achieve that plan?

Understand your role and how you will be evaluated

A common mistake executives make in new professional or leadership situations is assuming they know what their top goals should be and how best to communicate with their new manager and leadership team.

During your first month in a company, take time to ask your boss about his most important goals for the year, how best to offer him feedback, what he expects you to accomplish with the first year, etc.

Identify early wins

Choose projects carefully. The goal isn’t to become a hero by tackling the most ambitious problem imaginable. Instead, it’s to select an initial success that motivates the team, can be achieved quickly, and delivers operational or financial results. It’s also essential for new leaders to keep the culture of the company in mind when designing the execution of the early win, relying on seasoned team members to help identify what will be seen as a success and what won’t be.

Build trust with your team

People may be hesitant to buy in until they get to know you and your intentions for their role. To help them understand your agenda, begin your tenure by laying out your vision clearly and enthusiastically, along with a road map of the team goals you seek to accomplish. Encourage the team to offer their own insights and perspectives. Be honest about the challenges. These actions can help you make a positive first impression, which is a crucial step toward building trust and respect

— The New York Times