The trajectory one chooses in the first thirty days in a new job has the most significant bearing on the speed with which one makes the mark and progresses forward.
Your first 30 days are a golden opportunity. During that period, your direct manager is the key to making you successful as a new employee. The key to success at a faster rate is how you leverage a manager’s psychology at work. Most managers prefer and adore certain behaviors in their employees. When you give assurance or signs to your manager that you are doing your best to make them even more successful, you get unmatchable support from the entire chain of command. Once you line up your work style showing those behaviors, you can surely be on an accelerated trajectory.
Here are three approaches you can adopt to speed up your success during the initial period at your new job.
1) Managers adore highly visible employees
Therefore, new employees must figure out what it takes to stay visible all the time to the managers and leaders. You can use tools for visibility such as:
– Sending weekly updates in written form to the manager even if it is not a requirement;
– Speaking your voice out in meetings and don’t hold back;
– Observe and ask questions if you don’t have opinions to express;
– Ask your manager at the end of each week how you have been doing and if they would have specific tips to make you more effective.
2) Managers rely heavily on resourceful people
The key to being resourceful in your later stages is to build connections, network, and get to know people. Don’t just stick around your peers. Figure out who the best performers or high achievers are in your group or around your group. They are the ones who would have figured out methods to be successful. Get into their good books and learn from them to speed up your progression.
3) Managers love fast learners
A prominent sign of someone being a quick learner is to ask questions, not superficial but deeper level questions. However, make sure to do your homework beforehand. Gather other collaterals like reports, articles, slides, and any other material you can find that could suggest that you have been going over several things in a short period. Building connections with high achievers and star performers is another way to be a fast learner.
In summary, be visible, be resourceful and be a fast learner.
This article first appeared in People Development Magazine.
