From week one to the first 90 days, here’s our guide on how to succeed in your new job.

The interview(s), the code test, the waiting for the offer to come. It’s been a journey just to get to this stage, and you’re about to embark on new chapter – starting your new job.

Whilst it’s no doubt an exciting challenge, there’s a lot of uncertainty that comes with a new job. You’re thrown into a new environment, with new people, different systems, a different culture and a new set of responsibilities, so there’s a lot to consider.

Breaking the job up into a series of milestones is a great way to set yourself up for success at your new company. It will help you keep track of your progress and gives you points to refer back to throughout your start to life in your new role.

With that in mind, here’s our guide to navigating your way through the first week, month and 90 days so you can succeed in your new job.

How to succeed in week one

It’s your first week and it’s all about striking the right balance between making a great first impression and putting pressure on yourself to get everything right straight away.

There will be so many things to get your head around and learn about your new workplace, colleagues and systems in the first few days so getting this balance right is important.

Early introductions are key

It can be tough to meet everyone early on, and remembering everyone’s names, what they do and which team they’re on can be even tougher. In the first few days of your new job, make getting to know people a priority and enlist the help of others to make introductions.

Remember all the information can be tricky so don’t be concerned with asking your team for a breakdown of who’s in which team and what their responsibilities are.

You can then set up introductory meetings with them in person, over the phone or via video chat. With people working more remotely these days, make a conscious effort to match the name that appears on the Zoom or Teams call with the face on screen.

Be curious and ask questions

New employees perform better when they ask more questions. Prioritise the information you need to know and ask your team, managers and peers for it to get you up to speed quickly.

Does the team use systems or technologies you’re less familiar with? Do they collaborate in a way you’ve not done before? This is all information you’ll need to find out by asking the right questions to the right people. Again, you can call on those around to suggest who’s best to turn to for the information.

Make a note of any questions you want to ask and use the first week to determine your team’s preferences. Are they happy to answer questions over email, phone, video or do they prefer face-to-face? Is it better to ask numerous questions at once or do they prefer one-by-one?

Ask yourself where you can already add value

Typically, the early days and weeks in a new role are all about soaking up as much information as you can and learning the intricacies of the business but adding value to your team early on is an important way to succeed in your new job.

Find out from your manager some of the issues they’re having as a team and consider some solutions. A fresh perspective on a task or project is always beneficial. Equally, think back to your interviews and the specific needs that came up during those conversations. Can you add value there?

How to succeed in the first month

You’re in, you’re getting settled and now you can start to demonstrate how your skillset can be applied. Here are few things you can do in your first month to ensure you succeed in your new job.

In the first month:

Connect with your team

Get to know everyone as best you can and learn how they interact and collaborate. This will give you great insight into the culture that exists on your team and the dynamic of the business.

Define and set good habits

How do your teammates like to work and how do they manage their time? Is there anything you can learn from them that’s either good or bad? A new job is a chance to change any bad habits you may have fallen into in your previous role. It’s also an opportunity for you to develop new skills or practices.

Determine what success looks like for you and your manager

The first month is the best time to set mutual expectations with your manager. Use this time to get a sense of how to work together and define how your performance will be assessed. What tools and resources do you need to be effective?

Getting this right early and putting a framework in place to review and measure your performances will set the standard right at the start of your working relationship.

How to succeed in the first 90 days

Now’s the time to take ownership of your role and demonstrate how you add value as part of the team.

In the first 90 days:

Identify the challenges and set your goals

What ambitions do you have in this new role? By being clear on what you want to achieve and setting the goals with your manager, you’ll be more focused and valuable as a member of the team.

Applying yourself and being responsible for meeting the challenges you’ve set yourself will be significant when it comes to your personal and professional growth.

Book in a review

This is something you can do on a personal level and also with your manager and team. Having reference points throughout the first 90 days in a new job is important if you want to succeed. They allow you to track how you are performing against the goals you set yourself.

It also provides an opportunity to set goals and milestones for the months ahead. This should help keep you motivated so you can succeed in your new job.

The Engage Partnership are specialists in Technology and Finance recruitment. Be sure to look at our current vacancies or get in touch to find out more.