5 THINGS TO AVOID DOING AT YOUR NEW JOB (part 1)

Did you know that the first 90 days at your new job are the most critical to your success? According to Harvard Business Review contributor, Michael Watson, while the POTUS has 100 days to prove himself (or herself), you have 90 days. That’s it.

In fact, professionals who achieve success in their first 90 days have a significant advantage over those who experience setbacks their first quarter.

You want to make each day work for you!

You want each day to boost your chances of long-term success!

You want to experience positive momentum!

Here are 5 things you can avoid doing at work to increase the odds of keeping your job:

1. THINKING YOUR HARDEST WORK IS BEHIND YOU

Let’s face it. You worked really hard at landing your new job. You made cold calls. You networked. You interviewed. And you even negotiated your salary like a pro. The bottomline is that your job-search was successful - you landed your dream job! Congratulations!

In fact, you probably went out with friends and family to celebrate this auspicious moment. We hope you did, because you are awesome!

Enter your first day of work.

As the confetti hits the floor from your celebration the night before, you wheel your chair up to your desk, take a sip of your latte, and dive in.

Relief sets in. “Thank goodness”, you think, “the job search is finally behind me and all of the weirdness associated with it.” Fear of rejection. Shaken confidence. And perhaps a bit of discouragement.

The tension in your neck and shoulders subsides. You breathe a little bit easier. Your cash-flow is actually flowing with cash again!

But before you breathe too easily, understand one thing - starting a new job is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do.

You have a lot to learn. You have a lot of people to build relationships with. You have 90 days to prove yourself to be a good hire - someone that your employers still wants to keep on the payroll on day 91.

Here are some of the things you get to learn: 

• What does your new company place a premium on?
  • Team-players who lead by building consensus and using political power?
  • Or superstar performers who lead with their superior performance, charisma, and expertise?
• What is the purpose of most meetings?
  • To have tough conversations and address challenging issues?
  • Or to simply pitch decisions that have been made behind closed doors by a select few?
• What expectations do your direct reports, boss, and peers have of you in your new role?

Your hardest work is still ahead of you!

What about you? What have you learned in your first 90 days on the job? 

Click here to read part two of the 5 Things You Can Avoid Doing At Your New Job.