Tips for the first week in your new job
Congratulations – you've got a new job!
The first few weeks in your new job are really exciting because you're starting a job that you've hopefully been looking forward to. But there are also lots of new things to learn, such as processes, working methods, unwritten and written rules, and people, so it can be very energy-consuming.
Get IDA's tips for a good start in your new job here.
Before you start your new job
Your new workplace is a microcosm. There are unwritten rules, invisible power structures and chains of command that you cannot prepare for, but which you will have to learn along the way.
Fortunately, there are also things you can familiarise yourself with before you start your new job.
Before your first day at work, you can, for example, read up on:
- The company's purpose and strategy
- The company's organisational chart
These documents are typically available on the company's website.
By reading the company's narrative about itself, its purpose and structure, you can get a good overview of the place you are about to become a part of. Hopefully, you will find that many things make sense right from the start if you have a grasp of the basics.
6 tips for the first week in the new job
- Follow the plan:
The vast majority of companies have an onboarding plan for their new employees, and you should of course follow it. It is the workplace's responsibility to introduce you to everything from strategy, IT systems and summer parties.
If you feel that there are elements missing from the onboarding plan, write it down and mention it to your manager at the end of the first week. If there is no onboarding plan, it is perfectly okay to ask for one.
- Ask and be curious:
As a newbie, you'll probably ask a lot of questions. And that's a good thing, because questions and curiosity are the way forward. Don't be afraid to show your ignorance, even when it comes to more technical questions than just the mundane ones like "where is the printer?"
However, you may have so many questions that you actually can't answer all of them yet, or have questions that you should probably wait to ask. You should therefore dose your questions, and the best way to do this is to write them down so that you don't forget them. - Be humble and patient:
These classic virtues are in place in the role of “the new one,” but don’t confuse it with being quiet and passive.
Being humble when you're new to the job simply means that you know that there are many things you don't know. At the same time, you shouldn't avoid making a contribution if you're at home in, for example, a professional discussion. This is precisely the knowledge that they hired you to contribute.
Of course, you want to show that you have a lot to contribute, but it may take time before you can really put your expertise to work and deliver. That's why patience is also important.
Before your new colleagues and manager get to know you better, your constructive suggestions for improvement may be perceived as criticism. Instead, consider writing them down for later. - Create space in your calendar:
Part of your onboarding plan will likely be a series of meeting invitations, which can be overwhelming at first. However, it is also necessary that you get enough alone time at work, where there is peace and time to look at the organisational chart, write down your questions and practice the systems. Therefore, you can advantageously write focus time into your calendar, so that you ensure these breathing spaces.
It may also be that your thoughtful colleagues think it's a shame that you, as a new employee, are sitting alone at your desk when really you are taking a much needed moment to focus. In that case it's perfectly fair to be open about your needs by, for example, saying out loud, "Ah, now it's going to be good just to sit by myself and click around on the intranet." - Be extra social:
“Are there any nice colleagues at your new job?” Many people will probably ask you that, because good colleagues are one of the most important things for thriving at work.
We recommend that you prioritise small talk and socialising in the early days of your new job, even if it may not be your natural preference. It's a good investment and doesn't mean you've promised to attend all the Friday night bars and running clubs in the future.
And feel free to ask your new colleagues. Ask about things that you would also feel comfortable being asked about, such as where they live, whether they have children or what they do in their free time. - Make agreements with your manager:
There can be a big difference in how much you have to do with your immediate manager during onboarding, but it is often part of the plan that you meet with the manager. If it's not part of the plan, or your manager doesn't book you, you can take the initiative for an informal chat after 1-2 weeks. Here you can agree on how your collaboration should be. How often and how should you meet? Should it be, for example, regular 1:1, ad hoc meetings or informal chats at the desk?
Declare a state of emergency in your life
When you start a new job, your feelings are often mixed: You are happy and proud to be the one selected from the recruitment process, but at the same time you may be nervous and uncertain because everything is new.
As a newcomer, you may feel like you're being thrown back to the beginning, even though you may have many years of experience and are a professional specialist in your field.
Remember, you actually changed jobs because you wanted something new. That also means you're new to everything that entails. So it's good if you can look at the next part of your life as a kind of state of emergency.
Familiar routines are out of effect from the moment you step out the door at home: You have to find a new bike route to work or arrange other train departures.
It may sound like trifles, but it's not, because parts of your daily life that had become pure habit requires you to spend energy finding solutions.
Everything at work is new: both the practical aspects ("Where is IT support?"), the collegial aspects ("Who can I ask for help?") and the tasks ("What systems and methods should I use?").
Maybe you're not working very hard at the new job in the traditional sense, but your brain is still working overtime because it has to process and place all the many new impressions.
It is important for a good start that you recognise yourself as new and ignorant, and therefore also give yourself permission to start quietly.
Prepare your loved ones for the start-up side effects
The brain's overwork also means that you may be incredibly tired at first. You may not notice it when you're at work, but it can hit you when you get home and on the weekends.
Therefore, it is not enough for you to acknowledge that you are in a state of emergency. You should also tell your loved ones who you are with on a daily basis. It is a good idea to talk to those at home about it before you start your new job, so that they are prepared for the “start-up side effects”.
Even though you might not normally want to let your work life control your private life, it's good to organise your private life around your work for a period of time.
Maybe you don't want to start big projects at home or have your calendar packed with social activities. It's completely understandable to decline invitations because you've started a new job.