Career Survival Guide: Part 12 – The First 90 Days
You have made it through the gate-keepers, the recruiters, and impressed the hiring manager. You got a job offer, and saw it was the best move to make so you accepted the offer. Done and done…right?
Well no. Important milestones on the new job are the first day, the first week, the first 90 days, and the first year. The emphasis here will be the first 90 days. Why the first 90 days are important will be explained in a bit. But let’s spend a little time discussing the first day, and first week.
The first day is your chance to make a great first impression to your new boss, your new management team, your department, business partners, and peers. I include impressions for your boss here as the last time you saw your new boss was in an interview situation – a rather artificial construct. The hiring manager has not seen you in your new role, so I include your boss in the group that includes first impressions. Here is a quick list of suggestions for your first day:
In summary the first day is about being on-time, making great impressions, and projecting the right appearance and attitude. In contrast the first week is about digging into the work. Here are some suggestions on how to use the first week to your best advantage; to communicate that your boss made the right decision in hiring you.
The next big milestone toward success in your new job is the 90-day mark. Ninety days is an important milestone for a number of reasons. Foremost, most states require companies to contribute to unemployment insurance if an employee is terminated after 90 days – if terminated in under 90 days they do not. So this becomes a cost factor to companies. Financially companies are better off to let a new employ go before 90 days, if things are not working out, or if the company has a change in direction. Here is a list of suggestions for surviving the first 90 days:
To recap the big milestones in a new job are the first day, the first week, and the first ninety days. Emphasis in the first day and week are to make great impressions, be on time, project a professional persona, and start digging into the problems that are most pressing. During the first ninety days you are under close observation. Your boss and new team are assessing your worth. They are looking to see if you will be an asset, or a liability. They are looking to see if you that you fit into the team. Most importantly they are looking to see you are working the job and reducing, or removing problems. A last word that if for whatever reason you do not survive the first 90 days – do not take it personally. It most likely is not an issue with you – but rather some issue within the team, the organization, or even some issue with your boss. You can only control what you can control, and you can’t please everyone. Personally I stopped trying to do that a couple decades ago. Thank them for their time, and the opportunity, shake the dust off your shoes and walk on. Walking away may just end up to be the best thing that could have happened for you.
You have made it through the gate-keepers, the recruiters, and impressed the hiring manager. You got a job offer, and saw it was the best move to make so you accepted the offer. Done and done…right?
Well no. Important milestones on the new job are the first day, the first week, the first 90 days, and the first year. The emphasis here will be the first 90 days. Why the first 90 days are important will be explained in a bit. But let’s spend a little time discussing the first day, and first week.
The first day is your chance to make a great first impression to your new boss, your new management team, your department, business partners, and peers. I include impressions for your boss here as the last time you saw your new boss was in an interview situation – a rather artificial construct. The hiring manager has not seen you in your new role, so I include your boss in the group that includes first impressions. Here is a quick list of suggestions for your first day:
- Map out your commute. Allow more than enough time to get to your new offices. Remember the last drive to the offices were probably in the middle of the day. You did not have to estimate for rush hour traffic. But starting with your first day at the office you will need to account for this.
- Lay out your business attire the night before your first day in the office. This will be one less thing to think about your first day at the new offices.
- It is better to be over-dressed than under dressed. Anticipate your boss’s business attire and match that. You will project a professional image that people will note – including your boss.
- Be friendly, but professional.
- Bring along a notebook. You will be meeting new people and you might want to make notes.
- Try to stay late. If you can stay as late as your boss stays in the office. You are communicating to your new boss you are in the thick of it – just like they are.
In summary the first day is about being on-time, making great impressions, and projecting the right appearance and attitude. In contrast the first week is about digging into the work. Here are some suggestions on how to use the first week to your best advantage; to communicate that your boss made the right decision in hiring you.
- The first week make a list of tasks to be done, and start with those that are most pressing, most important. Not those that are most pleasant or convenient.
- Check briefly with your boss daily before you leave the office. This can be a short question like “is there anything you need from me by close of business?” or “is there anything you need to tell me before I call it a day?” Most likely a daily check in will not be needed, but best to check in daily in the first week.
- Take notes. A lot of notes. Even if there is an assigned scribe at meetings take your own personal notes. Capture names, areas of responsibility, and respective missions if possible. You are learning the playing field.
- Record work you have completed. Include dates of accomplishments. This list will be handy if your boss, or others do a follow up with you on outstanding assignments.
- In addition to digging into the work, start building relationships. Offer to have coffee with your stakeholders, business partners, or peers. Focus on listening. People can tell if you are really listening. This communicates that you care about them and their problems. People are drawn to those that listen to them.
- Starting the second week explain to your boss you have been checking in daily to make sure you are on the same page, and to it the ground running. As if they want you to continue checking in daily. Most likely they will not.
The next big milestone toward success in your new job is the 90-day mark. Ninety days is an important milestone for a number of reasons. Foremost, most states require companies to contribute to unemployment insurance if an employee is terminated after 90 days – if terminated in under 90 days they do not. So this becomes a cost factor to companies. Financially companies are better off to let a new employ go before 90 days, if things are not working out, or if the company has a change in direction. Here is a list of suggestions for surviving the first 90 days:
- Start your day at the agreed upon time. If you can, stay late in the office – as late as your boss stays.
- Keep a log. This log is not something you need to use forever, but my suggestion is to keep one through the first 90 days. Include list of accomplishments with dates, meetings that you attended, and if there are disagreements, notes on who said what, and what your positon was. If there were open issues, how they got resolved.
- If you have a personal appointment make sure your boss is aware of it, and has OK’d it. Don’t rely on email, or instant message, get a minute of face tie to make sure your boss is aware of your absence.
- If you needed to take work home, or worked part of a weekend, mention this to your boss. You don’t need to grandstand, but your boss will not know you put the extra effort in unless you tell them.
- If you do not have regular one on one meetings with your boss, set one about 60 days into your new job. Use this as a touch base to get feedback from your boss on how you are doing. If there are gaps, or concerns, this is where you can identify them, and you will have a month to correct them before you hit the 90-day mark.
- If there have been obstacles that prevent you from completing your work, or push back due dates, make note of these. If you have the ability to reduce or remove these obstacles yourself, or through your team, do the follow through. If these can only be resolved with the help of your boss, explain the situation, and see if they want a meeting to discuss. But pull in your boss sparingly. If you can solve your own problems, it will bow well for you. You were hired to remove problems, not to create new ones.
To recap the big milestones in a new job are the first day, the first week, and the first ninety days. Emphasis in the first day and week are to make great impressions, be on time, project a professional persona, and start digging into the problems that are most pressing. During the first ninety days you are under close observation. Your boss and new team are assessing your worth. They are looking to see if you will be an asset, or a liability. They are looking to see if you that you fit into the team. Most importantly they are looking to see you are working the job and reducing, or removing problems. A last word that if for whatever reason you do not survive the first 90 days – do not take it personally. It most likely is not an issue with you – but rather some issue within the team, the organization, or even some issue with your boss. You can only control what you can control, and you can’t please everyone. Personally I stopped trying to do that a couple decades ago. Thank them for their time, and the opportunity, shake the dust off your shoes and walk on. Walking away may just end up to be the best thing that could have happened for you.
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