I have been in my new position for nearly a month now, crazy how quickly time is going! It has, and I know will continue to be a STEAP learning curve, but I’m enjoying it so much!! For YEARS I have dreamed of being on this side of the Oil and Gas industry, and as I’ve mentioned before this company has been the number one company I’ve always wanted to work for… mainly due to my growing relationship as a vendor over the last five years. I still can’t believe I’m here, at least once a day I will look around and think ‘damnnnnn girl look at you working here, how far you have come’.
Now, I wanted to do a quick post on the topic of starting a new position, especially with a new company. It can be so daunting, and overwhelming and a roller coaster of emotions… as I’ve discovered especially moving to a role you have never done before (yup that’s me right now!) so to help others in a similar position here are my Top Tips When Starting A New Job…!
1. BE YOURSELF… this is going to seem like an obvious one, but there is no point on pretending you are something or someone you are not. It’s better to be honest from the get go. Your colleagues will love you for you because they hired you! So be who you are and let your personality and opinions and ideas flow!
2. On that note, speak up! They want to hear from your past experience, if you have ideas or suggestions don’t be afraid to voice them especially with management. Being an experienced hire I can no longer get away with hiding in the corner because I’ve been hired for a reason, so I need to show them they have made the right choice!
3. NETWORK… coming from a sales background I’m used to networking, however this didn’t come easy! I used to be an officer on an oil tanker where I would hide away for months at a time with a select number of people, I wasn’t used to cold calling, meeting with strangers and having to network my way to information, success or work/projects! This skill I’ve had to work on continually over the years, and I’m lucky to join a company that has been my main client for the past 5 years, so use your connections to build your network. Within the first week I signed up to internal networking events, reached out to previous clients/contacts to ‘catch up’ and be visible to different groups – plus it’s always good to get some internal advice.
4. Buddy Up! The other thing I did within the first week was got paired up with a buddy. Now I strategically picked a manager out with my group but still within procurement because I wanted a difference of viewpoints and also it’s different exposure within company. My next task is joining the women’s association and finding a mentor.
5. Get to know your colleagues – don’t be that person to join a company and never go to lunch or socialize. It gets harder and harder the older we all get with added responsibilities of a husband, kids, pets and where you are located in town, maybe you can’t go grab a drink every night but you can find time to get to know one another during working hours, in the morning over coffee, lunchtime or work out sessions (yes we have a gym on campus… don’t be jealous!!). Not only are you getting to know your team around you but you are learning more about what each team member is bringing to your group and how you can work together better.
6. My dad once told me he never tells colleagues his personal details or talks about himself until he has built up that relationship for at least 6 months, now you may think how can you possibly build up a relationship without passing on information or adding personal details of his life, but as we know people LOVE to talk about themselves, so use this time to listen and learn. Then once you have built up that foundation then you are able to trust them with more personal details. I have always used this, and maybe this is why at times I am not as forthcoming with MY life details BUT my goodness I know so much about everyone around me!
7. Dress for the job… this is important. How you present yourself within your organization is another way you can be judged on your job, and it’s important to always look presentable. I dress on the premise I may be pulled into a meeting with higher management. I also NEVER EVER have chipped nails, oh my gosh this is a NO NO! Now, it’s not just dressing right but also you should never go to a meeting without a note book and always be ready with questions, be prepared for each and every meeting you attend.
8. Put in the work! We all have been there when they first start a job and you are getting things handed over in drips and drabs but nothing is official, instead of using this time to do nothing, use this time to search for information on their website, looking up your suppliers or accounts, be familiar with their processes and procedures. Create folders on your desk top and e-mail to keep everything organized along with taking notes on ‘one note’.
9. Lastly, no question is a dumb question if you don’t ask it more than twice…!
I get excited every single night before bed, even if my commute is crazy long I’m enjoying my pod casts and having breakfast on way to work!!
What top tips do you abide by when starting a new job?
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