5 Unusual Things To Do Your First Week On The Job
Now that I’ve changed jobs a few times, I’ve learned some things that I’d like to share with you. These are things that seem to have eluded all the career advice books I’ve read.
1. Befriend the little people. Find the janitor, and make friendly with him. He literally has the keys to the kingdom. Also, get to know the security guards, secretaries, cooks in the kitchen and other “operational” folks. The secretaries can always hook you up with office supplies, and the cooks will always give you a few extra fries at lunch. If the building is ever on fire, you’ll be glad you know Hank at the front desk - trust me.
2. Make a sign for your desk that signals when you can and cannot be interrupted. Interruptions are the enemy of productivity, but collaboration is an important part of getting things done. So what is a cube-dweller to do? Well, my experience is that interruptions are the norm and your co-workers can (and will) bring your productive efforts to a grinding halt if you don’t set boundaries. A good way to get them to back off is with a sign. The best sign I’ve ever seen was a magnet on the bookshelf of an application developer. It said “bug fix in progress”. If the sign was on display, it effectively meant “do not disturb”. People understood his primary job was to fix bugs, so if that was up they knew not to bother him. It is tempting to be everything to everybody when you first join a company, but don’t be too gracious. You should establish yourself as a disciplined worker who helps when available - and only when available.
3. Be more extroverted than usual. This first week is your chance to meet everyone and make first impressions. Think of it like move-in week at the dorms - did you leave your door open or closed? In this case you want it open, wide open. Smile a lot. Show up to after-work events. Join the bowling league. Maybe even start a ritual with your peers; there’s got to be a half-price appetizer place somewhere nearby. Or maybe there is a ping-pong table in the break room that is begging for a regular Wednesday afternoon game. Remember to also meet people who you do not interact with as part of your job. Be bold and join a lunch table full of strangers. Just introduce yourself as the new guy or new gal and if they aren’t jerks, they’ll invite you to sit down.
4. Re-read your offer letter and HR packet. This time look for the little things. What days are holidays? It is a good idea to block them off in your calendar in advance. Who is your HR contact if you have questions? When is your review? What were you really hired to do? Did you start your 401k? Do you have to set anything up now that you are an active employee? This stuff was written on the assumption that it will be referenced again in the future, so keep it at your desk and read it before you go whining to HR when you have a question.
5. Setup Google alerts. This is a tip for everyone, not just IT nerds. Google alerts are basically saved Google searches that automatically email you every day. For example, let’s say I worked for Ford Motor Company and I wanted to keep track of our competition. I could setup a Google alert for Toyota, and every day I’d get an email with all the news stories or blog posts about Toyota. If I was just interested in their hybrid market, I could setup a separate alert for the term “Toyota hybrid”. This way, I don’t have to go out and look for the news on Toyota. The news would come to me.
What things do you wish you would have done during your first week on the job?
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Like I wrote...
April 16th, 2008 at 9:19 am
nice points. I do many of these throughout the day. Befriending the little people is so important. In alot of offices processors and secretaries can be great allies in helping you get stuff done. can’t hurt to have them on your side!
Also google alerts are very important if your a heavily client/service oriented firm. I set them up for major clients to have stuff to talk about to the client or managers. Also can alert you to service needs they may need and you can anticipate issues.
Only disagreement is the busy sign. I prefer open doors (if my cube had one) If I need to really concentrate our office provides focus rooms where you can close the door and work uninterrupted (which I never use). I think it is more important to be open, especially in the beginning of your career. If someone does interrupt some important work, i politely tell them, I’ll come to their desk in x hours, I have to finish something.
Good post.
April 16th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
please do not switch to partial feeds!
April 16th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
We won’t! We just broke this one up because it was long. Thanks for the feedback!
April 17th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I especially agree with your advice to put yourself out there and really get to know people your first week. After a few weeks of walking past people in the halls, it only becomes more difficult (and awkward) to stop and introduce yourself.
On that note — I would suggest making a name plate/tag for your desk, if you aren’t already provided one. Most companies provide these for employees, and just because you are new doesn’t mean you should be left anonymous. Include your title (if appropriate), as it will help people place you in the company structure.
July 4th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
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