How to Succeed at Your New Job

On his first day on the job as U.S. Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson stood before a crowd of State Department employees and introduced himself. “Hi, I’m the new guy.”

The humble comment brought laughs because, until recently, Tillerson was CEO of ExxonMobil, one of the biggest companies in the world. But it also reflected something very true about Tillerson’s status: cabinet secretary or not, he was a brand new employee in unfamiliar territory. Like all new employees, he will have to learn people’s names, adjust to the way things get done, and figure out where the restrooms are.

Tillerson’s remark led me to think about new employees generally, and my experiences over the years, both as an employee and as as the CEO of our customer experience consultancy, Beyond Philosophy. Being new can be tough, and yet the first three months are a critical time when superiors and coworkers form their opinions about you. Here’s a list of my top ten Do’s and Don’ts for new workers:

10 Things New Employees Should DO:

1.     Understand how they do things around here. What are the things you should and shouldn’t do? Are there taboo subjects? Do your superiors have pet peeves you should know about? Learn about the company culture and the personalities that inhabit it.

2.     Know what your boss expects. You can’t meet (or ideally exceed) expectations if you don’t know what they are. Ask for clarification when you aren’t sure.

3.     Learn how your boss likes to work. Should you stop by or set up an appointment? Email or phone? Figure out your boss’s preferences and adapt to them.

4.     Keep a positive attitude. You might be used to doing things one way, and at your new job, there’s a different approach. Realize that different isn’t necessarily worse.

5.     Share your ideas. As a new employee, you bring a fresh perspective and your insights – stated positively – can be a welcome contribution.

6.     Meet your deadlines. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. Your reliability is just one of the things your employers will be watching during your first three months.

7.     Ask questions. Don’t assume things.

8.     Find constructive ways to say “No.” If you can’t do something or you don’t agree with a point, be diplomatic about it. Try suggesting alternatives instead of just bluntly saying NO.

9.     Be a team player. Do your job and help your coworkers when you can, without expecting something in return.

10.  Seek feedback. Periodically ask your boss how you are doing and how you can improve. By getting feedback, you give yourself a chance to correct issues before they become big problems.

And 10 Things New Employees Shouldn’t Do:

1.     Don’t show up late (or leave early). Get to work on time and put in a full day. When you do otherwise, it shows that you don’t care about your job.

2.     Don’t miss deadlines. Miss your first deadline and you might not have a chance for a second one.

3.     Don’t complain. You’re the new guy (or gal). If this job is so bad, maybe they should fire you and give it to someone else.

4.     Don’t hang out with the negative people. You know who they are. They complain, they badmouth their co-workers. Don’t fall into the trap of agreeing with them, and find other office mates to have lunch with.

5.     Don’t play office politics. Observe and learn how the office politics work (if you’re lucky, there won’t be many!), but avoid stepping into the fray for as long as possible.

6.     Don’t say YES when you don’t really mean it. One of your virtues as a new employee is your ability to offer a fresh viewpoint. Don’t waste it by automatically agreeing with everything. And don’t say “yes” to an assignment or a deadline or anything else if you aren’t confident you can deliver what you say you will. “Yes” creates an expectation, and if you can’t fulfill it, you’re the one who will look bad.

7.     Don’t be a smart aleck. Save the sarcasm and snarky comments for the privacy of your own home. And never badmouth your employer or coworkers on social media.

8.     Stop comparing your new job to your old one. The phase “in my last job we did it this way” gets old really quickly. Sooner or later, someone is going to suggest that if you liked your old job so much, maybe you should go back to it.

9.     Don’t be afraid to challenge your boss – within limits. Many bosses want their team members to challenge ideas and offer opinions. A few don’t. Know where your boss lies on this continuum and always be diplomatic when offering a different opinion.

10.  Don’t begin your first day by asking how long your lunch break is. This sends a message that you’re already thinking about your break before you’ve even started working. If lunchtime arrives and no one has explained the lunch policy to you, that’s the time to ask a manager for clarification.

Do you have more tips for new employees? Share them in the comments box below.

Read my latest book: The Intuitive Customer: 7 Imperatives for moving your customer experience to the next level to find out more about these ideas for business.

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Colin Shaw is the founder and CEO of Beyond Philosophy, one of the world's first organizations devoted to customer experience. Colin is an international author of six bestselling books and an engaging keynote speaker.

Follow Colin Shaw on Twitter @ColinShaw_CX