Good start at a new job

Starting a new job is exciting and stressing at the same time. But you can relax, we will help you to deal with the new challenges. We assume that it is obvious that you are already being friendly and polite, you dress just a little nice than usual, have small chats with your new colleagues, and welcome new tasks and challenges from the bosses.Here, we will talk about less obvious nuances.

Ask. Yes, you are smart, and you can find answers in the internet forums yourself, but it might be many times faster just to consult with a colleague next to you. If he does not know the immediate answer, he might point you to the right direction or to another person. Asking does not mean that you are incompetent, quite the opposite.

Answer. The others will ask you, too. You might give a fresh look to the old issues. If you do not know the answer immediately, say that you will think about it. And do think and research a little. Don't say that you don't know or are not inteseted. This does not mean that you should give wrong answers. Tell how you addressed similar problems in your previous job, or what you would consider first. Any (relevant!) input is valuable.

Be interested. When a new problem is being discussed, get involved. Do not limit yourself to your tasks only. Give advice, when you can. Offer yourself to look for solutions, write documentation, organize a workshop. Spend some of your free time reading about alternatives to the current solutions. You do not need to turn the current system around, but you might present the options, and allow others to decide.

Do your tasks on time. Make an effort to deal with your work. Continuously inform about the progress, and obstacles, if any. If you feel that you are being slow due to your incompetence, it is ok to spend some extra time in the beginning. However, if the timeframe is too short, you should present a plan and explain why you need more time. Better earlier replanning, than missing the deadline.

Have fun. Enjoy your work, and your time after work. In any job, some flexibility is allowed, and you  should not be afraid to offer to do your tasks differently, or to do different tasks, if you feel, that you are better at something else, or if you are more intetersted in something else. Companies want their employees to be motivated, and any reasonable boss will allow some choice. You will still have to deal with some boring tasks, but, do not get stuck there. Not less important, continue to meet friends and family, relax, do sports, and come to work with a fresh mind and a smile.