ACA 30 Years of Experience: Top Tips #4 Advice for New Starters

You’ve landed your dream job and can’t wait to get started in the role. There will be lots of challenges, from getting to grips with your new responsibilities to navigating the social interactions with your new colleagues. So how do you ensure you hit the ground running and make the best of your new role? Read on for Alexander Charles Associates’ top tips for new starters.

 

Preparation

Sometimes there will be a handover period, if you’re lucky enough to have your predecessor show you the ropes make sure you take full advantage of this. The point of a handover is to ensure there is no disruption in service as the present incumbent leaves, so they should familiarise you with all of the duties and systems your role entails. Keep everything written up, so that you can refer to it later as no one can remember every detail. As well as the day-to-day tasks, it can also help to ask about any potential issues which might occasionally crop up and what kind of work-arounds may succeed.

If there is no handover, then try to be as prepared for your first day as you were for the interview; familiarise yourself with your responsibilities as far as you can, research the company, bring in any documents required (e.g. passport, signed contract). Remember you’re on a probationary period so make sure you’re meeting the standards required.

During your interview, it’s likely that you were asked what you would do in the first three months of the role. Now is the time to make those ideas and plans a reality; do the research into how best to implement your ideas to make sure that they add value without any negative repercussions. This will establish your foundation in your new position and highlight your value from day one.

 

Induction

Your new firm will have an induction process of some kind and it’s important that you participate in this so that you’re familiar with the procedures and processes of your new employer. There may also be valuable insights which will save you time in the long term; for example, what the ÔÇÿin-house style’ is for various types of task. The induction process is there to make your transition smoother so make sure you take advantage of that.

 

Networking

Networking is a key skill no matter where you are in your career, everyone needs information, resources and support to succeed; however networking can be particularly valuable at the start of a new role. A recent study by HBR revealed that replicating the network of an established employee typically takes three to five years, and accelerating that process can significantly contribute to success. Successful new starters were more selective and less superficial in their networking, they used their exploratory meetings to ask questions, offer expertise and assistance where they could and created mutual wins and energy. The key to this approach is not to push your way into the networks of others, but to pull them into yours.