How To Maximize Your Success in a New Job

iStockphoto.com | designer491

The start of a new job is an emotional experience. You are the stranger in a strange land, and you have to adapt. You made a good enough first impression to land the job, but now your first impression is company-wide - and first impressions matter.

The onboarding process can be robust and structured – or non-existent. There are no rules businesses must follow. You may have a week of immersive training or are expected to show up and figure it out. Regardless, the first couple of months of a new job can be rocky as you get settled. Here are some tips that may help get your bearings and set yourself up for success: 

1.     Take advantage of new employee orientation. Regardless of the skills you already possess, effectively applying them may take time in a new environment. Advance knowledge of company policies and procedures will make your initial probational period easier to manage. If you already know the basics on your first day, you can focus on your new work challenges.

2.     Get to know your stakeholders. There is a web of relationships that connect to your position. Make it a priority to learn who your primary internal and external stakeholders are, where they are, what they do, and how they fit into the new puzzle that is your job. However, that is a starting point only. From day one, lay the groundwork to develop in-depth relationships with your stakeholders. Get to know them as people. Down the line, those will be the people who support your initiatives and vice-versa.

3.     Manage expectations. Understand what you're supposed to do and how you are supposed to do it. Ask questions twice, if that is what it takes to ensure you don't miss a deadline or meeting time. Find out and write down recurring tasks for which you are responsible until second nature. Do not be afraid to enlist help when you need it. You will have leeway as you learn the ropes, but the honeymoon will not last long.

4.     Check in regularly with your manager. Have an ongoing conversation with your manager (and co-workers) to make sure you align your early actions with his or her expectations. At a new job, even work with which you are familiar and confident may be prioritized or used differently. It's easy to regress to patterns from former companies. Proactive communication will help you avoid new employee pitfalls. 

5.     Document what you do. Most businesses have probational periods, official and unofficial, to monitor the performance of new employees. Keep a record of what you do and document your achievements. If possible, capture metrics. Proof of work that shows you delivered results will help you through your initial employment period, as well as future performance reviews and building an accomplishment-oriented resume.

6.     Don't rush in. One of the advantages of being a new set of eyes is you really can see things that people immersed in work-as-usual don't see. You may see a new way of doing something that will bring value or savings to the business and are anxious to plant your flag. Don't be TOO anxious to introduce your groundbreaking new idea until you have a complete understanding of the inner workings of your company, department, co-workers, stakeholders, or whatever the circumstances demand. You need to know the lay of the land before you conquer it.  Do not be passive, though. Claim ownership of something if you can – then deliver.

7.     Be your best professional self. You are a professional. Act like it. Be on time. Be friendly. Own up to your mistakes on the spot. Be collaborative. Be respectful. Listen. First impressions last forever. 

---

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

7 Tips To Help You Effectively Manage Your Job Search

iStockphoto.com | photoschmidt

Looking for a job is a significant undertaking. The most straightforward job search isn't easy, and everyone must go through the same, sometimes painful, process. Whether you're fully employed or unemployed, landing a new job is time-intensive, emotionally consuming, and requires an advanced level of administration. Even if you already possess the personal discipline to manage your job hunt, it can become overwhelming at times, so it is advantageous to build discipline into your job search.

As the job market heats up, we present to you the following tips that may help you effectively manage your job search (and, hopefully, get the job!).

1. Block Out Time — lots of it. A single online job application can a long time, given all the uploading, job boards that require you to create accounts and detailed profiles, third-party skills assessments, third-party sites that process applications, and on and on (yes, the process is broken). Ideally, you should block out time. Your search should follow a routine and, if at all possible, in a place that is quiet and away from distractions.

2. Practice Effective Time Management. Time management is not just about blocking out time. It's about knowing what to do and when learning and employing the most effective methods for achieving your goal. Once again, discipline is the key. Plan out your activities and stick to them. There is no test at the end or a single right way of managing your time. Determine what works best for you according to your circumstances, and create a plan and schedule to accommodate your existing day-to-day responsibilities with the demands of a job search.

3. Murphy's Law Applies. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Fortunately, you're not steering a ship through a storm. You're just applying for a job. Tasks often take longer than you believe they will. Build-in cushions to absorb unforeseen delays. For example, let’s say you want to be one of the first applicants for a very appealing job – however, you've been in the same position for five years, and the application has a required section for professional references. Even if you have connections in mind, you might be in a position where you will need to hunt down current contact information and anything else required on the job application (not to mention verifying with your reference that they will give you a good reference – don't assume!). Be prepared for the unexpected.

4. Track Your Activities. By doing so, you’ll be able to monitor your progress and follow up as appropriate. Create your job search dashboard in a spreadsheet to track your applications, status updates, recruiter/hiring manager names, etc. LinkedIn and other profile-based job boards (e.g., Indeed) give you a head start by collecting that kind of information for you but is limited to applications submitted through their own platforms. The data is still there to pull into your spreadsheet, so you always have a complete panoramic snapshot of your job search.

5. Save Time With "Push” Activities. LinkedIn and the major job boards like Indeed, Monster, Glassdoor, and others all have job alerts you can set up that push alerts to your email or messages for specific job categories, job titles, or employers. Although going through all the push notifications and following potential leads takes time, it’s still faster than building searches from scratch every time you log in. Keep these activities in mind when creating your overall management plan.

6. Create Measurable Goals. It can be whatever metrics you want – number of jobs to which you apply, number of online job searches, number of recruiters/hiring managers to whom you can connect, number of hours per week, number of days per week, and on and on. Choose a set of relevant, measurable goals, and monitor your progress against those benchmarks to keep yourself on track.

7. Talk To A Human! One of the trickier parts of a job search is connecting with an actual person. There are so many technological roadblocks in your way. However, with a bit of research (or a Premium LinkedIn account), you can sometimes identify recruiters and hiring managers in your field. Making professional – and mutually beneficial – connections with people who find people jobs for a living is a long-term investment that may open up additional opportunities.

---

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Email Etiquette For Job Hunters

Unsplash | Christin Hume

How you communicate can greatly impact an employer’s perception of your skills, qualifications, and fit. Email has revolutionized global communications but also blurred the line between personal and professional. Email’s ease and informality make it easy to forget that many traditional rules of communication should still apply.

For all its benefits, email isn’t always the best platform for sensitive communications. Many times, what is trying to be communicated doesn’t translate well into writing and can be misinterpreted.

The rule of thumb for email is to treat it like a traditional letter. Keep to the tips below to maintain proper email etiquette.

• Before giving in to your impulse to hastily type and send an email communication to a recruiter or hiring manager, it may be prudent to ask yourself, “Is this appropriate as an email, or will a phone call serve my purpose better?” For example, salary negotiations are usually clearer, more effective in conveying nuance, and less prone to misunderstandings on a verbal, person-to-person basis.

• Always maintain a professional tone in your written communications. Be polite and express yourself in a measured and thoughtful manner.

• Be timely. Respond to messages as quickly as possible without compromising the content. Employers run on their own hectic schedules. He or she is not sitting by his or her computer waiting for you. Messages will be seen and answered in the order they are received, so reply promptly. Responses or “thank you” notes should ideally be sent on the same day.

• If possible, type your notes out on your computer rather than on your mobile phone. Using your phone may leave the impression that your reply is an afterthought and giving the process short shrift while you’re on the go. Your computer is more conducive to writing business communications; not only is it usually easier and faster to type, but you’ll have fewer typos and greater visibility when proofreading.

• Don’t get cute or overly familiar. Stay away from abbreviations, emojis, slang, multiple fonts, colors, and any other type of informal content. This is not the place, time, or audience. Be professional.

• Use the formal greetings and salutations you would on a business letter. For example, end your email with, “Sincerely,” “Thank You,” or “Best Regards.” It’s recommended to avoid signing off with “Later,” “Cool,” or “Stay Gold, Ponyboy!”

• If you become engaged in a back-and-forth conversation, know when to transition to a phone call. Email is great for a quick and convenient exchange, but if it becomes too involved, speaking to the person can be more effective.

• Make sure you have an appropriate and professional email address. If your email address is very informal, you may benefit from having a separate email address for business communications. You don’t want something like an email address – such as, oldcrazyguy23@gmail.com – to leave the impression that you’re not to be taken seriously. And pay attention to how your name is displayed in the email header – don’t use nicknames (i.e., Mom, Cousin Louie, Dog Walking Dude).

• Check your spam folder! You do not want to inadvertently miss a message because it’s been filtered into your spam folder. That’s an acceptable excuse to an employer.

• Lastly, keep in mind that an email is a permanent record of your communications. Even if you delete it, there is a copy somewhere, so choose your words with care.

---

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.