How To Make a Good Impression When You Start a New Role

An extensive research study (3000 respondents) from the Australian Institute of Management revealed that the generation X and Y workforce is becoming increasingly mobile with nearly a quarter of this sample expecting to change  jobs in the next 12 months. Another study from the US Bureau of Labour statistics suggests that employees may change careers up to 7 times in a life time.

The crucial takeaway here is that your ability to integrate quickly and effectively into a new role and company will be a key determining factor in the success of your career. But, how can this be achieved? How can a new employee create a good first impression so as to act as launch-pad for your career within your new organisation?

Build Relationships

The ability to build and maintain strong working relationships is a key skill in the business world. You will need the cooperation of other staff members to achieve many of your individual goals. Without this cooperation, you will be less able to function and perform to the highest standard. Therefore, one of the first things that you should be doing to make a good impression is to engender strong working relationships with your key customers, suppliers and colleagues. Make sure that within the first two weeks you have introduced yourself to all your potential key collaborators. If there is an after work drinks or any kind of team session, ensure you opt in and use these opportunities to get to know your colleagues and bond. This will help to show that you are a team player.

Engender Trust By Delivering as Required

Strong business relationships are built on trust. Your colleagues need to be sure that you will deliver what is needed every time, and in a variety of high and low pressure situations. There is no shortcut to building trust, your colleagues trust in you will grow as you demonstrate that you can deliver time and time again. Therefore, from day one it is vital that when you are asked to do a job that you do it right, on-time and to budget. This is more important than ever in the early days as first impressions do last.

Quick Wins

A study of 600 CEOs by the Harvard Business School estimates that typical executives need 6.2 months to reach their breakeven point. Therefore, anything that you can do to shorten this time to break-even point will help to create a good impression around you. One way to immediately demonstrate your impact is to make some ‘quick wins’.

But, how can you achieve this? Well, consider as a new employee you will have a fresh pair of eyes and you will be able to spot problems and potential improvements that the current employees have become ‘blind to’. Improvements that may seem obvious to you, may not even have been thought about by the existing team.

Therefore spend time identifying three of four small improvements, (e.g. software that can automate a boring task) and then discuss them with your manager and seek permission to make these changes. Your boss will be impressed by your initiative and your fellow employees will be happy if their jobs are made easier.

By engaging in these behaviours mentioned above, not only will you create a good impression when you start in a new role, but, you will also be building and enhancing your longer term reputation within the business.