8 years ago, I wrote this post – Starting a New Job – 6 tips for your first 90 Days. All of the tips still apply. I want to add to it with more details
- What should be your goals for the first 90 days – focus of this post
- How to ramp up quickly – I came up with a 4C framework to help you remember all the areas you should learn about in your first 90 days – I will write this post in a week
As long as you have a “white collar” job, I believe these goals would apply. I just started a new job at a new company a week ago, and they also apply to me. After working 4 jobs over 10 years at a major bank, I decided to move to smaller company where I have broader role in a more fast paced setting. I will tell you more about my move across a few posts in the coming month.
For now, let’s focus on the 5 common goals most successful professionals would have for their first 90 days at work.
Goal 1: Ramp up quickly – Listen, learn, & ask questions
With any new job, you need to be able to get your grounding quickly. You will need to better understand the Customer, Context, Current State, and Climate of your new company & job. I will explain more about this in my post next week.
One of the senior executive at my new job already gave me advice and said “Don’t rush into action, take your time to listen and learn what going on first.” This is also why ramping up should be your #1 goal at any new job in the first 90 days
Goal 2: Build Relationships
It’s never too early to build relationships. First impression matters! You will likely meet a lot of new people in the first few months. Here are 3 tips are how to make a first impression
Tip 1: Get to know them personally – your colleagues will have a different level of openness, so don’t intrude if they don’t want to share. Make small talk and share your own personal details naturally and usually people will respond with similar details
Tip 2: Listen – the first meeting is more about listening than talking too much. They don’t expect you to know anything yet. Also you already got the job so no need to oversell. Instead prepare thoughtful questions, so you can listen to their background, their role, and their perspective.
Tip 3: Ask about their communication preferences and working pet peeves – this is one of my secret approach. This demonstrates that you will to get to know them individually and are proactive in wanting to adapt to their working style.
- Communication preferences is about understanding what they like to do via email, IM, zoom, call etc… What information should be shared via what media etc…
- Pet peeves – everyone has them and many have shared with me that they have never had anyone ask them this question directly. They appreciated the thoughtfulness. Examples can be “it irritate me when someone is always late” or “I hate it when I spend time giving my feedback and the person don’t incorporate anything or follow up.” This also open the door for you to share your own. I have two:
1. I am irritate when people don’t do what they say they will do.
2. I always ask people to come to me directly if they disliked something I did or said. I hate hearing it second hand as that means the person didn’t give me the benefit of the doubt or a chance to understand/make it right directly.
Goal 3: Understand the problems you need to solve and the priority
It’s impossible to do well in your role if you are not clear on your role and what your manager and key stakeholders expect of you in first 90 days. The best way to get clear on this is to draft first what you think it should be and ask them to provide feedback. This way you are driving the process, making it less work for them, and showing initiative 🙂
Goal 4: Draft vision and roadmap for your long term role
This one may not apply to all professional jobs. However it definitely applies if you are more experienced and got at least a manager job. It’s important to demonstrated your strategic thinking and planning skills in the first 90 days.
This draft at 90 days doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s meant to be directional. It will also help you scope your team resource plan in case your role is also to build out a team. I included this one in here as this is relevant to my role in this new job 🙂
Goals 5: Deliver at least 1 quick win
You are unlikely to know what this is in the first week or month of your job. Your manager may not know either. The point of this goal is to make sure you look out for opportunities to deliver something concrete in the first 90 days. This is in addition to the draft strategic plan and roadmap from goal 4. That’s already expected for a manager level role.
This “quick win” can be something that only takes you part of your time. The goal is to find opportunities to help your manager or your team with something short term. It demonstrates teamwork and will definitely boost your reputation.
At the end of the first 90 days, you want your manager and your colleagues to feel super positive that you joined the team. With a draft vision and a quick win under your belt, you are also showing that you are both strategic and can deliver. 🙂
For more in-depth advice on your first 90 days, checkout the review of this book – The First 90 days by Michael Watkins.
Your comments: Do these tips help you? Let me know any questions. If I missed a good tips for the first 90 days, please share. I look forward to your comments and questions.
Your comments: Do you have an inner voice that tells you that you are not enough? Do you where it comes from and how to ignore it? I look forward to hearing from you.
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I am always in your corner.
Lei
Best wishes to your first 90 days. You will knock it out of the park!
Lei