The #1 Mistake New Employees Make That Can Cost Them Their Jobs
J.T. O'Donnell
Founder & CEO, Work It DAILY | Board of Directors, McCoy | Career & Professional Development | Job Search | HR & Recruiting | Employer Branding | Recruitment Marketing | Talent Management | Executive Coaching
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Today it's pretty standard for new employees to be given a 90-day clause to sign. This means within the first 3 months of your new employment, the company has the ability and the right to fire you without any explanation.
It's hard enough to be fired, but it can be even more difficult when you don't understand why this happened. Most of the time when someone was let go from a new job they tell me;
"I thought I was doing fine."
And they truly believed that. However, when speaking with them about their experiences, it becomes clear they all made one of the worst mistakes a new hire can make on the job. Unfortunately, while this is a common mistake, the cost of it could be your employment.
This Mistake Puts Anyone At Risk; Entry-Level To Executives
Whether you just started a new job or are currently looking for one, it's important to know the main mistake that can kill your chance at success before it even gets started.
The biggest blunder most professionals make in a new position is assuming their employer will bring them up-to-speed.
While some companies do offer training programs to new hires; most do not. If you are lucky enough to get into a company that does provide training for new employees it likely won't be unique to your needs and preferences.
To put it bluntly, if you go into your first day and presume the management team and your fellow coworkers will train and assist you in integrating into the company culture; you're mistaken.
By doing this, you're putting your future success in the hands of the company when you should be the one controlling it.
At this point, you might be wondering;
"Isn't their job to get me up to speed? After all, they did just hire me."
Unfortunately, this is another false assumption, and here's why...
Your First 90 Days On The Job Tells HR Everything They Need To Know
In HR, there is a universal equation everyone follows when evaluating new hires, it goes:
(Behavior + Work Ethic In The First 90 Days) X 10 = The Employee's True Nature
This simple formula tells management what the employee will be like once they're comfortable at the company (around the 3-month mark).
This is where the #1 mistake comes into play.
If you're relying on management or fellow colleagues to get you up to speed in the company, you aren't showing signs your personality, aptitude, and experience are going to meet their expectations. Studies show an employee who isn't performing well within that 90-day window will typically only continue to deteriorate and can negatively impact those they work alongside. To cut their losses, management fire you within that 90 day period and look for someone who is a better fit. There's a phrase used in HR that sums up how they operate to ensure the company's culture stays intact: "Slow to hire, quick to fire."
How To Use The First 3 Months To Your Advantage
If you're serious about succeeding in your new job, it's important to take full ownership. This means that your primary focus within the first three months should be on building a strong foundation at the company. Even if your company does offer you some form of training, you should still take it upon yourself to grow within your position.
Consider setting aside time to create a 30-60-90 day plan. Ask your manager where they think you should be spending your time and what their top three priorities are for you over the next three months. Doing things such as meeting one-on-one with other members of the team, or with those you will be supporting or working with at your new job. As well as getting to know the structure and culture of the organization should be included in your plan.
If you're ready to fully commit to onboarding yourself in your new job, consider joining Work It Daily. In addition to 1-1 career coaching, resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile reviews, you'll get unlimited access to courses.
One course, in particular, we recommend to all new hires is; First 90 Days On The Job. This will give you the tools and guidance you need to do it effectively. In this course, you will learn how to...
- Establish yourself in the company so you can work effectively with your team
- Fully understand your role and leverage your strengths to exceed expectations
- Understand areas you're falling short and how you can improve them
- Track and showcase your growth within the company
- Deal with difficult curveballs, co-workers, and office politics
... And much more!
Interested? Take advantage of this limited-time discount and get complete access to our services!
I'd love for you to share your thoughts in the comments. Be sure to use the hashtags #JTTalkJobs & #NewHire so we can all join in the conversation.
P.S.S. If you don't think a membership to my company's career coaching service is for you (yet).
At Work It Daily, we put together the following free career growth tools for you:
- A complete job search checklist.
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- Masterclass on how to avoid common job search mistakes.
CLICK HERE to ACCESS the video training.
- A list of the 18 most common interview questions
CLICK HERE to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- Laid Off And Looking. How to Bounce Back After You've Been Let Go
CLICK HERE for the FREE Training & to DOWNLOAD the pdf file.
- Free cover letter samples.
Chief Executive Officer at NK Cement Pvt Ltd
4 年Congrats on the new role! Congratulation on your fabulous success; you had really worked hard and truly deserved the position. my best wishes for your dream should come true regd. nikh
Sports Developer
4 年THOUGHTFUL, thank you
Actively looking for Medical coder/Insurance coordinator job.
4 年Great
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4 年老師可以教我英文嗎你好