New Jobs: Maximizing The First 90 Days

Got The Job…And Now?

Getting the resume noticed, managing the interview, negotiating the terms. Victory - you got the job! Now what?

Many times, transition is focused on the ‘getting’ of a position, with little thought about the next steps. The first three months in a new job also need a strategic plan, if you are to succeed! Are you making a plan and contemplating the challenges you might encounter

The First 90 Days by Watkins and Citrin (Updated and Expanded Edition) is a priceless resource.  While reading it, you may find that your timeline extends far beyond the on boarding and orientation phase at a new company or in a promoted position with your current company.  They suggest that you think about what your actions, your communications, even your appearance communicate. What kind of leader are you, based on the perception of your new work team? They advise that you focus on what you  want to have happen and that you incorporate the verbals and the nonverbals of your ‘brand’ to achieve that end.

Your powers of observation are key to your success. Watch, listen, verify.  The choices you make at the ver beginning can follow you for ever! Here is my suggestion for organization your own on boarding.  Think of these as concentric circles, much as you would see when you drop a rock in a pond.

The first step is knowing the map - the physical layout.  Where do you work? From the simple things like finding the restroom, break room, copier, and supply room to noting the distance to the informal meeting place(s) where employees tend to congregate to checking the distance between your workspace and the boss’s, develop a map of your surroundings.  Once you have this well understood, you have a foundation for evaluating when and where you have opportunities to network.  Networking in this case ranges from a simple “Good morning” to a chance encounter with a decision maker whose awareness of your projects might be critical to getting something completed easily.

The second step is to check the paper map - the organizational chart.  Who reports to whom? Who has responsibility and authority as decreed by the organization? Know names, faces, and become aware of the people around you as individuals with hobbies, likes and dislikes, and styles of communication.  Here is where understanding of the MBTI (Myers Briggs Temperament Index) might help you to assess how others’ communication preferences. As you move from the organizational chart to the individuals, begin drawing a chart of the informal power chart. Learning the identifies of the true influencers - even if they do not have a company title - will assist you in countless ways.  Think on this: when you are assigned a task or project, the deliverables go to a certain person, often your boss.  But there are others who can make the process  of doing that project laborious or more enjoyable just by asking their opinions or ‘running it by’ them. You may also find some individuals to avoid, as many workplaces have a gossiper or someone who likes to create drama and stir up ill will.

The third step is to understand the company culture and tempo.  Can you complete your work in a way that both strengthens the organization and meets its expectations? Some newcomers make the mistake of over-performing and in the process, alienating long time employers. They may feel your contributions make them look bad, or that you are setting a new pace or standard ‘around here.’

The fourth step may take place at any time, but I log it here as a reminder so that if is not overlooked in your first 90 days.  This is to establish relationships within the company and outside the company with at least two seasoned individuals to whom you can turn for trusted advice and confidential conversations.  These are your mentors.  One within the company can help you understand the ropes to skip and the ropes to know (and if you can find a copy, there is a book from the 80s with the same title that might be worthy reading). The internal mentor can be a guide and it well chosen if he or she is outside your own department and has no personal outcome that could be affected by your success or failure.  In other words, look for someone who will be truthful and wise rather than the highest profile manager you think could improve your chances!  Your external mentor should be a business professional you admire.  Often you find these mentors in the process of your own community activity and volunteer involvement.  I recommend affiliation with groups such as Rotary International as a good source.  Look for Rotary’s Four Way Test, their guide to business ethics. A very simple statement, it is a strong but flexible tool to guide your thinking, your words, and your actions. Taking with your external mentor - one who follows the Four Way Test - will prove invaluable, especially when you think you might have taken a misstep at work, but also when you are puzzling through career options.

The first step actually starts on the first day.  Start and keep a journal.  A DAILY journal.  Capture your observations and ah-ha’s. I found that having this information on my calendar in a no-public file gave me a way to recall the events of a day along with my in-the-moment reactions to those events. The task of keeping a journal never inspired me - but being able to look back and review weeks and months at a later time proved invaluable.  You will find the journal helps you prepare for reviews and promotions, too.

And if you want to take it to a more effective level, create or join a group of people to occasionally talk about careers and career transitions.  This is something like an extension of the Job Club but not limited to the part focusing on the bridge between jobs.  By having a group and hearing what others are encountering, your will have a way to judge if your first 90 days (and beyond) are typical.

Want to do this well? Just think of the first 90 days as 90 more interviews. Be observant.  Be your best.  Evaluate the input, and be flexible enough to alter your direction. You will be successful!