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6 Things to Avoid if You Want to Succeed in a New Job

JoeFullerHero
  • 18 Jan 2018
HBS Online Author Staff
tag
  • Career Development
  • Communication
  • Management Essentials

Effective January 8, 2019, the course Becoming a Better Manager will be renamed Management Essentials.


Professor Joseph Fuller recently sat down with us in our Facebook Live studio to talk about his online course Management Essentials as well as give some valuable advice for anyone starting a new job. Read on to see what all new hires should avoid in order to be successful in their new roles and companies.

1. Try to add value too quickly 

You were likely hired for your job because of your specific skills or expertise. It’s normal to want to show that you can add value quickly and that you were the right choice for the job, but be careful of being so eager to prove your worth that you walk into a mistake. In the early weeks of a new job there is much you don’t know, and it’s easy to misstep when you don’t have a full understanding of the business landscape.  

2. Make assumptions about the job/role/company

Through your interview process, you most likely formed assumptions about the organization, the job, and other people’s expectations of you. Acknowledge the assumptions you have, but don’t let them drive you. Test your assumptions with others by having conversations, taking time to observe, and being open to allowing your assumptions to be proved false. 

3. Fail to engage with colleagues

Your new colleagues will help you define the lay of the land and clarify what expectations may exist for your new role. They will also be key to figuring out the best lunch locales and technical support resources! As the weeks go by, take time to seek out input from your colleagues, both above and below you, to ensure you’re on the right track. They will help you understand the organization and decipher how you can best add value.

4. Forget to carve out time for both formal and informal relationship-building 

While it’s important to spend time talking with your colleagues, manager, and subordinates in the office, it’s equally important to carve out time to get to know your coworkers on a human level. Seek out opportunities to join in lunchtime meetups or after work activities where you can begin building real, lasting relationships. 

5. Make promises about what you can achieve 

It will take time to fully engage with your colleagues, customers, and the business to recognize your own potential impact. Try not to be overconfident about what you can accomplish before you truly understand the demands of the job and the business landscape.

6. Forget who you are and who you want to be

Don’t be so performance-oriented that you lose sight of your core values. Check in with yourself to make sure that the way you are behaving is consistent with the way you want to be perceived by your colleagues. Know who you are and who you want to be, and hold tight to those values as you learn and grow in your new role.

Do you want to improve your managerial skills and take your career to the next level? Explore our eight-week online course Management Essentials and discover how you can gain the tools and techniques needed to become an effective manager.

 
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