6 Ways to Avoid Rookie Mistakes at your New Job
Picture this: you’re trying to land your first job. You don’t have enough experience to understand some of the basics of business life, becoming a victim of your own inexperience at the work place. How can you avoid some common rookie mistakes? Check out Paula Lehman’s article, “New on the Job: Rookie Flubs,” for six tips for newbies during their first job. It’s also a reminder for anyone, who’s new to a company. Below are Lehman’s tips with my additional commentary:
1. Missing Face-Time
“Face-time is your No. 1 priority. “Choose your assignments carefully. Pick projects that put you in contact with people, who will add to your network and advance your career. Choose high-visibility projects where your strengths will shine.”
Lehman has an excellent point; however, make sure you have the skills, proven track record, and confidence to choose a high-visibility project. If you don’t have the skills and knowledge, making mistakes on this kind of project can you back with the very people you’re trying to impress.
2. Tuning Out
“Internal networking raises visibility, connects you with mentors, and gives you a deeper understanding of company culture and the needs of your employer that you can fill…Identify someone high up in the corporate food chain who you don’t normally interact with—your boss’s boss, for instance—and talk to him about anything, from corporate goings-on to baseball standings.”
Don’t be a suck-up. Just make enough of an impression, so the leader can associate your face with your name. Demonstrate energy and enthusiasm for projects that you’re working on, reflecting you’re committed to the company. Looking back, I’m surprised that I pulled off chatting with one of my former employer’s President at a Christmas party. She approached me, since she had never seen me before. She asked me what I did for her company. I quickly rattled off the work I was doing. Fortunately, for me, I was excited about my projects; it came through as I demonstrated to her that I was not only a fit for her company, but someone she would check in with periodically. I was honored when she wanted me to succeed her years later, but unfortunately, my career path had gone in a different direction.
3. Playing Prima Donna
“Sticking with a job that may not be stellar at first is still worth your time. Besides visibility and experience, hanging tough through a job you don’t want shows long-term commitment and puts you in a better position to land an assignment you do want.”
We all have to pay our dues. While we may have a vision of the type of work we see ourselves working on, that doesn’t mean we’re ready to work on it when we first get into the job. Each project is a stepping stone to the next project, building a foundation of confidence, good performance, and building your reputation for getting things done.
4. Disrespecting Support Staff
“Curran recalls a student who was called back for a second interview, but wasn’t hired because she was “dismissive” to the receptionist. The same kind of land mines lie in wait for new hires in their first year on the job.” Support staff often have power with decision makers. They have a way of knowing “who’ll be a pain” and “who’s a keeper.”
Admins also carry a lot of power to middle managers and executives, since they are trusted staff, often in charge of access to these people. Treat them well, but don’t try to snow them over, they’ll spot it a mile away. Develop a sincere relationship with an Admin, if the opportunity arises. They make take an interest in your career path, choosing to help you out with tips and tricks to succeeding in the office. I was fortunate to be the beneficiary of an Admin, who helped me navigate the executive and middle management level, when I was in my first post-MHA job.
5. Overdoing It
“Ed Houlter, a professor of human resources at Louisiana State University, advises against trying to make a “big splash” in the first few months, warning that taking on a huge, complex project as a newcomer could easily result in a costly and high-profile failure.”
I didn’t have the confidence to over do it, so I was able to avoid this mistake. However, if you are full of confidence and a little too ambitious, remember that you need to the experience and track record to pull off these kinds of projects. While you’re building you foundation, make an impression by over delivering, meeting your deadlines, and volunteering for extra work, rather than making risk project choices.
6. Watching the Clock
“The road to success is almost always paved with long hours and hard work. That means getting in early, leaving late, and eating lunch at your desk if necessary. Getting in before your boss and leaving after she does, if only by five minutes, is never a bad idea. If nothing else, it leaves her with the impression that you’re devoted to your job.”
In your first job, it’s an easy to think you can start work at 8:00 am leave promptly at 5:00 pm. I know I made this mistake in my second post-MHA job. If you really want to make an impression, stop clocking in and clocking out. Go the office early, leave later as you work, head down, on a project that you want to finish. Managers are take notice, when a newbie appears to be fitting in and taking to their job, when they are coming in early and leaving a little later.
We’ve all made rookie flubs at one time or another. The trick is to be self-aware and learn from our mistakes that is never as easy as it sounds. If you’re a newbie, then Lehman’s six tips flattens your learning curve.
[...] 6 Ways to Avoid Rookie Mistakes at your New Job | SmartLemming.com … [...]