6 Keys to Success at Your New Job


You’ve landed the job, and you feel ready to take on the new challenge. You want to be sure to impress from the moment you start. You want to stand out as a true asset, and yet you don’t want to come on too strong.

How do you find that necessary balance? How can you be successful at your new job and win over your coworkers in an instant?

It’s not as hard as you might think, but you do need to be mindful of a few things to make it work to your advantage

6 Keys to Success at Your New Job

Think of some of the people that you’ve worked with over the years for point of reference here. Everyone has had the new coworker that talks constantly about their previous job and shows off with their extensive work experience. You don’t want to be this person!

Everyone has also worked with somebody who seems overly nervous, anxious, and who tends to retreat if approached for anything. You certainly don’t want to be this person either.

It’s truly all about balance, and it’s up to you to find the right one to show that you can win at this new job.

Win Over Your Coworkers

You’ve already won over your manager because they hired you, but you probably had limited exposure to the team during the process. Now is the time to show case the reason why you were hired. This can vary depending on the position you filled and the type of company that it is—but there was something that caused the hiring manager to select you.

It’s imperative in this new job to show them what you’re made of. It’s also critical to your success to show how you can fit into the team, for that matters just as much here. Though you want to show that you have the experience that it takes, you also need to show that you have the personality to go with it.

You want the people that you’re going to work with to know that you were hired for a reason. Ask the hiring manager to find out the key challenges and focus items for your position.  You want to be yourself, be genuine, and be able to come up with solutions when the opportunity presents itself.

Make no mistake—the first few weeks in a new job are just as important as the actual interview. You’ve already won over the hiring manager and the people responsible for bringing you on board. Now it’s up to you to win over the people that you will work with each and every day. This doesn’t have to be difficult, so if you’re just yourself and you make the effort you will be successful in this capacity.

Just be Yourself

This is like anything else in that if you’re true to who you are, you’re going to do well – don’t try to be something you’re not. Just like in the interview process, authenticity is key. Though we have a natural tendency to try hard or to portray ourselves in a certain way, if you come off as rehearsed or insincere then you won’t enjoy the success that you’re trying for.

Go in ready for a new challenge, rely upon your experience and your instinct, and find your spot for a long term winning strategy in this new job.

Have an Open Mind and a Willingness to Learn

You never want to act like you know it all. This is a new company, a new opportunity, and therefore a new way of doing things. Go in ready to learn because we can all continue to grow.

Be sure that you are open minded to new processes or new ideas, for these can help you to be better. Though you will ultimately be contributing to this culture, start out by listening a lot and integrating into this new job ready to learn and begin your new adventure.

Stay Humble

Don’t come off as knowing better than those around you.

Be Ready to Contribute

As you get a bit more comfortable, there will be plenty of times where you can contribute to your team. Be ready for this and offer up solutions and past experiences that may help.

Don’t overdo it, but do be ready to offer some insight if it’s something that’s near and dear to your heart. Again it’s all about balance, and if you can allow this to be a learning experience but also contribute when the opportunity presents itself then you will make it work.

Get to Know Your Coworkers and Build Your Network

You want to do well because you have the experience. You also want to succeed because you focus on the people part of things. Be conscious of building your network in your new job, for this will help you greatly in the long term. Show a genuine interest in your coworkers personally and take the time to really get to know them.

You can be good at your job but if you aren’t good at working with others or building relationships, then this can inhibit your growth. Your relationships can make all the difference in the world, so never turn your back on this aspect of things if you want long term success.

Be Proactive and Stay Ahead of Problems

You might not think that your opinion or experience will not matter that much when you’re new on the job, but really they do. The thing to remember is that if you are proactive and you try to come up with solutions before there’s a bigger problem, you will wow everyone around you. It shows initiative, it shows that you’re dedicated, and it shows that you are a team member that can be counted on. All of these things are important in being successful in your new job, and will make your presence known in a really important way.

Though you may find yourself getting nervous before the new job begins, it doesn’t have to be a negative experience. You can be successful at your job and win over your coworkers if you are mindful of your presence. Be yourself, showcase the experience that you have, and find your spot on the team. By just thinking through these things, you will be successful and ensure that you enjoy this new job for all that it can be.

Dan Sawyer

Founding editor and head writer of ExpertEmployee.com. Dan is a job interview and career expert, with more than 20 years of experience in senior roles at high tech leaders Space Exploration Technologies and Samsung Austin Semiconductor.

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