There is nothing more thrilling than getting that call or email with a job offer. Whether you are going from one position to something a bit higher or from having no job to working in your dream career field, employment makes everyone happy. That is, it makes them happy for about an hour or so and then they realize they have to do and perform the way they said they would in the interview. What do you wear? What kind of lunch hour will you have? Will you have a desk? Will you work in a team or by yourself? Basically you will need to answer the question, I got the job, now what? Here are a few tips to get you climbing towards that peak of success.
• If you haven’t already done so, get acquainted with everyone you’ll work with, not only those who you will report to. Make the effort to introduce yourself to everyone and try to get to know your peers in various parts of the company. One way to avoid stepping on an on-the-job landmine is to become knowledgeable about your territory and the other players as soon as possible.
• Make sure you know the short-term goals your boss has in mind for you and your department. Begin scoping out the most urgent challenges connected with achieving those goals. Look at them also in terms of how they are likely to fit in with the bigger picture and longer-term goals.
• Identify the resources you will need to use to achieve the short-term goals and where those resources exist. If a resource isn’t readily available, start working on finding out where you can tap into it. Take initiative in this respect and you will be viewed as a productive and useful new employee.
• Begin networking within your organization just as you would if you were still on the job search. The more key relationships you can establish internally, the better your prospects will be within the organization in terms of potential career opportunities. At the same time, pay careful attention to pivotal relationships outside your company–existing and potential customers, vendors and partners. The best way to do this is to always say yes to lunches or invites to dinners and other events to show who you are as a person and appear open to all opportunities.
• Look at the current situation, probable near-term events and possible trends that might be emerging in your company, industry, and so on. Assess those as realistically as you can and take them into account when doing your strategic, long-range planning. It’s impossible to know everything, but being aware of potential roadblocks ahead of time is much better than having them smack you in the face.
• It’s a good idea to schedule a meeting with your boss to clarify your long-term plan of action and ensure that any actions you decide to take will support his or her expectations. Waiting until your first review to find out that you’ve missed the target is a bad idea. Scheduling this meeting will make you look determined and motivated to succeed.
