Survival of the smartest

Preetinder Kaur 

It's always overwhelming to join a new job. First three months or the first 100 days are spent more or less in understanding the responsibilities, colleagues, their roles and above all mastering the latest skills. So, to handle the stress, a 100-day plan is for your reference. It will help to avoid egregious mistakes and alleviate communication level among your colleagues.     

The first month

If you smile and approach co-workers in a friendly and helpful manner then in the first month you will be at home in your new work place. Reading office publications like newsletters, brochures, product catalogues, annual book etc. will give you a fairly good idea of what all is happening in the organisation and about the different power equations there. But beware of getting involved in any groupism or office politics at this stage. Seek clarification on standard rules and regulations as also about the performance metrics and expectations of the seniors and the management. 

Update your social network profiles like LinkedIn. Let people to know about your new job and your role in the organisation.    

The second month

By now you have grasped a lot of knowledge about your organisation and have gained a little experience too. So, it is time to start taking more responsibility. Try exploring the training relevant to your career and start following and writing blogs for the same. Paying attention to your colleagues and being helpful will help them recognise your social behaviour and return the favour. Try seeking a mentor or a guide who can help you advancing your career and can give you inputs on your project when needed. 

The third month

The third month is more or less based on how you have improved the process of learning and implementing of work culture at your organisation. With a fresh perspective and lot of inputs from the seniors you have to suggest and help the organisation with new inputs that can help to recognise your skills and abilities to work on certain projects of importance.     

In order to know about your growth,  ask for a three-month review from your boss and jot down points that are relevant to your performance like an out-of-the-box suggestion during a meeting, the achievements during that quarter and the future projects you would like to handle. Always be ready to accept the genuine feedback of your supervisor.

The beginning 

Before you enter the office premises, review all the research that you did during your interview about the organisation, their latest technologies and changes. On the Day 1  stick to the rule of 90/10. Listen 90 per cent and talk 10 per cent (And that 10 per cent should involve asking questions). This formula will help you in grasping as much information as possible and help you to understand the organisation pretty well. 

Try to organise your cabin or work station so that you can perform the assigned duties without any hitch. Seek the list of numbers of different people and sections with whom you will be required to interact and coordinate over the next few days.