Surviving the First Six Months on the Job

I just completed the first six months of my professional career. There is a lot that I learned in this time, not only about my job, but also about life in the corporate world. I am sharing my learning of those first six months here.

One of the most important things to understand is that choosing the right organisation matters a lot. Any organization, essentially, is only but a set of ideas, a set of principles. If your own principles are in constant dissonance with your organisation’s principles then dissatisfaction would be the only natural response. The only option then is that either you align your principles with your organisation or you find another one to which your principles more closely align. It also extends to the organisation’s culture, which by virtue of its very nature would have a great deal of impact on your personal life. So if you can properly understand and interweave into the fabric of your organisation’s culture, half your problems would be solved at that instant.

Attending all the trainings as part of the induction program is essential as their objective is to equip you with all the necessary information in a capsule. And even though at first it may seem that some of those trainings are irrelevant for you at present, believe me it would save you much more time in the future by making sure nothing really comes as a surprise to you. Moreover, sometimes you’ll have the need for the most unexpected information at the most unexpected hour, and it is then that you’d be able to fully appreciate the value of attending every module of your induction.

On a similar note, it seems quite cumbersome to read those numerous policy manuals at first, but howsoever much you may dislike that activity, it is being aware of the policies that will save your face one day. In an increasingly complex business environment, to work without proper policies in place can be very unwieldy and risky. That’s the reason why organisations have elaborate policies for everything imaginable. But understanding that they are there to make you more efficient and safe from potential risks is important. As they say, better safe than sorry!

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Complete all necessary paperwork, get all the IT systems in place (double-check just to make sure they’ll work when you really need them to), organise your workstation, and keep it clutter free. Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So, howsoever efficient you may think you are, but if your infrastructure doesn’t support you to work at your peak capacity, then you’d only be working at sub-optimal levels, and that’s probably not something neither you nor your boss would like.

First impressions matter, it has been scientifically proven. So try and be polite and understanding to make positive first impressions with everyone at work whether you directly work with them or not, because people talk among themselves.  And even though you may think when you’re not having a direct conversation with someone, you’re not making any impressions, but that may not be correct. Anyone who sees you carries an impression of you. So basically in the first six months, you’re making first impressions all the time. Be cognizant of that fact, and make positive impressions.

Many organisations assign you a buddy or a mentor at the beginning. In case you haven’t been assigned any, try to find one for yourself, preferably one who is somewhat experienced in the organisation and understands your work. It will make your everyday life much easier. Right from knowing which form to submit where, to which item is the best on the cafeteria menu your buddy can help save you time on almost everything, and help you adjust faster to the new place.

The most important step in doing a task right is understanding exactly what is required to be done, and what do you need to finally deliver and in what format. When you’re being assigned a task, it is easy in your initial days to be distracted by any number of things and lose focus on important bits of instruction, leading to misunderstandings and sub-optimal output. Hence it is important to listen, listen and listen again to what is being told and if something is not clear even after that then ask again, but get absolute clarity on what is being asked. Then set the expectations right with your customers and/or stakeholders by explaining what you understand is to be done and agreeing on what you would be delivering and in exactly what format, so that there is nothing lost translation and you deliver a high-quality output.

People generally have a tendency to set very many goals for their future, goals for the short term, goals for the long term and all along in that process they forget execution. But it is so important to focus on the present day, minute and second, and to DO the right things, which eventually set the stage for a better tomorrow. Be aware of your surroundings, watch your step and know where you’re going. At any cost, STAY IN THE PRESENT, as that’s what will decide both your past and future.

It is so important you seek intellectual stimulation and involve yourself in some cerebral processing so that you have something to look forward to each day at work. And I’m not just referring to learning new technical skills and increasing your knowledge, but also soft skills like listening, comprehending and presenting your ideas to maximise their impact in a limited period of time. These ensure that you don’t get a feeling that you’re stuck in a rut, and stay positive and receptive.

Also, you’re bound to encounter a lot of challenges at work, as well as new business problems that crop-up every now and then. Don’t always run to your manager or superiors with just the problems. Try to think of various approaches in which you can address the issues and solve the problems. Then tell your manager the problem and alongside offer your solutions. Even if you aren’t in a position to find the right solution, it is fine. What really matters is that you at least tried to think of ways to solve the problem, which makes you a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem. People appreciate that.

Ask WHY. Asking these whys would help you to understand the set paradigms, and why or why don’t they work. It will help you to understand the logic behind doing things in a particular way and help you evaluate the merits of possible alternatives, and that process would foster innovation and increased productivity.

Everybody around you has work to do, there’s no point in cribbing about how much work you have on your hands. Rather try and be more efficient and find ways to manage that work within the constraints of time and other resources. And besides, nobody likes a whiner! Try to stay away from other whiners and those who would find umpteen excuses for stalling work. Stay away from such energy-suckers!

Get to know people, and grow your network. Now, networking is one of the most discussed yet misunderstood concepts. A ‘growing’ network doesn’t really mean it will also help you to grow. You only truly grow by helping others to grow. Everyone is working to be successful. Try and be an enabler to that success. Try and empower people and then that’s the kind of network that will help you grow.

Be open to feedback, and try and be objective about it. Understand the areas for improvement and keep innovating. The more objective you are about it, the faster you’ll grow, by enabling others to help you.

Towards the end, it is vital to understand that change is the only constant, and clutching to the old ways just because you’re used to them isn’t wise at all. It is but true what Victor Hugo once remarked – “you can resist an invading army, but you cannot resist an idea whose time has come.” One must understand this natural law and be more proactive and receptive to ride the crest when the time comes. Accepting and adapting to change will save you a lot of time and make you more effective, rather than cribbing about how it displaces the old paradigms and being all negative about it. To sum this up in the words of Alvin Toffler – “The illiterates of the 21^st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.”

Lastly, but most importantly, keep a sense of humour, especially about yourself as you stumble through not just your first six months at work but also life in general, and always take time out for your family and friends, as they are the people who really matter the most and who’ll be your source of strength when nothing else will.

I’m sure you too have your own set of experiences and learning from your first six months, and I would like you to share them with us here in the comments below.

© Jayant Rana, 2012-Present