4 Practices to Implement When Starting a New Job

Starting a new job is an exciting and anxious time, and it provides a great opportunity...

The opportunity to start over and to start fresh.

These new starts in our lives allow us to makes changes to our routines, habits, and attitudes, and to move past any failures or struggles in our previous job.

So, when starting a new position consider implementing the following four practices in order to get your new job off to a great start.

1. Start with gratitude. When you get up every morning and when you arrive at work express gratitude for the job and for the opportunities and benefits it provides for you. This will help you approach your work with a positive and optimistic attitude and help you avoid cynicism and dissatisfaction with your job. You don't have to say anything profound. You can just start your day with a simple statement: I'm grateful for another day and I'm grateful for this job and I look forward to doing my best today.

2. Be social. Meet people throughout the company, don't eat lunch alone, and take a few minutes for a brief conversation around the coffee machine. You'll feel more comfortable in the job and enjoy work more when you come to enjoy those you work with and develop a team of support around you. But be sure to stick with colleagues who are positive and enthusiastic about the work.

3. Learn everything. No one expects you to know everything so be humble and ask a lot of questions. You want to learn as much as you can when you first arrive at a company (and continue that curious desire to learn throughout your career) and no one looks down on you for not knowing something. After all, you are the "new guy". In addition, like the point above, the quicker you learn about the job and the company, the more comfortable you'll feel in your work.

4. Volunteer and be helpful. A great way to meet new people and to learn as much as you can is to volunteer for anything and everything, from special committees and task forces to new projects. Others will view you positively and you'll gain knowledge and confidence in your work.  

5 Ways to Be More Social at Work (and, yes, you should be)

For some people it can be difficult to be social at work. You just want to go in, get your work done, and get home to your life outside of work.

However, being social at your place of employment can provide important benefits to your current job, such as opportunities for advancement or taking on a new project. It can also benefit you in the future when former coworkers have moved on to new jobs and you are unemployed and looking for
work.

With all that in mind, here are 5 ways to be more social at work:

1. Don't eat lunch alone. Be sure to go to the company cafe (if one exists) or join groups of colleagues heading out for lunch or a quick coffee. A great resource is Keith Ferrazzi's book Never Eat Alone.

2. Join your companies social media network. Many companies now offer social media sites enabling colleagues to communicate more effectively. Even if your company does not have a platform like this it's likely they are on Facebook or Twitter. You can join the conversation online and stay engaged with colleagues outside of work hours.

3. Join a committee. If your place of employment uses volunteer committees to get things done, such as organizing recycling or planning the holiday party (see below) consider joining one and getting to know colleagues you might not otherwise interact with on a regular basis.

4. Attend company events, holiday party, retirement party, etc. In December be sure to attend the holiday party and go to the company picnic in the summer. You'll often find higher level managers or executives feeling more relaxed and getting to know team members they haven't engaged yet. Use this as an opportunity to get to know others in your company.

5. Be proactive. Don't wait for others. Invite colleagues to grab a coffee or go to a concert on the weekend. It is through frequent and regular interactions with your coworkers that you will develop healthy and beneficial working relationships and, yes, even friendships.

You do need others to succeed in your career and in life. Take some of the steps noted above to develop effective relationships with those you work with.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 6 Jobs for Romantics

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• 6 Jobs for Romantics: "If you’re in love with love 365 days a year, why not consider working a job that allows you to be around romance all day long? Here are six jobs for all of you romantics out there."


• How to Find a Job Using Google+: "What can Google+ possibly offer job seekers? In a nutshell: a lot."


• 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Accepting a Job Offer You Don’t Love: "Out of all of the interviews, you received one job offer. It wasn’t exactly what you wanted. Do you accept it? If you find yourself in this situation, here are some things to consider when accepting a job offer in which you aren’t completely in love."


• Your Company's in Turmoil. Should You Jump Ship?: "If your company is entering choppy waters, here are three questions to ask yourself to determine if it’s time to jump ship or settle in for the long haul."


• How to Stop Office Negativity: "The majority of your time is spent at work. Regardless of whether you love your job, or whether it’s only a necessity for keeping a roof over your kids’ heads, you can make it a happier and better place to be all those hours."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Positive Work Environment, Women and Careers

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• Be the Architect of a Positive Work Environment: "Always start from a place of trusting that your colleagues are capable and competent. Have faith that they will support you as much as you support them. In most cases, people will rise to meet your expectations and trust will continue to blossom naturally."

• 5 Ways Employees Should Prepare for the Workplace of the Future: "Make sure that your social media profiles reflect the best professional version of you, and that your social network reflects your real network."                                                        
• How Women Can Use Friendships to Boost Their Careers: "Friends who are in the same field or are members of a professional organization would be ideally suited to make introductions to other members and professionals, like executives."


• 7 Simple Tips to Grow Your Social Network: "[I]t is not enough to simply create a great profile, you have to join the party and interact with people. The best way to do this is to produce regular up-dates (initially maybe once a day or a few times a week)."


• The Graduation Advice We Wish We'd Been Given: "A great way to be more resilient is to stop comparing yourself to other people, and compare yourself to your own past performance — last week, last month, last year. Are you improving? That's the only question that matters."