The first few weeks in a new job can be intimidating in some ways, easy in others. The initial month is a short time to seed in and make a lasting impression. You need to make the most and hit the ground running. One advantage is that since you are starting new, you won’t know much to take on heavy workload. Utilise this time to learn, make contacts and understand the industry you work for. Making the right impression can be a challenging experience, but the positive implications of this are manifold. To help you work successfully, here are few ways you can maximise your first month on the new job.

Be a Leader

A leader is someone who demonstrates what is possible. Take this opportunity of starting new and take initiative. If you are one amongst the group, your efforts will simply be overlooked. Instead, take initiatives and challenges upon you and make things happen. A leader is always a step ahead. This means you reach your work place before your boss and leave after him. This shows your dedication and punctuality which leaves a positive impact on everyone.

Ask Questions, Many Questions

During the first month, you can learn a lot about the company. You need to pay attention to the details like business objective, the organizational makeup of the company and its method to succession. Learning new things lead to queries. Keep asking questions if you have a doubt. With this, not only will your learning become quicker but you will have a better understanding of the functionality of your job. This way you will show your intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm. Managers appreciate and love to see these traits in everyone at a company, from entry-level employees to executives.

Don’t Let ‘Experienced’ People Hold You Back

Your workplace is your arena to excel. You face challenges and strive to resolve them for good. However, a workplace consists of competitors and /or people who might want to ‘show you how it’s done and how that their way is the only way’. These are possibly the ones who want to hold you back from growing. Do not get derailed!

Go Beyond the Deliverables

Your job requires you to accomplish and meet deliverables. The first month is always a crucial one as you are under scrutiny to see if you can keep up with the organisation. The first step is to avoid making mistakes. This draws unnecessary negative attention. You need to work persistently and meet the timely targets. But what makes you stand out from the rest of them? Meeting deliverables is need of the hour. You need to take a step ahead, contribute new ideas and be proactive about your onboarding. An ambitious employee is always an inspiration to everyone.

Seek Inspiration from Your Boss

A high potential employee is someone who delivers strong results, masters new types of expertise, contains a catalytic learning capability and is an enterprising spirit. What a high potential employee also does is seeks inspiration from her boss. According to a research, a boss adds about 1.75 times as much output as the average worker. The findings of the study are applicable to a growing swath of the economy. A high potential employee understands the importance of this growth. She derives the working demeanour of her boss to inculcate the positive habits for perpetual growth of the company. If you are a new employee seeking to be a high potential employee, converse with your boss at every opportunity to expand 360-degree knowledge about the company.

Seek Constant Feedback

As a new hire, you are oblivious to the historical context about why a policy or a process may not need fixing. Tread lightly and seek constant feedback. Set up meeting(s) with your managers to check in on how you’re progressing, the process to speed work, clarify expectations and how to manage them proactively- especially in a matrix organisation where you report to more than one person. Create a 90-day success and learning plan to come up to full productivity with a compatible speed and sense-check with your manager(s). Focus relentlessly on making progress on your objectives via these feedbacks.

Build Multi-Level Relations

Getting to know your colleagues inside and outside of your team is priceless. Lunch with employees from different departments, at different levels and learn their day-to-day role and what they like and dislike about the company. Probe for general advice to understand how things work in a firm and develop important relationships overall. Take time to get to know your boss. Find out what business matters worry her and seek ways to help her. Be willing to make suggestions and initiate discussions, but be careful not to come in guns blazing, as she has more experience with the company than you do.

Don’t Reject Company Culture

Get intimate with the company culture and establish yourself as a strong contributor. Understand the norms and cordially abide by the policies. Take notes on how different people at varied levels communicate with each other and what the topic of discussion is. Incorporate the company culture while you stay true to your values and principles. Being polite leaves a lasting impression too. Express gratitude when needed and establish an emotional connection with everyone. With this not only will everyone like you but you will be remembered for a long time.

Maybe all these will require extra time and efforts on your part but by asking the right questions, establishing the right relationships, constantly learning the ins and outs of the business and keeping a positive attitude will help you earn credibility and give you the opportunity to grow and add value to your organization faster.