You’ve accepted a new role at this fantastic company you can’t wait to start with. You’re eager to impress, and we guarantee that they’ll be eager to get you started.
However, you are also aware that you have a lot to learn about your new job.
Not just in the workload and training, but in building working relationships with your new colleagues and customers.
What start you have will certainly play a part in shaping your attitude towards your new job, and we know you’ll want to be a valued member of your company.
On the lead up to starting your new role, we’re sure our banking and financial recruitment company would be happy to help prepare you for your fresh start!
The first few weeks are critical as eight out of ten staff who leave their employer are new employees who feel they haven’t received sufficient training to effectively do their jobs.
This can often lead to them feeling out of place with their colleagues who may have been more adequately trained.
So without further ado, here are our top tips to help you integrate into your new team:
Get to know everyone
Seems pretty simple right?
By quickly working out which of your colleagues you will be working most closely with, you can start building strong relationships with those you work with.
You can also use this as an opportunity to find out how long everyone has been there for, the positions they’ve held, where they’ve worked in the past and, most importantly, what the hierarchy of your new workplace is.
When trying to find out any information about your work colleagues try and slip the questions you have into general conversation, rather than interrogating them on the spot.
People enjoy talking about themselves, so if you find that you have something in common with your colleagues, harder questions will be easier to work in.
We’d also recommend giving colleagues the chance to know you better by being clear about your own objectives, what you want to achieve in your career, or have already achieved, and of course, by greeting each person with a smile!
Find someone who knows their stuff
You’ve finished your training and basic introduction to your role…so what’s next?
It may be time to find someone who knows their stuff, or in other words, a mentor.
A mentor can not only help you settle into your role, but you can also make use of their knowledge.
They’ll be able to help you understand your new company’s culture and where you fit in with everyone else.
Involve yourself in activities
One of the big upsides of working in a team is the opportunity to socialise after the working hours.
Social events are a great way to show your colleagues that you’re a team player, plus they offer a great opportunity to meet everyone in an environment that’s away from the desk where they may be more relaxed.
However, make sure that you consider the ideal time to make an exit.
As social events go on, there is a greater chance for indiscretions, and the possibility for getting over familiar and saying something you’ll regret in the morning grows.
By socialising and being friendly, but leaving at the right time, it will help your reputation in the long run.
Know your limitations
It’s very easy to accidentally make your job harder by doing any of the following:
- Going in with too many expectations
Be realistic about what you can achieve.
By having too many expectations you can easily set yourself up for failure, and also give your boss an expectation for unrealistic results.
The same goes for your colleagues opinions, if they’re expecting unrealistic results from the very start, make sure to address the issue quickly to ensure the workload isn’t going to be a problem.
- Assuming you have all the answers
Make sure you take the time out to know the company well before assuming you have all the answers to a problem.
This also goes for any processes and tools the company you’re working with is using, before degrading any of these make sure you’re not accidentally talking badly of it to the person who designed it.
The last thing you want is to come across as arrogant and make a bad name for yourself.
- Overdoing it
We know how tempting it can be to volunteer for…well…everything!
Take on what you can do well, and be realistic.
Leave elbow room for any mistakes or in case that job takes longer than you initially thought, and whatever you do, make sure you do it well.
Your boss should hopefully notice the effort you’re putting in.
Our final notes?
By showing how you are adding value to your team, you will find integrating a lot easier, so make sure to take time out to find out what your colleagues are good at and where you could help out.
The easiest way to earn your colleagues respect is always to be good at your job.
We know how hard it can be to fit in when you join a new company, but as long as you embrace your company’s culture as soon as possible, and seize opportunities to grow the company alongside your own abilities, the transition should be relatively quick and painless.
If you’re still looking for a role, remember you can speak to our finance and banking recruitment team about what role you may be best suited to.
