Leading
on from the past couple of career guides, you wrote a resume you interviewed
well and you got the job, so now what; get started!
Shining in the early days of a new
job are pretty easy but true success in this field I believe is a game
of patience, timing and the appearance of respect for your new home.
Most people dislike the first few days of a new
job, so it is of paramount importance that you set yourself up for success
and look smart on those first few uncomfortable days.
The first rule is start with a note-book. Take notes,
this means you won't have to go back and ask the same questions over and
over. As a plus if you start this from your first day you will build your
repertoire of recipes from the beginning.
Make sure your knives are sharp and shoes are clean.
You don't want to look like a slob.
Think about the questions you ask. I am great at
asking dumb questions when I meet new people (I now follow a code of silence).
Do ask questions though. The more you learn in the first few days the
quicker you will become independent.
Do not let the person showing you the ropes think
that you are a 'know all'. Listen to what they have to say and follow
what they show you, even if they do kind of suck. You will have plenty
of time to shine in the forth coming months.
Pace the way you show off your skills, it is never good to show all your
cards in the first few weeks, 'play them one at a time'.
Hold off on your opinions; learn the way of the
operation and make notes of what you think could be better. Reveal these
ideas gradually in later weeks once you have gained peoples trust by respecting
what they do.
Lastly work hard, that is what really counts…