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Starting a new job is always exciting, but it also comes with a desire to make a lasting impression early on. Over the years, I’ve developed a few go-to strategies that help me get up to speed quickly, build credibility, and deliver value from day one.
Here are 3 steps I take in a new role to make an immediate impact: 1. Master the culture and build key relationships fast Every workplace has a unique culture, and understanding it early has been essential to my success. On my first day, I make a point to:
Why it’s effective: By diving into the culture, I can tailor my approach to match what’s most effective in this environment. Remember: Before you can impact culture, you must fit in to the culture. Don't be the overly ecstatic newbie that thinks they're going to change the world. That doesn't sit well with tenured employees. Building relationships helps me gain insights quickly, feel connected, and often opens doors to collaboration I wouldn’t have otherwise known about. 2. Learn the “Pain Points” and aim for quick wins Once I understand the landscape, my focus shifts to identifying and addressing immediate challenges. I ask questions like:
Whether it’s creating a template that saves time or addressing a minor process improvement, tackling a small but impactful project can make a big difference. Example: Within the first 3 months or so of my current role, I revamped the onboarding process by getting rid of manual paperwork and digitizing the process. It saved everyone a lot of time and it was a better experience for new hires. Why it’s effective: This strategy shows that I’m proactive and willing to roll up my sleeves. It also establishes me as someone who cares about the team’s well-being and efficiency, helping me earn trust early on. 3. Set and share short-term goals with my manager After my first week or so, I schedule a quick sync with my manager to align on immediate priorities and confirm that I’m on the right path. I present a plan that includes:
Why it’s effective: By openly sharing my plan and seeking feedback, I demonstrate initiative and a willingness to adapt. Know this: Most managers will not know what you're working on, in detail. Market yourself and/or your department. Tell them what they need to know and keep them informed of your wins and areas you need help with. This approach helps me stay accountable while ensuring my manager knows I’m committed to bringing measurable value quickly. Success, Danny  Burnout is real.
I'm not an expert on the topic but I've experienced enough to know what to look for and how to avoid it. First off, it's important to make the difference between burnout, which typically happens when you're working too much, not getting good sleep, overly stressed, giving your all in too many areas at once, have lost sight of your overall purpose/motivation, etc., and boredom, which happens when you're not being challenged, have too much idle time, disengaged or uninterested, and so on. The problem is not always the problem. For example, instead of changing your job, which you think is stressful, you may just need to get disciplined with a sleep routine, so you can have more energy and focus. Or instead of eliminating a hobby altogether, you just need to keep it to once a week, so you have more face to face time with loved ones. Here are a few activities that have helped me stay balanced in my faith, family, and career (that might be helpful for you too)...  Interviewing and exploring new job opportunities is one of the best ways to increase your value in the market.
Let me explain. You don't know what you don't know. When you make time to explore new jobs and see what's available in your current industry, or new industries, you have a chance to sharpen your skills, update your personal brand, and uncover new career opportunities (even if you're not 'looking'). I've experienced this recently and learned some valuable lessons. Here's my short list of 3 things you should do after every interview: 1. Jot down what you learned As you were talking with the hiring manager(s) or company representative, what did you learn? Now that you had a chance to hear more about Company X, Y, or Z, and had a chance to ask questions, what have you found out about upcoming trends, industry updates, new technology, business methodologies, and so on? Make a note of these and go back to review them and learn more by doing some research (dig into the who, what, why, where, etc.). 2. Fill out the Job Opportunity Comparison Matrix With every job/career move, there are emotions involved. The Job Opportunity Comparison Matrix helps you take an objective and collected approach based on a total score from a pre-determined list of criteria such as location, pay, and so on. During my last job search, I came up with this simple Excel sheet, and it worked! What's neat is that the company that I was leaning towards ended up having the highest total score. This is a simple but effective tool to use when you have multiple opportunities and you're stuck on which to choose. 3. Adjust your resume Tweak your resume to include keywords, phrases, tasks, any missing experience that you remembered you have, and so on. You can even save multiple, industry-specific, or role-specific versions of your resume. The idea is to improve it using what you picked up from your last interview, so you can stand out for future opportunities. For example, in one of my interviews, the hiring manager kept bringing up 'cross-functional' work and how important it was in the particular role I was interviewing for. Well, after giving it some thought, I realized I had a lot of experience with cross-functional work, including on a global scale, but I just never identified it on my resume. This was a simple and beneficial addition. Danny |
ABOUTBiblical, on-the-go, tips for thriving at work. Written by Danny Kovacs, from first-hand wins & losses. This is the digital space where I share free resources and learning moments throughout the week/month. ARCHIVES
August 2024
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