Find your dream job and keep it!
At Dovetail Recruitment, we pride ourselves on helping you find your dream job....we’re here to support you through not just your job search, but through your career.
So once you’ve got the dream job, how best to ensure you keep it!
Extreme circumstances they were, but I’m sure we can all take away something from Sam Allardyce’s fall from grace last week. 67 days after landing his dream job, he now faces the biggest penalties possible – a ban from the FA and potentially having to look for his next career move abroad. Not what he had imagined I’m sure.
Having spent his whole football career working towards his ultimate goal of becoming England manager, he threw it all away during a chat in the pub with some drinks and very foolish words!
We’ve all heard about someone that has behaved inappropriately at work, or at a ‘work do’ – So once you’ve found your dream job, here are a few guidelines on how to make sure you keep it and hopefully excel.
When you start a new job, impressing your boss and colleagues may be the last thing on your mind – really it should be one of the first things you think of.
Of course, when you start a new job, the most important thing on your mind is showing how capable and invaluable you are and that you’re definitely the right person for the role. Whilst you’re doing that there are so many new things to learn – new company policies, new working arrangements, how the printer works, and of course new coffee making facilities.
However, both bosses and colleagues are highly likely to remember your behaviour during the early days of your employment. Your first few weeks and months are a great opportunity to impress your boss with your great attitude and work ethic as well as trying to bond with fellow employees. If you don’t take advantage, you may never get another chance.
According to psychologists; colleagues and bosses are highly likely to remember your actions and behaviours when you first start working with them. This is something known in cognitive psychology as the primary/recency effect, which is the human ability to remember the first of something, and the last of something, but not so much about the middle.
So, how to make the right impact?
Remember to behave professionally both in and out of the office – on your way to work, don’t forget yourself at work dos, or the Christmas party – your boss is still your boss wherever you are. Common courtesy and decency go without saying throughout your working day – both in and out of the office.
Out of the office also now means the world of social media! Have you checked your privacy settings if you’re on Facebook or other social media sites – what do you want the world and potentially your colleagues, bosses or HR people to see? If you post your weekends activities – is this something you want everyone at work to potentially see too?
Here are some other pointers – which livecareer.com recommend, these are mostly common sense, but it’s always good to be reminded of how to conduct ourselves.
- Have a Positive Attitude
Nothing works better — in all situations — than having and expressing a positive attitude. - Dress Professionally / Blend in With Co-Workers
You should never underestimate the importance of dressing professionally in your new job. And in the beginning, even if your department has casual days, you should dress professionally because you never know when you’ll be called out to meet a top manager or key client. “Dress how you want people to perceive you because it plays a huge role in how you are initially treated,” advises Desiree Devaney, a financial analyst with GE Capital Credit. - Show Your Team Spirit
You are now part of a work team, and teams work together to solve problems and get the job done. Show loyalty to your co-workers and focus more — initially at least — on sharing any recognition you get with the team. Always give credit to the team. - Learn Co-Workers’ Names Quickly
No one expects you to have everyone’s name down pat by the end of the first day or week, but if you are bad with names, now is the time to research some of the neat memory-aid tricks you can try to use. - Ask Questions/Ask for Help
No one expects you to solve all the organization’s problems on your first days on the job — nor that you know everything — so, relax a bit, and always ask questions or ask for help when you need it. Remember that it’s better to ask before you’ve completed the task the wrong way and wasted all that time. - Take Notes
Unless you have a photographic memory — and few of us do — consider taking notes on all the various systems and rules of the organization. - Be a Self-Starter; Take Initiative
In most situations, in your first days on the job, you will be given small doses of work — to let you get your feet wet. As you finish assignments and are ready to handle a bigger workload, take the initiative and ask for more assignments. Whatever you do, don’t just sit there waiting for your next project. Agrees Ali von Staudach, senior account executive for CNET Networks, “Be proactive. Don’t wait for an assignment. Stick up your hand and ask for something to do,” advises von Staudach, a communication studies grad. - Discover Everything About Your New Employer
In theory, you should have already done your homework during the interviewing process, but there is always more to learn now that you are on the inside. “Get an employee handbook” exhorts a MBA grad with an information-technology concentration. “Don’t act or think you know more about everything than your peers.” In addition, gather all those reports and company literature and read up and become an expert on your organization. - Work Full Days
“Be on time, come in early, stay a little later,” suggests von Staudach. “Even though I have a 9 to 5 job, it has been expressed to my co-workers and me that our director expects us to be in at 8:30 and stay past 5 p.m. because it looks like we are go-getters and into our jobs.” There’s nothing that can affect your reputation faster than routinely coming into work late or leaving work early. - Establish a Good Attendance Record
- Avoid Office Politics and Gossip
- Keep Personal Business on Company Time to a Minimum
- Take Advantage of After-Hours Activities
- Listen More than Talk
“Listen, Listen, Listen … don’t act like a know-it-all right off the bat,” cautions one entry-level worker. “The idea is to communicate that you have some very marketable skills and you are here to learn and apply your skills to help the organization achieve success.” - Track Accomplishments
It’s up to you to track your accomplishments; no one else will do it for you. Tracking your accomplishments is great for any number of reasons — for your personal satisfaction, for raise and promotion meetings, and for future job-hunting. - Show Appreciation
Nothing works like kindness and genuine appreciation. So, show your appreciation to everyone who helps you learn the ropes during your first days on the job — from your co-workers to receptionists to the human resources folks. - Find a Mentor
You don’t need to jump on this task your first day, but as you get introduced to senior staff, begin thinking about developing a mentoring relationship with a member of management above you — and outside your department — in the organization. Mentoring has numerous benefits, from a simple sounding board to someone who helps direct and advance your career within the organization. - Get and Stay Organized/Set Goals
If you’re one of those super-organized people, this tip will be easy for you.
The rest of us, however, need to develop a system for keeping track of meetings, appointments, assignments, and projects. Get an organizer or planner and keep on top of all your work. You certainly don’t want to miss an early key deadline or meeting. And as you look ahead, set goals for yourself — and then strive to achieve them. - Keep Your Boss Informed — of Everything
Your boss is not a mind-reader, so keep him/her informed of how you are doing. Especially in those early days, meet with your boss to further establish a rapport and relationship. “Request meetings with your boss on a consistent basis to review performance. Express interest in moving ahead and ask what else you can be doing to get to that next step,” advises von Staudach. - Meet and Network with Key People in Organization & Profession
“Join an organization outside of work. Take additional classes to stay ahead in your field. Take advantage of every opportunity to network with key people in your organization and profession — attend staff meetings, professional organization conferences, trade shows — every opportunity to meet colleagues in your field. Just because you have a new job does not mean you suspend your network; constantly manage and grow your network of contacts because you never know when a problem or opportunity will arise. And networking with key people can also help you in finding one or more mentors.
Similarly, a psychology grad cautions against getting too comfortable: “Keep setting goals, networking, and keeping your ears open. Most college grads will switch positions or companies many times before the age of 30.”
References:
In writing this article, details have been referenced from the sites below.
http://www.jobsite.co.uk/cgi-bin/bulletin_search.cgi?act=da&aid=2371
https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/first-days-working
