Starting a new job or having a new boss is never easy.
If you are too relaxed, they may not see you as valuable. But if you try too hard, they may see you as a suck-up.
LinkedIn career expert Charlotte Davies has shared her advice on how to deal with your new boss.
She told MailOnline: ‘Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking and it’s only natural that you want to make a positive impact from day one.
‘If you make a good impression from the start, it will determine how you are perceived by your manager and your colleagues.
Starting a new job – or having a new boss – is never easy. If you’re too laid back, they might not appreciate you, but if you try too hard, they might think you’re a suck-up (Stock image)
LinkedIn career expert Charlotte Davies (pictured) has revealed her advice on how to deal with your new boss
‘Come prepared and ready to ask informed and intelligent questions. Demonstrate your willingness to listen, observe and learn, while also demonstrating your enthusiasm to delve deeper. It won’t go unnoticed.
‘No one expects you to know everything in the first few weeks of a new job, so embrace the challenges and take lots of notes.’
Here are her top tips for making a great first impression in a new role, and one pitfall to avoid…
Take initiative
This is essential to make a good impression. It shows your team that you are someone with a proactive and enthusiastic attitude and it shows that you are committed to making a positive contribution in your new role.
Get to know your team by introducing them to each other and asking if they need any support.
For example, see how you can independently get informed about an ongoing project or how you can delve into an important customer so that you are well informed when it comes to onboarding.
This shows your manager that you don’t have to wait for instructions before taking action.
Network
Take every opportunity to network with key people by attending and participating in meetings and company events.
It may be easier to build contacts and support networks in a smaller company, but don’t be afraid to make yourself more visible in a larger organization by sending follow-up messages to people you meet to keep you in their sights.
LinkedIn career expert Charlotte Davies said people should take every opportunity to network with key people by attending and being involved in meetings and company gatherings (Stock Photo)
While it can be difficult to initially reach out to new connections, LinkedIn Premium features like InMail messaging let you send a message to someone outside your network, helping you build lasting relationships.
Set your manager’s expectations
To make a good impression, it’s important to get in early and know what your manager expects from you in your new role. Waiting too late can lead to a lack of connection when your probationary period is over.
Be sure to schedule a one-on-one meeting to discuss your responsibilities, short-term and long-term goals, and how your success will be measured.
Determining what your top priorities should be for the next three months will help you set realistic and achievable goals.
Having clear goals and focus will help you achieve results faster, which your new manager will definitely notice.
To help professionals best meet their managers’ expectations in a new role, LinkedIn Premium offers unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning courses, such as “How to Set Goals When Everything Feels Like a Priority.”
Ask for feedback
It is essential to ask for feedback regularly in the first few months of your new role to show that you are eager to learn.
Don’t be afraid to ask your manager for regular check-ins to discuss progress and determine what actions can be taken to improve performance.
It is important to come to these sessions prepared and to ask questions. You should also be open-minded so that you are ready to receive and act on constructive criticism.
Listen and learn
Spend the first few weeks in your new role getting to know the company culture and showing that you are eager to learn from your new colleagues.
While it’s great to share your ideas and be visible, actively listening and learning during your first few days on the job can help you make a lasting positive impression.
The quickest way to learn about your new workplace is to ask questions. This lets your colleagues know that you are interested in learning from them and that you value their insights.
One thing to avoid…
While it’s natural to want to be excited and jump right into a new role, taking on too much work from the start before you’re fully settled in can do more harm than good.
If a colleague asks you for help, you should say yes, as long as you have the time to help him or her and can finish your own work.
The risk of becoming overwhelmed means that you will cut down on the workload you have built up. This can affect the quality of the work and how your new colleagues judge your competence, reliability and credibility.