An organisation wants reassurance that they hired the best person for the job. As a new recruit you need time to absorb and settle in (‘consuming value’) but by planning how you’ll approach your first 90 days gives you the best chance of quickly contributing to the success of the organisation (‘creating value’).

Before you start

Communicate

Be proactive in letting recruiters know that you’ve accepted a new role – try to maintain your strongest relationships.

Update your network

If there are people who have particularly helped you, try to thank them in person.

Read up on the sector

Meet with your boss and new colleagues to clarify expectations and enable you to hit the ground running.

30 days into your new role

The first month in a new role is all about absorbing information. Be sure to ask lots of questions and clarify expectations. Start to build strong relationships, grow your network, understand your boss’ priorities and those of your colleagues. Identify a potential mentor.

Understand the scope of your role and any areas of overlap. Seek clarification as to what they are. What are the organisational politics that you’ll need to manage?

Who is best placed to help you to get up to speed?

30-60 days into the new role

Begin to create value by focusing on solutions to problems or issues. Manage your personal brand, nurture your network and build your relationship with your mentor.

Choose your ‘quick wins’ with care. Focus on what you were tasked with achieving and prioritise this.

Identify ways that you can expand your internal network. Attend relevant meetings and introduce yourself, volunteer for cross-team or function projects. Join specific internal networking groups and find ways to support them. Be generous in sharing expertise with your team – you’ll soon become known as the ‘go to’ person for your particular subject. Ask you manager and peers whom you should meet and how best to meet them.

Think about how to best manage your reputation and personal brand. Your reputation is made up of the different stories that people tell about you when you are not there to listen and they are linked to both behaviour and performance.

You may have already experienced the benefits of having a mentor; someone who will listen, act as a sounding board, offer ideas or possible solutions and provide honest feedback and challenge. Starting in a new organisation, a mentor can be invaluable in helping with your transition and integration. Some organisations provide mentoring schemes. However you may need to proactively request and seek out a suitable person.

60-90 days into the new role

Initiate a review and feedback session with your line manager on progress and integrate it your on-boarding with the personal development process. Areas may want to focus on could include:

• developing some particular new skills and competencies
• successfully managing your personal resources to look after your well being
• broadening your network and benchmarking your role against external organisations.

Other strategies for success

Be proactive

Don’t wait to be offered career development opportunities. Take ownership and drive your career yourself.

Know what you offer and want

Reflect on what you want from your career now and in the future. Understand your strengths and the value they bring to your role. Focus on doing what you’re best at – building a career based on your strengths is likely to bring you the greatest satisfaction.

Make a SMART plan

This should detail short and longer term goals and review it regularly.

Be a high performer

Assume personal responsibility for the success of your organisation rather than focusing on the narrow confines of your job description, ensure your output is consistently of the highest quality and deliver what you say you will.

Make yourself visible

Raise your profile internally and externally. Volunteer for cross-team projects, identify what value you can add to other parts of the organisation – and go and do it. Focus on solutions, use positive language and don’t engage in gossip. Find ways to develop your network externally and be proactive in managing it.

Future-proof your skills

Understand what expertise will be needed down the line and make sure you’re able to deliver. Identify training and development opportunities, keep yourself up to date with industry trends, consider secondments, work shadowing and volunteering for short term projects. Reflect on your experiences, ask for feedback and learn from every opportunity.

Good luck!