THE GOLDEN RULES TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS AT WORK

90 first days and 9 rules





HERE ARE THE GOLDEN RULES TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FIRST 90 DAYS AT WORK 

 

College or campus life for everybody has a uniqueness about it. It varies for individuals, based on their personalities, traits, talent and other attributes that lead to all sorts of experiences and learning. Till the interview process, life pretty much remains the same ­ unique and uncomplicated. But, the first step into the first corporate office and the biggest noticeable difference is that everybody is the same with the same environment and behavioural experiences.Suddenly , pressures seem to get heavy , deadlines mount and making friends is not that easy anymore. While there are no exams as such, everyday and every moment is a test of skills and personality on the whole. This transition can be very difficult to adapt to.However, planning in advance for the transition by taking into account one's personal goals and ambitions can help to make the process smooth and cope with the stress. While this might sound very difficult, it boils down to good planning and certain simple rules that are applicable for each and everybody .

Interestingly , the first 90 days of any transition in the corporate world are the most crucial for a professional. It is the make or break phase. As a fresher, it is important to be careful about basic etiquette such as punctuality , listening and observing capabilities, following professional ethics, sticking to deadlines and readiness to learn. Professional ethics entails simple aspects of the corporate culture; for instance, do not barge into the employer's room as you would do with a friend or even a teacher.Also, avoid office gossip or politics at all costs. And if you do happen to be present in a gossip conversation, better listen than offer a point of view.

Here, a few strategic rules that can help you not only adapt to the job but also stand out as a suitable and well-groomed professional:

1. Develop the right attitude: The right attitude for a young professional is to be optimistic at all times. This motivates you to face the demanding environment and career challenges.Impervious to the surrounding pressures, your attitude should be to keep moving forward and tackle any obstacles en route;

2. Limit expectations: Negativity or disappointment sets in when we over-expect. Do not over-expect from the job profile, remuneration or other responsibilities. This is the difference between success and setbacks;

3. Make a good first impression: Unlike in college, first impressions matter a lot in an organisation. It determines how your future work relationship with the concerned individual would be and in an organisation, you don't get enough time to set things right later. Traits of dedica tion and accountability in the course of work would help in achieving this;

4. Build cordial relationships: Ultimately , it is about people you deal with in the corporate world who have also been or are in the same shoes as you. Therefore, it is necessary to build empa thetic and intuitive relationships with superiors, peers and other employees;

5. Be a good follower: As a fresher, one needs to be a good team player, adhere to the rules and regulations and learn fast;

6. Explore the culture: Work cultures differ with organisations. Utilising the first few days to understand the culture, the people, the scope of the organisation and how the business works will help you become a knowledgeable and mature professional in the future;

7. Develop work expertise: An absolute necessity is to master the skills and knowledge on what you have been hired for as ultimately it allboils down to work;

8. Build up organisational understanding: Developing a better know-how of the organisation helps in getting more connected and becoming an important part of the team. It helps in having meaningful conversations in the office that portray your personality;

9. Be professional: A professional is not only determined by technical skills or knowledge base, but also the ability to stay focused and emotionally stable at all times. The stress or complexity of the situation should have no bearing on the behaviour of the per son. Fresher employees displaying such profes sionalism are sure to score an ace among peers and superiors.

Being a newcomer, one's career begins with learning new things and plugging the gap between tech nical skills and soft skills. Making this transition successful is a very exciting and landmark step in life that warrants ut most care. The author is senior VP, talent management, ITC Infotech