How to “Role” into a New Company
It can be difficult to get started in any new place, especially when that new place is a brand new company, where you’ve just started an entirely new role. There is always a rush of emotions when it comes to starting a new job - you’re happy to be done with your search, excited at the prospect of a new job and new company, nervous to meet all of your colleagues and scared at the prospect of doing something different. But sit back and take a breath, some of our Gray Scalable team members are sharing their tips, tricks and experiences for starting a new job and fitting in at a brand new organization.
Don’t be afraid to try new things
“Starting at a new company is always an exciting mix of emotions - you’re eager to learn and meet new people, but you’re a little anxious to fit in justttt the right way. One of the biggest tips I’ve found is to sit in on any meeting you can, no matter which department. It’s a great way to see how everyone operates, meet everyone in the company and hey, you never know where you’ll end up in a few years.
For a more ~general~ rule, don’t be afraid to try new things. See how your new company does things, whether that’s in or out of the office, and get excited to try something uncomfortable. If it makes you feel a bit out of your comfort zone, you’re probably doing it right.”
- Lauren Kane, Technical Recruiting Coordinator
New coworkers are great resources
“Get to know your coworkers and leverage them as your resources! I can't stress that enough. It's a great way to knowledge share with one another and collaborate on creative solutions when you're feeling stuck.
I wasn't completely new to the tech industry [when I joined Gray Scalable], but I was starting a role that was new to me. There was definitely somewhat of a learning curve in terms of familiarizing myself with best practices, trends of the industry and creative strategies. It really helped me to sit down with a couple members of our team who have worked through different situations and learned from their past experiences. From the most practical advice to some really unique and unconventional approaches, it was a great opportunity to put it in practice and stretch new ideas from conversations and actual working sessions with one another.”
- Nadine Kim, Associate Technical Recruiter
Don’t rush through the first few weeks
“One of the hardest parts of starting a new job for me is being ok with ramp up time. Although you may be an expert in your field, every company is different, so it’s ok to take things slow and learn your new company’s ‘best practices’ and ‘rules of the road.’ Don’t worry if it seems like you aren’t making an impact right away, it takes time to digest all of the processes in your new role.
I started at Gray Scalable right before the holidays. It was a great time to start at a new company because as things were slowing down toward the end of the year, it gave me an opportunity to do a lot of self-study work, and spend quality time with my teammates. It was the perfect way to set up for success to hit the ground running in Q1. That being said, it was hard to hold off until the new year to really feel like I was making an impact on the team, but once we were in the full swing of things, I was thankful for the preparation time I put in throughout December. ”
- Sydney Gitelson, Recruiting Consultant
Once you’ve settled in at your new company, don’t forget to update your LinkedIn profile, send a thank you to those who helped you along the way and enjoy yourself. Congratulations on the new job!