Making a good first impression with your new employer is important. It can be the difference between being successful and losing your job.
You’ve landed a job – it may be your first job or it may be a new one. Either way, how you come into an organization and your first impression may signal the start of a great career or one where you meet some bumps along the road.
Let me ask you – what do you think you need to do to make a good first impression? Is it important to knock your goals out of the park? Do you let your self-confidence speak for itself? Are you vocal about what you like or don’t like? How much time do you spend getting to know your co-workers?
While many of these attributes are important to creating a good first impression, there is one that will help you carry out all of them with more finesse and acceptance: establishing positive work relationships.
Think about this –
- If you deliver exceptional results in the first couple of months – is it at the tradeoff of forming good relationships? In your quest to deliver quick results, do you trample over others to make the goal?
- Employers want confident people. However, have an overpowering air of self-confidence in a new situation may be misread as – being cocky or over-confident. Sometimes it sets up a competitive situation. How does that help you with forming new relationships? Will co-workers willingly help you?
- When you come into a new organization, there are going to be things that you like and dislike. Consider if airing your opinions early on will be beneficial. Will others use information to help you or lay the groundwork for labeling you as a complainer?
- Take time to get to know your co-workers and boss – there are many benefits. It is the first step to building trust and respect. Doors will open. There is little down side to relationship building unless taken to an extreme where you are seen as a gossiper or a slacker.
Remember, how you present yourself is a choice that you make when coming into a new situation. If you feel uncomfortable or unsure of how to introduce yourself to a new organization, I have written an eBook about it: The Secrets to Successful Job On-Boarding. It will help you set up a good first impression.
What do you put if the application asks/requires “if yes, why?” on an online application? And how bad is it to put “No” when the application asks if they may contact that employer?
There are many situations where prospective employees do not want to potential employers to contact someone so saying no is Ok. Just be prepared to answer why if they ask.