You must now make sure that you keep your job. This not only requires hard work, but also the right attitude and approach to your new opportunity. Up to this point, you have prepared for the unknown. It would be nice to think that a degree of certainty about the challenges you will be facing would now be evident. In reality, you are not at this point yet, but you are much closer now than when you first decided to pursue a career in IT.
For many people, starting a new job is a stressful endeavor. Realistically, there is no need for this to be the case. Your employer liked you enough during the interview process to offer you a job based on your skills, training, and personality. Now the company is simply looking for you to bring those same qualities into the workplace.
Even so, the first weeks in a new job can be a testing time. It is a period when you finally find out whether or not you have what it takes to be successful in your chosen area of IT.
Prework Preparation
After the interview and subsequent offer, there is often a gap between completion of formalities and your actual start date. This gap may be as short as a few days, but rarely exceeds a month. Although it may be tempting to relax during this period and take it easy, there are a number of details you can take care of to make sure your transition to your new job goes smoothly.
The following list contains some suggestions to make the best use of this time:
Leaving a former job-Once a new job is secured, it can be extremely difficult to maintain the energy and commitment to your current job. When moving to a new job, whether within IT or from another profession altogether, do not let your work performance and attitude in the office slip. Keep in mind that your job does not end when you have given your notice, rather it ends when you finish your last day of work. Continuing to work hard until your last day demonstrates respect for your employer and coworkers as well as yourself.
Prepare yourself technically-Through the interview process, you will almost certainly have learned information about the technologies that your new company uses as well as what some of its working practices are. In the days or weeks before you start work, you have a valuable opportunity to find out even more about your new job. Do a little research of your own to give yourself a head start.
Increase your awareness-Make an extra effort to keep up-to-date with the goings on of the IT industry, especially with those events that may affect you in your new role. Your new colleagues will almost certainly be aware of factors that affect their working environment, and they will expect you to understand them too. For example, if a software update is due to be released in the near future, make yourself aware of when the release will be and what issues it will address. Prepare yourself for this constant need of awareness.
Don't neglect yourself--The days or weeks between your job offer and your start date is a good time to take care of personal needs, such as routine visits to the doctor, dentist, and/or financial planner. It is also an ideal time to attend to any special family matters as well as any particular household projects or automotive maintenance-concerns that you don't want to worry about once you start your new job.
Learn more about the company-Obtaining a detailed knowledge of the structure and culture of your new employer can be a great asset during the initial employment period.This gives you a head start on your new job and can make the transition to the new position easier. Therefore, if you have the time, you might want to explore your company's Web site as well as any additional literature that you may have received during your interview process. In addition, learning more about the industry in which your new company operates can serve to add context to your new role. If your employer is a company outside of the IT industry, you could also direct some effort toward learning more about its industry as well. Again, the Internet can assist you with your research efforts.You might want to look up similar or competitive companies to see how they compare to yours.
Take a holiday-At this point, you have almost certainly earned some time off. It's a great feeling to sit on the beach secure in the knowledge that you have a job and a new career awaiting you. However, if you decide to take a short holiday, make your new employer aware of this fact and, if possible, leave details of how you can be contacted should any of your start date plans change.
The time period between securing a job and starting that new job is an exciting one. Using this period productively can help you prepare for the new job.
Respect your coworkers' space and get to know them-Work performance aside, as a new employee, you will have to get along and be able to work well with the existing team. It is likely that part of your evaluation during the probation period will come from the people with whom you work directly Your employer will most certainly discuss your performance with your coworkers. A recommendation and positive words from coworkers can carry a lot of weight in your current job as well as in future job references.
Evaluate and familiarize yourself with the technologies being used-In the first week, it is likely that you will be introduced to the major technologies you will be using in the new job. If you have the time, explore this technology and become as familiar with it as you can. It can serve to boost your confidence on the job.
Observe and learn-IT professionals have a secondary motive while working on the job, which is gaining experience. If you are working with other professionals, watch and learn from them. The more you learn, the more valuable you are both in and out of the company. A little humility and willingness to learn from others can help you become successful.
