“I recently started a new job, I was interviewed several times, I was told I ticked all the boxes and was offered the job. I accepted as it was a good company, on the move, there was a good salary and package, so I was happy. Now after a month, things are not working out! I don’t feel I fit in, I’m uncomfortable at every level and I can’t understand why?”
Not an uncommon statement and I encounter this or something similar quite frequently.
First and foremost, you must stop and understand that whoever hired you clearly thought that you were the ideal fit for the job on offer and maybe you are. However because that person or persons selected you, it does not mean that everyone else in the organisation is going to love you from day one.
Remember the good sales person sells themselves first, then the product. Likewise you must avoid falling into the trap of trying to impress your new colleagues too much or too quickly. To try and assert yourself too early in new employment is a sure way to annoy and irritate colleagues.
A few thoughts that are important to bear in mind:
1. Presumably you have been hired because you have experience and will have something to offer your new employer. Don’t rush it, take your time and get to know their systems. As a newcomer, you may well see flaws or things that need improving. The existing staff has been operating in this fashion your years and won’t take too kindly to someone trying to “rock the boat“ too soon. You won’t be heard until you are recognised as being competent. That takes time and work on your part. So make no early changes yet. Earn the respect of others first and be seen to be competent before making any suggestions for change.
2. Get to know your colleagues. Not as a friend but in a business sense. Identify key characteristics in those you work with especially your boss. Some people like their information short and snappy, some like it longer and with great detail, some like round table meetings and others prefer to send memos, etc. Note their preferences and give them what they want, the way they want it and they will relate to you more easily.
3. Never criticise an individual to another work colleague. You do not know their relationship to others. Do not criticise operational procedures until you fully understand by whom and why they have been put in place. You could just find out you have belittled the M.D.’s pet project to the Chairman’s Daughter-in-law. I jest, but then again, maybe not?
4. After a little while when you become more confident and see you are making progress in the ‘selling yourself’ and earning the respect of others, you can then and only then start making suggestions or recommendations. If your boss is a particularly difficult person and the time is right for some changes, rather than drive ahead yourself, suggest to them that it might be a good idea if they changed AB&C, it would result in a great improvement in XY&Z. Let them get the kudos for the good idea. Your good suggestions will never be lost on him/her. They will confide when they need you so just be patient and wait.
5. If your boss is applying lots of pressure you can rest assured that he too is under pressure from above and so on and so on, right up the line. Their abruptness may not be personal but more because of being swamped. If you suspect this to be the case, ask if you can be of help with any tasks needing to be done. But caution here; don’t butt in, don’t assume they will like the idea and do not suggest such a thing until you are sure they are confident in your ability to do it right.
6. Last but not least, give consideration to your own personality type and how it may or may not relate to the job your doing. If for example you are an extravert, an outgoing person who likes communicating, mixing and meeting others enjoy interacting with others, whether selling, explaining, demonstrating etc, but you find yourself in a solitary role, maybe in front of a P.C. all day or doing repetitive work, then you will very quickly come to tire, then dislike, then hate the position you have. As a rule, if you intensely dislike something there is a good chance you will not do it too well. This being the case, you can’t beat your personality traits.
You cannot make yourself to be a something that you are inherently not. If your work requires meticulous detail your not an exacting or detailed person by nature, it may work for a while but you will soon grow to dislike the work. You can train yourself, but will surely slip back into old habits given time.
You can make yourself conform to certain requirements, but again if it’s just not part of your make-up to be so, then it just will not work for you. So recognise these warning signs as they become apparent, re-examine your responsibilities vis-a-vie your own work style or you you may find yourself a very square peg in a round hole.
This being the case after a respectable time laps suggest a transfer to another department or start a new job search.
Colm Cavey has over 24 years’ experience in helping people change careers and find the kind of job they want. Colm can review your CV, help you organise your job hunt and provide one to one interview and presentation coaching or all of those elements together in a full Career Change programme. To find out more about Colm you can contact him directly on 086-3017207 or via his company Professional Career Consulting