Tips for Starting a New Job

Your first job out of college can feel overwhelming. I still remember joining IBM as a fresh grad, unsure of what to expect but eager to prove myself. While I had worked hard to earn that opportunity, I quickly realized that succeeding in your first job takes more than just technical skill. Here’s my biggest piece of advice to new grads stepping into their first role: 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼. Be proactive, not reactive. That one shift in mindset changes everything. Instead of just doing what was assigned to me, I started thinking about: → How can I make my manager's job easier? → What’s slowing the team down? → Is there a process that can be improved? → Can I learn from teams outside my own? 💡 I wasn’t confined by my job description- I explored! I reached out to people beyond my immediate team, set up 1:1s to learn what they were working on, and asked where I could contribute. That helped me meet incredible people like Armand Ruiz, Dr. Seth Dobrin, Priya Krishnan, Shadi Copty, and so many more! That habit of thinking beyond your role, and then sharing your thought process and actionable ideas, is what builds credibility early on. It also helps you get noticed. 🌱 Having a growth mindset was key. I didn’t wait for opportunities, I created them by showing initiative and being vocal about how I could help. 🤝 Networking inside your company is as important as networking outside. Many of the best career moves I’ve made happened because I nurtured relationships beyond my team. Don’t underestimate the power of a coffee chat with someone in a different org. If you’re just starting your career, remember: → Speak up even if you’re the most junior person in the room → Share ideas that benefit your broader org → Learn fast, ask smart questions, and stay curious → Build relationships early and intentionally → You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start showing up like someone who’s ready to grow. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝘁. 💼 #Classof2025

Early Lessons That Make a Difference Occasionally, I have the privilege of speaking with new graduates or employees who have just started their first job. The question they most often ask me is, "If you could go back and give your younger self advice, what would it be?" I never have enough time to answer this question fully, and I always leave thinking of things I forgot to mention. With that in mind, I wrote down a few pieces of advice that would have made a difference in my career. - Speak up! Don't let being new stop you. The fact that you are new gives you a unique and valuable perspective. Even if something seems obvious, don't hesitate to call it out and voice your opinion. Having a voice at work will strengthen your influence and get you noticed. - Don't prioritize work over your health. You might feel pressured to skip exercise and sleep to complete more work. This is a lousy tradeoff that will ultimately negatively impact your productivity, work quality, and well-being. Well-rested, healthy people perform better. - If you find yourself stuck, step away and return to it later. Taking a break can help refresh your perspective and give your brain a chance to work on the issue subconsciously. It may seem counterintuitive, but doing something else might be the quickest way to solve your problem. - Talk to everyone you can. Now is the time to invest in building your network. The people at the desks next to you are tomorrow's CEOs and industry leaders. It's easy to do. Most people like it when you are curious about their work and are more than happy to converse. - Your teammates are invaluable resources. Get to know the folks around you. Wisdom abounds, so learn from them. Understanding what has worked and not worked for others can be a big career shortcut. - Start making decisions, and try not to introduce new ones. Only ask if you know you have to. "Can I do x?" introduces a new decision, and you risk getting blocked. Instead, do it. Take ownership. It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission, but always weigh the risks. - The best way to learn (from someone) is to offer help. Find someone you want to learn from and be useful to them. People are more inclined to invest in you if you offer them something in return. - Talk to the executives. As a junior engineer, I felt nervous speaking to senior leaders. As a senior, I notice people are nervous to engage with me. Those who do stand out, and we often have the best conversations where we both learn new things. So, be bold and make high-level connections. - Set clear goals. Having a waypoint on which to focus your career will help clarify what you need to do. The more specific your goals are, the better your chances of achieving them. - Success is a team sport. It's hard to be successful without the support of others. That means it's essential for you to be a good teammate. Listen to what others say, try to make others successful, and most importantly–don't be a jerk.

I spent 2 years fixing a bad first impression. In my next job, I got it right. Here’s how you can too: Whether you like it or not, first impressions count. A University of Nebraska study found that employees who nailed their first impressions had significantly higher promotion and career success rates. That is the honest truth. Here are 10 things you can do to help you succeed at your new job: 1/ Be A Go Getter. ↳ Be known as the person who gets stuff done. ↳ Focus on finding creative ways to solve problems. 2/ Be A Knowledge Sponge. ↳ Don't be afraid to ask "dumb" questions. ↳ Getting clear is better than guessing wrong. 3/ Step Up For New Projects. ↳ Show you're ready by taking on new challenges. ↳ Volunteer for projects that push your skills. 4/ Lend A Helping Hand. ↳ If you see someone stuck, offer your help. ↳ Ask what you can do to ease their workload. 5/ Seek Feedback Proactively. ↳ The first few months are for learning—embrace it. ↳ Ask for feedback and use it to improve fast. 6/ Cultivate Connections. ↳ Networking is key—build your relationships early. ↳ Be genuinely curious about others to form strong ties. 7/ Own Your Mistakes. ↳ If you make a mistake, own it and learn from it. ↳ Trying to shift blame onto others makes you careless. 8/ Manage Your Time Well. ↳ Prioritize what’s important and avoid distractions. ↳ Finish the hardest tasks first. 9/ Learn The Culture. ↳ Observe how things are done and adapt. ↳ Don’t judge. Respect the way the team operates. 10/ Stay Positive. ↳ Focus on developing solutions—even in tough times. ↳ Bring energy and enthusiasm to your work. Remember: Hard work alone isn’t enough. Embrace these principles to jumpstart your success at your new job. P.S. What’s your top tip for new employees? – ♻️ Repost this to help your network succeed at their new jobs! 📌 Want more of this? 1. Follow me Will McTighe 2. Sign up for my newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gKzZUq-b

In my last two data jobs, I was promoted in less than 90 days. This is how I did it: Starting a new job can be stressful, and it often takes 90 days to get settled in. This is how I used the first 90 to my advantage as I got settled in Before You Start Your Next Position 1) Plan Your Goals - End date - if you are not progressing (ie 6 or 12 months) - Skills - what soft and hard skills are you aiming to improve - Exposure - (ie MLOps so you can progress in it) First Week: 1) Find out about 1:1s or ask about having them 2) Understand what 90-day success looks like - How measured - Feedback loops - How to get support - How to get tasks - Priority of tasks 3) Onboarding tasks & initial training 4) Build relationships with the immediate team - Take notes on what they do and their background - Attend team building events (go for lunch with them) - Virtual coffee chats The First Month: 1) Provide feedback from the onboarding process - saving the company time, money, etc 2) Get familiar with tools, systems and the job requirements 3) Network with others in the company - Add them on LinkedIn - Understand what they do, their background, and where they want to go - Take notes - keep these for when you need help with a task - Set up coffee chats - Endorse their skills on LinkedIn - Add value to their job or life The Second Month: 1) Understand where the company is going and the why of every task - Future projects - How the department/team/role impacts the business and how it makes money - Plan how your career goals can tie in with their vision 2) Put yourself out there - Take on more responsibility - Volunteer for additional projects - Work on your weakness even though you are scared (ie presenting) 3) Plan how to make your boss's and teammates' lives easier The Third Month: 1) Take on a leadership role in a project 2) Ask our manager how to progress in your career (be specific) - “I want to be a top performer, I am invested in this project and the future of this team, how can we build a path for a raise and become that top performer?” - You are not asking for a raise, you are asking for the path to a raise (much easier) - Do those steps and come back and show how you went above and beyond Let's get you promoted! ♻️ Repost if you found this helpful

New hire tip: when you take on a new role, it can be often unclear what your first "thing" you work on should be. Do this: write a memo analyzing a market/customer base/space. It could be as simple as interviewing a bunch of partner teams and writing up their observations/feedback. Immediately does a few things a) gives you a reason to meet several people and build relationships b) gives you an artifact that will get forwarded around and bring you credibility. I've seen many people do this well to get them off the ground in new roles.