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Starting your new job successfully

If you are starting a new job because you lost your old one, in the relief and euphoria that you experience to be back on the payroll again, you may not be prepared for the shock of entering a new organisation.

Even if you are moving of your own accord, if you don’t have much experience of changing jobs through promotion or moving from organisation to organisation, don't underestimate the shock to your system. You will be going through the same process mentioned in the coping with redundancy section. It’s normal but you do need to manage the change constructively.

• First impressions count - be as prepared as possible to start with and remember how much first impressions count.
• Be nice to everyone you meet because you will have no idea how pleasant or unpleasant they could make your life – especially porters, security guards, secretaries, canteen staff, the person who orders office supplies etc.
• Don’t just make a bee line for the great and the powerful and get a reputation as an untrustworthy creep from the start.
• Companies are like playgrounds. Watch out for the bullies, try not to get involved in gangs and don’t let anyone steal your lunch money!
• Get stuck in - be and look busy. Be prepared to put in a few extra hours to get used to things at first, take papers home to read or on your daily commute if you have one.
• Learn as much about the culture as possible and behave appropriately.
• Be flexible - unless there are fundamental, show stopping gaps (like being paid half what they offered you) between what they told you at your interview and the reality of your job, it’s best to just plough through it.
• Rose tinting - at interviews there can often be a slight amount of 'rose tinting' that goes on. However, many people owe their best opportunities to discovering work that was never part of their 'official' job or discussed at an interview.
• Most people have also had their fair share of ‘corporate manure’ to shovel as well. In real life we have to find our own silver linings!
  
  
  Good luck!
  

Happiness at Work Index Excellent and recent report on the factors that affect employee happiness at work by Chiumento. Easy to read and insightful - employers take note!