My 5 Rules for New-Job Success

By Michael Masterson | Wed, Jul 29, 2009

Whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time or have years of experience, keep the following in mind when moving into any new position:

Spend the first several weeks taking everything in. Be eager and helpful, but don’t be too aggressive and don’t get into arguments or debates. Now is the time to learn everything you can about your new work environment. Much of what you need to learn will be hidden from you if you pose a threat.
Networking is extremely important to your career. But – for the reasons stated above – you don’t want to go after the powerful people in your company in a pushy way. In the beginning weeks, make a strong effort to make friends with everybody. Making enemies early on – even with seemingly unimportant people – can cause serious problems later.
Come in early and stay late. But not too early or too late. You want to establish a reputation as an enthusiastic employee and a hard worker, not a goody-two-shoes.
When you have firmly established good relationships with everyone you work with, gradually increase your efforts – coming in earlier, volunteering for jobs, taking on extra assignments, and setting up information interviews with the movers and shakers.
As your performance improves and you start accomplishing major goals for the company, stay humble with your fellow workers. But make sure your boss (and your boss’s boss) knows that you are a superstar in the making.

[Ed. Note: For more of Michael's advice on how to succeed in a new job, get a copy of his bestselling book Automatic Wealth for Grads... and Anyone Else Just Starting Out.]

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