How to Impress a New Boss New Job

Secure You New Job, Impress Your New Boss

Congratulations on your new job! Now it's time to make the right impression and secure your position. Here are the best ways to impress your new boss and make sure you only leave your new job for a better one!

Instructions

1. 10 MINUTES EARLY EVERY DAY

   You don't have to be late to make a bad first impression. Waiting for the last minute to arrive at work gives your new bosses plenty of time to question your reliability. Make a habit of showing up 10 minutes early every day you can to keep your employer from wondering if they've chosen a truly committed employee.

2. PACK A LUNCH!

   Bosses are less likely to give a promotion or increase pay when they think you'll squander their resources. Also, a packed lunch gives your employer the impression that you're practical and take steps to minimize waste. People who wait for lunchtime to order out demonstrate a lack of planning or, even worse, a party-minded approach to the work day.

3. BRING A NOTEBOOK EVERYDAY

   Notes are not only a great resource when you're struggling to recall the steps of a new process, but taking notes is an easy way to show that you're listening and understand the importance of what you're being told. Bring a notebook and plan to use it where and when your bosses can see.

4. DON'T MAKE PROMISES YOU CAN'T KEEP

   Never promise more than you can deliver. You may want to be everything your boss could ever dream of in an employee, but chances are you're not. Committing to deadlines and workloads you can't manage may win points when you're making promises, but can seriously damage your professional reputation when it comes time to deliver. Never commit unless you know you can follow through.

5. TRY HARD ALWAYS

   Always give your best effort. You don't have to be perfect, but you do need to show you're always trying to do better if you want to impress your employer. Devote your time, concentration and energy to improving your work performance and your practice will pay off. Bosses know this, which is why they put as much stock in attitude as they do in qualifications.

6. MISTAKES HAPPEN

   Don't worry about mistakes... they're going to happen. Accept that you, and everyone else, is imperfect. Understand that your imperfections are not a secret to others. Mistakes are part of almost every learning process, yet fear of making a mistake can keep us from reaching our potential. Free yourself from the paralysis of paranoia by assuming you'll make mistakes and accidents will happen. Showing your bosses how you handle a mistake and learn from it will give them a good idea of how well you'll handle additional responsibilities. Do your best, make mistakes, own up to them, fix them, learn, and move on.

7. DON'T COMPLAIN!

   As a new employee, you haven't yet earned the right to resent the conditions of the work place. Complaints are often tolerated, even considered when they come from long-time employees with workplace credibility in the bank. However, new employees, who have yet to prove their own value, should keep their negative remarks to themselves. Complaining too early in a new job won't win friends or solve problems, but it will give you a reputation as a complainer. Keep your dissatisfaction to yourself. Never share it with your supervisor or coworkers (who love to share the trash the new guy said).

8. OPINIONS TO YOURSELF

   Don't offer suggestions too early. You may have a lot of great suggestions about how your work place could be more productive, but sharing them too soon is a great way to win a nasty reputation. New employees often make the mistake of thinking recommendations for change are a good way to impress. To the contrary, offering suggestions for change before you have a firm understanding of your new job gives the impression that your mouth is bigger than your brain. As a new employee, you lack the insight and experience with your new place of employment to offer intelligent recommendations for serious changes. Making recommendations too early makes you look like an impulsive, egotistical windbag and forces your new employer to worry what you'll say when you're representing the company.

9. DON'T BE TOO FRIENDLY

   Keep fraternization to a minimum until your first review. You may love your new coworkers and your friendly new work environment, but no matter how enticing their invitations to join the party, refrain from participating in recreation that doesn't include everyone you work closely with, including the boss. As a new employee, you likely don't know the true nature of your coworkers. Some are wonderful people who will make great friends for life. Others may seem trustworthy, but make a habit of laying traps to sabotage your reputation. Until you know who is who, keep work work and fun fun. In addition to the risk of partying with the wrong peers, you also risk giving your bosses the impression that socializing is as important to you as work and family. A friendly work place is always desirable, but a boss wants to know that when he or she is not around, unsupervised employees aren't running amock.

10. FEEDBACK

    Ask for performance feedback. Don't wait until it's time for you review to know what your bosses think of your performance. Instead, make a weekly habit of asking for feedback and advice on how you can improve your performance. While you don't want to be a chronic pant-leg puller, you do want to communicate to your boss that you take your position and performance seriously and you are always looking for ways to improve your productivity. Also, if there is a problem with your performance, don't assume your boss will automatically bring it to your attention. You don't want to commit the same error for three months only to be surprised by criticism your busy boss has saved for a performance review.

11. ZERO DOWNTIME

    Make good use of down time. Once you've mastered your new responsibilities, you'll find completing your daily tasks takes less and less time. That's fantastic! Just make sure your new free time works for you and not against. Time to breathe is nice, but your new employer isn't paying you to breathe, or relax, or surf the internet, or use your cell phone, or gossip with coworkers. Instead, show your boss just how far you can stretch a labor dollar by learning new tasks and procedures to fill your free time. Acquiring a variety of skills will also make you a more valuable and versatile asset, giving you an advantage over those who are eager to sit and take a break.

Resources

• How to Know a Trouble Maker at Work
• How to Impress on a Job Interview
• About Kate Downs
• More Articles by Kate Downs