I Got a New Job, Now What?!

Congratulations on finding a job in this rough economy...

But now its time to keep this job and build your network.

I from experience have found myself working so hard to get a job and once I've got it, didn't make the right moves to either move up or better my standing with management.

So now that you got the job....

Now What?

Dress to Impress
aka Dress for the job you want, not the job you have (learned this in college)

This is very subtle approach, but many opinions are formed by how you carry yourself and how you look.

I realize most of us do not have the budget to get a top of the line wardrobe.  Not to worry...

Ross, TJ Maxx, Burlington Coat Factory will be your new best friends. They have affordable professional clothing. Now go shop til you drop.

Learn the business/Customer Base
This is 75% of the battle.

You can absolutely love what you do, but if you don't learn the business and/or the customer base, it will be extremely tough to advance.

Chances are you will stay at your current position or your value to the company will fade over time.

Take the time to talk to the CEO or Vice President and learn what their target market is and how it has evolved or time and where you could possibly help them grow. (Example of how you can demonstrate your value)

Go over and above
Going over and above can be a dangerous task. (Take it from someone who has tried this on several occasions and seen it blow up in his face).

You must first learn the Corporate atmosphere. (I discuss this below)

Then you must learn what your management would approve and appreciate. (the key to moving up as well)

Many times you can go out of your way to make an impression and all management will notice is what you did  WRONG. (Sad but true... not trying to paint a negative picture, but its reality)

Learn the Corporate Atmosphere
As I mentioned early, to really find your place in a company you must Learn the office politics.

Many of us enter a job and act/talk to our co-workers as we have known them since we were 5, but realistically these folks are making judgements about how you will fit in the company.

Many of your co-workers will form opinions early on. (I think we naturally all do this) But the key is to give yourself the best chance to move up and make more money(lets face it, we all want this).

Continue to build your network
As I have said in some of my previous posts, this probably will not be your last job, therefore, continue to build your network while at your job.

To Learn more about networking, take a glance at a previous post: CLICK HERE

Many times your next job will be from the relationships you build at your current job.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this. Let me know if you would like to add more to the post or disagree.