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So when I start at a new company I do a few things for the first two years to kind of get me off on the right foot and make a good impression. Examples: Show up 5-10 mins early. Shave every day. Make sure my shirts arent wrinkled. Make efforts to smile a bit more (dont like it and have been told all my life that I need to smile more; am probably on the spectrum). Stay late roughly 30mins or so every day even if my work is done. Absolutely do not complain about anything or anyone.
After that: I'm still on time 99% of the time but I don't stress about it so if it happens it happens. I may go all week without shaving and I don't wax the back of my neck as often (I get wolf man growth down the back of my neck if I don't wax once month). I may wear the same polo and jeans several times in the same week if it's not hot out. I stay as late as I need to stay in order to get things done which may be a several hours (you gotta do what you gotta do) but if it's Friday and the boss and supervisor have left hours early (which happened often at my last firm) then I'm out the door 30mins after they are. I still dont bad mouth anyone unless a new employee asks me why so and so is such an A-hole (last supervisor was a first class prick and a drug addict causing high turnover for the people directly under him; I stuck it out for a year at which point they started giving me my own projects so I no longer had to deal with him) then I will concur.
My profession is fairly lax in general. Jeans and polo or even a T shirt are the common dress, though I keep dress clothes in my office in case I need to meet with a city or county official. Schedules are flexible so if you need to leave early to go to a parent/teacher conference or whatever then no big deal etc. But I still feel the need to do those little things I listed until I feel the new company is a good fit and the owners are happy with my work.
So are there any extra efforts made on your part during the first few months or even years at a new job?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I remember starting this job in 1993, I wore a tie every day for several months. Eventually I left one in my office in case I had to appear at a board meeting, but other than those meetings I have never wore one again since. Like you I did shave the areas around my beard every day but after a few months it was about every 2-3 days. It turns out that no one really cared about that. We are still "business casual" but now I wear jogging pants, a Duluth Trading shirt and sneakers.
I always show up early, even now when I only work two days in the office and no one else is there for an hour after I get there.
I learned the hard way NOT to do anything I couldn't see myself still doing down the road. For example, when I first started my current job, I would stay a little later if I was in the middle of something and knew I could finish it within an hour or so. I did this for the first three months, often working for 9 or 10 hours. My boss was all, "wow, your work ethic!"
And then I got pneumonia from running myself into the ground, so I stopped doing that. My work still gets done, but my boss noticed I was leaving on time and she has been a passive-aggressive snit to me ever since. It's to the point where apparently my "only" working 40 hours a week and not working 45, 50 hours a week means I don't have enough work to do and she wants to double my workload. (Yeah, she's off her rocker. And apparently bad at math, too. Regardless, ain't happening, for all kinds of reasons I won't get into here, not the least of which being that others have pointed out to her that she's being unrealistic.)
Point is, whatever you do in the first few months of your employment anywhere sets an expectation, and people can and do notice when you don't live up to it.
I learned the hard way NOT to do anything I couldn't see myself still doing down the road. For example, when I first started my current job, I would stay a little later if I was in the middle of something and knew I could finish it within an hour or so. I did this for the first three months, often working for 9 or 10 hours. My boss was all, "wow, your work ethic!"
And then I got pneumonia from running myself into the ground, so I stopped doing that. My work still gets done, but my boss noticed I was leaving on time and she has been a passive-aggressive snit to me ever since. It's to the point where apparently my "only" working 40 hours a week and not working 45, 50 hours a week means I don't have enough work to do and she wants to double my workload. (Yeah, she's off her rocker. And apparently bad at math, too. Regardless, ain't happening, for all kinds of reasons I won't get into here, not the least of which being that others have pointed out to her that she's being unrealistic.)
Point is, whatever you do in the first few months of your employment anywhere sets an expectation, and people can and do notice when you don't live up to it.
There are real health implications/consequences for going "above and beyond". I am probably starting a new job soon and I will be easing into it as slowly as possible. I have already communicated my objective is to stay there a long time, which means avoiding burnout is a top priority.
What Extra Efforts Do You Make When Starting a New Job?
For me, looking back, I see that I did not need to try too hard to make extra efforts when I started my new job. I naturally cared about what I did/do. I think/believe I am a very responsible person. Most of the time, I came to work 10 - 15 minutes earlier than my scheduled starting time, except a couple of times when there were snow storms. I did leave my house very early, but there were so many accidents on the roads. What job I have, I always care to do it right and well. I rarely call in sick. For this, I'm thankful to God or the universe for giving me good health, and/or I take good care of myself by having good diet, not to eat too much and doing exercise everyday. I want to be healthy and don't want to be fat and sick.
I used to be too soft and nice, and wanted to help others. Everybody loved me. The management knew I had good work ethics. Then one day, this new manager came. She was a tyrant. She pushed and shoved everybody, except a few who were her pets. No matter how hard we worked, it was never enough for her. The more we did, the more work she added on us. So many people got burnt out and called in sick. People became very angry and got sick of her. There are always reactions for every action. The ones who worked hard felt very tired and sick of the ones who called in "sick" so much. Eventually people expressed their feelings "what's the point to work so hard and go above and beyond?" Later, she left and left a very bad “inheritance" for the new manager.
I learned that when you are too nice and soft and helpful to others, you will be taken advantages of. And when you work too hard, others call in "sick" more, they don't care about you. They even demand compassion from you.
My advice for new workers: When you start a new job, look around, observe, and blend in. Apply the saying "When you go to Rome, do as the Romans do." If you like your job, pay and the management in general, do your best to keep it. If you don't, look for somewhere else.
So are there any extra efforts made on your part during the first few months or even years at a new job?
Always be nice to the receptionists/admins and the facilities & custodial staff. They know everything, and they have the ability to make your work life easy or difficult.
When you attend a meeting with a superior or supervisor present, make sure you take a note pad. When that person speaks, lean over your notebook and take some notes, even if just copying some of his sentences or a few words from his sentences.
Even better, if you have a hard copy manual or process that involves your job, bring it. We had a guy that did that and would lay it down on the table even if he never used it. I thought that was brilliant. He got the reputation of being one of our top guys.
In zoom meetings, if you have a camera in those and are visible, take out the notepad, lean over and draw small squigglies on the note pad as people (especially superiors) are talking. Just make sure you aren't in a position to be asked a question. These work really well in meetings where you are background. Do the squigglies and my favorite was to look focused and run my fingers through my hair in the single swipe method as I picked up the notepad of squigglies and stared at it in intent focus. I had to not bust out laughing as I watched myself in the image.
If you don't know a topic, learn to nod, look interested, maybe wear reading or clear glasses and above all keep your mouth shut. You can rephrase some sentence someone else made to make it sound like your own comment
To rephrase the above, beyond all else, regardless of if you feel you have an idea or have no idea of what is going on as a new person on the job and may feel stupid and clueless, follow this advice (Mark Twain) “It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt”
When you attend a meeting with a superior or supervisor present, make sure you take a note pad. When that person speaks, lean over your notebook and take some notes, even if just copying some of his sentences or a few words from his sentences.
Great advice.
Follow up with a memo memorializing the minutes, action items, due dates, & conditions of satisfaction.
I learned the hard way NOT to do anything I couldn't see myself still doing down the road. For example, when I first started my current job, I would stay a little later if I was in the middle of something and knew I could finish it within an hour or so. I did this for the first three months, often working for 9 or 10 hours. My boss was all, "wow, your work ethic!"
And then I got pneumonia from running myself into the ground, so I stopped doing that. My work still gets done, but my boss noticed I was leaving on time and she has been a passive-aggressive snit to me ever since. It's to the point where apparently my "only" working 40 hours a week and not working 45, 50 hours a week means I don't have enough work to do and she wants to double my workload. (Yeah, she's off her rocker. And apparently bad at math, too. Regardless, ain't happening, for all kinds of reasons I won't get into here, not the least of which being that others have pointed out to her that she's being unrealistic.)
Point is, whatever you do in the first few months of your employment anywhere sets an expectation, and people can and do notice when you don't live up to it.
This 100%! Be careful going in and don't set unreasonable expectations. It only sets yourself up for problems. It's more along the lines of do exactly your job, and do it well. Set a good balance of not overdoing it because doing something too well too quickly will then you get piled up with more work or take on the work of slackers. Leaving on time from the start may also raise eyebrows, but it shows assertiveness in that if you get your work done, you leave---plain and simple. No dog and pony show "just to look good".
You have to balance it all out and play the game. I've been a doormat by trying to be too efficient and take on more. I don't do that anymore.
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