How to Fit in at a New Job Thats Not So New - The Muse

How to Fit in at a New Job Thats Not So New - The MuseHow to Fit in at a New Job Thats Not So New You need time to settle into a new job. And most, if not all, employers know that. You have lots of pesky HR paperwork to fill out. You have a lot of people to meet. And you have all the little quirks about the company that make it the unique place you couldnt wait to go to work for. But lets be honest- if your position totenstill feels new after a while, a few things need to change- quickly. The good news? You can make these things happen more easily than you might think. Here are three things you should do if you still feel like every day at work is your first day. 1. If the Company Itself Still Feels New, Treat a Teammate to LunchLets start with something easy. Except if your job still feels new after six months, nothing feels easy, right? Youve been to the kitchen a mio times, and youre still not sure where the coffee pods are actually located. Youve attended your share of team meeti ngs, and you cant quite grasp the companys goals. And youve failed to find the shared drive on your computer, no matter how many times youve tried. The solution? Find a member of your team you feel comfortable(ish) around, treat that person to lunch, and pick his or her brain about whatever youre still uncertain about. Seems scary, right? Well, unless youve joined a team full of robots, the people you work with are probably much friendlier than you realize. So ask one, or two or three, out to lunch. When I did this at a previous position, I learned how to operate the coffee machine, where to find a decent grilled chicken sandwich, and more importantly- what the company I welches with actually stood for. If I hadnt asked, I would have never learned those things. And even worse, I wouldnt have known it was OK to ask at future stops in my career. 2. If Your Duties Still Feel New, Level With Your BossThis ones tough. And what makes it even worse is that you know youre smart enough to do the job. But for one reason or another, sometimes new duties trip us up. However, if youre still feeling unsure about your daily to-do list, its time to set up an uncomfortable meeting with your boss.You might be thinking this sounds crazy. I mean, sure. Tell your manager you have no idea whats going on every day? That would probably be a bad idea if youre not trying at all. But, if youve put in a lot of effort and still need some additional help, thats OK. And if this is the case, your boss likely already knows and will be happy youre taking the initiative to have that uncomfortable conversation. Unless this persons the absolute worst, he or she will be able to fill in some of the gaps in your knowledge. Or point you toward some training materials that will help you improve. Or, even sit down with you one afternoon and explain a process more clearly. Feel things out, of course, but do yourself a favor and dont keep it to yourself. 3. If Your Workspace Still Feels New, Do Some Deco ratingThis might seem silly, but theres just something about an empty desk that feels cold and unwelcoming. Im also a firm believer that if you dont allow yourself to decorate your workspace a bit, youre also letting yourself believe that you wont be there for very long because you dont belong. Obviously thats not true, so once youve filled out all that HR paperwork in your first week or so, make your desk your own. If youre afraid of what your new (but really, old) co-workers will think of you once you do this, consider what youd find if you were to visit me at work. I have a few really weird bobbleheads, some old baseball cards that I bought pretty recently, and a Nerf gun. I am a really big nerd. And even though I really want everyone I meet to think Im really cool, the truth is that Im not. Letting your weird out, even just a little bit, will make everything about your job seem more normal, I promise. Settling into any new job is hard, no matter how excited you are about startin g. However, if youre not fully up and running after six months, take matters into your own hands. Unless it was written into your offer letter that the company would hold your hand for as long as you need them to, youll need to make an effort to settle in. But you were sharp enough to get the job, so clearly youre smart enough to figure out what needs to change and make those adjustments to feel at home.