Getting started with your new job entails preparation to help you survive the first few months. But more than surviving, you can actually make a memorable mark to establish your credibility early on in your career. Here are some helpful tips.

Get fully geared and ready

Take some time to research your new employer. Learn about the company’s products and services, the culture of the organization, as well as the company’s mission and vision. Getting well acquainted with the company will guide your performance, especially as a rookie. Research on the industry background of the company including its competitors and market trends.

Power dress to success

If you want to be an executive, you must look like one. Visualize a professional-looking wardrobe for your first weeks of work. Choose clothes that are conservative and appropriate. Check ahead of time which clothes need to be repaired, dry-cleaned, tailored, or replaced. This will save you from being stressed when deciding what dress to wear the next day.

Review your job responsibilities

On your first day of work, be prepared to start rendering what is stated in your job description. Review the details of your contract. Make sure to know the general and specific areas of your work. Have an initial plan of how you will go about these tasks on your first week. Some companies may not provide you with a detailed guide of your work. It is important for you to come prepared to hit the ground running.

Integrate into the team

Establish a good rapport with your co-workers on the first day of work. Wear a genuine smile and look around for familiar faces. These people can be valuable allies as you adjust to your new work place. Introduce yourself and remember names and faces for future reference. Try to blend with your immediate colleagues, and adjust as necessary. Remember that in any work place, you would have to make the sacrifices to fit in and not the other way around.

Set a 30-day work performance goal

Once you get the “feel” of your new work and environment, establish short term objectives of what you can contribute to the company. To do this, get to know the key performance indicators or KPI observed by the company. These standards define the goals of the organization to ensure quality employee performance. When used effectively, these indicators are instrumental in driving the company forward. Based on these indicators, your work output must be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, and Time Related. You can use these indicators as strategic guides in your first 90 days in the company. Take advantage of these first few months by impressing your superiors. This, in turn, will give you a favourable evaluation.