Tips for Being the New Kid on the Block

Whether working in a health care career or a job in any other industry, every employee at least once in their lives has been the new kid on the block. It's often an awkward situation that takes some deliberate and deft navigation to successfully get through the first few days, even months.

Much of that awkwardness can be mitigated simply by thinking the experience through before you even arrive at the office for that anticipated first day. As Donnell Adair, Graduate Employment Specialist at Concorde's campus in Portland, Ore. pointed out, preparation is where it all starts before starting a new job.

Let's take a look at some ways you can successfully navigate being the new kid:

Preparation

"So much about your first day is the night before," Adair said. "It's a nerve-wracking experience to go into the unknown of what a new job might entail. What are your co-workers going to be like? How are the patients going to be? What will the morning drive be like every day? So many things can swirl around your mind that it can keep you up at night."

The best way to release all that anxiety is to prepare for as much as you can. Look at and plan the driving route you're going to take, pull out your work attire, plan your breakfast and lunch, do as much research about the hospital and possible teammates as you can. Doing these things will help ease some of the anxiety as you head into your first day.

Appreciate Diversity

As you start your new position, it's important to keep in mind that your team members come from all walks of life and will have different perspectives. They were all once new as well, so take the time to learn as much as you can from your team members and evaluate their perspectives to help you grow.

Respect Every Employee

"On your first day, you'll be meeting a ton of folks, from the managers to people in different departments," Adair said. "Some you will work with closely, some you would be lucky to see each week. They all matter. How you treat every single person you encounter is a representation of how you treat people as a whole."

This is especially vital working in a health care career, Adair said. You never know when you might need someone's help and when you have treated everyone respectfully getting that help is much easier and welcoming.

Remember Common Purpose and Common Goal

Be sure to be part of the team that works toward a common goal. Without a goal, there is no collaborative team. Discuss why the team exists, allow each team member to talk about commitment, create expectations and use a common purpose to lead the team's actions. This way, you'll all be working together to achieve the goal.

Having each team member know their role and responsibilities yields clarification of purpose. When you know what is expected of you and the team, you will feel more comfortable in your new position.

Learn as much as you can as fast as you can

You most likely told your employer that you were a fast learner at some point during your job interview. Now is your time to prove it.

However, Adair said there are some potential pitfalls to avoid.

"Beware of the 'know-it-all' attitude," Adair said. "You want to be coachable and eager to learn, not eager to show up the person training you. There most likely will be a learning curve, but you want to be ahead of that curve and not depend on it for your employment's sake."

Trust

Think back to your time during your accelerated health care training program, you went quickly from viewing your classmates as strangers, to friends to family. Right? Getting to know your team is one of the quickest ways to build trust.

You can also develop trust by being upfront, eliminating conflicts of interests, giving team members the benefit of the doubt and avoid gossiping behind each other's back.

Go with the flow, especially in a health care career

The onboarding process is different for new employees at every company, Adair said. You might be ready to jump in with both feet, but the company has processes to which you should adhere. However, if a company is in need of someone to hit the ground running, it's important that you're ready to do so.

Beware of overstepping your boundaries as there is a fine line between being helpful and being intrusive. Overall, take advantage of the moments to appropriately contribute when possible.

Other helpful tips

The good news for any new employee is after some time getting to learn the ropes, it will get better. A new employee should always remember to:

• Never be afraid or shy to ask questions.
• Make sure to bring a note pad and pen to every meeting.
• Maintain a professional demeanor but get to know your colleagues.
• Do not stand around when you have downtime. Ask what you can do to help.

Finding your way in your new job will take work, but if you follow the suggestions and work hard before you know if you will no longer be the new kid on the block. If your interested in further advice on ways to prepare yourself for a new job or your currently looking for a new job, reach out to our graduate employment office who is glad to help with all things job-related.