Do you feel like you work too many hours at your brand-new job?
I have a client who is a Senior Human Resources executive. She first came to me because she had a recurring problem with transitioning into new jobs – starting from the first day she sat down at her desk.
She always just dove in – anxious to make a great first impression.
She came into the office on the first Saturday, then the next Saturday, and then the next. But there was a price. By that point, everyone started to expect her to always work on the weekends. She was getting frustrated and quickly burnt out. These were real concerns that she had to learn to avoid.
She realized that she had done this to herself. She did not start the job by setting clear boundaries and expectations for both her boss and her co-workers. They all eventually decided that she was ok to be working so many hours since she didn’t complain about it from the start.
Here are two things you can do to avoid that type of situation:
- You can put together a draft of a 30 / 60 / 90-day work plan that will become a roadmap. You and your new boss can work on this together to set clear expectations and quickly get you up to speed in your new job. Just putting together such a plan will help reach your overall goal: making a good first impression.
- You can start a basic work diary. At the end of each day, make notes on what you did, including the amount of time spent on each individual action and person. Review at the end of the week and try to identify things you could have done differently to make better use of your time. After you’ve accumulated some data, ask for a meeting with your new boss to discuss.
It is all about setting boundaries and expectations. You are ultimately responsible for the decisions you make about the number of hours you work. It is also your responsibility to stay in close contact with your boss and co-workers to establish clear expectations for everyone.
As a professional resume writer and career coach, I’ve been helping people deal with issues like this for the last 20 years. I know how you can make an incredible first impression on the job and build outstanding relationships with your boss and co-workers. If you’d like to get started, schedule a NO CHARGE consultation today!