If you are invited for an interview then you can say your resume or CV was successful. If you are hired after the interview then you can say you were successful to highlight your qualifications and prove that you are a good match during your talk with hiring authorities. However, that doesn't mean that you can now relax and enjoy your new job as much as you want. If you are thinking of having a successful career then you have to work on it and then getting a job is only the first step in the long staircase. How you start at your new workplace is extremely important because the first months is nothing but probation. It is totally up to you how you decide to start at a new job, but you should know several things about how you can get things right from the very beginning. Remember that your career and future in the company will depend on the first impression you make on your manager and colleagues.
Details Matter
You may be surprised but very often small things you don (or don't do) have a big impact o those around you. The office where you work is no exception. Start with arriving early and leaving late. This is a good chance to learn how things work in the company and to demonstrate to your manager and other employees that you do want to become a part of the team. We are not saying that you should be there an hour before anyone comes to the office, but being earlier than most employees will be a good sign to your boss that you are willing to work. There are plenty of ways how you can use this time: help a colleague, get acquainted with someone from the office, prepare for the work, etc...
A good idea before leaving the office would be to ask your boss whether there is anything you could help him with. By the way, asking questions is OK. There is nothing wrong with that as many people believe. Keep in mind that the one who asks questions may look foolish for 5 mins, but the one who doesn't ask questions may look foolish for the entire life. Even if you don't feel confident when asking questions, still ask questions. This is the best way to know what are the most important aspects of the work you have to be doing. It is also the best method to find out whom you should meet, what procedures are the most critical for the company and what is expected from you within the first 3 months. Don't ask too many questions that focus exclusively on you (vacation, salary, etc.). Make sure your employers know this whole thing is not about you.
Lastly, it is important to build relationships with people you will be working with. This world is all about relationships so don't waste a minute and start getting to know your colleagues right away. During a lunchtime find a group of employees and join them. Connecting outside the workplace is also very important as it helps build trust with co-workers. Besides, it will help your new colleagues to get to know you better. The most important rule of connecting with people is to be yourself. Don't try to pretend and be someone else. Hypocrisy has never been a good thing to build relationships with.
