A few weeks ago my blog presented 8 questions that need to be answered before taking a job, transfer, promotion, or even new client.
Friends from the Marketing Executives Networking Group suggested 3 more questions that are important to help new employees flourish once they’re hired, including as a contractor.
1. What do I need to do to keep the job?
- First: Understand what your new boss decides the job really is. Personally, I’ve been amazed how my job description changed between recruiting (often driven by Human Resources) and the first week on the job.
- Second: Do the actual job well.
- Third: Be accepted by your co-workers in all departments and levels. It’s difficult to determine who influences your new boss and his/her boss.
- Fourth: Make your boss’ life easier.
- Fifth: Make your boss believe that his/her job is more secure because of you.
- Often, this requires accomplishing something important that your boss and the rest of their team can’t.
2. How do I get done what needs to be done to keep the job?
- This is about process. You have to work in the style of your new company. Simple examples:
- Are decisions made in advance of meetings or in meetings?
- Do you make presentations or written proposals?
- Do they expect 30 seconds or 30 pages justifying decisions?
- Are people expected to work primarily in teams or individually?
- Are they passive aggressive or in-your face argumentative?
- Who needs to be “included” in the process?
- To what degree?
- At what point?
- I admit to having missed this last question several times.
3. What could prevent me from being successful and retaining my job?
- Is this job really just a short-term project (regardless of how important)?
- If you discover that your job is part of a finite project, immediately start networking internally to find a more permanent position with the same company.
- Do you fit the culture? Just a couple of examples:
- If you work best early and like to leave work on time but your boss and co-workers don’t get fired up until mid afternoon, you will have to change your work and previous post-work schedules.
- Do you think and sell the same way they operate?
While the tone of these questions is somewhat negative, discovering and acting on the answers during the first few weeks on a new job can help you continue working and earning, and that’s a positive.