Congratulations! You’ve landed a new job! Exciting news can cause a range of new emotions; happiness, pride, angst, or even fear. So what now? How do you start fresh in the most efficient way?

The answer you seek is simple, Bounce. No do not literally jump up and down. Use the term for motivation and as an aide to find success. Bounce = Be nice to yourself, Organize a Schedule, Understand your Responsibilities, Navigate the Workplace, Create Personal Goals, and Examine your budget.

 

  • Be nice to yourself
    • This may be self-explanatory but arguably, it is the most important factor. This new chapter in your life will be filled with challenges. You need to remember that it’s okay if you don’t know the answer to a question, make a mistake, or need some extra help. Be patient with yourself! There’s always a learning curve when you’re the newbie and everyone, including the most successful person at your firm, has been there. Trust that you have the skills to succeed and excel in your new position!
  • Organize a Schedule
    • The best way to adapt to a new environment or situation is to create a routine. What time are you waking up? What and when are you going to eat? How are you going to prepare yourself for work? How are you going to optimize your work schedule to maximize your productivity? Not only will organizing your day set you up to be well rested, well fed, and less stressed, it will also facilitate productivity.
    • If your new job requires you to move be sure to have your new home comfortable and organized before you start. Starting a job is stressful enough, so it is important to minimize outside stress to make the transition easier!
  • Understand your Responsibilities
    • It is important to understand the responsibilities of your new role as early as possible. Sit down with your supervisor and ask them for objectives. Make sure you’re asking all the necessary questions to ensure an easy transition. Not only will this show how much you care about your new role, but it will also create an open and honest line of communication where you can give and receive important feedback!
  • Navigate the Work Place
    • Every workplace is different and it may take a while for you to understand the culture of your new workplace. The best way to understand is to observe. Keep an eye on the habits and attitudes of your coworkers as well as the organizational structure of the office.
    • Most importantly, make the effort to get to know your coworkers. It is important to have people you can lean on and trust. Getting involved with you new community is important to finding joy in the workplace.
  • Create Personal Goals
    • What is your reasoning for taking this job? Create your own mission statement and a list of ways to achieve it. It may be helpful to create a timeline of when you want to achieve your goals.
    • Make sure your goals align to the objectives set for you by your supervisor. This goes back to understanding your responsibilities and opening that line of communication.
  • Examine your budget
    • With a new job and possibly new expenses create a spreadsheet to ensure your expenses are within your new limits. Understand what your needs, wants, and savings will be and apply them to a budget.
    • Ex: 50/30/20 ratio.
      • 50% Needs
      • 30% Wants
      • 20% Savings
    • Sit down with HR to have a better understanding of your companies 401(k) and health insurance options. What are the premiums? What is the Company Contributing? Review your pay stub and ask for clarification if you need it!
    • Look to the future! What are your financial goals? How is your new situation and income going to get you there? Are you buying a House? Having children? Planning for retirement? Want to do some traveling? Create a timeline that can help you better budget for these goals!

 

I hope this fosters motivation and success within your new position! Congratulations and best of luck!