How to make a real fresh start in a new job

So you’re starting a brand new job. It’s the right time to plan how you’ll make a great first impression – the first step to getting ahead quickly.

Know your place

Absorb all you can about your new employer before you arrive. Learn about their style, their philosophy and their corporate culture. Try your network of friends and colleagues to see if anyone knows any of your future co-workers and ask to be introduced before you arrive on your first day.

Once you’re there, work out what your sphere of influence is and how far your responsibilities extend. You’re not trying to find out how little you can get away with, but how much you can shine. To do this, you need to know:

Your main objectives and responsibilities
Your priorities and how much time to spend on each task
What your superiors and colleagues will expect of you
What kind of feedback you’ll get from your supervisor or manager
How your job fits into the team structure
What you’ll have in terms of people, money, products and services

Change isn’t a four letter word

Make sure you’re open to change. Start by recognising the differences between your old company and the new one – there are bound to be some, and they won’t all be bad. Respect your new company’s processes and attitudes. You don’t want to walk in and alienate people by changing or picking at everything. If you find yourself saying, "At my old company, we did it like this..." think whether that way really was better – or just what you’re used to.

But if you do see ways to improve things based on what you saw in your old job, don’t be shy about suggesting them.

A friend to everyone

As soon as you arrive, smile a lot and be friendly. Get to know your co-workers and their interests. Don’t dismiss anyone as unimportant, whether you’re the lowliest minion or the top manager.

Identify the people who can help you and join in with social events, even if it’s just drinks after work. There’s no point being bright and good at your job if no one knows who you are.

Leave your old job, not your old friends

If you can, take some time off between jobs, to give you time to stop being immersed in your previous workplace. Leaving friends behind can be very difficult. And if you can go away for a week or so (or pretend to...) it also ensures you don’t get into the habit of taking calls with questions or requests from your old employer.

But do stay in contact with the right people from your old place. You never know when you’ll need valuable contacts. If you can sort the wheat from the chaff, you could soon be using your industry network to help your new company.

Don’t talk down your old job or company, and be discreet about former employers. The hospitality industry can be a close-knit world, and your new colleagues may know and love some of your old workmates. Plus, it doesn’t give a great impression of your working style.

Put some feelers out

We’ve mentioned networking before, as it’s a great way to find help with everything from finding a new job to getting top inside info. You might not think of yourself as a “networker”, but this just means using any contacts (friends, ex-colleagues, even clients) to your best advantage.

As well as your home-grown contact list you can use professional networking organisations, such as www.arena.org.uk or www.hospitalitycareernetwork.com. There are even social networking sites and online forums created specifically for the hospitality industry, like www.hotcatuk.com, who also arrange monthy netwrking events in London. other sites include www.barexchange.com and www.wineandhospitalitynetwork.com.

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