Five Blunders New Employees Should Avoid Making

If you recently started a new job, congratulations! And if you're well on your way to getting an offer, kudos to you as well. Now that you've done the heavy lifting, there are a few key tips to keep in mind regarding assimilation at your new office. In an Intuit blog post, Anita Bruzzese suggests several ways to avoid being that guy or gal. You know, the one who bugs their colleagues and gets the reputation as clueless instead of softly settling into the new role. So, if you're the office rookie you may want to heed her advice. 1. Gossip. Sure, you may be trying to fit in with the group but stay above the water cooler gossip. As she mentions in the piece, you don't want to give anyone ammunition to use against you. "When the new boss asks a colleague how you’re doing, you want the colleague to mention how you’re focused on work – not the latest issue of People or the fact that you gossip with another colleague during your break." 2. Failing to acknowledge the top dogs. Similar to how you conducted research for your interviews with leadership, you should continue the same mindset as you interact with top performers. Plus, at some point one of them may end up being your mentor so it's a good idea to do your due diligence. 3. Becoming a slave to technology. Okay, maybe during your former job you surfed Facebook during lunchtime or sent a quick text message during a meeting. Well, even though your colleagues may currently do that, try to avoid your old behavior and emulating theirs at least during the first few months on the job. Plus, the technology break may be a relief. Just tell your family and friends that you're offline and they can always call you in case there's an emergency. 4. Not writing things down. Bruzzese makes the point of feeling uneasy after a waiter doesn't write down your order at a restaurant. Just think about how your colleagues may react after you've been given specific directions and you don't write them down. Even if you're certain you'll remember, why not jot things down so you can refer to your notes later just in case? 5. Talking too much about past successes. We know you were a rock star at your old job, that's why you got hired for this one. That said, you're also starting with a clean slate as a newbie. She writes, "Too much gabbing about how you interned at Apple or started your own business when you were 15 are wonderful accomplishments, but can come off as bragging when others don’t know you well." You can interject examples of an accomplishment if it applies to a situation but if not, hold onto your exciting stories for later on when you build relationships with your office mates.

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Five Blunders New Employees Should Avoid Making

Vicki Salemi

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Vicki Salemi