Often new employees who do not have experience being a consultant ask “How can I be most successful in this new role?” as they start with a new client or on a new project. While every project is different, there are some fundamental things that can be done to make sure it’s a successful engagement. There are 5 things I believe are important for those first 90 days:  

(1)  Clean Slate Advantage: Think of the project or new role as an opportunity to start over, with no prejudices. You have a new, fresh beginning. You have the opportunity to prove your value from day one. It’s a lot like the first day attending a new school.

(2)  Learn the Role: Be observant and LISTEN! Remember you are now learning how the group/company operates, so any information you receive is valuable. Don’t be afraid to ask for information and/or help. Nobody expects you to know everything right away, so take advantage of this and pick your co-workers and managers brains to get the lay of the land.

(3)  Familiarize yourself and get Cultured: What is the group’s popular form of communication (email, IM, phone)? Who do you need to keep in the loop and when? Understand the group/management style and what works best with them. Learn about the unwritten rules of the group. Understand what your group does and how your role or project fits into the bigger scheme of things. This will help you feel part of the team quicker and be able to translate your work into a bigger impact for the group.

(4)  Focus on Relationships: Lunch, Coffee, chats in the hall are all ways of building a bond with other members of the team. You may not think so, but during those first 90 days, everyone is judging and deciding if you “fit in” with the group. They believe you can do the work (or you wouldn’t have received the assignment), so now it’s about connecting on a deeper level. Get to know a few pieces of personal information on everyone and remember it.

(5)  Resources: Get acquainted with the various resources around you. Who to go to for what information you need. Even little things like, where is the bathroom, where is the cafeteria, where to park, etc. All of these little things will make you more comfortable with your surroundings and allow you to focus on what your there to do.  

While doing great work is also important, I believe these five things listed will provide your new team/company a great feeling about you and your fit within the organization.

Anything else to add, would love to hear about it! 

Good luck!