new job advice

[gail013]

I posted a while ago about not taking a job I had been offered and sort of accepted. I then turned the job down and was asked to reconsider. Well, after more thought, I decided it was a good opportunity and that I wanted to take it. I have not changed jobs much at all-I have only had two other jobs in the last 25 years-guess I don''t like change! It would have been so much easier to stay in a job I was unhappy at, but I decided to go for it. The position is 100% commission sales for a wonderful builder, and I am used to that type of job. It''s just that I hate to be the new person, after I have been the ''old'' person for so long. Does anyone have advice-especially for trying to remember who''s who? And how not to look like I can''t remember what I was told briefly? In other words how to fake it with grace.

 

[ephemery1]

Wow, two jobs in 25 years... as somebody with a notoriously limited attention span (and way too many different jobs/internships/degrees over the last 10 years), I am really impressed!

One thing I try and be aware of when starting somewhere new: it is always really tempting to make comparisons between your old place and the new one... both positive and negative. "This coffee machine is the same one we had at XYZ..." or "Oh, I shouldn't put my cell number on my emails? Sorry, we did that at XYZ..." Because some people are really loyal to a workplace and take ANYthing as criticism, it can be easier to keep those little mentions of your previous workplace to a minimum. Obviously sometimes they will be completely relevant and acceptable... but otherwise, it's nice to come across as open and excited rather than somebody too set in her ways (or XYZ's ways).

But I'm sure you'll be absolutely fine... everyone forgets names and faces at first... just be patient with yourself, and your positive attitude will be infectious.

 

[KimberlyH]

TO help with remembering names think of a rhyme or association in your head when you meet someone knew and repeat it (in your mind) a few times. This should help names stick a bit better.

Just like eph said, try not to compare the two workplaces, at least not outloud. It would be hard not to, but some might be offended by it. (An aside: I worked with a woman who did this and her immediate supervisor, an exec w/ the company, HATED it. It made her very angry that she always had to hear "Well at XXX we did Y. )

This doesn''t really apply to you, but the best advice I''ve ever gotten when starting a new job is from my dad so I"ll just share it because I''ve lived by it and it has served me well. He told me to listen, observe ask and ask questions, but keep your nose out of office politics and shananigans.

 

[gail013]

Those are good pieces of advice. Thanks-