| | In three months you'll have medical coverage. in six months a vacation. and in a year matching contributions to your 401(k). That's if you survive the year.According to a Saratoga Institute study. 25 percent of new hires will be gone in the first year. As corporate consultants Milo and Thuy Sindell explain it. many of you will be tossed into your new jobs with little or no training.In their new book. aptly titled "Sink or Swim" (Adams). the Sindells offer a roadmap to guide the freshman employee through those probationary 12 weeks.And few are as critical as Week One."As you go through your first week." the Sindells say. "keep in mind the old adage: Knowledge and information are powerful. but having the right knowledge and information is power." Timing. timing: Showing up late is surest way to wear a bull's eye. To avoid this. be honest in your calculations. How long does it take to eat breakfast. and warm up the car. or jog to the train station? Don't forget traffic snarls. mass transit power outages. and little Billy's aversion to the alarm clock. The Sindells warn: "Before you know it. a half-hour routine... is really an hour." Prepare for disruptions. Remember: life happens.Why am I here? It's easy to get lost within a large company. That's why managers are critical. They must define your responsibilities and you must follow them precisely. You may get tossed into the fire of an ongoing. deadlocked project. or win a three-week reprieve to catch your breath and learn your surroundings. But get a defined role.Who are we? The Sindells call it seeing the Big Picture.You may work in Human Resources filing disability claims. But you better understand what your company bottles in the factory and stores in the warehouse. "You have a stake in the game." they write. Know your competition. and why they are trouncing you in New Haven but not Newport. It will help you understand how your department's decisions influence output in New Jersey but not New York.Meet the team: Never hide in your cubicle. It's tempting. Everyone has first-week jitters. But you must break out. The Sindells suggest you wield the magical phrase: "Hi. I just started here. my name is... ." "Use it to your advantage to meet as many of your coworkers as possible." they write. "This will allow you to jumpstart your relationships with them."And never regale new coworkers with stories about your weekend with Jack Daniels. or share details about your shaky marriage or your son the bed-wetter. Stick to your employment experience."First impressions are everything; be professional. courteous and curious." they write. "Don't just talk about yourself."
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| | Posted 7/1/2006 10:44 PM - 20 Views
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