New Hires Start Well

Celebrate Before Starting

Take time before starting full-time to relax and do something you have always wanted to do. It is a great opportunity to take a break before diving into your career. Do not worry about hard skills because you will be taught those. Just be eager to learn, fun to work with, and everything else will fall into place. Starting a new job is a transition that deserves a moment of celebration and rest.

Be Reliable and Do the Work

Do the little things right at first. People do not expect you to have industry knowledge, but they do expect effort and organization. Doing the little things correctly when starting gives your boss faith that they can trust you going forward. Start strong because first impressions last. Work hard now because this is the time to show off what you know while being ready to learn a whole lot more.

Your first three to six months will dictate your next one to two years at your firm. Most candidates end up switching jobs after two to three years. Make a good first impression and stay in learning mode. 1 Reliability is the foundation that makes everything else possible.

Develop Relationships

Develop relationships as soon as you can. Find people you love working with, whether partners, directors, or managers, and gain as much as you can from them. Reach out to people to get to know them regardless of seniority. Come prepared with questions and research their background when possible.

The networking never ends. Set up many times to speak with people at the firm and ask them to connect you to others. One new hire spoke with an alum in the first two weeks and found a group they loved. They are now part of that community and on their second project. Come prepared when checking in with your manager or meeting colleagues. Have agenda items and questions ready. This drives work forward and gives people time back.

Ask Good Questions

Do not be afraid to ask questions. You are not expected to know all the answers immediately, and your team wants you to succeed. Understand that you may not know everything, but show that you are proactive and willing to learn. If you do not know how to do something, reach out to your network first to see what others have done.

Ask questions earlier rather than later. Give yourself a buffer on deadline expectations to check your work. Seek trusted individuals in the group who have your best interests in mind. Start your career with a learning mindset and learn from peers, managers, and friends. Never hesitate to ask questions or speak up about what interests you.

Ask questions early and often. These should not be things easily found on Google. If you are having trouble with something, colleagues would rather explain it early than during crunch time. Take notes so you do not repeat the same mistake. Asking questions shows interest and a desire to learn. People are more likely to help a new person who asks early rather than someone who waits. 2

Be Helpful

Raise your hand when you can and help others. This seems obvious but deserves saying. In banking, colleagues spend 12 or more hours a day together. It is important to know how to work with your team and stay cohesive. One of the best ways to do that is being proactive and covering items for team members. This creates a good impression, and when you need help people will reciprocate.

Do not be afraid to offer new solutions to old methods. Constantly think about how you could make a process more efficient. This rewards the entire team. 3 Fresh eyes often spot improvements that experienced team members have stopped noticing.

Know Your Audience

Be engaged with your managers early. Ask for feedback two to three weeks into any project to recognize good work or fix poor behaviors. This shows great initiative. You will have a boss, and your boss will have a boss. Everyone reports to someone. Learn what they all expect and how they manage so you understand why you get the work you get.

Understand the personalities and work styles of people on your team. The corporate world is full of people with different personalities and quirks. As a junior member, it helps to know what they are and how to adjust your deliverables and working style accordingly.

Advocate for Yourself

Be an advocate for yourself. The big difference from college is that effort does not always equal the result you want on paper. While it is important to put your head down and learn the job, it is equally important to speak up and gain visibility. If you are doing good work, make sure people know it. If you have good opinions, make sure people hear them. Advocating for yourself ensures people remember you and will subsequently advocate for you.

Take ownership of your career and speak up when you need to. Make time to understand the value you bring. Knowing your skills, interests, and potential allows you to be your own best advocate.

Pace Yourself and Find a Rhythm

Learn quickly but do not take for granted the opportunity to be bad at something again. Ask questions, pool resources, and consolidate what your mentors think you need to know. It is perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed for the first three months. Do not freak out because everyone has been there.

Strategy is about what not to do. Do not overcommit to internal firm activities. Choose one thing you are passionate about and balance it with your case work. It is easy early on to think you should take on more work. While partly true, take time to understand the big picture and get to know teammates.

Balance work and personal life. This is easier said than done in banking and consulting, which are demanding on hours. Know what you prioritize personally and find time to meet those priorities. Team culture plays a role, and groups that value personal time help your mental health. For high-pace organizations, you must manage your own load and work-life balance. Work will always be there, but your sanity will not.

Be Eager to Learn

Take risks and ask questions because that is the only way you learn. At the bottom of the totem pole, people appreciate if you show the propensity to work hard and curiosity. People are helpful in the beginning because training you well takes work off their plate. If you ask good questions, take copious notes so you do not ask them again. It comes down to making people's jobs easier, doing work right the first time, and being proactive. Introduce yourself to everyone because relationships compound over time.

• 1Seth Godin on becoming a linchpin at work
• 2Dale Carnegie on building rapport and influence
• 3Cal Newport on deep work and focused productivity