Tips to help you prepare for your new legal & law jobJob seeking is often compared to house hunting. When you finally agree a price and start talking completion dates, you retire to bed elated, relieved and generally over the moon. Only to wake up the following morning thinking 'Is this really the one… what if that other one I was meant to see this afternoon is better... maybe the neighbours are from the cast of 'Neighbours from Hell'?... What if the survey is bad and my new home is falling down?'
Accepting a new position at work can invite a mix of emotions.
Allowing yourself some preparation before moving can only smooth your transition. So here are some practical tips to help you on your way:
- Think about what you want your new colleagues to feel about you by the end of the first week, month or first three months. What actions of yours will they need to see?
- Ease into the first few days by setting realistic goals which focus not only on working results but also on building positive relations with those around you.
- Devise some SMART objectives that are:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely
A SMART objective for your first month might include making contact with all the partners in your department and, if appropriate, getting meetings with some or all of them scheduled into your diary.
Plan some questions to ask at introductory meetings which will offer you an insight into the company culture and practice. As with any meeting, the more you prepare the more likely it is you'll get the information you want. For example:
- What three words would you use to describe the firm's culture?
- What are your top priorities for the coming month / three months / six months?
- What do you see as the key issues facing the firm?
- If you could make three key changes, what would they be?
- What are the preferred methods of communication?
- What do people value most in this firm?
Try and clarify your own role and responsibilities and how your performance will be measured.
As you learn more about the organisation, think about your own style and the impact you create. 'Perception creates reality...' so the early impressions your colleagues make will form the building blocks of future expectations.
Finally, think strategically. Construct a list of key objectives of where you want to be one, three and six months into your new position. Think about the previous times you've changed jobs. What worked well, what got in the way and what would you do differently this time?
The watchword is, as ever, be prepared. Make it happen and good luck with your new job!
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