Your first days at a new company can always be challenging. There are new procedures to learn, new people to meet, and new benefits to understand. The current climate has completely changed the dynamics of training and onboarding, and MarketStar has done a great job incorporating new strategies to ensure that their new employees have the support they need. However, during this time of new experiences, there are some things that new employees need to do to ensure that they get the most out of their training.
1. Show Up – REALLY Show Up
I don’t just mean logging onto Zoom or Google Meet, sitting in your chair in your pajamas, and being present. I mean be ready early, dress as if you were going to work, and get ready to learn. Everyone has their own learning style. Whether you like a pen and paper, you type on your computer, or record on your phone, do something to prepare yourself to get lots of new information that will help you jump into the MarketStar culture. You will start your training with an onboarding specialist who will prepare you to be successful. However, you need to put forth the effort just as much as if you were showing up to their corporate headquarters.
2. Be Prepared to Talk about Yourself…A Lot!
When you Start at MarketStar, or any company, people are going to want to know who you are. I really enjoyed the activity that Adam Nelsen, MarketStar’s corporate trainer, assigned us on the first day of training. He wanted each new employee to create a logo of themselves. While doing this activity, I realized that you have to be very selective with what you put on your logo in order to show what is most important to you. When creating my logo, I thought of all the things I care about. A lot of things didn’t make it onto my logo. I was only able to take the parts that drove me the most, and that made me reflect on what I wanted to showcase to others.
3. Ask Lots of Questions
The first week is the time to learn as much as you can about your new company. However, so many trainees will sit in training and say nothing whenever the trainer asks if there are any questions. This is the time for you to be heard. Even if you think your question might sound uninformed, Ramon Bautista said, “The only stupid question is the question that is never asked.”
If you don’t have immediate questions, take some time after the daily training to come up with a couple. Try to have a couple of questions ready for the next day’s training. If those questions are answered throughout the next day — great! If not, you are prepared for the next time they ask. From a training perspective, it is more awkward to have silence after you ask questions than for someone to ask even the simplest question.
4. Learn About Your Specific Team
Each team is different. Most teams will have been working together for a while, and onboarding into the team can be stressful. Luckily, some teams at MarketStar make sure that they have meetings frequently, so you can get to know each other in settings where work doesn’t have to always be the topic of discussion. Each team that you work on at MarketStar has their own unique dynamic, depending on which client you work for. It will take time to find that groove, but if you work with your mentor you will be able to become an integral part of any team.
5. Find A Mentor
Each company has different procedures and policies that make them unique. When you are new, it is difficult to know what these differences are, and even if you ask someone on your team, they might not recognize it as different because they have been doing that process for so long. When you first start out, try to find a mentor that can help you navigate the ins and outs of your new position. If your team lead hasn’t already assigned you a mentor, try to find someone on your team that you think would match your personality well. This doesn’t mean that you can’t ask anyone else for help, rather that you have someone you can go to first, without having to reach out to your team lead every time you have a question.
6. Don’t be Afraid to Make Mistakes
Whenever anyone starts a new position, they want to shine and be the best version of themselves that they can. However, this is the time when you are expected to make mistakes. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer, or get it wrong, that is part of the learning experience. It is much better to make the mistake early, where it can be caught, versus in the middle of a training call with a customer. Expect to make errors, as it will help you learn the proper procedures in a safe environment.
Whenever you start at a new company, it can be scary. However, if you put yourself out there, and look for the right opportunities to shine, you can reach your highest potential and be a great asset at any company. To have the best experience possible, work on following these ideas, and it can help you achieve anything you put your mind to.
