Succeeding in a new role: How to master being the “Newbie”
My first big girl job team outing at Girl and the Goat in Chicago, IL.— circa 2011. Pictured with team Microsoft and our advertising partners along with Stephanie Izard—owner/chef of Girl and the Goat and first female winner of Bravo’s Top Chef.
Starting a new role is one of the most exciting and daunting times in life that can sometimes come with lots of pressure and anxiety. There is pressure to perform, succeed, and to make a great impression on the powers that be all while being paired with the possibility of failure. Since landing my first job at 16 years old, I have started a new role 13 times, including internships. I have been able to successfully navigate some of my new roles, while others not so much.
How you navigate a new role can make or break you. If you are new to the corporate world, you may not know where to start or how to master the role that you have signed up for. And for those industry veterans— during times of change, it is highly likely that you will eventually start a new role rather it’s at your company or at a different one. After being at a company for a long time, starting a new role at a different company can be really hard. The truth is, there aren’t always robust training programs to help you learn your new role. Below are some tips and tricks for succeeding in a new role that I have learned along the way.
Find mentors in your company. I used to think that I didn’t need mentors in my company, and I was incredibly naive. I figured that if I learned to do my role well enough, that this would be enough and I was SO wrong (insert: I was born into the working class so I believed that Corporate America was a meritocracy). Mentors can help give you advice on learning your role, navigating internal politics, and can advocate for you in new roles and promotions which is incredibly important to your success. Mentors have also been successful in navigating the company that you are in, and their insights are incredibly valuable. The title of your mentor doesn’t always matter, and they can come in my different shapes, sizes, and titles— the idea is to learn from them. So find yourself as many mentors as possible, and take nuggets from each of them in your journey to succeeding.
Learn the “politics” wherever you go. Knowing what the power structure of an organization is, and how it functions and runs is extremely important when starting a new role. Every organization that I have worked for in my career has functioned differently. It is important to know the nuances of any organization that you join or support, and to navigate accordingly. In every organization, there is a power structure which usually starts with a Founder, Owner, CEO, or President and those people generally have teams or individuals that ladder up to them. It is important to understand where you fit into the organization’s hierarchy, and to learn how decisions affecting you are being made. Understand how performance is measured, and how and when promotions are made. The best way to learn the politics of any organization is to learn from those around you that have been there for a while. Ask for advice in succeeding within the organization from those that been successful in the company, and learn how to build relationships with those in the organization that have the power to make or break you.
Get to know your team. Building relationships with everyone on your team is one of the most important things to do as a newbie. Your team is generally your resource for learning the ends and outs of the role, and in order to do that you must build relationships with them. Your peers are people that have already successfully navigated the role, and your managers have the power to make or break you. Learning how to navigate the role, and knowing what is important to the powers that be is critical to your success— and this knowledge comes from your team.
Build your tribe, and lean on them. Having a support system both personally and professionally is incredibly important, especially during times of change. The reality in life is that there are many ups and downs, and your tribe is necessary for celebrating your highs, and getting you through the lows. My support system, which includes— my family, friends, other professionals that I have met along the way, mentors, mentees, managers, my therapist, and God— have no doubt helped propel me to where I am today. It takes a village— I didn’t achieve high levels of success by doing everything alone.
Learn the role, and how to do it well. This one may seem like a no-brainer, but I’ve seen people come into their role and only care about themselves, their relationships, and the politics, but fail at the role itself. It is important to learn the role that you signed up for, and to do it well because this adds to your individual value. This comes by learning from your peers, learning from historical information, asking lots of questions, and taking lots of notes. Many people in new roles are afraid to ask questions because there is a fear that they can look stupid or unqualified. Or there may not be high levels of trust that allow for being vulnerable and asking questions. However, one of the best times to ask questions is when you are new. There are ways to frame questions in a way that get the answer needed and also keep dignity in tact.
Lean into problem solving. The ability to problem solve is crucial when starting any new role. No one person is going to be able to provide ALL of the answers, so it’s important to learn how to put the puzzle pieces together. Additionally, you will inevitably come across problems in your role where you are able to use your unique experience to offer a solution. The ability to problem solve and offer solutions is one of the most important skills that you can have in any job. I tend to problem solve by getting the most information that I could possibly get from both internal and external sources, then analyze that information to form an idea, solution, or conclusion. I then typically ask veterans for feedback based on where I have landed, then I make tweaks where needed. Learning how to effectively and efficiently problem solve is one of the best skills that you can have not just in your career, but in life.
Get to know your managers, and build positive relationships with them. Your managers have the power to make or break you, because they can ultimately fire you or get you promoted. That means that some of the most important relationships are the ones that you have with your managers. If you don’t like your manager or there is conflict that can not be resolved, this may be an indication that you need a new role and/or manager. Getting to know your managers personally and professionally, and learning what is important to them so that you an respond and perform accordingly is incredibly important to your success.
Ask for feedback consistently, and adjust where needed. The saying goes that “feedback is a gift”, and that is absolutely the truth. Feedback- both positive and negative, gives you the opportunity to fine tune and make changes where needed. Don’t stack the feedback in your favor and only ask your biggest supporters— ask for feedback from everyone, including those that you don’t see eye to eye with. How you navigate feedback can determine how much growth you have, or don’t have. I’ve seen people in my career take feedback as an insult, instead of seeing it as an opportunity to change or shift a perspective. While it is sometimes difficult to hear and process feedback, it is incredibly important to be able to successfully apply feedback where needed.
Be a good person and have a positive attitude. From my career experience, I’ve seen that most people do not like working with a**holes, however, there are many that exist. I’ve seen some use it as a power tactic, and I’ve seen others be an asshole but not realize it. Either way, the effects of being mean can create an incredibly toxic work environment, which can be detrimental to a company’s success. The age old saying goes, “Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.” From my life’s experience, I know that you reap what you sow, and that karma has a way of making things right. So be a good person, and find the good in every one and every situation. Every opportunity is a chance to learn something new.
Succeeding in a new role is daunting at times, but it is not impossible. Take stock in the fact that you were hired for a reason, and know that you belong in your seat at the table.
