Starting a New Job? Here’s how to Stand Out

Starting a new job, especially if it’s one of your first full time jobs after graduating, can be incredibly nerve-wracking. You’ve spent all this time studying and preparing for it in college, but what is it actually going to be like? And how can you stand out when you start a new job?

Standing out at your new job will help you in a few ways:

• You’ll create connections and expand your network, which you can leverage in the future
• You’ll gain opportunities by having a good reputation
• You’ll make work friends and find your place in the company’s culture faster

You’re an awesome person and you know it, so you need to make sure your coworkers and boss see it too!

These tips to stand out when you’re starting a new job  will make sure you’re setting yourself up for success at your new workplace!

Quiet your starting a new job nerves

Let’s be real here: walking into a new job on your first day is scary. But there are things you can do to redirect your nerves and use them as fuel to have an outstanding start to your new job.

For 2-3 days before you start, spend extra time doing the self-care activities that help your soul the most.

Whether it’s journaling, hiking, meditating, or watching your fav movies, carve out more time than usual to relax and center yourself.

Also, spend time hyping yourself up! Hang up sticky notes about how awesome you are, say a few career affirmations in the mirror, and reach out to friends & fam for good luck.

If you want to really go all in on yourself, you can also grab yourself a new job gift!

Get plenty of sleep the nights before your first day and wake up early the day you start a new job. That way, you have lots of time to journal, drink coffee, and pump yourself up!

The most important part of starting a new job is believing in yourself and all the goodness you bring!!

Introduce yourself to everyone you can

The day before I moved to college, I was on the phone with a friend who had moved into his school a couple weeks before. He told me on his first day, once everyone’s parents had left, he knocked on every door on his floor and introduced himself.

“Oh my god, no” was my initial thought. 

It worked for him though- he immediately went from knowing 1 person on his floor to knowing 23. That’s 23 people to say hello to, 23 people to answer questions, and 23 people to connect with.

You spend a lot of time at work, so finding a support system is important, especially when you’re starting a new job. That starts with your coworkers! Meeting them immediately is a great way to get those awkward introductions over with!

Even if you already got quick introductions from your boss or someone showing you around your new workplace, make it a point to say hi to everyone again that day. 

You’ll be meeting a lot of new faces your first day, so talking to each person again gives you a chance to stick their name and position to memory too.

Your work friends don’t have to- and probably shouldn’t– be your best friends, but you should still have friends at work. Taking the time to introduce yourself individually makes getting the process started SO much easier!

If you’re an introvert, this might sound super scary, but use your fear as fuel and remember how wonderful being friends with you is! Carve out alone time for yourself before and after work, so you have more energy to connect at work. 

You can take that brave first step in making new work friends, I believe in you!

Candy Bowl

I know, I know it sounds weird, and it might not fit all work environments, but it’s a great way to bring the people to you.

Another friend put a candy bowl on her desk after a few months of working as an event coordinator. Once she did, she realized people would stop at her desk and spend more time talking to her than they did before.

It makes sense: would you just grab a piece of candy then totally ignore the person who gave it to you? No. You’d stop and say hi and have a small conversation. 

This is what‘ll happen at your candy bowl! It gives you a great time to ask questions, get to know people, and discuss any ideas you have!

It’s a small, but powerful way to connect with people and make work friends. Food builds community- even candy!

Have a morning routine

When I worked in Career Services, there was a fridge in the back office we could keep our lunches in during the day. I packed my lunch and kept it in that fridge everyday. 

To get to the fridge, I had to walk past everyone’s office, and they always had their doors open in the morning.

I started taking the time to come in early each day and say hi to every person as I walked past their door. It only took 5 extra minutes of my day and I connected with so many people.

This helped me form the lasting relationships I now have with them, and it was an awesome morning routine! Whether I just said a quick hi while I walked by their door or stopped and had a full conversation, I talked to everyone each day.

When you start a new job, come in early and find reasons to walk around the office: get coffee, make copies, drop something off, etc.

Whatever works in the space you have, get yourself moving and talking! It’ll help you make connections and start your day off right!

Be helpful

Like, really helpful. Have an extra 5 minutes? Go see if there’s anything else you can do for your boss. Running out to get food? Offer to grab something for your coworker. Making copies? See if the person next to you needs you to get anything off the printer.

Whatever you can do to help your coworkers, your boss, or even your boss’ boss, will make you stand out when you’re starting a new job. 

You’ll be seen as dependable, kind, and hard working! Which will help you, especially when you’re looking for references and interviewing for your next job!

During an interview, my friend’s boss said, “Tell me about yourself.” Her answer? “The question you’ll hear me ask the most is, ‘Is there anything else I can do for you?’”

And that is exactly what she does whenever she has extra time- she asks her boss or anyone around her what she can do to help.

Sometimes they say yes and sometimes they say no, but she’s always seen as willing to go the extra mile. She stands out because of it, and you will too. You just have to be prepared to follow through!

HOWEVER, make sure you don’t overextend yourself to the point of burn out or regularly doing free labor. Your time is still valuable, so only offer as much as you’re able to reasonably.

Pitch your ideas

You were hired because your unique experiences made you a great fit for your position. That means you have a perspective they want. So, don’t be afraid to pitch your ideas!

Take time to develop your own ideas and projects and then, when you’re ready, pitch them to your boss. Whether it should be a formal presentation or an informal conversation (at the candy bowl, maybe!) depends on your workplace.

Never present your ideas in a rude or critical way, and don’t offer to take on a project you can’t complete. 

Be excited for your proposals and you’ll definitely be successful. Even if your boss says no, they’ll be impressed you took the initiative, and you never know what opportunities can come from that!

Making meaningful connections with your coworkers and boss will set you up to receive the help and feedback you need when starting a new job, and can help you get future opportunities. Start by introducing yourself to everyone, finding a routine that gets you talking, and pitching your ideas!

Remember, above all, be yourself! That’s really what will make you stand out when you start a new job- these tips are just to help you along the way.

The best way to stand out at work? Networking! Watch my FREE workshop to learn the best strategies to start networking with confidence and reclaim your career!