Getting a new job as a software engineer can be pretty challenging. There are so many things to consider—creating an impressive CV, applying to a million jobs, following up—and as if that wasn’t enough, there’s this elaborate process of interviews, etc. It’s just really harrowing. Trust us, we know the feeling!

But let’s say you’re through and you’ve finally accepted a job offer. Now there’s a whole new problem: finding your place in this new environment.

You’ll probably ask yourself all kinds of questions. Do I have to start coding right away? Do they use a language I’m not familiar with? How do I get up to speed with the codebase? What are the priorities around here? Is it easy to get along with the team I have to work in?

Before you work yourself into a panic, let us tell you, it’s not that bad! These are the five tips we will discuss in this article on starting a new job:

Get Your Personal Affairs in Order

It might seem weird to start with your personal life but here’s why it’s critical:

To be able to focus on your professional career, you need your personal life to be sorted out. If your personal life is chaotic, it will interfere with your work and have you unnecessarily stressed. So, ensure that you have no pending errands when you join a new workplace.

Further, make sure you get all your documents in place before you step into your new office. Most companies have a long onboarding process and it’ll help speed up the process if you have everything you need. 

Be Helpful

New employees are not usually rushed into projects or work in their first few days. So, use this time to get to know your peers and build a rapport with them. One very effective way to do this is to offer help. It’s a win-win no matter their response. If they take your help, you get to learn the ropes; if they decline, you’re still in their good books and they may turn to you at a later point.

Given that a large part of your job will involve coordinating with the people around you, building a rapport will help you a great deal in the future.

Be Politely Assertive

The balance between being nice and getting things done is something people usually struggle with at the beginning of a new job. Being too goal-oriented may make you fall out of favour with your colleagues. Similarly, if you’re too polite, you may come off as a pushover. Assertiveness is a great middle path between the two. 

Being assertive is only possible when you know your SWOT, i.e. your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Be Patient with Yourself 

When it comes to getting used to the workload, accept that it’s going to take time. You will need to understand how projects are handled to know how to manage your time accordingly. Expect to take a month or longer to get this straightened out.

Don’t get frustrated or stressed out if work doesn’t go as smoothly as you plan. Take a breather and be patient.

Pro tip here, though: 
Do not confuse patience and laziness. It is not okay to take an inordinate amount of time to figure things out. You will know in your gut if you’re taking too long. If and when you get that feeling, be sure to ask your colleagues for help. Hesitating might make you look bad, especially if you’re clearly struggling within the first couple of weeks. It’s better to ask for help than wait for things to go wrong. 

Be honest with how much you can handle at the beginning and increase your workload gradually. It’ll help your performance improve constantly.

Be Honest and Realistic

It is critical to set the correct expectations. Don’t beat yourself up trying to outdo everyone and impress your superiors in the first month. The pace of work you set in your first few weeks will tell everyone at the new workplace what to expect from you on a regular basis. So, make sure what you do in this time is sustainable. 

Accept a manageable workload and increase it only after you’re comfortable with what’s already on your plate. If you overdo it in the initial weeks, it will make you look really bad when your productivity inevitably dips later on.

In conclusion, just remember that all the good things in life take time; adjusting to a new job is no different. Be mentally prepared to take things as they come to you. The less you think about what may happen, the more you can focus on what’s actually going on around you. 

So, take a deep breath every time you find yourself losing your calm. Remember the five tips we’ve discussed in this article, and you will be just fine!

At Talent500 by ANSR, we are redefining job searching for India’s best software engineers. We represent Fortune 500 companies who are looking for the top 10% talent. Our dynamic skill assessments and machine learning algorithms match talent to the right opportunities.
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