After Accepting a Job Offer: Part 1 - What to Do Before You Start

Don't Stop: The Crucial Period Before Starting

• 🏁 The period between accepting a job offer and your start date is often overlooked, but it's a critical time for preparation.
• ⏳ Many new hires assume their work is done after accepting the offer and take a passive approach, leading to difficulties 90 days into the new role.
• 💡 This passive period is often due to the assumption that the hiring manager or recruiter is handling all necessary preparations, which is rarely the case.
• 🚀 Proactively engaging during this time signals your work ethic and excitement, setting a positive tone before your first day.

Building New Relationships Early

• 🤝 Every interaction with someone at the new company is an opportunity to start building a relationship, which are as crucial as results for career success.
• 🎯 Power brokers in an organization are rarely at the top of the org chart; they can be anyone assisting with onboarding, technology, or access.
• ⚠️ Do not underestimate the importance of individuals helping with seemingly minor tasks like setting up technology or providing access badges, as they may hold significant influence.
• ✨ Always be personable and polite, as people remember first impressions, which can shape future interactions and perceptions of your effectiveness.
• 🗣️ When interacting with new colleagues, focus on listening and asking thoughtful questions about them, their roles, and their experiences, rather than trying to one-up them.

Staying Connected with Your Hiring Manager

• 📞 Maintaining contact with your hiring manager every 3 days can reinforce your enthusiasm and commitment to the new role.
• 🗓️ A structured communication plan, including thank-you notes, updates on HR paperwork, requests for reading materials, and inquiries about goals and company software, can make this proactive approach feel natural.
• 💡 Rotating communication methods (email, voicemail, calls) can make regular check-ins feel less overwhelming and more organic.
• ❓ Asking about short-term and long-term goals, company software, and key people helps you prepare effectively and shows initiative.

Leveraging Your Network

• 🌐 Reach out to contacts within your network who work at or with the new company to gain insights and express gratitude for their prior help.
• ✅ Closing the loop with these contacts by thanking them and sharing your positive outcome is essential for maintaining relationships.
• 💡 The questions you ask after being hired will differ from those asked before; focus on understanding your role, deliverables, reporting, and communication structures.
• 🌟 Having existing contacts within the organization can provide a significant advantage and a smoother integration into your new role.