Suzie Key Tima

Starting a new job can be both exciting and overwhelming. As a new employee, you strive to make a positive impression and prove your worth to your colleagues and supervisors. However, it’s natural to make mistakes along the way.

In this blog post, I want to share my personal experiences as a new employee and shed light on five mistakes I made. By learning from these missteps, you can avoid similar pitfalls and pave the way for a successful start in your new role.

Mistake #1: Not Asking Enough Questions

I talk a lot about how important it is to ask questions, whether you are in school, at an interview, or doing an internship. The reason I talk about it so much is because I have failed to do that in the past.

I mistakenly believed that I had to figure everything out on my own to appear competent. But, this approach will slow you down in your progress. If you want to get anywhere fast, figure out who has done it before you and ask them how they got there. It could be a supervisor, a mentor, a professor, etc.

It’s important to seek clarification, ask for guidance, and learn from more experienced colleagues. By asking questions, you demonstrate your eagerness to learn and ensure that you understand tasks and expectations correctly.

Mistake #2: Neglecting Relationship Building

I am an introvert and I like to stay in my bubble when I am at work. There is nothing wrong with being more introverted, but I learned that growing professionally is not just about being an expert in the technical aspect.

Relationships are an important part of growing a career. Building strong professional relationships fosters collaboration, trust, and a positive work environment is crucial. I regret not taking the time to connect with my coworkers, both socially and professionally. By investing in relationships early on, you can establish a support system, gain valuable insights, and enhance your overall work experience.

Mistake #3: Overcommitting and Burning Out

As a new employee, I wanted to prove my dedication and willingness to take on additional responsibilities. Unfortunately, this led to overcommitment and burnout. It’s crucial to strike a balance between being proactive and managing your workload effectively. Learn to say no, when necessary, and give yourself achievable deadlines. You should also prioritize important tasks and communicate your capacity to avoid overwhelming yourself.

Mistake #4: Failing to Embrace Feedback

Constructive feedback is an invaluable tool for growth and development. That is something I understood but failed to seek. Your employer likely has a system to give feedback to help you grow and there should be a consistent feedback loop with your immediate supervisor.

But if they don’t, it’s important to seek that feedback. In the future I want to actively seek feedback, listen attentively, and take actionable steps to address areas of improvement.

Mistake #5: Underestimating the Power of Documentation

In engineering, failing to document can cause major issues. In my first few months, I did not realize this, and I made a few mistakes.

• I failed to save copies of initial concept plans when making reviews.
• I did not document the calculation I performed for a quantities report which made the review process inefficient.
• I relied on my memory to recall instructions, project details, and important conversations.

I am now a little paranoid about documentation, I have created multiple checklists and templates for things such as presentations, meetings, submission, etc. Invest time in organizing your work-related documentation and develop a system that works well for you.

As a new employee, it’s natural to make mistakes. However, by acknowledging and learning from these mistakes, we can grow both personally and professionally. Remember to ask questions, build relationships, manage your workload effectively, embrace feedback, and prioritize documentation. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll set a solid foundation for success and establish yourself as a valuable team member in your new workplace.