One week into a my dream job...

31 Comments

1. AnonymousNovember 20,2022 at 8:09PM UTC

   First, congratulations! This company valued your skills and capabilities over many others. They need you. Second, understand that no one knows it all. You may want to find one or two people with whom you feel comfortable to ask them to show you the ropes. Was there someone with whom you connected well in the interview process? Now that you're on board, you may want to set up a coffee chat with them and ask if you can connect with them once a month to set yourself up for success. Many people are more than happy to do so! Does the company have a women's network, or other affinity groups that you may be comfortable with? If so, that may be a great way to connect with people who can support your growth. Finally, did you join with a cohort of people? Often in large companies, they hire 20 to 30 people at a time, so you may be able to connect with people who are in the same situation as you as newbies and you help each other figure out the lay of the land! Set up regular touch points, maybe bi-weekly. Of course that doesn't stop you from instant messaging online. Make sure that you bring support as you seek support. Again, all the best to you. You got this!

2. AnonymousNovember 20,2022 at 9:22PM UTC

   These are all great tips. Thank you!

3. Heather CutlerNovember 20,2022 at 9:54PM UTC

   This is all excellent advice!

4. AriaNovember 21,2022 at 12:19AM UTC

   I totally second this answer. I moved from academia to a big pharma company. I had, obviously, no knowledge or understanding about how it even worked. Introduce yourself to key stakeholders. And set up 1:1 with your supervisor/mentor, once/week or once every 2 weeks. Be prepared for your 1:1 with questions, quick updates on your projects/results, etc...

5. AnonymousNovember 21,2022 at 12:35AM UTC

   I feel your "pain"!
   I currently have an entry level position, with hopes of getting better positions in the company and it is not happening! I was told later on it is done by seniority and now it's by "who they know"! I was like well I will stay here so I can pay off my student loans cuz I gotta get that out of the way and pay my rent. Every day is a real struggle. A colleague told me her career plan and she started after me. She is now a manager. I feel VERY discouraged. Every day is getting harder to go to the office.

6. Quasheba BeyTMNovember 21,2022 at 2:20AM UTC

   I learned some lessons the hard way by not transitioning well onto large teams. Thank you for the advice as each role requires a similar flow ??

7. AnonymousNovember 21,2022 at 4:52AM UTC

   Just take on day at a time. Don't get ahead of yourself. Keep your to-list next to you on your desk. Jot down all the small tasks, questions that might come up, etc. Keep a Password/Login list of the various links you need access to along with their credentials. Keep focused on your day's goals. Just take on things day to day.

   Pretty soon you will build momentum and start to relax into your routine. Time is your friend here. Breathe and stay positive. Slowly things will start to fall into place.

   Congratulations on landing a great opportunity. You were hired because you are perfect for this job.

8. AnonymousNovember 21,2022 at 6:30AM UTC

   And sometimes we're the company is very negative re onboading questions it is a sign to get out. Or, atleast get ready to get out. And I am speaking from a negative very similar experience where I stayed with the job hoping it would work out. I was illegally black listed and demoted. This destroyed my career and retirement dreams- although I continued to receive excellent work reviews.

9. AnonymousNovember 22,2022 at 1:25AM UTC

   You’ve only been in your job for a week. It’s natural that everything will feel new and that this will cause some anxiety.

   Have no fear, you will adjust, even if the process seems slow.

   Learn from your manager/s and your new colleagues and treat your first months at your new job as the perfect time to ask questions and to settle in.

10. Crystal HowellNovember 22,2022 at 2:53PM UTC

    Just breathe, this is your dream job. Do worry about the number of the employees in the whole company, make friends in your department, look at them as team mates, engage have coffee, if invited go to their happy hours, dinners etc. Look at the 50 in your dept. which is your comfort zone, you still need to be professional to the others.

11. AnonymousNovember 22,2022 at 3:27PM UTC

    This is excellent advice! I was abruptly let go from a company after less than 2 weeks in the new role. A big tech company from what I thought had a great reputation. They did NONE of what you mentioned here and I only had my 1:1 with a rude manager and her manager. I only had 1 formal training session, no 1:1 meetings with my stakeholders plus it seemed they were really disorganized internally. I communicated this with my recruiter and during my exit interview. I was really shocked and disappointed however relieved that I was let go because this will turn into a very demoralizing and toxic situation quickly. Even though I wasn’t given a fair chance to onboard, train and get up to speed (less than 2 weeks isn’t enough time) I certainly learned a lot. I will keep this and request these items as part of my training for my next role.

12. Jessica FerlandNovember 22,2022 at 3:38PM UTC

    You're only the center of your own universe and these sound like normal adjustment to a new company/role. Let your manager know that you want to make sure that you are on the right track and keeping pace. A good manager should help you along the way so you feel supported. Asking for the help you need and letting them know your concerns will help them feel invested in you.

13. AnonymousNovember 23,2022 at 1:33PM UTC

    Don’t worry! It will all tick and make sense to you because everything is the same across the board and is repetitive. I’ve transitioned from an internship into a hige giant before and wanted to cry how complex everything seemed but with time I learned the process and it was all very repetitive. At big companies change doesn’t happen as quick. Relax, give yourself time and enough rest, make sure your diet and coffee in take is supportive to your brain functioning now. And see if you can free up your schedule outside of work so your brain doesn’t need to be processing more info, just work stuff. You totally got this!

14. AnonymousNovember 23,2022 at 1:38PM UTC

    Biggest piece of advice: ask lots of questions and don’t apologize for it. I mean that literally. Some people have a terrible habit of saying things like “this might seem like a stupid question but…”. And prefacing every thing they ask with a variation on that. Every single person in your new company has been exactly where you are right now. There is no such thing as a silly question to someone who is new to the environment. Learn, grow, settle in, and be the fabulous force you know you are! Congratulations!

15. Dawn S. CrossNovember 23,2022 at 1:46PM UTC

    I totally agree, learn all you can by asking questions. And above all, give yourself some grace.

16. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netNovember 23,2022 at 1:50PM UTC

    Sometimes people are not cut out for big companies. I would give it a month and see how you feel then. In the meanwhile, i would not remove your resume if it is still posted on the boards.

17. Grace BergeronNovember 23,2022 at 2:04PM UTC

    Good morning. What you are feeling are new job nerves and good for you for being self aware. Find yourself two mentors in the company. 1st mentor-one level above your role in your department. This mentor will help guide you through the workings of your department. 2nd mentor - three levels outside your role- will help guide you through the copany's culture perhaps someone from the Employee Resource Groups. Good luck

18. KimberlyNovember 23,2022 at 5:55PM UTC

    Asking for clarification and repeating what is said below, no stupid questions. “I need to know___in order to do my job as expected “

19. AnonymousNovember 23,2022 at 3:03PM UTC

    This same thing just happened to me, but I made the switch from a giant company to a tiny start-up. It was quite a shock because it had been so long since I worked for a small company; I had forgotten how little red tape there is in a smaller shop. I think it’s normal to feel out of place during any switch.

20. Kristin BurnsNovember 23,2022 at 5:49PM UTC

    Echoing the advice to ask a lot of questions. Also set up 1-on-1s with members of your team or those you'll work with on a monthly basis. I'm mostly remote and it helped me connect with people around the world within my company.

21. AnonymousNovember 23,2022 at 5:55PM UTC

    New job jitters are totally normal. Take it one day and one task at a time. Be kind to yourself, and patient. Your team picked you for a reason remember that. During the pandemic, I switched industries and company sizes dramatically. It took me nearly a year to be completely happy and confident about where I landed. At times I thought of fleeing, but I'm so glad I stayed. Hang in there.

22. AnonymousNovember 23,2022 at 6:04PM UTC

    Job transitions take time. Keep track of who you are talking to in a spreadsheet, just so you can start to map the organization and the connections you can reach out to when you have questions.

    Also, it take a few months to settle in. Keep a journal and remember it is a process. They wanted you- it doesn't sound like you will screw it up! You clearly care a lot about working there!

23. Christi MillerNovember 23,2022 at 6:34PM UTC

    Congrats on the new role. At a large company I use One Note a lot to keep track of who is who and make notes of where I go to get stuff done. Also focus on the people you interact with the most. It's a big company but your circle of contacts may be small. Good luck.

24. Adrienne LeightonNovember 23,2022 at 6:46PM UTC

    Consider creating a 30-60-90 day plan with your manager so you're setting realistic and achievable expectations for onboarding. Give yourself some grace. It can take 6+ months to onboard to a new organization. I'm sure your eagerness to making an impact is already noted and appreciated. Your new employer may also have a new hire "buddy" system. If not, seek one out on your own...someone you can lean on to tell you how things really work within the organization. Good luck and congratulations!

25. IntentionGirl299847November 23,2022 at 11:44PM UTC

    Believe in yourself and roll with the changes. Wouldn't have hired you if you were incompetent.

26. Rosa GoesNovember 24,2022 at 4:28AM UTC

    A big company is naturally overwhelming. Take it one day at a time, focus on your department. Good luck to you!

27. AnonymousNovember 25,2022 at 9:20PM UTC

    Stop giving yourself such a hard time about learning new processes, tasks etc. It will all fall into place. They picked you above all other candidates for the position. Don't psych yourself out.

28. AnonymousNovember 26,2022 at 9:50PM UTC

    But sometimes they pick you above others to use you and then fire you. So don't be hard on yourself, but if the toxic atmosphere keeps going downhill and/or they seem to have misled you BE READY TO GO, BE READY TO LEAVE THIS ORGANIZATION AND TO START A NEW JOB.

29. rgstaffing@bellsouth.netNovember 27,2022 at 7:07PM UTC

    I have never heard of such a thing. Just when I think I have heard it all, I haven't.

30. Liz MilneNovember 27,2022 at 4:23PM UTC

    Give yourself time: a week is not long enough to learn all the new things. Be honest with your line manager (without being too needy or seeming helpless) and I'm sure they'll appreciate the culture shift and do their best to help you settle in. A month or so and it will all start feeling like home :)

31. Maria Paula CalvoNovember 30,2022 at 1:19AM UTC

    Congratulations! It is great to read you got your dream job!!!!!

    I think you are worrying in excess... you have been there not long enough but for you to get there the long hunt for sure had to do with the company confirming you had the skills needed for the job. If they concluded you were the right person, they will then allow you to learn their culture and processes because everyone new coming in would need to do so. I would simply suggest that you keep up with a positive attitude towards assimilating all the new things you see around and also enjoying the experience. You will surprise yourself by how fast you adjust, just give yourself the opportunity