How To Start A New Job With Confidence

Your confidence and your communication will be the key factors in your ability to make the most of the upcoming start.

We are in the midst of a sea change in the job market. The old employment model, like clockwork, always had a labor shortage.

Supply and demand would push wages up, businesses would battle over employees and positions would be filled within days, if not hours.

In recent years, that tide has turned. As we have seen, the skills needed to succeed in a new, more global workforce have changed dramatically.

This means that workers need to be flexible and adaptable. People who are not sure of themselves or who lack confidence, won’t last long.

As a result of the global talent deficit and the consequent tightening of the labor market, the recruiters have been struggling to fill roles and achieve rapid and efficient hiring.

If this has been your experience, congratulations. You have found a good job.

The job market may still have a few more curves in the road to negotiate, but if you can learn to adapt, you will be more likely to succeed in the face of uncertainty.

Employers are beginning to realize that an employee who can demonstrate their ability to overcome uncertainty can be much more valuable than someone with little experience.

So, how do you come to terms with your new reality and start your career with confidence?

Here are a few steps to get you started:

Develop a new growth plan that lays out your vision for your future and the desired outcome.

Before you begin the job search, take some time to reflect on your career and the skills that are needed to grow. Is your knowledge on point?

Do you have the skills to learn new skills?

It may be tempting to focus on your financial health or fear of missing out on the latest social media fad, but your professional development should be your primary concern.

Think about the things you want to improve in your life or the goals you would like to achieve.

What types of activities could help you grow?

It might be as simple as going to a class or book club.

Clarity on requirements

woman sitting at table

When the hiring manager asks you for your timeline of how you will settle in and start, the first thing that they expect from you is to know the team and the department and how you will fit in.

Your resume is not the place to tell them about your broad knowledge in all areas of a role. This is especially so when the new role is in marketing, sales, sales support, admin, online media, and so on.

At this stage you are also being asked to explain what you know about the job, so start with this question, “What can you tell me about the company?”

Ask the hiring manager to provide the basic information that they are looking for and have to ask.

These questions, which usually pertain to the company, may not be asked in the interview:

What are the mission and vision?
What is the team culture like?
Where do people hang out daily?
What do you like to do for fun?

You also want to ask these questions and be specific in your response. You don’t have to detail every aspect of the company, but you do need to know the broad core mission.

Identify the companies and positions that are a good fit for your goals and skills

There are many resources out there to help you get a better sense of the field and the organization you want to work for.

This will help you start the job search with a more specific and realistic picture of the type of job you are looking for.

Join or form a new networking group, such as a professional association or an alumni association, that represents the type of career you aspire to have.

Here are a few examples of these types of organizations:

Team work, work colleagues, working together

Group of young modern people in smart casual wear discussing business while working in the creative office

Progressive web apps

This group of developers believes progressive web apps will become the new standard for web applications and sites in the future.

Members of this group are advocates for creating apps that make it easier for users to find information and get tasks done.

This group of developers believes progressive web apps will become the new standard for web applications and sites in the future.

Members of this group are advocates for creating apps that make it easier for users to find information and get tasks done.

Big data

This group has about 3,000 professionals who are working in Big Data.

This group is a cross-section of people working in a wide variety of industries.

Members of this group are interested in working with large data sets, finding new ways to process and analyze data, and are fluent in the use of new technologies.