How to succeed in the first 60 days of a job

- You did it. You landed the job and your first day is fast approaching. Now what? Well, now you get ready to knock their socks off. Starting a new job typically involves a lovely little combo of exhilaration and nervousness. You're going to enjoy much more of that exhilaration part and make an incredible first impression if you make a plan for your first 60 days, and use that time to your advantage. Here are the absolutely must-do actions that'll help ensure your first two months are a smashing success. Number one, get a lay of the land. While you likely learned a bit about the company, the people and the culture while interviewing, you can't really get a pulse on things until you're in the thick of it. Be deliberate about this, but not in a way that's weirdly intense. The easiest ways to do this are by observing, asking curious questions, and getting to know the people around you right away. Invite a person or two to coffee, or lunch, every week, and ask about their jobs, their teams, their hobbies. You don't need an agenda for these sessions, the important part is that you're taking the time to build rapport and relationships with the people around you. These meetings will also likely give you all kinds of intel about the dynamics within the company. Just be sure you don't get lured in to any gossip sessions, you are way too new for that. Number two, keep the answer to, "Why did they hire me?" top of mind as you settle in. Your job's probably going to pull you in a lot of directions, most do. Work to stay focus on the tasks and priorities that are at the very top of your supervisor's list. And if you're not clear on those, request a meeting during that first week so you're both in agreement. The third must-do action is actually a must-not do action. Don't try to overhaul everything ten seconds after you arrive. Yes, you may notice that certain processes are broken, or feel very strongly that that big new marketing campaign is a total dud, but coming screaming in and immediately trying to overhaul everything will very likely put a strain on budding relationships, and it could make it challenging for you to create allies. Now, you can and you should create a couple of low-hanging fruit wins as you settle in. Just don't even think about tearing the whole place down to the studs before you've established yourself as a performer. Now your next action, ask your boss if she'll meet with you, maybe around the 30-day mark, and ask her how you're doing. What are you doing well? Any areas for improvement? The more open the two of you can be about expectations and performance, the better your relationship will be, and the better your performance will be. And last, but not least, take care of yourself. This is an always suggestion, but it's particularly relevant when you're stressed, and all eyes are on you. Eat well, get enough sleep, and do the things that you know will allow you to be your absolute best self.