What to do in the first 90 days of any job to change your career trajectory forever

About this video

• Video Title: What to do in the first 90 days of any job to change your career trajectory forever
• Channel: Grace Beverley
• Speakers: Grace Beverley
• Duration: 00:25:51

Overview

This video provides actionable advice on how to strategically navigate the first 90 days of a new job to positively influence your career trajectory. It breaks down the 90-day period into three 30-day phases, offering specific actions and mindsets for each. The content is inspired by Michael Watkins' book "The First 90 Days" and the speaker's own experience in hiring and managing teams.

Key takeaways

• Strategic First 90 Days: The initial 90 days are crucial for shaping how you are perceived, your progression speed, and your long-term potential within a company.
• The Break-Even Point: Understand that you initially consume value (time, money, training) and the goal is to shorten the period it takes to start producing more value than you consume.
• Avoid Common Traps: Be mindful of common pitfalls such as going into overdrive without context, playing it too safe, trying to replicate past success without adaptation, or coming in with all the answers prematurely.
• First 30 Days: Learn Everything: Focus on observing how the company operates, its goals, internal language, and assumptions. Leverage your fresh perspective to identify potential areas for improvement, but be mindful of trust and company culture when offering suggestions.
• Second 30 Days: Start Acting: Begin implementing changes based on your observations, focusing on making your manager's life easier by streamlining processes, fixing minor issues, or reducing friction. This phase is about showing initiative and moving beyond just task execution.
• Final 30 Days: Feedback, Reflection, and Positioning: Actively seek feedback before your probation review, reflect on your learnings, and prepare to present your progress, insights, and future plans. This proactive approach demonstrates self-awareness and commitment.
• Make Your Manager's Life Easier: A key strategy throughout the first 90 days is to identify and address pain points that will simplify your manager's work, making you more valuable and promotable.
• Take Ownership and Self-Promote: Don't wait for permission to add value or share your accomplishments. Regularly communicate your progress and impact, and align your contributions with the company's overall goals.
• Build Intentional Relationships: Actively network and build relationships with influential people in your company and industry, as these connections can advocate for you and create opportunities.

This video focuses on the first 90 days and breaks it down into three 30-day segments. It doesn't provide a specific plan for the first two weeks. However, the advice for the first 30 days can be adapted to create a plan for your first two weeks.

Here’s a plan for your first two weeks, based on the "First 30 Days: Learn Everything" principle from the video:

Week 1: Immersion and Observation

• Goal: Absorb as much information as possible about the company, your role, and the team dynamics. Focus on understanding the environment without immediately trying to change things.
• Key Actions:
  • Meet Your Manager:
    • Understand their expectations for your role and what success looks like in the short term.
    • Ask about immediate priorities and key people you should connect with.
    • Schedule a follow-up meeting for the end of week 2 or early week 3 to share initial observations.
  • Meet Your Immediate Team:
    • Schedule brief 1-on-1s with each team member.
    • Understand their roles, responsibilities, and how they interact with your role.
    • Listen to their perspectives on team processes and any current challenges (without offering solutions yet).
  • Understand Your Role:
    • Thoroughly review your job description again.
    • Identify key tasks and responsibilities.
    • Locate essential resources, tools, and documentation.
    • If possible, shadow a colleague to see day-to-day tasks in action.
  • Learn Company Basics:
    • Understand the company's mission, vision, and core values.
    • Learn about the company's products/services and its main customers or clients.
    • Familiarize yourself with the organizational structure and key departments.
    • Identify where key information is stored (e.g., shared drives, internal wiki).
  • Observe Processes:
    • Pay attention to how common tasks are performed.
    • Note any repetitive processes or systems that seem complex or could potentially be improved (but don't voice these yet).
    • Observe communication channels and meeting etiquette.
  • Take Notes: Keep a private document to jot down everything you learn, any questions that arise, and initial thoughts or observations.

Week 2: Deeper Understanding and Initial Connections

• Goal: Build on the initial immersion by seeking clarity on key aspects of your role and the broader context, and begin building rapport.
• Key Actions:
  • Ask Clarifying Questions:
    • Based on your notes from week 1, formulate thoughtful questions for your manager and colleagues.
    • Focus on understanding the "why" behind certain processes or decisions.
    • Examples: "Could you help me understand the typical workflow for X project?" or "What are the main goals the team is working towards this quarter?"
  • Connect with Key Stakeholders:
    • Identify individuals outside your immediate team who you'll need to collaborate with.
    • Request brief introductory meetings to understand their roles and how your work intersects.
    • Listen more than you speak.
  • Identify "Low-Hanging Fruit" (Observation Stage):
    • Continue observing processes and team dynamics.
    • Note any small inefficiencies or areas where a minor tweak might be beneficial, but primarily focus on understanding the current state.
    • Think about what might make your manager's life easier (even if you don't act on it yet).
  • Understand Company Culture:
    • Observe how people interact, make decisions, and give/receive feedback.
    • Note the unwritten rules and norms.
  • Prepare for Your 30-Day Check-in:
    • Start organizing your notes and insights from the first two weeks.
    • Begin thinking about key themes or observations you might want to share with your manager in your upcoming check-in.
    • This is not about offering solutions, but about demonstrating that you are actively learning and observing.

Key Mindset for the First Two Weeks:

• Be a Sponge: Your primary role is to learn and absorb.
• Be Curious: Ask open-ended questions to gain deeper understanding.
• Be Observant: Pay attention to both the explicit (tasks, processes) and implicit (culture, relationships) aspects of your new environment.
• Be Humble: You're new; focus on understanding before offering expertise.
• Listen Actively: More listening than talking will help you gather crucial information.

This plan prioritizes learning, observation, and relationship-building, aligning with the video's emphasis on the critical nature of the initial 30 days.

Here is a comprehensive 90-day plan, broken down by month, based on the video's advice:

First 90 Days: A Strategic Career Accelerator

This plan is structured around the core principles of learning, contributing, and positioning yourself for long-term success.

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Month 1: Learn Everything (Focus: Observation & Understanding)

Overarching Goal: Absorb as much information as possible about the company, your role, your team, and the broader business context. Leverage your fresh perspective without immediately trying to implement major changes.

Key Themes: Learning, Observation, Asking Questions, Building Initial Trust.

Week 1:

• Immersion & Initial Connections:
  • Manager Meeting: Understand expectations, priorities, and key stakeholders. Schedule a 30-day check-in.
  • Team Introductions: Meet immediate team members, understand their roles and how they interact with yours.
  • Role Familiarization: Review job description, identify core tasks, locate resources.
  • Company Basics: Grasp mission, values, products/services, org structure.
  • Observe: Note communication styles, meeting etiquette, and basic processes.
  • Action: Keep detailed notes of everything learned, questions, and initial observations.

Week 2:

• Deeper Dive & Broader Connections:
  • Clarifying Questions: Formulate thoughtful questions based on week 1 observations for your manager and colleagues.
  • Stakeholder Introductions: Connect with key people outside your team you'll interact with. Understand their roles and interdependencies.
  • Process Observation: Continue noting how things are done, looking for potential complexities or repetitive actions (without offering solutions yet).
  • Cultural Nuances: Observe decision-making processes, feedback styles, and unwritten rules.
  • Action: Begin to synthesize your notes, identifying recurring themes or areas of interest.

Weeks 3-4:

• Contextual Understanding & Initial Insights:
  • Strategic Alignment: Understand how your team's work contributes to departmental and company-wide goals.
  • Identify Pain Points (Observation Only): Note areas where people seem frustrated or processes are inefficient, but do not attempt to fix them yet.
  • Learn the Language: Internalize company-specific jargon, acronyms, and common phrases.
  • Seek Feedback (Informal): Casually ask colleagues about their experience or perspectives on certain processes.
  • Prepare for 30-Day Check-in: Organize key learnings, initial observations, and thoughtfully prepared questions.
  • Action: Schedule and conduct your 30-day check-in with your manager. Share high-level observations, ask for feedback on your initial progress, and reiterate your commitment to learning and contributing.

Month 1 Key Takeaways: You've gathered foundational knowledge, met key people, and begun understanding the organizational landscape. You've shown initiative by asking questions and seeking feedback.

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Month 2: Start Acting (Focus: Contribution & Value Addition)

Overarching Goal: Begin actively contributing value, moving from information absorption to application. Focus on making a tangible difference, particularly by supporting your manager and team.

Key Themes: Contribution, Making Life Easier, Demonstrating Competence, Proactive Action.

Weeks 5-6:

• Acting on Insights & Reducing Friction:
  • Identify Opportunities: Based on your Month 1 observations, pinpoint one or two specific, manageable areas where you can add value. Prioritize things that make your manager's life easier.
  • Propose Solutions (Thoughtfully): Approach your manager with well-considered suggestions for small improvements. Frame them as opportunities to streamline, clarify, or enhance efficiency.
  • Take Ownership: Volunteer for tasks or projects that might be overlooked or considered less glamorous but are important.
  • Action: Implement one small, impactful change or take initiative on a specific task. Document the process and any results.

Weeks 7-8:

• Demonstrating Competence & Building Momentum:
  • Execute Reliably: Consistently deliver on your core responsibilities with high quality.
  • Go "Above and Beyond" (Strategically): Identify opportunities to do more than strictly required, focusing on areas that align with team or company goals and demonstrate your potential. This isn't about burnout, but about strategic impact.
  • Problem Solving: Address smaller issues that arise within your scope, demonstrating critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Cross-Functional Engagement: If appropriate, start engaging more with individuals in other departments related to your work.
  • Action: Continue to make your manager's life easier by proactively identifying and addressing small issues or improving a process. Share progress updates regularly.

Month 2 Key Takeaways: You've started to contribute tangibly, demonstrating your ability to learn, adapt, and add value. You've begun to prove yourself as someone who can execute and also identify opportunities for improvement, making you indispensable.

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Month 3: Feedback, Reflection, and Positioning (Focus: Growth & Future Impact)

Overarching Goal: Solidify your position, gather feedback to refine your approach, and strategically plan your next steps. Demonstrate self-awareness and a long-term vision.

Key Themes: Feedback, Self-Awareness, Strategic Positioning, Future Planning.

Weeks 9-10:

• Seeking and Acting on Feedback:
  • Continuous Check-ins: Don't wait for formal reviews. Regularly seek informal feedback from your manager and trusted colleagues on your performance and approach.
  • Synthesize Feedback: Actively listen to feedback, identify common themes, and reflect on areas for growth.
  • Demonstrate Adaptability: Show that you can incorporate feedback into your work and adjust your approach accordingly.
  • Action: Prepare for your 90-day review by gathering examples of your contributions, learnings, and areas where you've sought and applied feedback.

Weeks 11-12:

• Formal Review & Future Alignment:
  • 90-Day Review: Treat this as a presentation of your first 90 days. Showcase what you've learned, accomplished, the value you've added (especially to your manager), and your understanding of the company's goals.
  • Share Insights: Present key observations and potential areas for future contribution, framed constructively.
  • Discuss Future Goals: Articulate your career aspirations within the company and how you see yourself growing and contributing long-term. Discuss potential next steps or development areas.
  • Position Yourself: Reinforce your value and the positive impression you've made.
  • Action: Follow up on any action items or development plans discussed during your review. Continue to build relationships and seek opportunities to contribute.

End of 90 Days:

• Consolidate Learnings: Review your notes from the entire 90-day period. Identify what worked well, what challenges you overcame, and key lessons learned.
• Build Your Narrative: You should now have a clear story of your initial impact and potential within the company.
• Maintain Momentum: Continue to apply the principles of proactive contribution, seeking feedback, and strategic positioning.

Key Principles to Remember Throughout:

• Make your manager's life easier: This is a recurring theme and a powerful way to build trust and demonstrate value.
• Communicate progress: Don't assume people know what you're doing. Share updates, learnings, and impact.
• Be a contributor, not just an executor: Show that you understand the bigger picture and can think critically.
• Build relationships: Network intentionally within the company.
• Self-promote: Regularly share your accomplishments and contributions.
• Be adaptable: Be open to feedback and willing to adjust your approach.

This 90-day plan provides a framework. Remember to tailor it to your specific role, industry, and company culture. Good luck!