Interviewed. Asked all the right questions. Got the job offer. Accepted. Start next week.
Person is looking ahead. Anxious to start. Most assume they will have little grace period to settle in. That assumption is absolutely wrong.
Company has hired person to fix something. Not to settle in. Or get to know colleagues. They hired person for results, now. Not in 2-3 months.
Professional search firms coach candidates before interview. We made sure our candidates asked: What are 3 critical accomplishments employer needs in next 3 months?
Answer to that question tells candidates 3 things
Do they still want the job?
Are expectations realistic?
Can they exceed them?
If new employee meets expectations, their job may be secure. But meeting expectations will not get them promoted.
Majority of employers make 2 decisions before person has been there 90 days.
First, are we going to keep this employee or should we let them go.
First, are we going to keep this employee or should we let them go.
Second, does this employee have what it takes to grow with the company?
Most companies have good idea on the answer to those questions in first 90 hours on the job. (Think about people you have hired. How quickly did you evaluate them in your mind?)
Nope, you won’t find this in any HR Manual or formal document. It’s just something most employers have learned.
Where did such a informal policy come from? Company experience hiring hundreds of employees. Seeing who succeeded and who didn’t.
Question we get asked. Normally at one month mark. “How long do we wait if we’re not sure employee will make it?”
We tell companies to start looking right now. If company is unsure at 30 days, odds are 90% they will be unsure at 60, 90 or 180 days. Just asking question told us employer had already made decision. They were just looking for confirmation from us.
Fortunately, they were not calling about our placements!
Most companies keep employee until they hire replacement.
Long term, decision is best for employee and employer.
How do you stack the deck in your favor? In First 90 hours and days.?
SecurEmploy coachs people we place to ask for a formal performance review at 30 days. Specifically to ask:
What am I doing well?
Where am I not meeting expectations?
How do I correct course?
What else can I be doing?
Over the years many candidates have told us that review, not only saved their job, but it helped them exceed, and lead to a promotion.
Employers are very willing to give second chances when they know person is striving to succeed. When person is open to criticism and suggestions.
Success in any job is 50/50 employer and employee. Whether entry level or Chairman of the Board.
What do you do if review goes well, but it doesn’t feel right?
Many employers are unwilling to give honest, critical feedback. Especially early on.
We always coach employees to “trust your gut.” If it doesn’t feel right, odds are, you are right. Update your resume and start looking. While you are still there, bust your butt. No matter what, you want a favorable recommendation.
Tip: We coach candidates to update their resume immediately after starting. Be prepared for any eventuality. Today, many corporations are changing directions and laying off employees. Including some just hired. Be prepared.
Success on a job used to be 50/50 employer and employee. Whether it’s entry level or Chairman of the Board. Today it is 33% employee, 33% employer, and 34% executive office corporate business decision. People making most hiring decisions have no idea what is going on in executive offices.
Summing Up in 7 Steps
Understand you have been hired to meet and exceed expectations.
You will be given project. Immediately break project into small bites.
Have bites you can exceed in first two weeks.
Submit results in writing. (Verbal is extra. Verbal results can get lost.) Make sure bosses are aware of what you have accomplished. Include employees on your team. Verbally and in writing give them credit. (That credit more than anything lets company know you are valuable asset. Employees will double their efforts. They know you have their backs.)Then submit written reports every 2 weeks. What has been done, what challenges arose, what you and team are doing to address them, and completion date for project.
Your verbal and written communications are your key. Even if project completion date has to slide. Your communications every two weeks keeps everyone in loop with accomplishments and challenges and solutions.
Employers are looking for results. Most of all they don’t want surprises.
Challenges come up, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for suggestions or help. None of us have all-the-answers. Employers are looking for people who are not afraid to ask for help.
Share your success stories. Not only within the company. Share with outside organizations. So they start to be aware you are someone they would like to have on their team. Share those successes with us. We love to pass them along, with your permission of course. Shared success stories have lead to lots of promotions and opened new career opportunities.
CTA: Think about your current job. What would you like next? Will this job get you there. If not, what would. Set your nest 3-5 year goals and objectives.
Tom Ferree is the founder of Ferree & Associates and SecureEmploy, organizations focused on helping companies find exceptional talent and helping professionals advance their careers. Since founding Ferree & Associates in 1977, Tom has worked extensively with hospitality companies, executives, and rising leaders across the industry. Through SecureEmploy, he shares practical career strategies, leadership insights, and real-world advice to help professionals grow their careers and help organizations build stronger teams.
