Congrats, You are hired! - And now?
Starting a new job remotely
When I moved around the world for my career, I had to learn a few things about making transitions smooth and successful. Currently, my clients and maybe you have to make these transitions while working remotely. And that brings up a few new questions and some worries:
LEAVING YOUR CURRENT JOB:
I had a good time at this company, how can I leave without feeling guilty?
The people I met throughout my career are great, how can I leave without burning bridges?
How can I say farewell when working remotely?
STARTING AT THE NEW JOB/COMPANY:
In my previous job, they knew me and my work. How can I build this brand again?
How can I show that I am good at my job when nobody knows me?
How can I ensure to connect with my new colleagues when everybody works remotely?
Give yourself some time and consideration to transition
One thing I wish I had done better was giving myself some transition time from one job to the other. What I learned from not doing this is how important it actually is. Even though you are excited about the new job, leaving your current one needs a bit of a farewell ritual. And that is more than just the good-bye email or party.
WHEN YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE A JOB
Create a plan and decide how you want to communicate your leave.
Allow yourself a bit of grieving time. Even though you might have plenty of reasons to leave, you also have plenty of reasons why you have been with the company and people.
Show your gratitude to your colleagues through notes and a farewell gathering (yes that can be done remotely, maybe just in smaller groups). Highlight and celebrate what you loved about your work and your colleagues.
Ensure that you have personal contact information from the people you want to stay in contact with.
Leave with grace and create handover documents. Also, set proper expectations on how you can support your colleagues in the remaining time until you leave.
TAKE TIME OFF BETWEEN JOBS
Shift your mindset from one part of your career journey to the next. It also supports the bit of grieving/good-bye time you might need. And it allows enough room for the excitement and mental preparation for the new job.
Consider what will make you successful going forward. Not everything that made you successful in your previous job will make you flourish in your new job. Ask yourself how you want to show up in the new company. What aspect of you might have been missing lately at work and how can you bring it back?
Remodel your “home office space” to mark that you are starting a new job. Add a different color, new plant, new coffee mug, new scent, your “office map” (see below), etc.
Rest, recharge, enjoy a few days off. That is the part I unfortunately never did and paid dearly for in the long-run.
WHEN YOU START YOUR NEW JOB
Remember the three C’s: Curiosity, Consideration, Creativity to learn and establish yourself successfully in the new job.
Getting to know your colleagues remotely takes more effort. Set up 1:1 meeting time with your immediate team and important stakeholders and influencers in the first month and ask them to introduce you to the wider team, so that you get to know them too.
Take note of preferred communication channels and times of your new colleagues and share your’s. This is particularly important when working remotely.
Let your new colleagues know a bit about you. One of my favorite directors created a “manual” where he told a bit of his story and why certain things were very important to him.
Present your best self virtually: Check my two August blog posts to learn how to optimize virtual work performance.
Create an “office map”. This can be through journaling about what you learned about your new colleagues. Or if you are a visual person by creating an actual map, which shows people, roles, locations, areas of expertise, preferred communication channels, connections, and many other things you got to know about them. Hang it on your newly decorated office wall.
Cut yourself some slack: Entering a new job always means starting fresh and includes a learning curve. Doing this remotely might bring up some old insecurities, as it might even take longer and definitely will take more effort. Be nice to yourself when things don’t immediately go smoothly.
I’d love to hear what issues and worries you encountered when leaving your job and starting a new one remotely. And as always, if you like some support during times of transition, set up a call.
First published Sep 19, 2021
