Self-motivation tips for the office newbie
Q: I'm a new hire at a biotechnology firm. I recently heard through a co-worker that our boss finds me lacking in self-motivation. I can understand his concern, since I'm new and still undergoing training. Before I can actively participate in any research, I have to perfect the practice protocols to show I'm ready to perform them on actual patient samples. This leaves me with a little more down time at the office because I'm having to work around my teammates' schedules, and work spaces are limited.
What can I do to show that I'm excited to be working here, and how can I get my boss to not think of me as a slacker?
A: You know the saying, "You never get a second chance to make a good first impression"? Well, your "first impression" train is about to pull out of the station while you're enjoying your down time. Here are some onboarding tips to make yourself (1) visible and (2) useful but (3) not a nuisance while you get up to speed.
Help people help you help them. If you see senior colleagues handling basic manual or administrative tasks, don't wait to be asked - offer to take them off their hands. If something's below your skill level, it's almost certainly below theirs.
Tag along. When you're not actively training, ask colleagues if you can shadow them for an hour or two. By "shadow," I mean stay out of their light - but be attentive and ready to deliver or print or fetch whatever they may need.
Observe. When you're not delivering/fetching/printing, pretend you're a spy and document everything you're learning: Take notes, snap photos, save emails. Your records will come in handy for refreshing your memory later - or for turning into documentation for the next hire, if none currently exists. (Ooh, bonus task!)
Explore. Physically wander around your office space and say hello to the admins, the cleaning crew, the mail couriers, the security personnel. Learn where tools and supplies are kept, and find out whom to notify if they need replenishing or repair.
Fill in the cracks. Every workplace requires skill sets no one has time to master and workarounds for problems no one has time to fix. While you have the time, find out what those skills and problems are, and master or fix them.
Keep your eyes peeled. Being a newbie means you're unencumbered by "how we've always done it" blinders. If processes strike you as inefficient or outdated, first try to understand why they're done that way; once you have that institutional knowledge, you can suggest ways to streamline things.
Finally, if you really are excited to be there, act like it. Arrive a little early; stay a little late; be liberal with your greetings and good cheer. Savor that new-job smell while it lasts.
---
PRO TIP: Coffee or lunch runs can generate goodwill - but not too often, if you want to avoid falling down the "gofer" hole.