23 Tips to Shine in the First 3 Months of Your New Job

Starting a new job is an exciting and challenging time. During your first few months on the job, you'll get to know your new employer, learn what's expected of you in your new position, meet many of your colleagues, and better understand your new company, its product and service offerings, and its customers.

During this time, your employer will also be learning about your areas of strength, your special talents, how you work with your colleagues, your ability to meet deadlines, and so on.

For all the ways office workers have adjusted to working remotely, the arrangement can be tougher for those starting a new job remotely. Getting to know the company, colleagues and even the lay of office politics is all the more difficult without the experience of being able to connect with others in person.

It can take several months to get in the swing of things. Here are 23 tips to help you get started:

1. Make a checklist of what you want from your new job as soon as you accept the offer and discuss these points with your boss.

2. Get organized and set good habits. Take these first weeks to decide how you want to organize your calendar and to-do lists, how you'll manage your time and the skills or practices you want to develop.

3. Set up a new space. Refresh your remote workspace, whether you're setting one up for the first time, or just adding a new piece of art or a plant to your desk.

4. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Everyone understands that you are learning about the company and your job.

5. Meet with your direct manager during your first week to clarify and document what will be expected of you during the first several months.

6. Learn the criteria by which your performance will be measured. The most common reason for falling short of early success and satisfaction in a new position is the failure to understand what management expects of you.

7. Help your supervisor set expectations about you. Don't work until 10:00 p.m. every night for the first two weeks unless you intend to do so all the time.

8. Set up a three-month review. In most organizations, a 90-day review for new employees is common practice.

9. Be accountable. Jump in and start doing the job. Don't wait to be given work to do.

10. Be solution-oriented. As a fresh pair of eyes, you may be able to identify some opportunities for improvement within the company.

11. Don't go in criticizing the company or the people who run it; be positive and politically astute.

12. Don't bring up your former employer too much. It may give the impression that you don't want to be in your new job.

13. Respect the culture. Keep your head low until you learn how the company operates. Some companies have certain writing styles. Some expect you to speak a certain way.

14. Get to know your team better. It's important to continue making new connections and allowing others to know you, too.

15. Keep your tone clear and neutral to start off. Until you can gauge your colleague's personalities, it's a good idea to keep the tone of your emails and other communications relatively neutral.

16. Identify early wins. There are probably a lot of things on your plate. As you learn more about what your manager values, prioritize the tasks that support their goals as well.

17. Set communication standards. In a remote work setting, learning how to communicate with one another digitally becomes all the more important. Get to know if they have a preferred method (email, instant message, phone, or video), time of day or even frequency of getting in touch.

18. Get to know your team. Getting to know your colleagues will take more effort when you can't run into them around the office. Carve out at least 30 minutes of pure networking each week when you're new.

19. Ask your new connections if they think there's someone else in the organization you should know within the first three to six months with the company.

20. Lay the groundwork for a deep working relationship. Of course, scheduled interactions can't completely make up for the rapport you build with people when you can see and chat with them in person. Make time for more personal conversations.

21. Pay attention to your virtual presence. Be aware of how you come across on video. Unflattering camera angles, poor lighting, and messy or distracting backgrounds can send a message about your professionalism.

22. Ask about virtual events or gatherings. It may take some time to get on the invite list for whatever virtual social gatherings are taking place, so ask around.

23. Reconnect with old colleagues. It's a great time to update former coworkers and learn what's happening with them.