I got the job. What now?

I got the job. What do I do now?

Hi, I’m Janet Granger, answering the question: “I got the job. Now what do I do?” 

If this is your first job in marketing, congratulations! Welcome to the working world of marketing. Even if you’ve had an internship, this is a big leap for you because it’s your first role. So enjoy the moment. Celebrate!

If you’re accepting a job with one company, and you have other offers on the table, or you’re waiting to hear from another company, be sure to be courteous and tell them (the company that made you the offer) that you’ll get back to them in three days (or five days – whatever is best for you) but – at the most – a week. 

Companies want you to be excited about the job, so don’t put them off for more than a week. Just say, “I need to check in with (so and so)” or say there are things you have to do, and then say yes to them. 

Or, if you’re waiting until you hear from other offers, listen to this video or read this after you have all the other offers in and have decided where you’re going, and also listen to “how to decline a job offer,” once you’ve decided what position you want.  

Once you’ve decided on the company, you should thank them, and tell them you’re really excited about it. Here’s what to do next. 

The first thing is: don’t let your guard down, when it comes to social media. By that I mean, it’s wonderful to say, on LinkedIn, that you’re excited to join this company, and you’re starting on a certain date, and to name the company. I see that all the time, and people really enjoy seeing that – especially if they know you and they’re excited about your future.

Remember: now is the time to be “professional” – you don’t want to bad mouth a company (or anyone in particular) because you never know when you might encounter them again. It’s always a good idea to not burn bridges behind you, because people tend to come back around in your career. You never know when a client, or someone you work with, etc. may pop up again in the future. Share how excited you are about this new role and to begin your new journey.

The second thing is be organized before you start. Make your travel arrangements if you want to travel before you begin. You might even think about buying some new clothes – you may have gotten a sense, when you interviewed, what people at the company wear. 

You may think this is weird but if you’ve never worked in an office environment before, you may be working in an office a couple of days each week – and offices tend to run cool. For example, in the summertime, companies can keep the temperature cool, if they have air conditioning. If there’s a winter season where you, they may not heat it up past 65 or 68 degrees. 

Throughout my whole career, and other people I know who worked in offices, we all knew it was  good to have sweaters or things you can wear in cooler temperatures. I know that sounds weird but it is something to think about, if you want to buy some things early. 

The other thing is, if you’re working in an office and you’re going to be commuting, even if it’s just one or two days a week, do a “dry run” of the commute during the hours when you will be commuting. There is nothing more stressful than worrying about whether you’re going to be 30, 45, or even 60 minutes late on your first day (that you’re going to be in the office), because you haven’t figured out how you’re going to get there, or how long it typically takes. So I recommend doing a dry run if only so that you’re not stressed about it the first day. 

If you’re not working in an office, I recommend you reach out to your manager and ask to talk to some of your peers (if you haven’t talked to them already), to find out about who they are, what their experiences are, etc. They’re going to be your peers and, maybe even your friends, so it’s good to have an early conversation with them. 

They may give you hints on what it’s like to work with your manager, and you can ask them if they have any advice for you to know before you start. Keep in mind that first impressions are important (with some people), so be sure that, on your first day, or when you’re having these early conversations, you listen. 

We always learn much more when we’re listening than when we’re talking. And I don’t know about you, but sometimes, when I get nervous, I talk a lot more than normal. That’s okay, it’s normal, but we learn more with our mouths closed, so ask everyone you know questions: where they came from, what they did before, how long they’ve been at the company, or with this manager. And ask if there’s any advice they would give you, showing you the ropes, etc. 

Their answers will give you a sense of who’s who on the team, who will be helpful, and it will  start to help you get in and get started. It will give a good impression to other people if you’re not always talking about yourself. And then you’ll know who they are and what they’re about. 

Finally, if you currently have a job ( if this is not your first job – you’re moving to your next job), you need to exit gracefully. There’s a great link here that tells you the “5 To-Do Steps” before you leave. It’s great practical advice so I recommend you take a look at the link so that you can make sure you exit your current company gracefully. 

I’m Janet Granger, answering the question: “I got the job. Now what do I do?”