Fun fact: most of us struggle being ‘the new one’! It’s never easy being new in a role, company or country. And even though we know it takes a fem months to settle in, understand and belong, we still struggle with the process. I actually did a video about ‘being the new kid‘ a while back on my Facebook page – check it out here if you’re curious.
The challenges about being new are many, but they mostly come down to one simple thing. We don’t want to screw it up and ultimately look like we don’t know what we’re doing. The fear of ‘being found out’ is very real – especially when we throw ourselves into something new.
But, you probably already knew all that!
So I thought I’d share some of the great perks of being the new person:
- There are no stupid questions. In the beginning you can ask pretty much anything without looking stupid. And the funny thing is that people will always try and help, because it’s usually in their best interest that you learn quickly so you can help the wider team.
- It lets you lean on friends and family more. When you’re processing all that new information, you’re likely pretty tired in the end of the day. This is a great opportunity to ask for some help and support around you. If someone is offering to cook you dinner or help you out in some other way – graciously accept it and allow them to help you. And of you don’t need the help just then, just acknowledge that the person is making an effort to help you.
- New beginnings – new leanings. What a great opportunity it is to stretch both your mind and your skillset! Learning something new always reminds me of the simple fact that we’re never ‘finished’ learning. There are many milestones in life (graduation, your first job, your first pay rise and lots of other ones), but the learning will never stop. When I start to feel that light anxiety creep up because I don’t know it all yet, I choose to get excited about what I’m about to learn.
- You get to create your boundaries in a new place. Just because you’re new, does not mean that you’re going to get stuck with all the dirty work. Sure, you might need to pull a few late evenings in the beginning, but don’t make it a habit! We teach others how it’s ok to treat us. Being new in a place allows you to respectfully show your new team what’s ok and not ok in your world. Healthy boundaries at work are key to settle in and contribute to the organisation.
Being new is as much of a blessing as you make it. It might not be exactly the change you were after, but at least it’s letting you explore something different!