OK, you’ve let everyone know about your success, your new contact information, and generally ensured that they will continue to be valued members of your network going forward. What’s next?
Now you want to start making the best possible impression at the new job. One way to do that even before you start is to reach out to your new boss and ask about coming in to meet key members of your new workgroup BEFORE your first day on the job.
Think about it. Most candidates relax once they accept an offer, and use the time until their start date getting everything else in their lives in order. You have a clear opportunity to stand out just by going in to visit during that period.
Imagine the signal this sends to your new employer! You are showing yourself to be particularly eager to get to work, to meet everyone, and to start making a real contribution to the operations. Even if your boss turns down the opportunity, just the fact that you reached out this way starts him or her thinking that you are a real go-getter.
When you talk to your boss, you can ask about information you could read to get a head start on integrating into the new operation:
- Perhaps there is a critical project you talked about during the interviews, and they could provide you background materials to help you get up to speed for Day 1.
- Possibly there are certain critical people for you to get to know, and you could call in advance to set up meetings for your first days on the job.
- Maybe there are procedural manuals that you will need to begin to study, and you can at least start to do so before you start.
- With a better idea of what’s going to be critical to know or get involved in early on, you can even start reaching out to key networking contacts to gather information and resources so that you can look that much more prepared when you start the job.
Think of it this way:
Once you start the job, you are going to be making a long series of first impressions with people at your new job. What better way is there to enable you to make the most of those than by jumping in ahead of time (or at least offering to) and showing what a self-starter you are?