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Career Services in Coda! [Katie Rivard]
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Lesson: Your First Year in a New Design Role
10 minute read
If you've accepted your first design job, congratulations! You've made your mark as a UX Academy graduate and now it's time to make your mark in your new position as a design professional!
We want to help prepare you for the upcoming first year in your new role, leading you through your first 90 and 180 days.
Let's explore some tips on how to excel at your new job and how to kick-start your career on the best note possible. We'll also discuss how to handle any potentially awkward work situations that might arise.
The First 90 Days
As you step foot into your new role, the first three months are crucial for you as well as the company you're working for. This period of time provides you the opportunity to determine if you fit in properly with the team you're working on, understand the goals of the company, and can adhere to the company's standards and values.
On the flip side, the company is evaluating those same criteria to determine if you are a great fit for the position they've hired you for. Your manager may schedule a performance review with you upon the completion of this period to discuss what you've done, how you're feeling about everything, and talk about upcoming goals.
With any new position, you want to try and impress your manager and colleagues with your ability to pick up things quickly and own as much as you can. Because you are new to the company and the position, everyone on the team should understand you're learning the workflows, how to communicate with each of your colleagues, and complete work on projects.
Be willing—especially as a new colleague—to go the extra mile to show your willingness to contribute and help the company succeed. That said, having the integrity to sometimes say no when you feel you're at risk of taking on too much can also earn respect from your team too.
Get involved with social events or other informal gatherings with your team, which will help you integrate that much more with company culture.
During this time, you'll learn many things about your boss and colleagues as well. As a new employee, you might feel pressure to participate in office politics and gossip, but doing so can contribute to eroded team dynamics and also undermine your reputation and professionalism. It's best to avoid these types of conversations at all cost (including over social media or email since messages can be shared).
If you discover that you have a difficult boss or colleague (bad communicator or a micro-manager, for instance), try to first approach them in a professional, assertive way by having a face-to-face conversation about how to improve your working style together. And, if necessary, document your interactions and report inappropriate behavior.
All in all, good communication can help prevent (or diffuse) most awkward situations at work, so try to be transparent and honest.
The First 180 Days
Once you've crossed the three-month mark, you've become more acquainted with how the company moves and where you fit into the mix. By this point, you should have developed professional working relationships with your teammates and your boss.
Within the first six months of being part of the team, you've likely contributed to a few, if not several, projects across the company. If you haven't already, you should begin to try and learn more facets of the company, not just within your department.
To do this, be sure to clear it with your manager. Begin forming relationships with people outside of your core group to understand what it is they do, how their teams function, and how you and your design colleagues can provide assistance if needed.
You should also have a clear understanding of what's expected of you from a day-to-day perspective, what projects are on the horizon, and how you can grow in your position to further help your team and company.
If these things are clear, it's important to address them with your boss. Not having vision into how you will continue to grow may be a sign that it is not a place for you. While getting comfortable in your position and responsibilities is important, don't settle to continue doing the same things over and over again. As a UX Academy graduate, you've been taught to continue striving for more. Continue your education as your progress in your career.
The First Full Year
Once you've hit the one-year anniversary mark, pat yourself on the back! This is an incredible milestone. You've transitioned yourself from your previous life to this new path of being a designer.
Now what? Well, that's really for you to decide. Depending on how you've progressed with the company you're working for, you can determine your next steps. Whether it's continuing your growth within the company or seeking a new position, you have the knowledge, work experience, and understanding of the job to do what you'd like.
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