New Joiners: How to Succeed in Your First 90 Days

Starting a new role is exciting but can also feel overwhelming. The first 90 days are your opportunity to learn, build relationships and make an impact. A structured approach will help you feel confident, engaged, and set up for success.

Key milestones for your success

First week: get settled and start learning.

• Meet your manager and team - build key relationships early.
• Make sure you have access to the tools, systems, and resources you need.
• Clarify your role expectations - understand how success is measured.
• Ask lots of questions - learning now will help you ramp up faster.

First 30 days: build confidence and make progress.

• Gain a clear understanding of your role, priorities, and ways of working.
• Have your 30-day check-in with your manager to discuss early wins and challenges.
• Take stock of what you've learned – the first 30 days are a steep learning curve, so reflect on progress rather than aiming for perfection.
• Seek feedback – your manager, colleagues and key stakeholders can all provide useful insights.
• Start to think beyond onboarding – how you can add value and grow in your role over the next few months?

First 60 days: deepen your knowledge and add value.

• Reflect on your progress – consider what you’ve learned, how you’re contributing and any skills you’ve developed.
• Identify any knowledge or confidence gaps - ask for training, mentoring or additional support if needed.
• Deepen and widen relationships - build connections with people beyond your immediate team too.
• Show initiative - look for opportunities to contribute beyond your core tasks.
• Seek constructive feedback – now is the time to refine your approach and improve where needed.

First 90 days: review and plan for the future

• Evaluate your journey – reflect on what you’ve learned and how you’ve adapted.
• Assess your impact – what contributions have you made so far? What’s next?
• Start to think longer-term – what will you be able to achieve in this role?
• Schedule your end-of-probation check-in with your manager - review progress and next steps.
• Celebrate your progress - by now, you should feel confident in your role!

Best practices for a strong start

• Be proactive – take initiative, ask for what you need and seek out learning opportunities.
• Build relationships – your success isn’t just about what you do, but also who you work with.
• Seek feedback and act on it – growth comes from learning so ask for feedback and use it to improve.
• Stay curious and open-minded – adapt, explore, and understand how your role contributes to the bigger picture.
• Own your development – discuss and agree career goals with your manager. The first 90 days are just the beginning!

Remember: you don’t have to know everything immediately - learning, growing, and adapting are all part of the process. A strong start leads to a successful and fulfilling career!

What about Managers?

See Appraisd guidance for Managers: How to Successfully Onboard New Employees in the First 90 Days

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