New Joiners: How to Succeed in Your First 90 Days
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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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