Starting a New Job? Unlearn These Things From Your Last Role

You’ve landed a new job because of experience you’ve developed in your previous positions. But if you’re like most people, you probably picked up some bad habits along the way, as well. Starting a new job is the perfect time to modify these bad habits so you’re more productive, mentally well, and satisfied in your current role.

Creating more productive habits doesn’t have to mean you have to push yourself further than you ever have before. Instead, moving into a new role encourages you to examine your natural tendencies and proclivities, as well as behaving differently than you did in your last role. For instance, when you’re the newest employee at a company, you have no choice but to listen to others before acting – something you may have stopped doing in your previous position.

Here, we’ll talk about common bad habits employees pick up in the workplace so you can unlearn them in your new position.

Don’t become too much of an expert – regardless of your expertise.

As we advance through the ranks in a company, it’s common to start focusing on what you know, not on what you don’t. After all, you have worked hard to develop expertise.

However, feeling like you know everything is a motivation-killer. Not only does this mentality create a stagnation, but it also makes you less likely to explore multiple solutions to a problem.

So, the ability to retain a novice’s drive and curiosity is something you want to foster in your new role. No matter how senior you are, you will naturally feel like you have things to learn in your new role. Keep this curiosity as you settle into your role. Asking questions and intentionally listening to multiple perspective can help you develop a curiosity mindset over the long term.

Listen to different perspectives.

Professionals can get into the bad habit of seeking feedback from the same colleagues again and again. These people may be your friends or closest work allies, but this way of soliciting advice limits the information that you’ll receive. What if someone with whom you rarely interact gave you an innovative solution to a problem?

When you start at a new company, however, you won’t have a network of friends and close colleagues already established. Instead, take the time to interact with everyone. This practice can serve you well as you continue to engage with colleagues outside of your daily points of contact.

 Ask for advice.

Another struggle faced by senior employees is feeling like they can’t ask for advice, for fear of being seen as incompetent. Asking for advice from others doesn’t make you incapable of doing your job. Instead, it makes you seem more open to new ideas and makes others feel more comfortable asking for help, as well.

If your previous workplace fostered this culture of inadequacy, you should change your patterns in your new position. Since you’ll be expected to ask for help as a new hire, you can build this habit into your daily routine. Then, you can continue to ask for feedback as you build seniority at the company.

Don’t get into the routine of oversharing or gossiping.

If you’ve been at a workplace where employees appreciate gossip, you may have found yourself sucked into the fray. However, these unprofessional behaviors often spiral, keeping you in a routine of gossip and oversharing when interacting with your colleagues.

When you start at a new company, though, gossip can be dangerous. Not only do you need to prove you’re a strong fit, but you could also put your foot in your mouth in gossiping about the wrong person. Further, gossip doesn’t actually build strong relationships.

Instead of relying on this way of connecting, get to know your new colleagues more authentically and form your own opinions of them. You may also find that your impression of others are more self-directed if you’re not influenced by others’ perspectives.

Recognize that you deserve this job; you’re not an impostor.

Another bad habit that can creep in is a feeling of impostor syndrome. In your previous position, you might have developed a mentality that you weren’t qualified for your role or that you weren’t as smart as others around you.

If you hang onto this belief when you move to a new company, it will likely only be exacerbated. You may believe the hiring committee made a mistake in choosing you, or you could be intimidated by your new colleagues.

To change this mentality, write down your accomplishments as they come and why you earned them. If you keep track of your successes, you’ll eventually recognize that you are just as capable as your colleagues.

A new position is a fresh start.

A new position is an opportunity for a fresh start. Whenever you start something new, you’re more able to frankly examine your life and take stock of what’s not working for you. Even better, new routines with new expectations afford you ways to change your habitual status quo.

So, consider what bad habits deplete your energy, your productivity, or your self-esteem. Then, develop strategies that work for you to break these habits. This way, you’ll be able to integrate these better habits into your daily practice.

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