So, here are 9 things that will help you stand out for all the right reasons in your new role:

1. Start before day one
If this is a role in a new company, connect with future colleagues on LinkedIn. Drop them a quick message to say how excited you are to join the company and that you’re looking forward to working with them. This helps you start building relationships before you even walk through the door! Also, make sure your LinkedIn profile is in great shape—because, trust me, they’ll be checking it out.

2. Plan for your first day, week, month, and 90 days
What does success look like in each of these timeframes? Think about:

• Who you want to meet
• What you want to learn

• What kind of impact you want to make

  Having a clear plan gives you direction and helps you hit the ground running.

3. Perfect your introduction
Plan a few variations of your intro for different situations—one-to-ones, meetings, or casual chats. Highlight:

• Your past experience
• What you want to be known for
• Why you joined their company
• What you’re excited about doing
• Who am I meeting?
• What do I want to learn?

Have some go-to questions ready (without turning it into an interrogation!). A great opener: “How did you come to this company/role?” This helps you learn their story while building rapport.

5. Keep track of people
Create a spreadsheet to log the names, roles, and key details of everyone you meet. This helps you remember important facts and follow up meaningfully. People love to feel heard and remembered—it’s a brilliant relationship-builder.

6. Follow up thoughtfully
After meetings, send a thank-you message highlighting something specific you took from the interaction. It shows you value their time and keeps the door open for future conversations.

7. Build a strong relationship with your manager
Get clear on their expectations:

• How do they see your role?
• What does success look like for them?
• What are their priorities?
• How do they prefer to communicate?

The stronger this relationship, the smoother your onboarding will be.

8. Set your own goals
This is your career. Think about:

The skills and experience you want to develop
How to make yourself visible and impactful
Who you need to be visible to

Take ownership of your success from the start.

9. Learn to say no
In a new role, it’s tempting to say yes to everything. But now is the time to set boundaries. Practice a few polite responses like:

“I’m getting clear on my priorities—let me come back to you.”
“I know my focus is currently X—once I’ve finished that, we can review.”

You can still be helpful while protecting your time and energy.

Remember this: They chose YOU.

They’re impressed by what you bring to the table. As the new person, you have a unique opportunity to observe, learn, and find where you can have the biggest impact.

Enjoy the process—it won’t be long before your plate is full, and you’ll look back fondly on these early days!

You’ve got this.