How to Make the Most of Your First 30 Days at Work

How to Make the Most of Your First 30 Days at Work

The first 30 days in a new company is filled with challenges but at IBM, this time also comes with exciting opportunities and learning experiences. In this article Daniel shares his advice on how to make your first 30 days count.

By Daniel Michel

I recently marked the end of my first thirty days as an IBM Early Professional Seller. From our first week we were told to make a 30-day plan for ourselves. We needed to outline our expectations and what we wanted to achieve in this first month to maximise our time here.

During this month, I’ve learned a number of things, and I think these tips would be valuable to anyone who want to make the most of their first 30 days at work.

Network, network, network.
I had the fortune of meeting, working with, and presenting to some senior IBM staff and leadership who were able to give me quality feedback. They shared a wide range of knowledge  -- from managing work-life balance to learning about cognitive. Having a solid network, including mentors, managers and peers, is the most crucial lesson I've learned here. To succeed, it's all about collaboration and "uniting to get it done".

Learn, understand, develop, iterate.
We’re in a program that is designed for personal and professional development. Apart from gaining knowledge from thought leaders and management, we’ve been privileged to have IBM invest in our learning. As of today, I’ve completed over 70 hours of learning and development, some face to face, via live virtual classrooms and others online - all have been valuable and applicable.

Overcoming Challenges is easy if you face it head-on.
Coming into these 30 days, I wanted to get involved in as much as possible, challenge myself, and be proactive. Saying yes became easier every time I said it. Challenges that looked like climbing Everest are not as daunting as they once seemed. I’ve thrown myself into the deep end when I participated in a debate for the first time; I've involved myself in a program to bring my patentable ideas to reality; and I’m currently working on my own automated Chatbot using Watson Conversation.

I sure did a lot in my first 30 days – from setting defined professional goals, working on my personal goals, and being proactive about my career. I’m certain the next few months will bring more opportunities for learning and development, challenges and wins, and I look forward to experiencing this in IBM.

Do you find Daniel’s story interesting and would love to get the chance to experience this? Why not take some time to check out the IBM Startwise Program. Applications for IBM’s 2018 AUS/NZ Graduate Program are now open. Check out IBM Careers for more information or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Daniel Michel is an Early Professional Seller with the Digital Business Group of IBM Australia.