Taking responsibility for yourself and your job is another way to get off on the right foot. Taking responsibility means you understand exactly what your job duties are and get them done on time. By now, you should understand what your job is and what’s expected of you. If you have some concerns about the job or job duties, set up a meeting with your manager to discuss them.
Remember, the company hired you because your skills matched the job. Now you need to take initiative and show responsibility in your new position. When you’re given a project, make it your own. Show your company respect by completing work on time and to the best of your ability. Make your work stand out so it is valued by your supervisors and you are seen as a dedicated employee from day one.
Here are six ways we will discuss to help you take responsibility when beginning a new job:
- Own your mistakes
- Be proactive
- Volunteer
- Help coworkers in need
- Have a great work ethic
- Be honest
Own your mistakes
We have discussed that you are bound to make a mistake or two when beginning a new job. Relax and know that this is okay. Although it is not always pleasant to admit your mistakes, you want to admit and learn from them in your new job. Hopefully, you can minimize the mistakes you make by asking others for advice. But, when a mistake occurs, you should remember to “own” it.
Owning your mistakes involves recognizing a that mistake has been made, admitting it to someone if necessary, and making every effort to correct the mistake on your own. By taking these steps, you will show responsibility and problem-solving skills, which are both valuable to your company. Whatever you do, don’t try to cover up the mistake. This will make you seem sneaky and you will be less likely to be trusted by your supervisors and peers.
Be proactive
Being proactive means to take action by causing something to happen, rather than responding after it has happened. When beginning a new job, don’t be a passive employee. Take initiative and get things done! Do your best on all your work. Turn your projects in on time. Establish relationships with your supervisor and coworkers. All these things will help you make a good first impression and be a valued employee.
Volunteer
Once you get a handle on your work, you may feel comfortable with your workload and be ready to volunteer in the workplace. This is a great way to demonstrate responsibility to your supervisor and to be proactive in your new job. Here are a few ways you can volunteer in the workplace:
- Ask your supervisor if you can assist her with any duties
- Volunteer to look over a team member’s project
- Ask if you can lead the next group presentation
- Volunteer to lead a meeting with coworkers
- Offer assistance to coworkers
Help coworkers in need
You want to establish a good relationship with others in the workplace when beginning your new job. Once you get a handle on the work you are doing, a great way to develop workplace relationships is to offer help. You can offer help with a project, offer to help lead a meeting or ask if there are any duties you can take off your coworker’s plate. There may be times when you will need help from your coworkers as well, so don’t be afraid to lend a helping hand if you see that help is needed. And remember: don’t take on so much for someone else that you can’t get your own work done.
Have a great work ethic
Having a good work ethic means that you view hard work as good and worthy of reward. Your work ethic demonstrates how hard you work to complete a task. Having a good work ethic makes you a valued member of your staff or team. You want to be valued and viewed as a hard-worker in order to succeed and keep your job. This is why it is important to establish yourself as having a great work ethic from day one of your new job. Do your work to the best of your ability without complaining.
Be honest
Taking responsibility in your new job also involves being honest and taking responsibility for your actions. Honesty in your new job shows that you can be trusted and demonstrates that you are not afraid of failure. For example, if you make a mistake, admit it and move on, doing your best at your job. If you blame a mistake on someone else, you will seem sneaky and ruin your chances of being trusted by others. You want to be a dependable worker and not burn any bridges, especially when just beginning your job. So, remember: honesty is the best policy!
We hope you learned some valuable tips from our post on taking responsibility in your new job. Stay tuned for future posts in this series to pick up more tips. If you would like to learn more about teaching workplace readiness skills, click the free trial link below.
