• Get ready for your career in science
• You and the job you want
• Employers and the labour market
• Practical Skills to Find Work
• Useful Resources
  • Additional support (mentoring, career counselling, helpful others)
  • Accepting job offers
  • Performance as a Newcomer
  • Useful websites
    • Job search databases
    • World of work
    • Discipline associations
    • Education and training
    • Information from the Faculty of Science
  • Tips for managing your career

Useful Resources

Performance as a newcomer

Starting a new job can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.  It is common for a probationary period of employment to be part of your employment arrangements, providing you with the opportunity to adjust to a new work environment and the employer the opportunity to observe your work performance.

Think about the following as ways to establish yourself in your new workplace.

• Understand what is expected
• Clarify your responsibilities and reporting requirements
• Familiarise yourself with “how things are done around here” eg dress standards, timekeeping
• Find out how your work will be monitored and evaluated eg performance reviews
• Seek to learn
• Get to know people you work with including co-workers and supervisors and ask questions; it is expected of a new starter
• Find a “buddy” or a mentor to get advice from; some organisations have a formalised system of introducing new staff and may appoint a suitable buddy for you
• Take advantage of training and development opportunities offered – it shows enthusiasm but also will give you a better understanding of the workplace
• Meet standards
• Comply with professional guidelines
• Adapt to the organisations’ systems and processes
• Become a good representative of the employer