{"id":59063,"date":"2025-06-14T05:03:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T09:03:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com\/?p=59063"},"modified":"2025-07-02T04:34:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T08:34:01","slug":"starting-new-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com\/starting-new-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting a New Job: The First 90 Days Done Right"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Have you ever noticed that 85% of the advice about finding your dream job is about job hunting? Which is weird. Sure, job hunting is an important skill. But people look for new jobs maybe every two or three years. We go to work every day.<\/p>\n

What’s more important than job hunting is figuring out how to score\u00a0Big Wins<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 like a promotion, or a $10,000 raise \u2014 at the jobs we already have.\u00a0 So let’s talk about what to do once you’ve found your Dream Job in order to become indispensable at work.<\/p>\n

We interviewed bestselling author Dorie Clark on how to stand out at work, as well as Pamela Slim from\u00a0Escape from Cubicle Nation<\/em>\u00a0to find out their tips for standing out and becoming indispensable at work.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why Standing Out Matters at Work<\/h2>\n

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There are a lot of people with good ideas, but only a few get recognized as the best. So how did the world\u2019s top thought leaders get where they are today?<\/p>\n

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What made the difference?<\/p>\n

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Over the past two years, Dorie has interviewed more than 50 top experts in a variety of fields. She’s talked to everyone from business legends like David Allen and Seth Godin to scientists and urban planners. (And of course, IWT founder, Ramit Sethi!)<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s obvious standing out is important for people with their own companies. That\u2019s how you attract potential clients and make money. But does it matter if you\u2019re working for someone else?<\/p>\n

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Short answer? Yes.<\/p>\n

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The truth is, far too many employees take a narrow view of their job. They think the hard part is getting hired. Once they\u2019ve conquered that, they assume that as long as they work hard, they\u2019re good to go.<\/p>\n

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Of course, that couldn\u2019t be further from the truth. We live in a world where wages are stagnant. Businesses are outsourcing everything they can. You need to make it crystal clear as to why your employer needs you on board, instead of the lowest-priced option.<\/p>\n

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At IWT, we’ve helped thousands of people find their Dream Jobs<\/a>. But if you want to keep that job and grow it into a career you love, it\u2019s essential to stand out and get noticed. Because when that happens, opportunities start to come your way: promotions, raises, and new assignments you may not have even known existed.<\/p>\n

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Based on Dorie’s research and teaching for Duke University\u2019s Fuqua School of Business, here are three steps to help you max out your Dream Job potential and ensure your company understands your true worth.<\/p>\n

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Step 1: Be a Big Fish in a Small Pond<\/h2>\n

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Standing out doesn\u2019t mean you have to become a world expert in your field.<\/p>\n

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Instead, you can become a \u201clocal expert.\u201d That simply means you know more about a subject than others around you, in your company or community. That\u2019s what Michael Leckie did.<\/p>\n

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Michael is an executive at a major research firm, and he became known inside his company for his expertise in training and development. When he started, his knowledge was minimal.<\/p>\n

But he immersed himself in learning. He shared what he knew, and began to get recognized for it. \u201cWhen you start building your brand in a corporation, it\u2019s a confined space,\u201d he told Dorie.<\/p>\n

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\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be the best in the world; you just need to be the best one there. You can be a big fish in a little pond, and if you\u2019re the biggest fish in that environment, you get bigger and can then start to do things outside the organization.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Become your company\u2019s \u201cgo-to\u201d person on a particular subject. It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s coaching or copywriting or cool spreadsheet hacks. Being the local expert makes you more memorable, and more valuable.<\/p>\n

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Your boss won\u2019t say, \u201cI need someone to take over this project.\u201d She\u2019ll say, \u201cI need you, because you\u2019re the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Here\u2019s how to get there.<\/p>\n

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Apprentice yourself.<\/strong> You\u2019ve identified a subject that you\u2019re interested in. But in the early days, you may not know enough to be a true expert, even within the confines of your company. So find someone who is, and learn from them.<\/p>\n

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Make a list of the people you respect whom you\u2019d like to learn from. This could be virtual (you could read books or take online courses from experts), or in the real world (Michael learned the ropes about coaching from a consultant his company had hired).<\/p>\n

Most people don\u2019t extend themselves, so if you reach out to a colleague and want to learn \u2014 or, even better, offer help \u2014 they\u2019ll likely be receptive.<\/p>\n

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\u201cJoe, I understand you\u2019re teaching a workshop on delegation skills next week,\u201d you could say. \u201cThat\u2019s something I\u2019d really like to learn more about. Would it be OK if I sat in? I can get there early to help you set up, too.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s rare that an offer of assistance will be turned down \u2014 and it positions you to assist more formally with the next workshop, and maybe even co-lead the next one, as you master the material and win your colleague\u2019s trust.<\/p>\n

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Be honest about what you don\u2019t know.<\/strong> When most people try to establish themselves as experts, they puff themselves up. They pretend they know more than they do. Don\u2019t do that. It can backfire too easily. Claiming more expertise than you have can permanently damage your credibility.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re willing to say, \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d people will trust you more when you share your advice.<\/p>\n

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Take Josh Kaufman as an example. In his first book, The Personal MBA<\/em>, he recounted his effort to \u201cearn\u201d the equivalent of a business degree by reading the classics in business literature.<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t position himself as a guru but as a fellow learner. He didn\u2019t have to be the world\u2019s expert upfront in order for people to trust him and hear what he had to say.<\/p>\n

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Teach others.<\/strong> No matter how knowledgeable you are, no one will know it \u2014 or believe it \u2014 if you keep that information to yourself. To develop an expert reputation, you have to be willing to share your ideas publicly.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s what Google engineer Chade-Meng Tan did. He started teaching \u201cSearch Inside Yourself\u201d mindfulness classes at the Googleplex. Those classes led to a book deal and international recognition.<\/p>\n

Think about what classes you could teach, or ways you could mentor others around the office in your area of expertise.<\/p>\n

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Step 2: Become a Connector<\/h2>\n

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Becoming known as an expert inside your company is a good start. But how do you literally make yourself indispensable?<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s what University of Chicago sociologist Ronald Burt studies. He discovered that the way to become indispensable is to connect groups of people who aren\u2019t talking to each other, but who should be. (Groups like sales and marketing, headquarters and the field office, etc.)<\/p>\n

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That may sound daunting, but one friend of mine who worked for a large research hospital came up with a way to do it in just one hour a week. Her solution? She\u2019d invite a different person, in a different department, to lunch each week.<\/p>\n

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Most of us fall into the rut of talking with the same people all the time. Consciously making an effort to break the pattern, and cultivate new connections, can have a dramatic impact on your career. You\u2019ll hear about new ideas. You will get your questions answered faster. Plus, you\u2019ll meet people who can unlock new opportunities.<\/p>\n

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But how do you begin to make those connections in a way that isn\u2019t weird? (Because it certainly would be if you just started inviting out random people.)<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s important to start with people you\u2019re already connected to, but want to get to know better. There are probably at least two or three of these folks, and you can shoot them a quick email along the lines of:<\/p>\n

\u201cHey Jenny, I hope you\u2019re well! I really enjoyed working with you on the XYZ project last year and it occurred to me that it\u2019s been a while since we last connected. Would you like to meet up for lunch one day next week?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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Odds are, she\u2019ll say yes, or at least make a decent counteroffer, like having coffee, instead.<\/p>\n

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Once you\u2019ve started with your \u201cwarm leads,\u201d you can expand outward. After your lunch meeting with Jenny, you can drop her a follow-up note.<\/p>\n

\u201cJenny, it was great to catch up with you. I\u2019ve been thinking I should get to know more people in the accounting department since it seems like we often end up working on projects together. Besides, I love meeting cool new folks. Do you have any colleagues you think I should get to know? If you have suggestions, maybe you\u2019d be willing to do an e-intro?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

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Finally, once Jenny has identified a person or two for you to meet, you can send a message to them.<\/p>\n

\u201cRick, it\u2019s great to meet you. One of my goals this year is to get to know more people throughout the company. When Jenny and I had lunch last week, I asked if she had any cool colleagues she thought I should meet, and you were at the top of the list. Let me know if you might like to grab coffee or lunch sometime in the next week or two.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

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This doesn\u2019t always work. Sometimes people are busy. Sometimes they just won\u2019t be interested. That\u2019s fine. As long as you keep your message friendly and don\u2019t push, it\u2019s a nice gesture. The ones who do respond are highly motivated people who know the value of networking.<\/p>\n

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This process will create a virtual army of ambassadors. Imagine having just another 5 people who know you, understand your expertise, and want to spread the word to others. It’s a Big Win for your career, plus you’ll meet some cool people.<\/p>\n

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\u2026but you don\u2019t have to take the same path as everyone else. How would it look if you designed a Rich Life on your own terms? Take our quiz and find out: <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Step 3: Master Your Power Map<\/h2>\n

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You\u2019ve built up an expert reputation and word is starting to spread throughout your company. Now it\u2019s time to take the final step and get noticed by the right people.<\/p>\n

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That was the challenge Chris faced. As I describe in my first book, Reinventing You<\/em>, he was a fast-rising executive at a tech company whose career suddenly started to stall. He wasn\u2019t too worried when he got passed over for one promotion. But when a second opportunity came and went, he realized something was wrong.<\/p>\n

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When he confronted his boss, he realized the problem. While he\u2019d impressed the people who worked with him, promotions were a group decision made by nearly 20 VPs, and they barely knew Chris existed. He ultimately solved his problem by using a technique called \u201cpower mapping.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Dorie used to work as a presidential campaign spokesperson, and they used power mapping frequently in the world of politics.<\/p>\n

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You see, there were prominent people we needed to influence \u2014 a Governor or an editorial page editor whose endorsement we needed, or a major donor we wanted to recruit. But every other candidate had the same idea.<\/p>\n

These key people ended up under siege, with dozens begging for their help. We had to stand out from the horde somehow.<\/p>\n

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Power mapping was our edge.<\/p>\n

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It turns out the same technique can be used in business, as Dorie discussed in this Harvard Business Review article<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Start creating your power map by drawing a chart<\/strong> of the people who matter the most to your career \u2014 for instance, your new boss. Next, draw circles emanating out from her.<\/p>\n

Who influences her? Who does she listen to? Maybe it\u2019s her assistant or the CFO or the head of her professional association. Here\u2019s an example of what one looks like:<\/p>\n

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Next, rank your relationship<\/strong> with each of these influencers. Who do you have a positive relationship with (they know you and like you)? How about neutral (they don\u2019t know you) or negative connections? You can mark these with a + (positive), \u2013 (negative), or ~ (neutral).<\/p>\n

For Chris, the big problem was that only a few people knew and liked him (a positive ranking), and the vast majority didn\u2019t know him at all (a neutral ranking). That weak overall score wasn\u2019t going to win him a promotion.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve established where you stand, start tracking your progress.<\/p>\n

Turn negative relationships to neutral.<\/strong> If you have a beef with someone your \u201ctarget\u201d is close to, that could create problems for you. That person may always be a roadblock.<\/p>\n

Take action to win them over. If it\u2019s appropriate, reach out to them. Apologize for any previous misunderstandings, or at least express your desire for a fresh start. If there hasn\u2019t been a specific incident, you can simply try to be nicer. Making an effort to smile and ask them about their day can go a long way toward dissipating past hostility.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also want to turn neutral relationships into positive ones<\/strong>. Think of ways you can get to know these folks better. Maybe it\u2019s inviting them out to lunch or coffee, or making a point to sit next to them at meetings. You could volunteer for a project they\u2019re involved with, or ask them more questions about their lives to find common ground.<\/p>\n

Finally, it\u2019s important to continue to nurture positive connections<\/strong>. Take stock of what you\u2019re doing and how you built the relationship in the first place. Keep doing more of whatever that is. Maybe it\u2019s playing on the basketball team with them.<\/p>\n

Maybe you help with tech tips when they need it, or always offer to stay late if they need an extra pair of hands on a project. Whatever\u2019s working, keep it up.<\/p>\n

Look at the sample Power Map. It shows you have:<\/p>\n