by D.X. » Fri Jun 15, 2018 7:54 am
An interview question from either the interviewer or interviewee can be "what do you expect the from the first 3 months in the job".
And as a newbie say in transition to a job either in academia or to a new job industry one may have a theoretical expectation of what that could look like.
Certainly some hiring-managers will have an idea what that could look like as well, with respect to the candidates behavior.
The theoretical expectation is something to the tune of being in a learning phase or mode. That includes on-boarding in the form of training and having 1 on 1 meetings with varied stakeholders to persoanlly get to know them, understand their role and how you work with them. Then you get time to understand processes and understanding the broader workings of the organization while have while comfortably having the time to understand the job role and responsiblity, with clear mapping of objectives and tasks. And a key acheivement is at the the end of 3 months you're ready to run with all tools with a clear map to "start" to do the job.
Then, there is reality.
1. On your third day an urgent email comes in with need for data or report in 3 days and you're the only one available to do it. Your boss offer's support but they deliver is you and you boss is depending on your support.
2. During this time another urgent request comes in and in 2 weeks you're expected to give an update on a project you've only just inherited to another Program team. and about mid-way through the second week you're expected to review and comment on a report and fill in the missing sections.
3. Then on the 3rd week you're expected to travel to other site to attend the 2nd kick-off meeting of a project you've only just been in-formed you're the member of.
4. At the end of you're first month, your team-mate quits for another job and you are now responsible for a number of their task too.
5. You start your second month an you have many task on the your plate, you have not mapped any objectives - your role is not clear defined other than you're leading a few project and now standing member on number of task-forces, project teams, and programs.
6. As far as those 1:1 meetings to personally know people....Nope. You've met this folks in a project meeting where you're first interaction is addressing one of their questions and your first 5 minute conversation is name exchage, objective dicussion on task at hand and next steps with a promise to have a more prolonged meeting to get to know you..which ...will probably not happen unless you push through. Next thing you know, you're working with people but you know nothing about them..that's the reality i think these days.
The this was my most recent experience - i am 4 months in to my new job so with minumal time to learn my products, data, learn who people are, I am delviering, pushing and swimming the nose above water. I'm faking it till I make it.
So the theory is a nice period of learn and watch to the reality is, learn by crash-course and putting out fires, you crash and burn OR you swim with nose above water to win.
My very first job was crash and burn. Maybe i didn't know how to ask for help.
But my next job. well by virtue of the job a 3 month learning and train period consistent with the theoretical start.
The rest of company's i've been in has been "running start" just as i"ve described. That's why i can do it now swiming, nose above water. in the past i probably was flapping in the water a bit, but now..slow and steady, bring it on.
So leads me to the interview question. Do you answer with theorethical answer as I described - or do you use the reality answer? My answer..both. Acknowledge the theory but it's ok to discuss reality. You could give examples or if not at least you're acknowleding a potential reality.
I also think these days this is what's driving hiring managers who looking to hire folks ready to run. Training..what training? do the job..that's the training.
So, What have been your first 3 month experiences? Thoughts on my this post, do share!
Best,
DX