New Job? How to Succeed in Your First 90 Days | Career Coaching Tips

_{February 28, 2025}

Starting a new job is both an opportunity and a challenge. Your first 90 days in a new job set the stage for your long-term success. It’s your opportunity to build credibility, integrate into the team, and prove that you were the right hire. But between learning new processes, understanding expectations, and making an impact, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

At The Happy Mondays Co., we’ve helped professionals successfully navigate career transitions. Those who thrive don’t just adapt: they take ownership of their transition. A structured approach ensures clarity, impact, and confidence from day one.

Here’s how to set yourself up for success in the first 90 days.

Get Clear on Expectations from Day One

Starting strong begins with understanding what success looks like, and that’s not always obvious. Priorities shift, feedback can be vague, and without clarity, you may end up focusing on the wrong things.

Don’t wait for clarity to come to you, go get it! Be proactive and set up a conversation with your manager in the first week.

How to Align Early?

Schedule a conversation with your manager in the first week and ask:

What does success look like in my first 90 days?
What gaps or challenges should I focus on first?
How can I make the biggest impact early on?

The more clarity you have, the more intentional your actions will be. Understanding expectations from the start allows for focused action and ensures that your efforts align with organisational needs.

Establish Early Wins to Build Credibility

Impact is built over time, but small, meaningful contributions in the early days of your new job establish credibility and momentum. Success in a new job isn’t about making sweeping changes immediately, it’s about demonstrating value in ways that matter.

Identify and Act on Quick Wins:

Improve a process that has been overlooked.
Solve a challenge your team has been struggling with.
Take ownership of a task that eases the workload for others.

Strategic early wins in your new job reinforce your capabilities and build trust with colleagues and leadership.

Learn by Doing (Not Just Observing)

Yes, absorbing information is important. But if you spend too much time observing, you’ll feel stuck in the “new person” mindset for longer than necessary. Learning happens faster when paired with action.

Turn Learning into Action:

A simple approach to stay engaged...after every meeting, note one key insight and ask:

How can I apply this today?
Where can I contribute based on what I’ve learned?

Even small contributions like sharing an observation, suggesting an improvement, or asking insightful questions will accelerate integration and visibility in your new job.

Build Relationships That Support Your Success

Technical skills and expertise matter, but workplace success is deeply connected to relationships. Building trust and rapport early on makes collaboration easier and strengthens your influence within the organisation.

Be Intentional About Relationship Building:

Set up 1:1s with key colleagues.
Learn about their priorities and challenges.
Understand how your role fits into the bigger picture.

Strong professional relationships lead to better collaboration, support, and long-term career opportunities.

Set a Sustainable Pace in Your New Job

We get it, you want to make an impact fast. But going all in, all the time isn’t a long-term strategy. If you don’t set boundaries now, you’ll struggle to reset later.

Define Your Non-Negotiables Early: