Get All Access for $5/mo

3 Tips to Hit the Ground Running at Your New Job Starting a new gig can be stressful. These tips can help ease the transition.

By Brad Smith Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

LinkedIn Influencer, Brad Smith, published this post originally on LinkedIn.

Starting a new job can be a stressful time, whether it's your first job out of college or taking on a more senior role. All companies have their own acronyms and systems that can make you feel like you're on the outside looking in when you enter the door. Here are three tips I always give to new employees about how to hit the ground running:

1. Don't try to be somebody you're not.

Your company would not have hired you if you were not exceptional. So be true to who you are, be comfortable being who you are, and be comfortable letting your voice be heard. With everything so new when you start, it's easy to lose your sea legs and not feel like yourself. It's vital that you lean in and re-invest in who you are. Have faith that you are at your new job for a reason, and that your new employer wants you to be you.

Related: When Small Businesses Thrive, We All Thrive (LinkedIn)

2. Be comfortable not knowing the answer.

At Intuit, we say the questions you ask are more important than the answers you have. So be intellectually curious and ask questions about everything. Don't be shy if you don't understand an acronym or if you don't understand why something is done a certain way. Instead, question it! A good employer will welcome those questions because your fresh eyes are bringing new insights into the company. Too many companies get used to doing things a certain way, sometimes to their detriment – and your questions force a healthy re-examination of whether the old way is the best way.

3. Don't be afraid of making a mistake.

In any job, there will be things you don't know and areas outside your comfort zone. Don't shy away from these. Instead, lean into your learning zone and treat failure the same way you treat success – as an opportunity to learn. Mistakes lead to experience, experience leads to wisdom, wisdom leads to instinct and instinct leads to faster decision making. If you're not making mistakes, you're doing yourself a disservice – and just as importantly, you are doing your new company a disservice as well.

Starting a new job is never easy, but if you are true to yourself, ask questions and aren't afraid to mistakes – you'll prove to both yourself and your employer why you are exceptional.

Related: It's Time to Show Small Business the Money (LinkedIn)

Brad Smith

Chairman and CEO of Intuit

As chairman and CEO of Intuit, Brad Smith has cultivated an agile, innovative culture and led initiatives to reimagine and reinvent Intuit to harness emerging technology and trends, continuing to improve the financial lives of customers around the world.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Science & Technology

5 Rule-Bending AI Hacks to Make Your Mornings More Productive and Profitable

By 2025, AI will transform productivity by streamlining workflows and cutting costs. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, and OpenAI are leading the way, advancing AI into "Phase 3," where tools act as digital assistants. Discover 5 AI hacks to boost efficiency and redefine your daily routine.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.