The most successful new hires do these 3 things, say talent officers at Salesforce and American Express

From the first day of a new job, new employees should begin to think about what success at their new company looks like, says Sonia Cargan chief talent officer at American Express. Cargan says that starts with figuring out the logistics of working that are specific to the new team and company you’re joining.

“We’re often joining teams, and teams are diverse and varying,” Cargan says.

Cargan suggests asking your manager questions like, how does your team prefer to communicate? What is it like to work on this team? What is your leadership style like?

Castillo Martinez adds that you should ask about when team meetings happen and which internal systems are the most important to be familiar with.

From there, Cargan says “it’s a bit of a build.” Start observing, asking questions, identifying people to connect with and setting up coffee chats.

She says the most impressive new hires are ones who have “leaned into” the relationship-building aspect of the job. You should still prioritize doing your job, but leveraging relationships enables you to do your job well, she says.

Relationships don’t just have to be with managers or those in higher positions. At Salesforce, Castillo Martinez says new employees are also set up with a in informal “trail guide,” someone not on their team but in an adjacent role, who can answer questions new employees may not be comfortable asking.

Consider reaching out to colleagues in similar or related departments, attending social events or using company communication platforms to build those relationships.

At this stage Castillo Martinez encourages news hires to ask questions like, how do I navigate the office? What are some unwritten rules you’ve learned over time? What do you wish you knew on day one?