• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire

1

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure

2

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

3

The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
CommentaryFortune 500

Never Do This After Starting a New Job

By
Alan Colberg
Alan Colberg
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Alan Colberg
Alan Colberg
and
Bethany Cianciolo
Bethany Cianciolo
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 7, 2016, 4:25 PM ET
Photograph by Bud Glick

The Fortune 500 Insider Network is an online community where top executives from the Fortune 500 share ideas and offer leadership advice with Fortune’s global audience. Alan Colberg, president and CEO of Assurant, has answered the question: What are some common mistakes you see new hires make?

Everyone remembers when they were the new hire.

When I joined Assurant (AIZ) as an executive vice president four years ago, I had worked with company employees across the business for more than 20 years as an outside advisor. Even with that level of familiarity and a deep appreciation of Assurant’s culture, I still had to make the mental transition of joining another organization and adapting to its norms.

Each company has its own unique culture, and adjusting to a new environment is difficult at any level. Some new hires are afraid to seek help and fail to create a support network they can rely upon. Others communicate poorly or are too impatient to realize when they’ve achieved success. Dealing with these issues can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Here are some steps new hires can take to avoid some of these common, self-inflicted career wounds:

Be observant and adjust to cultural norms
As a new hire, it’s essential to understand the company’s values, and to recognize how those values are supported and reinforced by employee behaviors. This shouldn’t require you to conform your personality to fit in. But it does require you to be mindful of your new environment. For example, your previous company colleagues might have been lax about meeting start times. Your new coworkers, however, may be sticklers about punctuality. It’s important to not make assumptions about such matters when you’re new to the organization.

See also: Here’s How to Totally Own Your New Job

Seek help and ask questions
Many new employees are reluctant to seek out help for fear of looking like they’re unqualified for their positions. But the bigger risk is not asking questions: You may not have enough information to do your job well. To increase your institutional knowledge and chance at workplace success, develop a support network of peers and find mentors who can answer your questions. Ask them to help you understand workplace cultural dos and don’ts, navigate the corporate hierarchy, and learn about business operations.

 

Protect and build your reputation
Your professional reputation is precious. It takes time to build, but can quickly erode. When you make a commitment, make a note of it, and make sure you deliver on time. If circumstances will make it likely that you will miss a deadline, provide an early update to everyone affected by the delay. Double-check your work, as careless errors or poor grammar will cause others to question your commitment and work quality.

Deliver results in your current role
Credentials and ambition alone don’t guarantee success in a new job. Still, some new hires come on board and quickly decide that they’ve already earned a bigger role at the table and increased decision-making authority. If your supervisor’s assessment doesn’t support this viewpoint, it’s time for you to re-examine your priorities and refocus on your current position. Apply yourself and do your job well, accomplish goals, and establish yourself as an important part of the team, and you will go further in your career faster. Good things will come to those who deliver results on any project they work on.

Above all, remember that just because you’ve landed the job doesn’t mean you’ll keep it without hard work.

About the Authors
By Alan Colberg
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Bethany Cianciolo
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Commentary

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Commentary

rr
CommentaryBook Excerpt
I wrote the playbook that built Big Tech. I misjudged what would happen next
By Eric RiesMay 26, 2026
13 hours ago
florida
CommentaryFlorida
The next great American tech hub isn’t a city. It’s a corridor between New York and Miami
By Patrick Chun and Matt HigginsMay 26, 2026
14 hours ago
revere
Commentary250 Years of Innovation
America turns 250 with a dangerous new problem: We no longer agree on what’s real
By Richard TorrenzanoMay 26, 2026
14 hours ago
t
CommentaryTariffs
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
15 hours ago
Jim Williamson
CommentaryInsurance
America turns 250. Its greatest innovation wasn’t the car or the computer — it was learning to share risk
By Jim WilliamsonMay 26, 2026
16 hours ago
rose
CommentaryJobs
From service to skilled trades: America’s most overlooked workforce pipeline
By Rose Van AlstineMay 26, 2026
16 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
Travel & Leisure
The U.S. campaigned to host the World Cup. Now soccer fans will trade their countries' train system for the U.S.'s 'D' rated infrastructure
By Catherina GioinoMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
5 days ago
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
Economy
The pig in the python: Baby boomers are strangling the economy they built by refusing to move or retire
By Nick LichtenbergMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
Commentary
The Supreme Court handed Trump a Golden Chariot on tariffs — now he just has to take it
By Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven TianMay 26, 2026
15 hours ago
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
Investing
Elon Musk's best friend could make more than $100 billion from SpaceX's IPO. His firm is also owed billions by SpaceX
By Eva RoytburgMay 25, 2026
2 days ago
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
Real Estate
A billionaire and an A-list actor found refuge in a 37-home Florida neighborhood with armed guards—proof that privacy is now the ultimate luxury
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 25, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.