There’s a trap a lot of people fall into when starting a new job.
They show up on Day 1 thinking they need to prove themselves. That they need to add value immediately. That if they don’t start delivering right away, someone will question whether the team made the right call.
I get it. I’ve been there. Especially when you’re stepping into a bigger role or coming off a long hiring process, the instinct is to hit the ground running.
But here’s the truth: nobody’s expecting you to be productive on Day 1.
You were hired for a reason. The team saw your skills, your experience, your potential. And you know what? They said yes to hiring you.
You don’t need to earn your spot all over again.
I started at Zapier yesterday.
And even with years of experience under my belt, coupled with the fact that I knew I’d have 1-2 weeks of onboarding material to get through, that voice still crept in:
Learn everything you can as quickly as you can, so you can hit the ground running.
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