10 things comms newbies should do their first week on the job

This article was originally published on PR Daily in March 2016.

Starting a career is scary, exciting and unfamiliar.

You may have come straight out of college, decided on a career change or just landed your first real job. In any case, the first week in a new job can be extremely challenging.

I would recommend a few small tasks for marketing newbies. They won’t turn you into a marketing genius overnight, but they might just impress your colleagues and help you to settle into the company and your new role.

1. Change your LinkedIn presence.

If you haven’t done so already, update your LinkedIn profile to announce your new role. Make sure you are following your new company, and start “liking” and sharing company content.

2. Study the company structure, and start learning names.

The easiest way to learn names is to look at the company’s organizational chart. You can see the departmental structures, and because teams generally sit together, you can figure out where to find people in particular roles.

3. Make sure you are set up with a company email signature and business cards.

As a marketer, you represent your company, so you must use consistent branding throughout your communications.