How to successfully complete the Probation Period?

At some point or another, many of us had to be on a probation period when first hired. After all the hard work and high stress of looking for a job, developing our resumes, preparing ourselves for interviews, and follow all the protocol of the recruiting process, we think that every thing will be over when getting the job.

Well, no.. There is the “probation period” that all companies, small and large, have in place for all new hires. During this trial period, the employer will be assessing and evaluating the employee’s knowledge, skills and work ethics to determine if he or she is suitable for a long term employment with the organization.

If you want to be successful in completing this probation period and securing the job, there are a few tips that you should consider:

Be Punctual – Show up for work on time (better yet, a few minutes early!)

Dependability – There is nothing worse than having an employee who is chronically late, who takes frequent unscheduled breaks, who leaves early, and who procrastinates in getting work done. Employers need to be sure that their employees will take their jobs seriously.

Look and Act Professional – How you dress and act is a direct reflection of your employer’s image, therefore employers care about how you dress and act. Check the dress code of you the company, if they don’t have one and you are not sure what to wear, ask your supervisor.

Be a Team Player! – Employers expect you to respect and work cooperatively with your colleagues. If your co-workers don’t feel that they can work well with you, you will be jeopardizing your stay in the company.

Go Above and Beyond – do not wait to be asked what to do, take initiative and offer help where needed. Often, these are the employees that get promoted and move up the career ladder the fastest.

Offer Solutions! –If you have identified a problem at your job, try to come up with possible solutions before bringing up the problem to your supervisor.

Keep the lines of communication open -The more you talk with an employer, the more likely you are to understand his or her needs.

Be open to feedback! – remember that you will be constantly assessed and your employer may be doing informal feedbacks during your probation period. You should be open to learning and receiving feedback which can help you to do better at your job.

 Be Enthusiastic and Have a Positive Attitude! – These qualities can help you to be more productive and are qualities that other people – including employers and employees – like to be around. If you are working in a field you enjoy and are good at you are more likely to be enthusiastic and maintain a positive attitude.

 Don’t give up if you reach a roadblock – From time to time, you might encounter a roadblock as you try to meet your employer’s expectations. This may result from the fact that you lack the time, resources, or information necessary to achieve the desired result. If such a situation occurs, the important thing is to not become discouraged. Realize that achieving goals takes patience and time. Just because you don’t succeed the first time around, it doesn’t mean that you won’t succeed the second or third time around. By maintaining a positive outlook, you are more likely to eventually achieve the outcome you’re seeking.

What should I expect from my new Employer?

 Employment Agreement – this document contents important information in regards to the conditions of the employment relationship with the employer. If a probation period is part of the conditions of employment, this document should specify the length of the period. Note that during the probation period, employees may not be entitled to company benefits or vacation time off.

Job Description – It will set the functions and responsibilities of the positions. It will list the expectations and objectives of the role and position.

Employee Orientation – It will introduce the individual to the organization by providing information on the general rules and practices of the organization, as well as safety information. During the employee orientation, the new hire will have the opportunity to be introduced to the rest of the employees and team members. It is important to take advantage of the orientation process and ask questions about company expectations.

Counselling – It is your employer’s responsibility to take all reasonable steps to help you through your probation period, to provide any and all training, mentoring and encouragement that you need. Once again, remember that they too are on probation.

Performance Review/Feedback – the new employee will be monitored very closely during the probation period. Informal reviews will be conducted throughout this period in order to determine how well the new employee is meeting the expectations of the position and the company. Before the end of the probation period, the employer may perform a formal review.

By Claudia D’Jesus (President of VaXa HR Group)

Hello world!

Welcome to VaXa HR Group Blog. We will be posting news and tips of the Human Resources and Health & Safety worlds.

We invite you to comment and follow our blogs, would love to hear from you!.

VaXa HR Group.