The first unfamiliar task in a new role does not cancel the skills you already earned.

REFLECTION

WHAT THIS MEANS

Early incompetence in a new job is loud and easily mistaken for a verdict. You cannot find the file, you do not know the acronym, you ask a question everyone else answered years ago, and all of that is happening in front of people who have not yet seen you do anything well. What you actually brought is slower to display and does not disappear because day four was awkward.

Keep a note of what you were good at before and read it during the first month. Ask the basic questions early rather than hiding them. Give yourself until you have seen a full cycle before judging anything.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

What did one hard first day convince you about your ability?

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