Biggest secret about a new job? Well, part of it is that nobody is born an expert.

Same goes with someone who is a new hire. You aren’t instantly productive. Why? Because it takes time to acquire the knowledge required to do it, and do it well.

Each job has unique nuances, tasks, and needs.

And honestly, the biggest secret about a new job really lies in the fact that there is the dreaded learning curve.

And you know what? That learning curve isn’t fun. In fact, it pretty much sucks.

The reason is that no one likes to have their ego cut down at the knees.

But that’s pretty much what a new job does to you.

Instead of being well-established, you are now the new kid on the block. You have to learn everyone’s names, what they do, what you do, and how it all fits together into the company mission and function.

Heck, you have to figure out the basics, like where the nearest bathroom is located, let alone the lunch room!

And all of this is pretty humbling, especially when you find out the biggest secret about a new job…

You don’t know everything… after all.

We all become subject matter experts (SMEs) in our current job but after stepping into a new role, there’s a whole new landscape that opens up which really equates to starting almost all over again.

It doesn’t mean that you can’t find your way through the wilderness to some sense of what your job will be asking you to do.

But sometimes, the road getting there is harder for you than others.

And a lot of that relies on how the company on-boards you.

The more care that the organization places on how to help you through the learning curve to where you and they need you to be, the smoother the transition.

But if you don’t have helpful tools like this to guide you through the process, the road getting there can prove to be a bit rocky.

So do yourself a favor.  Take a deep breath, and swallow that sour taste when things aren’t going your way in the new job. Know that it’s going to be okay.

It’s frustrating to want to be successful and a positive contributor. But that often takes time, so don’t get discouraged.

You’ll get there.

Be patient. Be kind to yourself. Ask questions, and most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’ll come, and the new routines need time to develop.

Just know that everyone wants you to be successful, too. And getting you through the learning curve is in their best interests.

And remember… everyone’s been there before too, so you aren’t alone. They know the biggest secret in a new job too, and want to help you through it.