No one tells you this when you switch jobs  – That the first 30 days at a new company can feel lonelier than the last 3 months at your old one.

Everything is unfamiliar. New names. New Slack channels. New calendar chaos.

Even the coffee machine feels like enemy territory.

You start noticing the small things.

Everyone laughs at references you don’t get. The team has ‘inside jokes’ you’re not part of. People are warm, but not welcoming. And slowly, doubt creeps in:

“Did I make a mistake switching?” “Why am I not being included?” “Am I just not good enough to fit in here?”

Let me tell you about Riya.

Top 1% performer in her previous company. Switched to a high-growth fintech startup for a bigger role and better pay.

Week 1: HR onboarding was smooth. Week 2: Team seemed polite, but distant. Week 3: She messaged me, saying:

“I don’t think they like me. I feel like a new kid in school who walked into the wrong classroom.”

I asked her:

“How many people have you reached out to, one-on-one?” She said: “None. I didn’t want to bother anyone.”

That’s the trap.

When you’re new, you assume others will include you.

But the truth? Everyone’s busy. Everyone’s in their own flow. They don’t mean to exclude you — they just don’t notice you yet.

So here’s what we did:

1. Riya reached out to 4 people for short, no-pressure 15-min calls. No agenda. Just “Would love to understand how you work, and how I can help.”
2. She started asking one smart question in every meeting. Not to stand out — but to signal presence.
3. She volunteered to take notes in a product call. Boring? Maybe. But it positioned her as someone who’s proactive and organized.

By Week 5, her manager told her:

“You’ve ramped up faster than anyone else we’ve hired this quarter.”

By Week 8, she led her first internal knowledge session.

So if you’re in that strange, quiet space right now —

Where you’re part of the org on paper but not yet in spirit —

Know this: It’s not about being liked. It’s about being seen. And for that, you’ll need to take the first step.

Let’s map your 30-60-90 day integration plan. So you don’t just join the company — you belong to it.

That being said, if you’re looking to stay ahead in the evolving world of hiring, check out the free resources we offer to help you navigate recruitment effectively.

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