My First 90 Days: Why You Should Have 30 Coffee Meetings

In this series, professionals share how they rocked — or didn't! — the all-important first 90 days on the job. Follow the stories here and write your own (please include the hashtag #First90 in the body of your post).

Job satisfaction is based around three key factors: the relationships you form, the impact you feel you have, and your own personal growth.

Whether it is Day 1, Day 91, or Year 10 at an organization, relationships, impact, and growth are the keys to success and fulfillment in any position, at any level. Actively developing these three factors will lead to higher job and personal satisfaction overall.

Here are some ideas for how to begin maximizing relationships, impact, and personal growth in the #First90 days of your job.

Build Relationships

Your company hired you because you are qualified for the job. They probably also chose you because you seem great to work with!

The more proactive you are in building relationships at work right off the bat, the better off you will be both personally and professionally.

1. Get coffee. Set up coffee with one person per day for your first month. Be sure to pay and to spend the time understanding what they love about their job and the organization.
2. Track names. You will likely meet a lot of new people in the next month. As you meet each one, write down their name and a few things that stood out to you about them. This will help you build relationships quickly.
3. Find energy sources. Make a list of the people in the organization who give you energy when you meet with them, and seek out opportunities to work with them.
4. Celebrate others. Find a way to publicly celebrate the work of someone else on the team. It doesn't have to be fireworks. It can just be a comment in a meeting or an email to the team.

Maximize your Impact

As a recent hire, it is easy to feel like the lowest rung on the ladder. However, everyone has the opportunity to make an important impact in their organization every day — you just need to know where to look.

1. Know the WHY. As you are trained, be sure to learn not just the HOW but also the WHY. With each task or project, take the time to understand its impact on the organization, the team and your customers/clients. Don't start something until you are clear on the WHY.
2. Be present. Ask yourself “What can I do for my organization today?” and “What do my colleagues/managers/clients need from me today?” From offering new insights, heading up a task or simply being supportive of your co-worker who has more than her share on her plate, small gestures can cause big ripples.
3. Give. Find someone you might mentor and take them to lunch. Learn about their dreams and aspirations. Mentors don’t have to be executives or even managers. They can be peers, direct reports, or even from outside the department.

Grow, Grow, Grow!

Every new job has a learning curve. Some days you may feel overwhelmed with new information, while other days you might feel like the master of your role. Actively seeking opportunities for personal growth will help keep you feeling engaged and energized, and show your manager that you are as well.

1. Seek advice and new knowledge. Ask someone for advice or information and then follow up on it immediately. Show them you are someone worth investing in as you will act on advice and are eager to learn.
2. Create a visual reminder. Develop your purpose statement or another visual cue and post it up your workspace to remind you of what matters for you in your work. If you don't have one, you can create one for free at Imperative.com.
3. End the day on the right note. At the end of each day, share with someone outside of work what you enjoyed from the day (e.g. spouse, roommate, etc.). What inspired you? What challenged you? What made you smile? Initiating these conversations can help your colleagues reflect on their own personal growth as well.
4. Fight autopilot. Perhaps most importantly, take a walk (ideally outside) at least once every day to clear your head and make sure you don't go on autopilot.

Remember: It is never too early nor too late in your job to gain the meaning and engagement you need. As the cliche goes, today is the first day of the rest of your career. Make the most of it.

Click here to take a free 15 minute Purpose Assessment. Click here to see Imperative's solutions for employers.

Aaron Hurst is CEO of Imperative, a technology platform helping organizations build cultures alive with purpose. He is also the founder of the Taproot Foundation and author of The Purpose Economy. Follow him on twitter: @Aaron_Hurst.