14 things successful people do in the first week of a new job

Strelka Institute for Media, Architecture and Design/flickr

Thousands of workers will be heading to a new job this month, excited and nervous to prove they've got what it takes.

After the flurry of hiring that typically happens in the first quarter of the year, the fall tends to be the second-biggest hiring period of the year, according to career coach Kathleen Brady, author of "Get a Job!" and the director of career services at Georgian Court University.

Employers refocus on their top initiatives and capitalize on any remaining budget for new hires.

For all those newbs hanging their coats on a new office chair, that means it's time to get to work. "The first three months of any new job are an extension of the interview process," says Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume. "From the first day, you need to be on your game."

Here's what the most successful people do that first week in a new job:

Be a geek about introducing yourself

Take the initiative to meet people. Say hello in the elevator, kitchen, or bathroom. It will pay off in the end.

"It could be a fast-paced culture, and they don't have time to come to you," Augustine says. "Start with the group that's closest to you, the people you're directly working with." It will be in their best interest to get you started on the right foot, because your work will directly affect theirs.

Ask tons of questions to learn the ropes

Soak in as much as possible in that first week. If you plan on making any big changes, you need to first understand how things are usually done, and you need to earn the team's trust. 

"Win them over by taking the time in the beginning to learn how things are done and why, so when you want to make changes, you can build a strong argument that your team will support," Augustine advises.

Be humble

No one likes a know-it-all, and odds are, even if you're the most experienced worker in the world, you don't, in fact, know it all.

When a new colleague or boss offers you help or advice, take it. Never counter with, "Well, in my old company, we did it this way." People really hate that.

Even if you already know what you're doing, showing you're open to advice strokes people's egos a little (and maybe even pacifies feelings that you're a threat) and can help you down the road when you actually do need some help.