Hey! New Kid

Hey New KidHey New KidHow to lose the jitters on the first day at a new company.Whens the last time you were the new kid? For many folks whove worked their way up into the senior ranks, their last memories of first-day jitters may be distant indeed.There are a couple of challenges at work for senior employees making the switch to a new company Their expectations about workplace mores and rhythms may have slipped into a well-worn groove based on years of success, and their first days will be far more visible than those of more-junior colleagues.One of my most rigorous new-kid moments occurred when I took over the Web site operations for a magazine company with a varied portfolio of titles. I inherited a staff of 50 in three cities, representing about 10 specialized topics and a range of functional specialties.Before I started, I made a point of contacting the senior members of my team as well as my future colleagues to speak with them about the good, bad and ugly of the company and ou r departments role. And I walked straight out of the mandatory HR orientation into a conference room where Id requested a meeting with all 30-some members of our New York team. It was a high-stress moment for me, but it also broke the ice and got me off to a running start.How have you beaten the new-kid jitters? Please write in with your experiences, and maybe we can share them in future coverage.