The probationary period is a period of time during which the company checks the specialist's expertise and suitability to perform certain work and duties. The company, the manager, the team, perhaps the client evaluate the knowledge, quality of work, behavior and characteristics of the specialist. At the same time, the specialist also evaluates the company, people, corporate culture, prospects, career opportunities, the project and what he’ll have to work with. It is important to understand that the trial period is a two-way evaluation process, and in the end two parties (the company and the specialist) make a decision - whether to continue the cooperation further.

During the probationary period it is important to:

Agree on goals and objectives. It is very important to set control points that must be completed during the trial period and to agree on the duration of these tasks with your supervisor. This will help at the initial stage to answer the question - "What do I need to do, in what time frame and how, so that I have a successful result?"

Competently build communication with the manager. This is one of the most important points precisely because during the probationary period the newcomer receives feedback, knowledge, information and tasks from the supervisor. Close communication and being on the same page with him will influence the decision regarding the probationary period.

Establish contacts with colleagues, team and HR manager. Colleagues are those people who have already passed the trial period. In a new circle, there will always be someone who will sympathize with you from the first days and will agree to spend time on tips. If you do not know who to turn to for help, ask who in your team was the previous "newbie" before you - this person still has fresh memories and is best able to understand your feelings and, most likely, won’t turn away if you ask for help. In order not to distract colleagues from work, the easiest way is to ask him or her to join you for lunch, a cup of tea or coffee, and ask questions in an informal setting.

For example: What surprises can you expect during the trial period? How is the evaluation of the probationary period, as it was for them? What key aspects are important when passing the test period?

Competently built communication with colleagues and HR will always help you in difficult or necessary moments - both during the trial period and further during your work in the company.

Learn more about the company, its history, mission and values. Even at the interview stage there’s this frequently asked question - "Do you know what the company does?" This question shows the candidate's interest in future cooperation. In the work process, you should also have a detailed answer to this question. It is important to know exactly what the company does, what products or projects it has, what changes there have been, where the business is going, what the company's mission is and its core values. When you are involved in the company and what it does, it is highly appreciated, because they understand that you are ideologically active. So don't hesitate to show up and show interest during the trial period.

Learn corporate rules and learn to follow them. In some companies, there are already written missions and requirements for behavior that an employee must have. Yet many things are unspoken, which have developed historically - they are transmitted non-verbally and this can be felt only by communicating with people and being inside the company.

Receive feedback or request it yourself. With the help of feedback, we learn, develop, understand our strengths and weaknesses. And during the trial period, understanding the quality of one's work is very necessary. There will be a lot of new information during this period, so it's important to get feedback that will give you an understanding of how your trial is going and what needs to change.

Ask the manager questions. In communication with the manager, it is important to learn to talk about your needs - talk about what worries you, ask questions and openly talk about all the nuances that interest you.

Write down all the necessary information. When a beginner comes to a new environment, there’s always a lot of information and knowledge in his head that can be forgotten. To avoid this moment, it is useful to keep your personal diary with entries, which will be a mini cheat sheet for you. This format can be completely different: a diary, a calendar, an electronic notebook, a desktop planner, an electronic reminder and everything that can help not to forget important information.

Show initiative gradually. If you have an interesting offer, then before going to the manager, ask how it will benefit me or my team. I propose this initiative in order to ... - What will it give me? If you can answer this question and justify the idea to yourself and the manager, then this manifestation will definitely help you join the project faster and get on the same page with the team. It is also necessary to understand that the person who puts forward the initiative must be ready to take responsibility for its implementation. If you are not ready, it is better not to take the initiative. Here it is important to find a limit and offer the initiative gradually.

Self-analyze and summarize your work. This moment is important, both during the trial period and in general, while working in the company. When you know your strengths and weaknesses - what you do better, and what you should pump up - it will always be a plus for you. Also, we all often tend to ignore and devalue our achievements or knowledge, so this practice will help us to evaluate them more objectively, record them and thereby strengthen our self-esteem.