You spent hours updating your resume, days (and nights?) researching and preparing for interviews and now you have signed on the dotted line with your start date looming.

So how many hours did you put into securing this new role? 10? 20? More? Is it worthwhile spending time creating a plan so you have the best start in this new job?

Ever heard of a 100 day plan? A plan that helps you navigate your new role, the new team and ultimately points you in the direction of success. Revisit your job description and review the key deliverables. In addition to this you need to think about the following.

People

You will have met some of the people in the business through your interview process but now is the time to understand who your key stakeholders are. Be proactive in identifying who you many need to influence up and down the group. Try and establish their personality profile, are they passive or outgoing? Consider how you may need to adapt your communication style to get the best out of them.

Tips:

• Arrange coffee catch-ups with people that will have an impact on your role
• First impressions matter. Think about how you will introduce yourself. What do they need to know about your past experience and what you bring to the role, team or business
• Do your research on people you will be working with on LinkedIn, you can establish their background and gain common rapport in advance of meeting them. Remember to update your own incase they also check your background.

Communication

You many have a dominant communication ‘style'. Consider how you can work on this to develop key relationships. Also think about the way you communicate in business through email, one-to-one, group based; what will get you the results you need to have success in your role?

Tips:

• - Before starting your job jump online and complete a personality profile
• - Reflect on past experiences and think about how you could approach situations differently

Supporters

Who do you need on your side to make changes happen? Help them to help you!

Tips:

• In your first few weeks be an observer of the groups and cliques in the business
• Make a choice about who you do and do not want to mix with

Development

What do you want to personally achieve? Set out some goals now and keep checking in with yourself as you go along.

Tips:

• Mark a strategy meeting with yourself in your calendar with an alert as a reminder to make it happen.
• Identify a mentor who can facilitate a conversation about your goals and aspirations

Future planning

Visualise your resume and what it will look like in 3/6/12 months. What will you have achieved? What projects will you have wanted exposure to?

Tips:

• Ask your colleagues what training they have received
• Establish if there are any external courses that will enhance your skills

This may seem like a lot to do when you are hoping to enjoy a few weeks off in between jobs.

The more thought you put into this now the more chance you will have to make an absolute success of things.

Sally-Anne Blanshard is the Career Manager for myambition.com a career development website that helps professionals accelerate their job search and career strategies.