How to nail your first 90 days at The Digital Picnic

We unpack what actually helps you succeed in your first 90 days at a fast agency and why “dazzle” often backfires. We share the boring basics that build trust, how to handle culture shock, and what to do if your probation period ends with a no.

Key Takeaways:

• The first 90 days in a new job are about risk reduction, not trying to dazzle
• Reliability is the fastest way to build trust
• Strong new hires ask thoughtful questions
• In a new role, accuracy should come before speed
• The first 90 days are easier when you observe first and challenge later
• A move from brand side to agency side often comes with culture shock 
• New employees should bring past experience without constantly comparing their old workplace.
• A successful probation period is often built on boring things done brilliantly.

Hosted by Cherie Clonan [@cherie_thedigitalpicnic] and co-hosted and produced by Steph Clifford [@stephssocials] 

Follow us on Instagram @theclimbpod_

Check out our agency @thedigitalpicnic > we teach digital marketing, and we can manage yours, too. 

Transcript

Cherie 0:00

We're recording this episode on the beautiful, unceded lands of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We want to express our gratitude for being able to create this podcast on this land, and we pay our respects to their enduring culture and connection to country. We recognize that sovereignty was never ceded, always was, always will be Aboriginal land. Welcome to the Climb, a podcast about the messy, brilliant, relentless journey of building something meaningful. As an introvert who believes in adding value, not noise, every 40-minute conversation is built to respect your time, but also actually teach you something useful.

Steph 0:38

Today's episode is a perfect kind of part two to what we spoke about last week, which was how to land a job at TDP. And now we're going to talk about those first 90 days being employed at the digital picnic because it's not something that we promote or post about, but not everyone makes it through that 90-day probationary period, do they, Sheree?

Cherie 0:58

They don't. And I think maybe some people would be surprised to hear this. It's for obvious reasons something that we would never share online. We're so integrity-led and decent, but also that would be illegal. So let's remove the ego out of the chat. It would literally be illegal for us to share about that. But it's also just not the right thing to do. And sometimes I feel a little bit like when it's, oh, not everyone makes it. It feels a little bit like Simpson's, you know, is it Monty Burns? And he's just like, Smithers, release the hounds. And I'm just like, yeah, honestly, it's not about releasing any hounds. I think those, that probationary period, uh, which for us is six months long, is both people figuring out, is this gonna work? You know, and do we work for you? You know, so yeah, for that reason, there are honestly in 11 plus years a lot of people who haven't made it.

Steph 1:49

Yep. Well, we're gonna talk all about that today and how to make sure that those first 90 days are the best you can possibly make them to set yourself up for success so that when it does come round to that six-month check-in, it's very easy for Shree and your manager and whoever else to say, yep, we're moving forward with you. And hopefully you on the other end are saying, Yep, I'm happy to move forward with TDP as well. So to begin with, what do those first 90 days actually look like?

Cherie 2:14

This

Probation Is A Two-Way Test

Cherie 2:15

one might surprise some people. They come in wanting to impress. Who doesn't? We're human. Um, and honestly, a lot of people that come into our industry, they've got a Labrador lane, I would say. There's not many German shepherds in our industry, it's mostly Labrador, you know. So they want in, they they they come in wanting to impress. But I would say the first 90 days is about risk reduction, you know, to be really honest, like selfishly for that person, absolutely, but also to really have that brand new employer feeling like they nailed the higher. Yeah, it's really important. So a lot of people they roll in um and they hit that that brand new role, and especially for a business like ours, which in previous episodes we've discussed, there's parasocial pieces going on as well. And so there's this extra thing that people have within themselves where they're like, I am going to impress and over-impress. And these are beautiful things, do not get me wrong for a single second. Like I'm I'm down for all of that, but there's a need for steadiness as well. So some people come in wanting to dazzle Steph. You've seen that, you can probably talk to that in a sec, you know. Others want to prove themselves immediately, you know, there's over talk or overpromise. Um, they they usually get me sort of thinking, yeah, um, to be really honest. Um, there's even like sometimes a bit of an overinsertion, and we can talk about this later on in the episode. I think TDP has to take accountability here because we have this kind of thing where we say, Hey, you're brand new here. It's your first two weeks, for example. You've got two weeks fresh eyes, but some people take that too literally and do a little bit of this accidental over insertion thing, and it's like you don't need to change everything in the first two weeks. Yeah. You know, so um there'd be that as well. And obviously, just the likability piece, Steph, you know, it all just seems to have some folk coming in wanting to dazzle in ways that just we're not looking for that. Yeah, we're looking for tryhard, we're looking for kind genius, but there's a difference between try-hard, kind genius, and dazzle.

Steph 4:16

Yeah. I've been here for coming on two years, and I've seen people come into TDP and they've got this sparkle in their eye. A lot of the time they are so excited to have landed the role. And in that first week, I see them come in so hot because they're like, I'm so excited to be here. I really want to prove myself. I want to make the best possible impression. And they come out of the gates, absolutely sprinting. And then three weeks later, I can just see that that sparkle has faded, has dimmed, and the reality of the work is hitting them. And they're like, oh, okay. If I probably shouldn't have come out so hot and said, Yeah, I'll take on that task, and yes, I can do this for you, and I'll I'll jump on that shoot and I'll do this and that. Because then it's like that work will come around. And you know, when you're starting at an agency and it's very busy, when for the rest of the team, when they hear that a new hire is coming, it's like, great, good. Here's a here's a person that I can collaborate with. And maybe there's a few tasks that get moved over to that person. But if if you're the new hire and you're going, yes, put it all on to me, like people will give it to you. And and I've just seen that happen a lot where um, yeah, the reality kind of hits and it's not as um dazzling anymore. And you're much better to just come in, take it slow and steady, and like remind people that you're new as well. Sometimes I agree. People can get excited, and it's just like, oh, sorry, like I'm still just like finding my feet, yeah. Um, you know, happy to take that on next month or something like that. Because when you can actually settle in properly, you're setting yourself up for success a lot better,

Dazzle Versus Steady Energy

Steph 5:55

I think.

Cherie 5:55

Yeah, I think the dazzle, you know, it's again, and this one might be a little bit on us. We've got a big brand, but we're a small business, you know. So we've got a big online presence, and people think they need this really big personality. Now, if you are a big personality, cool, do you? Um, we love that. But if that's not you and you're coming in trying to be that, you're gonna need to maintain that.

Steph 6:17

Yeah.

Cherie 6:18

Otherwise, it's just dazzle. Yes, you know. Me, I'm not actually a big personality. So I would burn out in less than six months trying to pretend to be something that I'm not. How I dazzle is really different. I dazzle with steadiness, you know. That's what I've always done in any new role that I've um taken on in my career. I'm very quiet. I'm just a watcher, especially in the first six months. I watch everything. Yeah. Yeah, less dazzle and more you, you know. So you've seen it as well, Steph. You've got this awesome set of stories where you sometimes feel like you've seen, you know, a range of different things work out really well here in the last close to two years, and then also a couple of examples where it hasn't. Um, and sometimes those examples where it hasn't, there's been a big dazzling intro, hasn't there? Yeah, you know.

Steph 7:05

I think that people are really keen to show off their skill set from sometimes day one, minute one. Minute one, minute one is when I guess as someone who's already working in the space, it's quite like, oh, okay, like amazing. Like you're here. Because people come in ready to make change and ready to tackle the world, which is an amazing, like energizing feeling, and that the team feeds off for sure. But it's also like, oh, like we no one needs you to prove yourself like that. Yeah, and everyone trusts that you are hired for your skill set, so you don't need to come in and then prove that you have those skills because you were hired to do that. So we assume that you have that, and so I think that that can be a trap people fall into as well, is trying to like show off a little bit extra, yeah, and realistically like your work will speak for itself down the line.

Cherie 7:59

That's it, Steph. Like, let the work that you do be the showing off, and even the work that you're not doing, uh, because you're not going to get everything right in the first 90 days, but it's how you take on not getting something right. We're watching how your ego handles that. We're watching whether or not you can take that constructively or respond with defensiveness. You know, there's just so much we're we're we're wanting to see people ask some of the stupid questions. I mean, within reason.

Speaker 1 8:29

Yeah.

Cherie 8:30

Um, but like honestly, if there's ever a time to ask some of the stupid questions, that would be the time. Definitely, you know, because then it shows to me that you don't have a big ego and you can ask the sillier things to make you one of the smarter ones um in the room in 90 days or even less, you know.

Brand To Agency Culture Shock

Steph 8:48

I think as well, if you're moving from brand side to agency side, then this is also like an even bigger, bigger conversation because you're not used to the agency landscape, which is very different. That was me. I was coming from brand side to agency, and I've seen a lot of people have a similar experience where they come in and there's like that initial culture shock of like, oh my goodness gracious. And again, because I've experienced it, I can literally see it in people's faces when they start. And it's gonna go one of two ways. They're going to thrive or they're going to say, Hey, this isn't for me. Absolutely. And I remember hitting this point where I was like, Oh, I'm just struggling to understand like what's required of me every single month. And um, you know, felt like I was just trying to find my feed and feeling a little bit overwhelmed. And then I remember one day in the office when Zara still worked here, and I just stood up from my desk and I said to her, I was like, I get it. And she's like, What? And I was like, I don't know, but I just get it. I've just worked here long enough. I've maybe I've had a touch point on everything now that I just feel like, hey, I've actually got scope. I understand what's in front of me, I understand what's required of me. And that's from systems, clients, internal, like there's so many bits and bobs that you're trying to juggle.

Speaker 1 10:09

Yeah.

Steph 10:09

And I just had this literally click of a finger moment where it's like, I get it now. But up until that point, I was really thinking, like, hmm, like what is this and is this for me? And um, I was just waiting for that moment and I finally got it, which is amazing. And I see that happen now with people that walk through these doors.

Cherie 10:30

Especially brand side to agency, right? Like huge. And I think I knew that story, but I didn't know that you'd literally stood up and said, it clicked. Yeah. I kind of wish I was there in that moment. That sounds so nice.

Steph 10:39

You would have been mere meters away, I'm sure, in your office.

Cherie 10:42

Probably just um reconciling something on zero or something, boring. I don't even know what I was doing, but I didn't see that. I've had so many moments like that as well, and it's just such a confidence boost to have something click. You've just had that little, like, oh kind of moment.

Steph 10:57

That would be like my biggest warning is that you are going to have that culture shock. Expect that to happen, that you will go through this moment of like, oh gosh, like what's going on, and feeling a little bit overwhelmed. That's just a very natural cycle. And then you will either come, like you'll reach the peak and go yes or no. And I think if people could know that before walking in, they would walk in a little bit more like more tentatively, I guess. It's not that we don't want to walk in confident, we want confidence, but just don't come in maybe so um raring to go. You'll only disadvantage yourself because you've got to give yourself a little bit of breathing room in a few weeks to come when things like file on a little

The Real Cost Of A New Hire

Steph 11:43

bit.

Cherie 11:43

Honestly, so true. And look, yeah, it is a punt, isn't it, to firstly start a new gig in general. But I really think especially to take the punt moving from brand side to agency side, especially for the first time. But the punt goes both ways. There was a time during TDP's, you know, within TDP's history where it got to a point where one of the senior leaders said, you know what, let's not do this anymore. Let's only go with folks who have agency side experience. Now, I just want to share some of their reasons. Like, we're not normally so fixed like that, by the way, but just their only reason was for every new hire that you make, it costs the business $36,000 in recruitment. That's quite the punt, you know. And when it doesn't work out, it's it's good to say, oh, like, yeah, it didn't work out, but also it kind of sucks in terms of bank account. Takes a lot to recruit. We have our most senior folk on in in the recruitment room. That's really expensive. It is time intensive. And then we take the punt, we onboard. Um, now how we onboard is just the opposite of trans, you know, transactional. It's really transformational. We spend a lot on onboarding, you know. It's very much gives you the impression that we don't hide a fire. Yes, you know. Um, so it's expensive. Um, so the punt goes both ways. And I remember this person said, like, nah, no more, not doing this again. They have to have agency side experience. And I just said, I can't do that. I just I've got too much of an open mind and a growth mindset for that. I'm not suggesting that person was fixed by the way, it's just that they've got a different lean. And I thought I still want to take the punt on people. I've just got to cop it if it doesn't work out. Yeah. You know, and it is expensive, but I have to say, gosh, there's been some wins in taking that punt on someone who has no agency experience and is trialling out agency side for the first time. And and one of those punts is sitting across from me right now. Yeah, the punt definitely goes both ways. It's so worth it though, both sides. Just like you said, you had some like little moments where you're like, oh God, and then it clicked. You've seen other people wobble one way where they're like, I've made a mistake, I'm out. Fair enough. Um, off you go. You've also seen peers who are like, I don't know, um, in the full, like kind of first 90 days, I'd say, and then they've just hit stride. Yeah, you know, so it really can go anyway.

Reliability Is The Real Charisma

Steph 14:06

The simple, simple stuff is what will get you through those 90 days, like 90 to 100% of the time, right?

Cherie 14:12

100%. Like reliability is probably my the the thing that I find to be most charming. I don't want charm, I just want reliability. You know, I want to know that what I fell in love with in the interview room is real. You know, in the early days, folks, and I think ego, it always gets in the way, doesn't it, Steph? Like, I just think most of life's biggest problems, not just work-wise, but like relationships, friendships, you know, it's always the ego gets in the way. So some folks hit their first 90 days and they genuinely think, and it's their ego talking smack to them, but they think they need to be the smartest or the most creative, especially in an industry like ours. You know, the most visionary. I've seen some people come in, I'm like, oh, I don't need a visionary in the first two weeks, honestly. And I'm not squashing tryhard here, by the way. I love tryhard, but I just, yeah, just reliability, honestly. Other folks would do their very best to be the most unforgettable as well. That'll come through steadiness and reliability. What actually wins in the first 90 days, Steph, as simple as it sounds, just for some people just turn off on time. And I don't want to apply an ableist lens to this. Of course, I'm gonna understand if there's time blindness factored into this for neurodite reasons related to neurodivergency. I'm obviously a neurodivergent woman. I have time blindness, but I also have like 54 alarms to help me with that, you know?

Steph 15:36

Yeah.

Cherie 15:37

I've I just don't know that I could pull off being late to my first day or first days plural, you know. Um, and if I struggle with time blindness, I would just be real with my own neurodivergent self and I would say, let's set a plethora of alarms. Um, I would have a practice run coming into the workplace if it was an in-office experience. I would look at the traffic and just factor in all the things and I'd make sure I was on time. So I know that's so basic, and no one's finding this to be groundbreaking at this point in the podcast, right? But yeah, just when when I'm talking reliability, show up on time. Meet your deadlines. I can think of the last 11 plus years. I could think of a plethora of people who've just hit those deadlines so well, and that's the charm. It's that we can rely on you, you know, to do the thing. We have a really good onboarding at TDP, it's just getting better and better, I would say, in the last three to six months. I'm really proud of our onboarding now. Um, and I can tell, I can tell who particular people are. There are people who open up that email one or two days before their start date. And that's, I don't expect that, but it just says a lot about who they are as a person. I have to say, that's the charm. That's the reliability is the charm piece. And by the time they log in on Monday morning, they've checked off all of those super basic administrative things so that we can actually get into onboarding them really well. They've even picked their Slack avatar. You know what I mean? It just says a lot about a person. So on the flip side, you know, there's been folks in the first 90 days and sometimes even the first one to two weeks where their direct manager has had to follow up again and again and again and again on really basic deadlines, you know, because we do not expect people to hit the ground running. I actually can't stand that. So we actually make the first week or two culture week, and it's just sort of like building folks up slowly. I'm sorry, if you're not hitting it in those first one to two weeks on something really stripped down, we're nervous. And then it continues and it gets to a point where there's a lack of trust, and managers are like swooping in at 450 and saying, Hey, just checking. If someone's doing that, you've broken their trust, and that's not a good sign for the first 90 days. And that's okay. You're learning something new, but just openly communicate, you know, where you're at so people don't have to do that really infantilizing thing of, hey, at 450. So communicate clearly, you know, follow up, provide extra follow-up. It just that again, uh, the over-reliability is the best thing you could do in the first 90 days, you know, be prepared and just do what you said you would do. It's the real win.

Steph 18:20

I think they're the qualities that, you know, a hiring team or founder or whoever it is, that's really hard to teach employees. They're often things that they either have, they've learned behaviors, yeah, or they don't. And often the time to invest in trying to upskill people in some of those things can be really hard.

Speaker 1 18:37

Yep.

Steph 18:38

Whereas people can often um upskill you in your niche, like social media or ads, like we can upskill skill you in all of that to get you to arrive on time or get you to meet your deadlines, that's a lot harder. So those wins, start like ticking those off before you worry too much about the other stuff.

Cherie 18:56

And don't infantilize yourself, you know. Like if we need to focus on upskilling and mentoring on attitude, that's an internship or even a work experience gig. Don't do that to yourself. You're not 15, you're not in grade 10, you're 10. I don't think anyone in the first 90 days of anyone's employment um should be expected to teach you how to be reliable. You know what I mean? So it's an attitude thing. So truly, I really mean this when I say this. In your first 90 days, reliability is the charisma.

Past Experience Without Comparisons

Steph 19:28

Another one that I feel like I see happen a lot is people bringing their past experiences with them. And again, I think that can go one of two ways. Yeah. The great way is that you bring learnt experiences and lessons and help direct a better vision for where you are now. But sometimes the downside of that is that at TDP we are a unique business. Yep. And that requires a unique approach. And I think past experiences can sometimes mean that they're like conflicting ideas. Yeah. Did you want to speak to that a bit?

Cherie 20:00

Yeah, I like this talking point, to be really honest, because it's exactly what you've said. And I'm going to be really honest with you, Steph. Like, there was a point at TDP where our retention, long-term retention, was a beautiful thing to be celebrated and also simultaneously kind of hurting us because we had people here for so long that they weren't bringing other experiences from other agency environments that I was really craving. So I was really excited when we began to grow and scale and got to bring people in, especially with experiences from other agencies. But on the flip side, I guess to speak to that as well, you just want to be really careful that it's obvious that you've left for the right reasons. So it's sort of like, I guess if I could use a dating analogy here, we wouldn't enter a new relationship permanently talking about the previous one, right? And so for the same reasons, like take what you've learned, but don't keep, especially negatively, comparing your brand new workplace to where you've exited from. You know, gotta kind of read the room a little bit better than that. We've had really honest conversations. We always will. If someone has experience in a different agency, we'll say, like, we'll have really honest questions around what do you love about this agency you're in at the moment and what's got you looking uh to leave and so on. Because we're trying to figure out is this a good opportunity for you to cross over to and so on. So yeah, try not to compare too much. Even if there are things that your previous agency especially did better than ours, there'd be many, of course. We're egoists, we want to hear them all. Um, but again, two weeks fresh eyes, take it all in, just change things slowly but surely. Coming in with this big sweeping, like this is all this is cooked, isn't kind of the right approach. And it won't probably make many or any friends at your new work environment when they're constantly feeling like they're less than wherever you've come from, and so on. Maybe sometimes even this is a big downside. Fall I see where some people push new ideas before they've even understood the current system. It's never going to work well. I think the best people observe first. They can read the room, they understand the rhythms, they learn the standards and do respect them, but then also challenge them with humility as well. And so that gives them the right to challenge it a little bit later on. So, you know, your experience, yeah, like undoubtedly it got you in the room. You mentioned that before, like hired for a reason, we trust your technical expertise. It's the attitude we're trying to figure out, actually, the very most in those first for us, six months, you know, but especially 90 days. So adaptability is actually what keeps you in the room, you know.

Steph 22:43

I love the idea that you earn the right to challenge because I think when you are someone who already works in the business, when a new person comes in and they challenge from the get-go, it's that's quite overwhelming. And you can feel a little, yeah, it's very confronting because you have context that they don't, and you also don't want to like dim their light, etc. But I love that idea that like take the beat and then earn that right to challenge because people will be so much more likely to take on your ideas and your feedback once you've like sat in it for a little minute.

Cherie 23:13

Yep, you nailed it. Take a beat. Like, I again, I'll in this entire podcast experience with you, I'm always gonna be able to reference a thousand and one different examples. And you know, I would say um there's even examples um across the the 11 years that I've been running where believe it or not, I've clocked it in week one. This isn't gonna work. I can pick the ego, but I don't give up. I I'm just like, ooh, um having a kind of moment there. And honestly, sadly, by week two and three, some people have made literal enemies out of every single colleague at the digital picnic by week two or three. You yikes, to make an enemy out of anyone on this team who really are Labradors, yeah, I don't know. I feel like that's um that's just not a good start. You know, that's not um how I would want to, that's not the energy I would want to bring into my first 90 days. So to be really honest, I already know by then this isn't gonna work and we're gonna have to have that really shitty, expensive for us conversation and shocking for them as well. They've taken such a punt on coming across and then made literal enemies out of everyone by week three.

Steph 24:27

Yeah.

Ask Better Questions Early

Cherie 24:28

Yeah.

Steph 24:28

The next one is asking better questions, which I think is so good. Probably one of the biggest ways to grow in those first 90 days, right, Sheree.

Cherie 24:35

Yeah, it really is. I love folks who can sit, observe, ask good questions and not worried about that potentially making them look, I say this in a vertical, but stupid. If there's ever a time to ask questions, it's the first 90 days. Like, really. After that, the questions will pop up later, and I'll think to myself, why didn't you ask this in week one? Yeah. I'm like a little bit nervous at that point, you know. So yeah, ask the questions. Again, don't let ego get in the way. Ask the right questions. You know, uh, some of the best hires I've made, I can think of um someone here now who heads up our social media department. She listened, she learned, she watched, she wanted to challenge particular things, but decided I've been here for like all of 0.3 seconds. I'm just gonna wait. You know, and now as of literally today, uh, from all of those, all of that listen and learn and integrity and asking the right questions in the right way to the right people at the right time, she has just put down a deck that will I don't even have the words to describe it, Steph, but this woman is a goddamn powerhouse. She has put a deck together that I have waited for for years.

Steph 25:50

Yeah.

Cherie 25:50

And I feel like I waited so long for this, and now it's been delivered by the right person and in the right way because she asked the right questions in her first 90 and beyond days. And now she's put this down bang on when she's sort of, you know, pushed through probationary period. And I'm just thinking to myself, what did I do to deserve you? You know, and that was all off the back of asking the right questions, you know. So to give a practical kind of takeaway here is, you know, just bring three thoughtful questions to your one-to-one and every one of them in the first 90 days. And that example I just gave you about that departmental lead, she is achieving what she's currently achieving because of the caliber of questions that she asked in every one of her first one-to-ones in the first 90 days.

Steph 26:38

I feel like that loops back into speed as well, because again, when you take that beat to ask the question and not just race forward with your ideas as this um powerhouse could have done and potentially created a lot of friction, it's like instead take that beat. So, how do you see speed playing a part in those first 90 days?

Accuracy First Speed Second

Cherie 26:57

All right, this one is an interesting one because we're a largely neurodivergent workforce. And for those who aren't neurodivergent that are here, they seem to be fast brains anyway. We're a really speedy workplace, really fast. Fast is cool. I'm lucky. Um, I've got a fast brain too, but sometimes speed is really effing expensive, you know. So just slow down a smidge, read the room, because yeah, truly, that speed is really uh expensive and won't have your direct manager. So, me in this example, gloating about the example I just gave before about what that woman achieved within probationary period. It isn't an entire level up because she didn't come in like a wrecking ball, you know. Um, and she's a speedy human, she's a fast freaking brain, but she also slows down where it needs to be slowed down so that she can speed up where she needs to speed up. Um, and I just think that discernment is everything for anyone who's loading into a new workplace for the first time, but especially a workplace like the digital picnic that's very fast-brained. Yeah. In your first 90 days, you should just be aiming for accuracy first and speed second. That's all. That's the whole practical takeaway, this little section.

Steph 28:16

Yeah. I love that because I feel like when you start a new job, that's one of the biggest questions I remember having was like, how long does this take other people? And it's like, why don't you just worry about how long it's gonna take you? Don't worry about what the comparison is. Yes. Because you often feel like, am I behind or am I in front, or like how where am I sitting? It's like, no one cares. We'd rather you just get it done right and over time you can improve speed.

Cherie 28:39

And for folks listening, funny that you say that because I frequently describe Steph in a lot of video marketing sessions that I teach. And the best thing about you is the obvious, which is video marketing instincts. You've just got it, and not everyone has it. You've got it. But the speed with which you execute on that ruthless video editing is your superpower. It really is, and so much so that there are so many people on this team who just want to bring you in for a mini lunch and learn with their team to say, cut the perfectionistic bullshit, and here's how you speed this up, and so on. So it's wild to me that you were worried about how long does it take someone else to take when we're now utilizing you and leaning on you as best practice for yeah.

Steph 29:27

Perfectionism, eh?

Cherie 29:29

Bloody perfectionism. I can relate to the sort of perfectionism being the downfall experience for not just you, but so many um who've come before and and definitely after, right? You so ours is a workplace filled with really brilliant people, and it might be intimidating to some people. I can't relate to that. I just want everyone to feel like they've got their special thing, you know, going on here. Um, and everyone has something, honestly. They really do. I've always said every agency side human has their something. We just like to figure out what that might be in the first 90 days. Think about well, what's your thing that you get to bring, you know, to this particular workplace? Everyone's got something. There's some people on my team who are just the ultimate client whisperers, and we clock it in two weeks. We're like, oh my God, our clients just love you. You know, there are others that have just got this systems and processes-oriented lean in the right ways, in the right time and and by the right means, just overhaul stuff, one little, you know, sweep at a time. It's sort of like it feels a bit, I don't know, Cinderella-ish or something. I don't know, some sort of Disney movie. You know, so everyone's got their thing.

Steph 30:43

I guess as we mentioned at the start of this episode, not everything does work out.

If It’s A No

Steph 30:48

And, you know, probation periods are there for a reason. So what's your best advice for someone if at the end of their probation it's it's a no from us?

Cherie 30:57

And yeah, I can't take credit for this one and it's hardly um groundbreaking, but my husband is just the most integrity-led human being I think I know outside of my dad. Like Dave is just someone who's never burned a single bridge in close to 47 years of life. Actually, I think he is 47. Can't remember. 1980. We'll say 47. Give him a year off. Yeah, give him a year away. Yeah. No, he is 46, I think. Um, yeah, so like he's never burned a bridge in 46 or maybe allegedly 47 years. Um, I don't think that's easy. I don't know many people who haven't burned a single bridge in, you know, that amount of time. But he especially says, when it comes to work, don't burn a bridge. Industries are so much smaller than you think that they are. But it's definitely true of our industry, Steph. Like we're in marketing. Let's niche down more. We're in digital marketing. Let's niche down even further. We are agency side. That is goddamn small. That is a really small industry, and there are a lot of people who know each other. I can think of honestly, long, long, long time ago, a bit of a doozy hire that I made once upon a time, who would never dream of putting me down as a reference. It wouldn't be in their best interests. But, and this is illegal, by the way, but someone um called me out of the blue uh asking for a reference on this person, and I just said, Oh, I just want to ask. I didn't know that I was a reference. Um, I've received no heads up. Um, does this person know that you're calling me? And they said, Look, they actually don't, but we scoped you out on LinkedIn and you know, scraped your number from LinkedIn and thought, found it a founder. Can you just give us a bit of a discrete heads up on what this person is like?

Speaker 1 32:39

Oh wow.

Cherie 32:40

And I said, Well, I can't because that's illegal. Um, what you're asking me to do is illegal. I need to know that they've given consent for you know this reference. The truth is that person burned every bridge imaginable, and I wouldn't dream of giving them a good reference. Not in my wildest dreams, would I do that to another business owner, to be really honest? So I was just really surprised um how small this industry is, you know, and the definitely illegal things that some people will do to make sure that they're hiring really well. A little sneaky um side quest reference check that wasn't even written down. That's how small this industry is, Steph. You know, so yeah, if if a probationary period doesn't work out, please wrap it up well. You know, I've got some examples of, yeah, like, and fair enough, it doesn't work out. And that's such a hit to the ego. And those folks, they'll drive off into the sunset and we'll never hear from them again. So fair. No judgment, honestly. But I've got other people because with every instance here that I sort of, you know, speak to, when it doesn't work out, we still try to TDP fight by saying, let's keep the relationship open. Just because it hasn't worked here in this way, let's keep the relationship open. And we often say, especially if they're super junior, come in uh for mentoring with me, Cherie, and I will mentor them on anything and everything, right through to even just a LinkedIn profile overhaul, which I love that platform, you know. Um and I've done that. So there's one example of one particular human who I just adore, and it didn't work out. And when it wrapped up, I said what I always say, um, hey, like, come in if you would like support on X, Y, and Z. They were really incredible how they did that. They said, I would like to take you up on that, but I'm gonna need two weeks because I'm feeling really raw and I just need to get into a good headspace. And I was like, I I couldn't respect that more. I'll see you when you're feeling like you're in a better spot. And if that changes, no problem, I understand. Two weeks later, they walked back into our workplace. That's so courageous, honestly. I admire them so much. They had to walk through the doors. The team obviously knew that it hadn't worked out. They have to just hold their head high the way they should be doing, because there's no higher head that should be held than walking back into the place that moved you on for mentoring and growth and lifelong learning. And that's what they did. We sat together. I said, What's your dream job? Um, and they listed it out. And when they referenced a dream company, I have really good friends with the CEO there. And I said, I have a feeling that they're hiring. I'm gonna reach out to them. And so I put them forward and then we gave them a $250 voucher to dress in the product of that particular company.

Speaker 1 35:21

Oh, wow.

Cherie 35:22

Yeah, it was really sweet. It was so easy, you know. Um, and they decked themselves out head to toe in this particular label, rocked up to the interview, dressed head to toe in their clothes. We gave them a printed out laminated something where we'd made a donation to this particular organization's charity. So an extra try hardy look for a job interview. Then we even said, when you go into the interview, talk to them about where you've come from because we do have a really good reputation. I don't say that egotistically, it's just the truth, you know. And we said, if there's anyone on their team that would benefit from coming in for free, upskilling with us, we'll put them in an in-person workshop with us. And that's what they did. And they came into that workshop as well with their brand new colleagues because spoiler alert, Steph, they got the job.

Speaker 1 36:06

Oh, that's so nice, Sherry.

Cherie 36:08

And I just think people who leave like that are just the best eggs and an absolute asset to the industry. And they are still at that role now, they are loving their lives, they've never loved a job more, and I'm so proud to know them. You know, we it didn't work out with us. That's our fumble. Um, 50% of that is ours to own. And now they're thriving elsewhere, and I couldn't be happier for them. Yeah.

Steph 36:32

Yeah. I if anyone came to our podcast launch party, they would have heard my story a little bit about a previous workplace. And it wasn't a probation period, it was more financial reasons. But essentially, if I and I had lots of reasons where I probably could have walked away and had hard feelings, etc. But if I had done that, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. And that's like so important to remember is that opportunities come up and knowing people and being a good person goes such a long way. And even if it's not the news you want to hear, genuinely, if you cut off those connections, the only person that you are disadvantaging is yourself. Unless it's completely toxic, in which case, you know, that may be the most psychologically safe thing to do.

Cherie 37:16

Or run in in that circumstance, yes.

Steph 37:18

But in in ways where hey, it just hasn't worked out, there is so many opportunities on the other side of like, no worries, thanks so much. I'm happy to still be in your orbit. Like so much can come from that.

Cherie 37:30

I'd always want to stay in a person's orbit, you know. So yeah, I I think, you know, if we could round out this episode, like I just think a really brilliant first 90 days is usually built on really boring things done brilliantly. Like people come in and they want to dazzle and they want to X and they want a Y and they want a Z. Just do really boring shit brilliantly in your first 90 days, and you will be the examples that I've given throughout this. You've been included here, Steph, that departmental lead that I've talked about, she is dazzling. But um, she did a lot of boring shit on repeat, but did it brilliantly in the lead up to that, you know. So, to anyone listening, first 90 days, a whole stack of boring shit done brilliantly is my best advice.

Steph 38:17

I love that. I think if anyone has an amazing 90-day story, could be any workplace, doesn't it have to be an agency? Let us know. Slide into our DMs. Yeah, we want to hear Instagram and let us know those cool stories because maybe in season two we could share some, Sheree, and do like a bit of a story time with our listeners. Because I feel like, I mean, we know you've got stories, we've got stories.

Cherie 38:38

Yeah, we've shared them in this episode, but we want to hear from our tryhards who listen in to the climb. What's your really cool uh first 90-day story? And I'm sure it's less dazzle and a lot of like really boring shit done brilliantly, but we want to hear it, so we'll share it across our socials or we'll think of something. We're strategists. Yeah, leave it with us.

Steph 38:56

Yeah, leave it with us. All right, we are looking forward to hearing from you, and you will hear from us next week.

Cherie 39:03

Thanks for listening to the climb with Cherie Clonan and Steph Clifford. Here's to growth, grit, and bloody good stories.