Probation is a trial period at the start of a job, and it goes smoothly when expectations are agreed early. Too many new joiners discover the criteria only at the final review, when it is too late to change course. The first week is the time to ask: what does success look like here, how will it be measured, and what support is available.
Confirming in the first week
- Ask your manager what good performance looks like at the end of probation, in concrete tasks, not general qualities.
- Agree review dates now, so feedback arrives during probation rather than only at its end.
- Find out who to ask for help, since struggling silently is the fastest route to a poor review.
- Keep a short weekly log of completed work, which becomes your evidence at review time.
Treat probation as a two-way trial. You are also judging whether the job deserves you, and that judgement needs the same evidence.