Preparation before the first day#
What should be done before you start:
- Contract and documents: employment contract signed, AHV number, bank details, copy of ID, any diplomas.
- Registrations: health insurance (compulsory, independent of the employer), withholding tax for foreign nationals.
- Commute: test the route and timetable, plan arrival time with a buffer.
- Clothing: if in doubt, one level more formal than expected – after a week you adapt.
- Note down questions: what you want to clarify in the first week, before everyday work begins.
The first day#
The first day is organisational work – nobody expects performance.
- Punctual, not earlier: 10 minutes before the agreed time is ideal.
- Introductions: remembering names matters more than technical questions; taking notes is allowed and looks organised.
- Access: laptop, email, phone, time recording, badge – write down in full whatever is missing.
- Lunch: accept it if it is offered; this is the most informal part of the day.
In the evening: make your first notes – who is who, which tasks are unclear, what worked.
The first two weeks#
Now it is about orientation and the first small results.
- Listening: who decides what, who is the contact person, which processes are informal.
- Complete a small task early: a visible, manageable task creates credibility.
- Ask in doses: asking is good, but bundle your questions – not every five minutes.
- Notes: your own document with processes, contact persons and open points.
Day 30: first review of where you stand#
After one month you should know three things and have done one thing.
- Know: what is expected of you, how your performance is measured, who assesses you.
- Done: at least one result you can name.
- Conversation: obtain short feedback from your manager – ‘What should I prioritise over the next 30 days?’
- Appraisal: clarify whether a formal appraisal takes place during the probation period and when.
In practice, a short record after thirty days has proven its worth: three points that are going well, two open questions, one suggestion for the next month. The document is not a reference, but it makes your perception verifiable – and you notice early whether expectations are diverging.
Day 60 to 90: probation period and appraisal#
The probation period usually ends after one to three months. What counts now:
- Reliability: meet deadlines, document commitments.
- Taking responsibility: lead one topic independently.
- Relationships: two or three colleagues you have won as allies.
- Seek feedback: ask actively, do not wait – those who ask are seen as willing to learn.
If the probation period is extended, that is not a verdict but information: clarify specifically which expectation is not being met and what you should change.
Mistakes that come back to haunt you#
Five patterns that regularly cause problems in the first 90 days:
- Proposing changes too early: understand first, then criticise – ‘we used to do this differently’ is not an argument.
- Asking nothing: anyone who stays silent for three weeks is seen as insecure or uninterested.
- Overrunning the lunch break or home office rules: small lapses are noted during the probation period.
- Commenting on internal conflicts: stay neutral, do not take sides.
- Not seeking feedback: anyone who never asks finds out what is going wrong only at the appraisal.
The counter-check: after ninety days you should be able to list three things you set in motion yourself and name two people who advance you professionally. If both are missing, the problem is not the probation period but the fit.