Just on one of the other days, a newly recruited colleague of mine was busy correcting the assignment of his students at his working desk while some other colleagues of mine whiled away their time by gossiping. Though busy at work, he occasionally stopped and lifted his head to speak something in order to add to the context, in an attempt to adapt to the new environment and people, but they either simply ignored his response or made some sarcastic remarks at what he had said.

This is the reflection of the existing practice prevalent in almost every workplace where one has been newly recruited. You have to undergo really a tough time. On account of being a newcomer, first you have to suffer from alienation. With the place that you feel so weird among the strangers, you don’t exactly know how you are supposed to behave. You have got no one to talk to and to give you company. There are just a few offices where newcomers are made to feel at home. In most of the others you have to experience just otherwise.

Every moment you are put to test, and almost everyone tries to test your caliber and temperament. All the experiences and expertise that you have gained so far seem to be of no great use, and you have to start a fresh struggle to prove yourself. Like a novice, you put all your efforts to create an impression of who and what you are, and sometimes the task appears to be tougher done than assumed.

Gradually there are some who come to you, and you, at least, feel relaxed to have got someone to talk to, and ask things about the new place and people. But, instead of making you feel at ease, they have got a long list of do’s and don’ts for you. Everyone has a different story to tell and you are compelled to listen to all of them silently. Consequently, you begin to cultivate fear in your mind long before you have learnt to make aspirations.

Similarly, there is yet another challenge that you have to be through. Your arrival may have brought a kind of discomfort for some others, especially those who you share the table with. They perceive you not as a colleague but a competitor. They fear you rather than taking you as a helping hand and a good companion.

However, no matter what the general trend is, it solely depends on the individual how things are going to affect him or the vice versa. If you are honest, determined and believe in yourself and your potentials, you can easily outsmart others and prove who you really are.