How to Ace Making Friends in a New Travel Position

Maybe you just started a new job.  Or maybe you’re thinking about taking a new job but hate the awkwardness of being the “newbie.”  Here’s some tips that can help you ACE making new friends at work. 

Tip #1:  Make Time for Water Cooler Conversations

Don’t just rush by colleagues.  Make time for small talk.  Ask about where they live or what they like best about working at the facility.  Chat about the day’s headlines.  Find out about hobbies or interests they enjoy.  Ask for recommendations on restaurants, coffee shops, and happy hours.  Before you know it you’ll have a great conversation going and will be well on your way to making a new friend. 

Tip #2:  Invite Others to Join You

Even though you’re the new person it doesn’t hurt to take the initiative.  If you invite someone to join you most likely they will want to come along.  Even if you’re just going for coffee, invite a co-worker to join you.  Or maybe you’ve found out others at work enjoy hiking or biking.  Invite them for an outing one morning and maybe breakfast afterwards.  That’s a great way to strike up a friendship.

Tip #3:  Treat Your Team to Some Tasty Snacks

Bringing snacks to your team – whether a mid-morning munchie or an afternoon pick me up – is a fantastic way to get noticed.  Everyone wants to thank the person responsible for brightening their day.  Or they might even ask for a recipe or where you got the treat – all good conversation starters.  Food is simply a great way to meet people and win new friends.

Tip #4:  Lend a Helping Hand

Take time to get to know your team and look for opportunities to lend your assistance.  Maybe you notice a few team members are younger and need help from time to time.  Share short cuts or good ways to remember certain procedures with them.  And share the information in a casual way that doesn’t make them feel like they are being lectured to.  Maybe simply say: “I’ve found that this really helps me to do the procedure better.”  And be on the lookout for other opportunities to help that might seem very last minute.  Something as simple as holding a door for a co-worker that has her hands full goes a long way in showing goodwill and building friendships. 

So, now you have it!  You have 4 tips to go out there and ACE friendship building.  Who knows you might just meet your next best friend.  Or you might end up with more friends than ever before.  Well, the good news is that you can never have too many friends.  Enjoy!

 Interested in finding out more about travel, now that you know that making friends is not so difficult?  Find out how you can get your career Going Place with our FREE Travel Guide.  Download it now.