How to: Succeed in a new role

Top Tips for your first 90 days

Starting Strong - First 90 days in a new job

Starting a new role is so exciting but can sometimes feel like a whirlwind—there’s so much to take in, from getting across the brand to remembering names, systems, and multiple logins. It’s easy to feel like your first few weeks are all about onboarding, without any real wins under your belt. That’s why we’ve broken it down into a simple 30-60-90 day plan—to help you settle in, make an impact early, get aligned on your KPIs, and feel a sense of achievement from day one.

First 30 Days: Learn & Align

Your first month is about absorbing as much as you can —understanding the business, key stakeholders, processes —so you can confidently lay the groundwork for future success.

Understand the business – get comfortable with asking questions!
Dive into the company’s vision, values, and goals. Get familiar with key business processes, product offerings, and target audiences.

👉 Agency-side marketers: Immerse yourself in your client’s industry—understand the competitive landscape, how different brands in the sector are positioned. Knowing your clients’ business inside out will help you deliver more strategic, impactful work.
👉 In-house marketers: Focus on aligning with internal stakeholders and understanding long-term brand goals. Get clarity around marketings’ contribution to the wider business strategy & vision

Meet your stakeholders
Identify key internal and external stakeholders who are crucial to your role. Where appropriate, set up 1:1 meetings to get to know them, understand their priorities and how you can best collaborate. Remember to write things down, you never know what you might need to refer to later.

👉 Agency-side marketers: Prioritise building relationships with clients early -
understanding their goals, pain points, and expectations will help set you up for success.
👉 In-house marketers: Get to know cross-functional teams such as sales, product, operations to understand how marketing fits into the bigger picture.

Review existing work
Familiarise yourself with past and current campaigns or projects. What’s working well? What could be improved? What’s been successful? Understand how success is currently measured.

👉 Agency-side marketers: Review your agency’s recent client campaigns—what approaches worked well? What feedback has been received? Understanding this will help you hit the ground running.
👉 In-house marketers: Look at brand performance data, audience segments, channel mix, and competitor activity to get a full picture of the business landscape.

60 Days: Contribute & Strategise

Now, the next 60 days are all about growing your skills and capabilities whilst aligning on expectations. This phase is crucial in making an impact in your new job and aligning with

management on where your focus should be. With a solid understanding of the business, it’s time to add value and position yourself for long-term success.

Identify quick wins
Look for opportunities to make an immediate impact—whether that’s streamlining a process, optimising an approach, or strengthening a client relationship. Communicate with your manager to understand key priorities and ensure your focus areas align.

👉 Agency-side marketers: You might be focused on nailing execution of multiple campaigns whilst driving deeper relationships with a few key clients.
👉 In-house marketers: You could optimise an ongoing campaign, introduce a new content pillar, or refine reporting dashboards.

Build relationships
Continue to proactively engage with your team, clients, and leadership. Understanding how different departments work, communicate, collaborate – and potentially what their expectations are of your role, will help you integrate more effectively.
Seek feedback
Request feedback from your manager, peers, or clients to ensure you’re on the right track and adjusting where needed. Ask for time in your manager’s diary, letting them know you’d like to discuss whether they’re happy or if there’s anything you could be doing differently. This will help you course-correct early.

Deepen your knowledge
In the next 30 days it’s important to ensure you have all the basics down pat, so work with your manager to ensure you’re provided any additional training.

👉 Agency-side marketers: If there’s a key person on your account you haven’t worked with yet, make it a priority to gain exposure or reach out for a 1:1 if appropriate.
👉 In-house marketers: If you haven’t had exposure to certain products, teams, or systems, now’s the time to fill in those gaps.

90 Days: Lead & Optimise

By the end of 90 days, you should feel confident in your role and ready to drive results.

Own a project
Take full ownership of a campaign, client account, or key initiative. Ensure your contributions align with business objectives, your KPIs and demonstrate measurable success.

👉 Agency-side marketers: This could mean leading a client presentation or managing a project from start to finish.
👉 In-house marketers: It might involve owning a brand initiative, launching a new campaign to market, or driving strategic recommendations for future activity.

Evaluate & report back
Use data and insights to assess the impact of your work. Share key learnings with your team and suggest improvements to enhance efficiency and performance.

👉 Agency-side marketers: How have your client campaigns performed? What insights can you apply to future work?
👉 In-house marketers: How has your marketing strategy impacted business goals? What adjustments can be made for stronger results?

Plan for growth
Set professional development goals for the next quarter—whether that’s upskilling, mentoring a junior team member, or leading a new initiative.

Stay engaged
Continue to check in with your manager, team and recruiter if you worked with one. If challenges arise, lean on them for support and guidance.

Your Recruiter is Here to Help

Throughout your first 90 days, your recruiter is a valuable resource. Regular check-ins provide an opportunity to discuss any concerns, seek confidential advice, and navigate challenges effectively. If something isn’t working, be honest—it’s better to address issues early so we can help you find solutions.

Success in your first 90 days isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Listen, contribute and you’ll position yourself as a valued member of the team. Stay curious, proactive, and open to feedback, and you’ll set the foundation for long-term success in your new role.

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Signs It’s Time to Hire a Marketer…and how to get it right

By Kristina Gerdov • September 3, 2025

For many growing businesses, marketing is often something that gets added to the to-do list of already busy managers or existing teams. A social post here, an email there, and maybe a campaign when there’s time. But without dedicated expertise, marketing rarely delivers the consistency and commercial results your brand needs to grow. If you’ve been wondering whether it’s time to bring in a dedicated marketing resource, here are the key things to consider and how to ensure your first hire is set up for success. 1. The Telltale signs If your demand generation has stalled, you’re struggling to convert interest into sales, or your brand presence feels disjointed, it’s time to stop relying on ad-hoc efforts. A dedicated marketer can build and execute a strategic plan that drives consistent results and positions your brand for long-term growth. 2. What to avoid It can be tempting to look for a “jack-of-all-trades” who can do a little bit of everything. The reality? Even the most talented marketer will struggle without clear goals and defined outcomes on what the business is looking to achieve. Hiring without clarity can lead to underwhelming results and frustration on both sides. Be specific about the expertise you need and the outcomes you expect. 3. Why this hire is so important to get right Your first marketing hire is more than just another role, it often lays the foundation for your brands future growth engine. The right hire can build momentum and shape how your future team evolves. The wrong hire however, can stall progress, waste budget, and leave you back at square one. 4. Fractional vs full-time Not quite ready for a permanent commitment? Fractional marketers can be a great short-term solution to get things moving while you build the case for a full-time hire. Just be clear on their remit. Fractional marketers are ideal for campaigns, projects, or interim support, but they’re not typically suited to long-term brand building or team development. 5. What kind of marketer do you actually need? Marketing as a discipline is broad, as are the tools used to reach your desired target audience. Do you need someone to drive digital acquisition, manage partnerships, develop content, or build brand strategy? Start by clarifying your business’s biggest priorities and pain points, then match the skillset accordingly. The clearer you are upfront, the better the outcome. 6. How to set them up for success Hiring the right person is only half the job. To see results and maximum impact, you need to set your new hire up for success. This means: Clear KPIs so they know what good Vs great looks like The marketing tools and access to the resources they need to deliver Integration into cross-functional conversations with key decision-makers from day one Bec Godkin, Senior Talent Partner says “Marketing can’t succeed in a silo. The deeper your marketer is connected across the business and understands the various levers that shape success, the greater their impact will be” Hiring your first marketer is an exciting step - it signals growth, ambition, and the desire to build something bigger. By being clear on what you need, avoiding common pitfalls, and setting your hire up for success, you’ll give your business the best chance to thrive. At iknowho , we specialise in helping brands make their first marketing hire. If you’d like to talk through what kind of marketer is right for your business, we’re here to help.

What is a Fractional CMO and could one be right for you?

By Kristina Gerdov • June 25, 2025

Discover what a Fractional CMO is, the benefits they bring, and how to know if hiring one is the right move for your business.

How personal branding can supercharge your job hunt in 2025

By Kristina Gerdov • May 13, 2025

In 2025, personal branding isn't just a buzzword – it's important for anyone navigating the job market. The uncomfortable truth is this; you're likely being Googled more often than you're being interviewed. In a digital-first world, your personal brand can potentially boost your career prospects. So how can you leverage it to stand out during your job hunt? 1. Your brand is what people say when you're not in the room Personal branding isn’t just about the polished version of yourself that you post on LinkedIn. It’s what others say about you when you’re not around. Consider how you’re being perceived online and offline. Is your brand consistent, authentic, and aligned with your career aspirations? What would potential employers say about you when they Google you? To start refining your personal brand, think about your values, your goals, and how you want others to perceive you. This means showcasing your strengths, yes, but also acknowledging your struggles and learning moments. Authenticity can give you a competitive edge. 2. Lead with curiosity, not just expertise Publicly asking thoughtful, insightful questions. It positions you as someone who is constantly learning, open to feedback, and not afraid to explore new ideas – a thought provoker and idea leader in your space. In the job hunt, this quality can set you apart from others who might be more focused on offering answers than asking the right questions. So, when you’re engaging with others online or in an interview, try focusing on asking questions that spark deeper discussions. Your curiosity and willingness to learn can make a lasting impression. 3. Your personal brand is about becoming known for the right things Remember, personal branding isn’t about trying to become famous. It’s about being known for the right things – the things that align with your career goals and the value you want to offer to employers. For job seekers, this means ensuring that your online presence and interactions reflect your expertise, passion, and ambition. When crafting your personal brand, be deliberate. Think about the skills, values, and personality traits you want to highlight. 4. Be consistent and intentional The foundation of a strong personal brand is consistency. Your personal brand is built in the small, everyday actions – how you engage with your network. Consistency in your interactions helps shape how people perceive you and helps create a brand that’s memorable. If you're job hunting, it's critical to show up consistently both online and offline. This includes engaging with industry professionals on LinkedIn, contributing to discussions, and demonstrating professionalism in all your interactions. 5. Small steps to narrow the gap So, what's the gap between how you see yourself and how others might perceive you? The goal isn’t perfection, but making small, consistent adjustments that move you closer to aligning your internal brand with how you’re seen externally. It could be tweaking your LinkedIn profile, starting a blog, or sharing your expertise. What’s one small thing you could do this week to move the needle and narrow that gap? Whether it’s posting a thoughtful comment on a relevant post, reaching out to someone in your industry, or sharing a story of a recent challenge, small actions can have a big impact over time. 6. Share struggles, Not just wins When it comes to personal branding, it’s easy to fall into the trap of only sharing successes. However, some of the most credible personal brands are built on transparency – sharing the struggles and lessons learned along the way. It’s interesting to see how you handle setbacks, not just your triumphs. Embracing imperfection in your personal brand helps paint a fuller picture of who you are. Whether it’s sharing a challenging project you worked on or a time when you faced a setback and how you overcame it, these stories can help demonstrate your resilience, problem-solving abilities, and growth mindset – qualities employers are eager to see. In today’s market, personal branding isn’t just a nice-to-have. By being intentional, consistent, and authentic, you can build a personal brand that resonates with potential employers, ultimately setting you up for success in your job hunt. So, there’s no better time to start than now.