Something to doFeedback
Ask for your first real piece of feedback
A simple exercise to hear how you're doing early, while it's easy to adjust
Why it’s worth your time
In your first months, your manager has probably noticed things they haven't mentioned yet. Many managers hold back early to give you room to settle in, so the first real feedback often waits for a formal review. Asking for one thing going well and one to work on lets them tell you now, while small adjustments are easy.
How to ask for feedback as a new employee
You’ll come away with one thing to keep doing and one to work on, straight from your manager.
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
- Wait until you've done some real work.
A month or two in is usually about right. They need something to go on, and you want to ask well before your first formal review.
- Give them a heads-up.
Mention it before your 1:1 so they have time to think. A considered answer is more useful than an on-the-spot one.
To: your managerI'd love to take five minutes in our next 1:1 to hear how I'm doing so far.
Specifically: what's one thing I'm doing well that I should keep doing, and one thing I could work on? Small things are great. I'd rather hear them now, while I'm still finding my feet.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Ask for one of each.
One thing going well and one to work on keeps it small and balanced. It's easier to answer than how am I doing, and harder to answer with fine.
You“What's one thing I'm doing well that I should keep doing, and one thing I could work on?” - Ask one follow-up, and thank them.
If the thing to work on is vague, ask what it would look like done well. Then thank them, whatever they said.
You“That's really helpful, thank you. What would that look like if I were doing it well?” - Try it, and mention it next time.
Work on the one thing for a few weeks, then tell them what you tried. It shows you listened, and makes asking again feel natural.
Tip: Keep doing the thing they said was going well, too. It tells you what they value.
Good moments for this: a month or two into a new joba few weeks later, about the same thingwhenever you start with a new manager
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensDo it now, and you’ve invested in your career today.
- Your growth areas, keptWhat you said you are working on getting better at sits on your Foundation page.
- It’s yours to keepEach thing you do is saved to your private record, there when your next review or job search comes around.
Anything else we can help you with this week?
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
Many managers hold back early, wanting to give you time to settle in. Asking tells them you're ready, and saves them deciding when.
What might make this harder
Thank them, then ask what someone doing really well in your role does that you could start doing. That question tends to have a more useful answer.
Questions people ask
When should I ask for feedback at a new job?
Usually a month or two in, once you've done some real work and well before your first formal review. Then ask again a few weeks later.
How do I ask my manager for feedback as a new employee?
Keep it small: ask for one thing you're doing well and one thing you could work on. Give them a heads-up before your 1:1 so they can think about it.
Is it okay to ask for feedback in my first month?
Yes, as long as you've done enough for them to have a view. Asking early usually reads as eager to learn, not insecure.
What if my first feedback is negative?
Thank them and ask what it would look like done well. Early feedback is usually about small adjustments, and hearing it now is far better than at review time.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Starting a job, most people wait to be told how they're doing. The trouble is that many managers are waiting too, giving you room to settle in and not wanting to pile on early. So the first real feedback often arrives in the first formal review, months after it would have been easy to act on.
Asking for one thing going well and one to work on breaks that standoff. It's small enough to answer honestly, balanced enough not to feel like a verdict, and specific enough that fine doesn't quite work as an answer. It also tells your manager something about you: that you want to get better, and that you can hear it without it becoming a big deal.
The first time sets the pattern. If you listen, thank them, and quietly work on what they said, the next conversation is easier for both of you. You're not only asking for feedback, you're showing your manager that it's safe to give you. Early in a career, that may be worth more than any single thing they tell you.
It also helps to know what your manager is trying to get done. Their answer will make more sense, and you'll see where your effort counts most. And if what comes back feels bigger than you expected, ask what it would look like done well. It's usually a smaller step than it sounded.
Other simple things to consider
More in Feedback
See allRead this alongside your role page
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.