Thriving in Your First 90 Days at LTM: A Field Guide

You’ve made it through the interviews, cleared the background checks, and finally unboxed your new laptop—congratulations. Once the initial excitement settles, though, the real question hits: Now what?

Reflecting on my last two years here, I’ve realized that the first 90 days aren’t about sprinting to the finish line. They’re about finding your rhythm in a place that’s constantly moving and outcreating. Those early weeks can feel like a whirlwind of new faces and acronyms, but they are also where the most meaningful part of your journey begins. This isn’t just a guide to getting through your first quarter, it is a field guide to starting strong and setting the foundation for the kind of work that truly moves the needle. 

The day-one "tribe"

Day one will be a bit of a blur. You will be soaking up information from HR, figuring out your logins, and navigating a mountain of presentations from various teams. It can feel overwhelming, but the real value is in the people sitting next to you (or on the screen with you).

The group you onboard with often becomes your most trusted informal network. They are the ones you’ll message two weeks later to ask, "Did you figure out how to fill iTime yet?" Don't just sit through the sessions; connect with your batch. These early connections are where collaboration starts and that’s how we outcreate together. 

Talk to your buddy

Once you land in your specific team, you’ll likely be assigned a mentor or a buddy. While HR tells you what the company does, your buddy shows you how things actually work. They help with the hand-holding part of the job, from setting up your development environment to explaining team-specific quirks.

Don’t feel like you’re a burden. They were in your shoes not long ago and genuinely want to see you succeed. Having an insider on your side is the fastest way to stop feeling like a guest and start feeling like you belong, and belonging is the foundation for doing your best, most creative work.

Be a cultural sponge (listen > talk)

We all want to make an impact right away, but the people who succeed fastest here start as cultural sponges. Before you try to disrupt a workflow, take time to understand why it exists in the first place.

Use your first month to learn the who’s who and the how-to. Observe team dynamics, pick up on the unwritten rules, and understand decisions really get made. It might feel like you’re taking a back seat, but it’s actually a strategic move. When the time comes to challenge legacy thinking or propose a better approach, you’ll know exactly whose door to knock on, and how to bring people with you.

Don't be afraid to ask questions

You benefit from the “newbie” label, so use it wisely. Asking basic questions now is far better than fixing avoidable mistakes later. People here would much rather explain something once today than clean up an issue three weeks from now.

Asking questions early doesn't make you look uninformed; it shows you’re paying attention, curious, and invested in getting things right. This is especially important when it comes to a work culture that encourages creative problem-solving.

Notes > memory (always)

You’ll encounter new names, systems, projects, and goals faster than your memory can keep up. Most of us aren’t Leonardo da Vinci, so taking notes is a survival skill.

Microsoft OneNote never complains about your spelling, is searchable and shareable, and makes Copilot far more effective by giving it high-quality inputs. Notes aren’t just about recording information; they signal that you’re dialed in, and they save you from asking, “What were the next steps again?” for the fourth time.

Simplicity is a competitive advantage

Large-scale projects come with layers of complexity. There will be moments when a process feels convoluted or something just seems off. Trust that instinct.

Some of the most valuable contributions I’ve seen over the last two years came from someone simply pointing out a more straightforward path. If a solution feels overly complicated, it probably is.

Own the small things to earn the big things

In a large organization, trust is the ultimate currency. The fastest way to build it is by taking ownership of something, anything, early on.

That ownership doesn’t always arrive as a clearly defined project. Sometimes, it starts as a loose idea. I experienced this on a project that began with a simple question: What if we built a Gen AI-based migration utility that wasn’t tied to any one technology? There was no formal team, no roadmap, and no official mandate, just a vision.

Rather than waiting for structure to appear, a few of us stepped in. Alongside a leader, I volunteered to support the discussions, develop collaterals, and shape the go-to-market story. The first version of the solution was built by a handful of developers as a side hustle. This side hustle grew over a period of a year to be something much more valuable, including part of how we now position our services.

It reinforced an important lesson: owning small, undefined problems is often how you outcreate the big ones. Find the orphaned tasks, the small problems that everyone appreciates, but never get resolved. Those aren’t tasks, those are the keys to unlocking the way things work. The more you say ‘I’ve got this,’ the more high-profile work you’ll get offered.

Deliver on your promises

In your first 90 days, your most valuable asset isn’t just your technical skill, it’s follow-through. There is a big difference between taking a task and truly owning the outcome.

If you tell a lead you’ll update documentation by Tuesday, ownership means it’s in their inbox and ready for the next step on Tuesday. In a fast-moving environment, consistently closing the loop is how you build a reputation for excellence. Trust isn’t built on good intentions; it’s built on small, consistent finishes.

Beyond the code

Whether you're working directly with the customer or in support of the client, it seems like nearly all of the work we do ultimately impacts the customer in some way. This is where communication, empathy, and understanding have as much value as knowledge of technology. You're delivering more than just one feature. You're fixing a problem. And the polish in this process, even in the form of writing a good status update or delivering a good demo, is what separates a good software engineer from a good consultant.

Feedback is a shortcut, not a critique

Asking for feedback can feel uncomfortable, but it’s one of the fastest ways to grow. Don’t wait for formal reviews. Ask your manager or a trusted peer for a quick temperature check.

The boring stuff (that actually matters)

Let’s talk about formalities. It’s tempting to deprioritize admin tasks when you’re excited about real work, but this is where your security lives.

• Set up your bank details and declare your taxes. Avoid surprise deductions later (and yes, declare your previous FnF settlement, too).
• Do not assume that your PF will transfer automatically. Initiate transfer through EPFO and track updates in SSC.
• Maximize your Bouquet of Benefits (BoB), it’s literally designed for your lifestyle.
• Log in to MediBuddy, save your medical details, apply for parental insurance, and review top-ups. You hope you never need them, but you’ll be grateful if you do. 

Play the long game

This is a marathon, not a sprint. You're part of a vast ecosystem, not a solo mission. You’ll encounter friction like tight deadlines, last-minute changes, and challenging conversations. When that happens, keep your cool.

Stay ethical, own your mistakes and focus on the bigger picture. After all, ownership is about making sure that task delivers real value to the team. Always choose kindness and clarity. As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.

In these first three months, you’re just setting the stage. Be curious, be present, and handle the boring admin stuff. At LTM, I had the opportunity to think disruptively, reframe what’s possible, and truly outcreate the ordinary. I’m sure you’ll get to do it too.