Job seeking is often compared to house hunting.

After you finally agree a price and start talking completion dates, you retire to bed elated, relieved and generally over the moon...

only to wake the following morning asking yourself 'Is this really the one? What if that other one I was meant to see this afternoon is better? What if my new home is about to fall down?' Accepting a new job can provoke a similar series of emotions.

Allowing yourself some time to think about your new role and some forward planning should help to ensure a smooth transition.

Devise some SMART objectives: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely.

Ease into your first few days by setting realistic goals.

Focus not just on working results, but also on building positive relations with those around you.

An objective for your first month could include making contact with all the partners in your department.

If it is appropriate, try to schedule meetings with some of them in your diary.

Making an effort to get to know your colleagues and secretary should also be a priority, not least because this can be a tough time.

Having a friendly person to turn to can do wonders for your morale if it starts to wane.

Never forget too that, quite often, it is your secretary who can give you the real low-down on how your firm works and how not to get on the wrong side of the managing partner.

Think about how you would like your new colleagues to feel about you at the end of your first week, month or third month.

What actions of yours will they need to see for you to create this impression?

Plan some questions to ask at introductory meetings or during your induction which will offer you an insight into the company culture and practice.

Typical questions might be: what are your top priorities for the coming month/three months/six months? What do you see as the key issues facing the firm? What are the preferred methods of communication? What do people value most in this firm?

Speak to the partner you will be working for and make sure you clarify your own role and responsibilities and how your performance will be measured.

As you learn more about the organisation, think about your own style and the impact you create.

'Perception creates reality', so the early impressions your colleagues make will form the building blocks of future expectations.

Finally, think strategically.

Construct a list of key objectives of where you want to be in one, three and six months into your new position.

The catchword is, as ever, be prepared.

Make it happen and good luck with your new job!

Bernard Howard is managing director of totallylegal.com in London