You put together a great resume, rocked the interview, and received a job offer. That’s great!
But, before you know it, your first day has crept up on you and it’s time to head into the office and meet your co-workers for the first time! You are excited and nervous, and that’s normal because the first day at work is critical for making a good impression. So no pressure!
Check out this video for a few tips to help you have a successful first day at a new job.
1. Don’t be late
Get a good night’s sleep before your first day at work to make sure you are feeling refreshed and alert. You don’t want to look bleary-eyed and even worse, arrive in the office late! If you are a night owl, retrain yourself to be an early bird (unless you work the night shift). That means you may have to wave goodbye to the late night Netflix binges during the week I’m afraid, Orange is the New Black will still be there come Saturday.
2. Dress appropriately
Depending on the company culture at your new workplace, you may not be required to wear a suit to work, however, in most office environments, tank tops and shorts are not considered appropriate, especially on your first day. If your company doesn’t have a dress code in place, use your best judgement to decide what’s most appropriate to wear for work. It’s always better to overdress on your first day than to show up looking untidy and most importantly, make sure that your clothes are clean.
3. Know your company
If you’ve accepted a role at a company I would have thought it goes without saying that you should know what exactly the company does, but if you are slightly unsure make sure that you have a clear understanding of what your company does before you head into the office. You should also read up on the latest news about your company so you are in the loop when you start and this will hopefully save you from saying something stupid!
4. Get to know your coworkers
Don’t just sit in your cubicle all day on your first day. Be friendly and introduce yourself to your coworkers. These are the people you’ll be working with for a while so learn their names and what they do. Plus work is a much more pleasant experience when you get along with the people you work with and form friendships.
5. Take notes
On your first day at work, you’ll likely be bombarded with tonnes of information which may be hard to digest all at once. Someone will show you how the various equipment and systems in the office work, and there may be special rules that you have to follow. To make it easier to remember write them down and then you can refer back to your notes when necessary.
6. Ask for help
As a new hire of the company, you are not expected to know everything. If you have questions or need help with a task, don’t be afraid to ask, as I’m sure people will be more than happy to help. Don’t feel that you have something to prove and spend a whole day trying to figure something out and getting yourself wound up if you can’t. You may end up doing something incorrectly and wasting a whole day on it.
7. Shut up and listen
Don’t act like a know-it-all on your first day (or any day after that for that matter). When you are new to a company, it’s better to listen than talk. After all, these people have been there longer than you and probably know what they’re talking about.
Image: Shutterstock
