Starting a new job can be extremely challenging and may cause a little stress at first. Remember, take it slowly and learn the ropes to ensure you understand all sides of the business. This new opportunity is a chance to make a wonderful impression in the business community and show that you are there to make a difference and to get ahead.
Get there Early – On your first day, make a great impression by arriving early and ready to work. Test out your path to work on an actual work day to see how traffic is and to determine what route is best. Be ready and excited to get to work.
Set up your Workspace – Personalize your workspace to fit your needs. Make sure it is ergonomically correct and comfortable for you during your work day. Try not to be too personal and go all out with decoration and personal photos, try to keep it professional. Get your voicemail recorded and your signature line for your email situated.
Socialize – Try to go to lunch with colleagues once you get settled. Understanding the colleagues and how they fit into the workplace is invaluable. Make sure you sit back and listen and let them get to know you a bit as well. Try not to say no when others invite you out at first, as you want to seem like a team player and agreeable.
Be Thoughtful – Ask questions about the daily duties you will be responsible for in the workplace and make sure to understand the purpose of all duties. Never blindly perform duties without knowing the true intent, as you may end up getting some aspect wrong when you get faced with a decision. Always look for ways to streamline and improve the processes. Ease into any suggestions for improvement, as you don’t want to appear as if you are better at the job than others.
Give yourself a Break – Obviously, you won’t figure it all out easily during your first week. Cut yourself some slack and realize it may take a bit to get in the groove and understand the company lingo and operating systems. Practice and try to understand the systems and don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Linger – At the end of the day, stick around and make sure you have done everything asked of you. Then spend some time writing up questions for the next day to show that you are progressing in the learning process and that you care.
Celebrate – You have now been successful at starting your new job and should take a moment to celebrate and appreciate the hard work you have accomplished. Enjoy your weekends and ensure that you are well-rested to start the next workday with a full tank of gas. Try to make small talk with colleagues about their weekend when you get to work on Monday and share a bit about yourself to show them you are just like they are outside of work.
