Get Ready for Your First Day in a New Job

You did it. You aced the interview and scored the job you wanted. Now is not the time to relax, though. You need to make another great first impression on your first day, so you can establish yourself from the start as a “go to” person. Luckily, many of the same principles that led to your hiring — ample preparation, projecting the right image, being eager to work hard, for instance — can help you get ready for your first day in a new job.

Steps

Making the Right Impression

1. Ensure that you’ll arrive on time — or better yet, early. No, you don’t need to get there before the cleaning crew leaves, but set your goal to be a good fifteen minutes early. This provides some “wiggle room” for unexpected delays and, in their absence, provides an initial image of you as someone who is eager and ready to go.
   • Avoid getting lost on the way to your first day on the job by knowing the best way to get there. Practice driving there a couple of times at the same time you will be heading to work so you can time out the drive, and also plan ahead for any potential traffic issues.
   • Have an alternate route ready. You need to know more than one way to get to your new job in case you find yourself stuck in traffic or encountering an unexpected hangup. Search online maps before you leave the house to give you an idea of multiple ways you can try to get to your new job on your first day.
   • The same principles apply for public transportation. Make a few “test runs” of your commute under similar circumstances, and have a solid backup plan (the bus instead of the train, for instance) just in case.
2. Prepare the night before. Don’t leave anything to chance on the morning of your first day. Instead, lay out or pack up everything you need the night before.
   • Lay out your clothes and pack your lunch (see the relevant steps for advice on each). Have your briefcase, bag, and/or purse ready to go as well.
   • Create a checklist if necessary to make sure you bring things such as: your wallet and ID; your phone charger; gum or breath mints; medication for headaches, upset stomach, or other possible medical conditions; any hygiene products you normally use, including feminine hygiene products; and a small water bottle to combat any “cotton mouth” on a stressful first day.
   • Being prepared the night before may also help you to rest easier, and a good night’s sleep is always helpful before your first day at a new job.
3. Pack a smart lunch. Even if you are not a brown-bag kind of person, packing a simple, non-perishable, non-odoriferous lunch (no tuna!) gives you maximum options for the first day.
   • You want to be able to be flexible at lunch time. It is hard to know if someone will plan a lunch outing for your first day. You will be able to save your non-perishable lunch for another time, unlike with a turkey sandwich or salad. This way, too, your new coworkers won't feel bad if you need to leave your packed lunch behind.
   • Lunch is a big deal in some workplaces, and a faint memory in others. Be ready for either situation, or something in between, until you learn the lunch ropes.
   • On another food-related note: before helping yourself to coffee and/or danish, find out what the policy is. Does everyone chip in a set amount each month, or is it pay-as-you-go?
4. Dress for success. You surely put a great deal of thought into the outfit you chose for your job interview, trying to figure out which ensemble projected the proper image/message. Your first day is another type of interview, and your sartorial selection should be given equally careful consideration.
   • While at your job interview, or during any other pre-employment visit to the workplace, take note of the formality level and styles of clothes worn by your co-workers-to-be. Do not be afraid to ask the HR representative about any dress codes or expectations.
   • Generally speaking, you want to err on the side of dressing slightly more formal than the prevailing level in the workplace. Going over-the-top (wearing your best three-piece suit in an office where polos are the norm) might send the impression that you’re out-of-touch or feel superior, while under-dressing can indicate that you just don’t care enough already.
   • Dressing for success can be a bit more complicated for women. It is an unfortunate reality that women who dress in what might be called a fashionably conservative style tend to be deemed more honest, trustworthy, and intelligent than those who choose more cutting-edge or revealing fashions (even something as simple as a shorter skirt or higher heels).
   • As a woman, if business casual attire is suitable for your new job, be prepared to choose tailored, pressed, well-fitting (not too tight or too baggy) pants or knee-length skirts, fitted tops that conceal cleavage, modest jewelry, and simple, dull-colored, closed-toe shoes. See what other women at the office choose to wear before your first day.
5. Be ready to ask questions. Almost invariably, the first day at a job will include some sort of orientation program, perhaps involving an HR meeting, lots of forms to fill out, tours, videos, handbooks, etc. Instead of passively trying to survive what can often be drudgery, use it as an opportunity to establish yourself as a co-worker who is eager to learn and succeed.
   • The night before or earlier, prepare a list of general (“Can you give me a primer on the office phone system?”) and more specific (“In my position as ‘x,’ what will my role be during staff meetings?”) questions to bring up during your orientation. While there’s no “magic number,” try not to overdo it, however.
   • Beware of asking so many questions that you seem annoying or uninformed. Asking few or no questions, however, makes you seem disinterested.

Hitting the Ground Running

1. Start before you start. While you want to rest up the day and night before you start your new job, make fruitful use of the remainder of any lag time you have before starting.
   • Contact HR and complete ahead of time some of the mountain of forms that will surely be waiting for you. This will enable you to focus your first day more on getting to know your workplace and co-workers, and to jump right in to work.
   • Keep up-to-date on the company by following its website, social media presence, and media mentions. Be ready for any changes (good or bad) that may happen between your hiring and first day.
   • Ask your supervisor if there is any research, organization, or other preparatory work you can begin before your first day. This will help you get a “leg up” on your initial tasks and shows initiative.
2. Be eager but not overbearing. The first impression you make on your co-workers will be difficult to change, so provide them an image of a friendly, engaging, helpful, and dedicated compatriot.
   • Do a little homework on the web to familiarize yourself with your co-workers ahead of time (basic info, not life histories — you want to be seen as a friend, not a stalker).
   • Then, on your first day, introduce yourself to everyone you can, but in an organic, sensible manner. That is, don’t walk right past people without shaking hands and giving your name, but also don’t glad-hand around the room like you’re running for President while people are busy working.
   • Accept invitations to lunch, drinks after work, or other such get-togethers if at all possible. This is part of why you want to pack a first-day lunch that you don’t have to feel bad about leaving in your desk (or worry about the smell if you do).
   • Volunteer to help with tasks, or even take one on yourself. Earn a reputation right from the start as a helpful, eager “team player.” Don’t let it backfire by taking on tasks for which you are not yet prepared to do well, however.
3. Listen, observe, and learn. As indicated in this section, you don’t want to be a wallflower on your first day. At the same time, however, don’t spend so much time trying to force a good first impression that you miss opportunities to gather key intelligence about your new workplace and co-workers.
   • Watch how decision are made, and get a feeling for where the centers of power reside and how the office politics play out. Much of this may not occur in the same manner as described in your orientation packet. Get an idea about who you need to befriend and who you should be wary of if you want to succeed.
   • Pay attention to the office rules — phone and social media usage, breaks, dress code, etc. — presented during your orientation, but also observe the “rules.” That is, see how things are actually done on the ground. It’s best to err on the side of the official policies, especially early on, but you also want to know how things operate among your co-workers.
   • On a side note regarding your phone: silence it the first day, if possible. Present an image of focus and dedication.
4. Don’t make excuses. Your co-workers and supervisors probably expect some mistakes and failures as you adjust, but that doesn’t mean they want to hear you explain them away by saying “I’m new here” or “It’s my first day.” No one likes excuses, even when they are somewhat understandable, so making a “no excuses” first impression will pay dividends for you.
   • Through preparation and focused effort, do all you can to make your initial tasks be successful tasks. The quality of your initial work can help you earn a reputation as a “go to” person who can be trusted to do exceptional work.
   • Do the job to the best of your abilities, and if you need guidance or help, ask for it. People expect the new guy / gal to need some assistance. It’s better to meet a new co-worker by asking “Can you give me a hand formatting this? I want to make sure I do it right.” than it is to say “Sorry I messed up that formatting. I’m new here, after all.”

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