If you are like most people, the excitement of going to a new job for the first time is trumped by nervousness, anxiety, confusion, and worry. Those are natural reactions, but if you make a proactive effort to have a positive first day, you can go into every subsequent work day feeling confident. Follow these tips to make your first day on a new job a great one:
Get Plenty of Sleep the Night Before
You want to go into your first day feeling fresh and alert. Make sure that you get plenty of sleep the night before, and if you think that nerves might keep you up, go to bed a little earlier. Also, if you have been out of work for a while, it helps to begin retraining your sleep schedule around normal work hours as soon as possible.
Go for a Test Commute
Before your first day, go for a test commute. Familiarize yourself with the landmarks, highway exits, and train transfers that you will experience daily, and take note of how long the commute takes. That way, when the first day arrives, things will already feel familiar.
Learn about the Company
Learn as much as you can about the company, its clients, its competitors, and its industry in general in advance of your first day. That way you can go in with at least a basic understanding of the issues at play and avoid feeling overwhelmed by how much you need to learn.
Follow the Dress Code
When you go in for your interview, take note of how the current employees dress, and try to emulate that style on your first day. That can help you to feel like you fit in, and also help you avoid making an embarrassing first impression. There are consequences if you dress too casually or too formally.
Take Copious Notes
You will be bombarded with information on your first day of work. Taking notes on your handheld device or in a notebook can help you retain more of it, and also demonstrates a level of commitment that will impress your superiors. Don’t assume that you will be able to remember everything, and don’t write off any piece of information as unimportant.
Ask Questions
Never be afraid to ask questions, even if you are worried that you will appear uninformed or underqualified. People understand that you have a lot that you are trying to digest at once, and you can be forgiven for your confusion. Plus, it’s a lot worse to make a big mistake than to ask a few questions.
To Summarize- on your first day you should come in prepared, try to fit into the company culture, approach every task with humility and curiosity, and not be afraid to come across as “the new guy.” And remember, you have been hired for a reason, and you probably beat out a long list of other candidates during the recruitment process. You have the skills to do this job, and you have been offered a position for a reason. For more resources that can help job seekers and the recently employed, work with our team of expert recruiters at Selectek.
