Everyone is familiar with the old adage of “first impressions count”. When you start a new job you have an excellent and vital window of opportunity to start things off on the right foot and keep building from there.
Most of your co-workers will be sympathetic at the start as they will remember their first days at work only too well. The trick is to not take this ready-made goodwill for granted or even abuse it. If you go in with the wrong attitude you may build up resentment from co-workers that can become unshakable and even turn into unreasonable resentment.
Evolution Jobs have compiled a list of the most important things that will help you get it right:
1. Always be Punctual and Presentable
2. Ask Questions
3. Get a Notepad and Use It
4. Volunteer
5. Become Part of the Team
6. Dressing the Part
7. At the End of Day One
- Always be Punctual and Presentable
Once you have settled into our new job you can afford to go with the flow of language, dress sense, and punctuality. However, during your first days, you will need to behave in almost the same way as you did when you had your job interview. Create a good initial impression by turning up on time and look excited to be there.
- Ask Questions
The first few days on a new job can be daunting with lots of new things to learn. If you are given a job to do, do it as well as you are able to but don’t be afraid to ask questions if are unsure. Better to ask questions than waiting for the answers to turn up on their own.
- Get a Notepad and Use It
Taking written notes will not only help you remember important details, but you can always check up on it at a later if you forget something. Jot down all the rules and the company’s way of doing things so that you will be prepared to do your tasks independently. A great tip is to write down everyone’s name you come into contact with during the day. Remembering names helps to quickly break the communication barrier and creates the impression that you are intelligent and interested.
- Volunteer
While you are new you may feel under-used or neglected. As your new colleagues will probably be busy there is no harm in offering to help, even if you are new. Volunteering to do something for someone else will demonstrate that you are proactive and eager to help.
- Become Part of the Team
Your enthusiasm to be part of a team and the organization will demonstrate to everyone you interact with that you can be relied on as a team player. Being part of a team means you are eager to be there and that you like working with people. People on teams work together to help solve problems and to get job tasks done as effectively and efficiently as possible. Having said that, don’t try to outguess the team culture and group dynamics. This you will learn slowly as you get to know your colleagues better and become familiar with how the team likes to operate. Just show your willingness to cooperate.
- Dressing the Part
Even if casual dress codes are the norm at your new company, on the first day you should dress up to look smart. If you dress too casually on your first day it may suggest to your new employer that you will not take your job seriously enough. You can always dress down later to fit the workplace style. Remember that looking smart conveys reliability and efficiency while casual dressing can mean uncaring and disorganized.
Even though this may not be true at your new company, remember that a good first impression is lasting and your first days are all about good impressions. You will have a chance later to show everyone how efficient you are by your actions alone but on your first big day, you want to look smart and professional.
- At the End of Day One
You can pat yourself on the back at the end of your first day if you feel that you have made a good impression and you’ve been enthusiastic and helpful where possible. If you started the day off with a smile on your face and a positive attitude and you have managed to maintain the level of enthusiasm for the duration of the day, you have done a good job.
Your manager will most likely indicate when it is time to leave so show your willingness to be available to work right up to closing time without being in a hurry to leave. This will create a good impression with your employer that you can be relied on to complete your tasks before rushing off home.
You can find more information about career tips on the UK Education Blog, where you can also find updated career advice like below:
If you are more interested in starting a work from home job you can apply with London Businesses offering such roles that may be of interest to you as listed in the infographic below. Read the full article on the London Business News Blog for more information.
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