How To Nail Your First Day On The Job & Make Your Mark

Make your Best Mark First Day on the Job

As the newbie at work, your thoughts are probably swirling around the question of how to make a terrific first impression on your colleagues and your new boss. Most books are judged “by their cover”, so if you get off on the wrong foot you may find that your co-workers have misunderstood your intentions and abilities. Make a strong first impression, and you’ll be giving yourself a hand up in creating an enjoyable, collaborative atmosphere at work.

The Basics of How To Nail Your First Day On The Job

No matter which level of an organisation you belong to, there are some basic techniques to impress everyone at work on the first day. First of all, you must appear sharp and confident, you should be wearing appropriate workplace-appropriate attire and you should arrive on time. Don’t appear to be cocky, but be affable with a small, optimistic smile!

Plan your travel route beforehand and leave in plenty of time so that you’re not late to work. You wouldn’t want to be tardy on your first day because you got caught in commuter traffic. Aim to arrive 10-20 minutes early every day during your first week.

On the eve of your first day, research the company’s website so that you can speak knowledgeably about the organisation. In particular, read through the “About Us” page. By doing this, you’ll be able to instantly recognise and greet all the important individuals.

There are certain things you must remember to bring along to your first day on the job. You should carry a notebook and pen with you at all times. This will be crucial as you are sure to be given seemingly limitless new information which you’ll need to note on paper. It would be impossible for you to remember all those details otherwise. You must keep your eyes and ears open and write down anything important that you need to remember.

Also, bring all of your official documents, medications (even a nicotine patch if you are a smoker!) and a sufficient amount of cash. Your documents will be needed to complete the employee paperwork.

How To Get A Job Using Social Media When You Aren’t Looking For One

Medications will ensure you don’t have to worry about any health distractions or even emergencies. Becoming ill or smoking cigarettes on your first day can annoy your employers and co-workers. Having a reasonable amount of cash on hand can help make a good impression in case you are asked to contribute towards any cause or if everyone goes out for a drink after work. Now here’s what not to bring. Refrain from bringing a soft, wobbly handbag because it appears more professional to carry a stiff one that can stand firmly on its base. Avoid bringing a packed lunch from home.

Have meals and drinks with your co-workers to socialise with them. It is important to hobnob a bit with your employers and colleagues on your first day. They can help you understand the work processes and the organisational culture, information which will help you fit in and be quickly accepted at your new workplace. Plan some interesting topics to use in your conversations to win everyone over.

Show interest in learning more about others and make an effort to get to know as many people as you can. Don’t brag about yourself, but do reveal some basic information about your life that will appear helpful to others. As a woman, you might fall into the habit of being too nice and useful to everyone. However, watch out that you do not let anyone take advantage of you.

Perform only those tasks that will enhance your skills and for which you will actually receive some professional credit. Some of your colleagues may attempt to distract you from your work duties by flirting or asking you for help with their tasks.

Prevent all this by setting some limits for yourself, such as providing only minimal advice and suggestions rather than coming up with an entire concept.

The Basics of How To Nail Your First Day On The Job as an Intern/Entry-level Employee

Interns are often looked down upon for being too quiet and clueless until someone from the workplace asks them to introduce themselves. The better way to go about it is to first introduce yourself to someone (preferably the receptionist) and ask where you can find the person who hired you.

Once you have been assigned some tasks, ask smart questions. In fact, you can come up with a list of general questions in advance that you can ask on that first day. Apart from that, you can ask some questions about your assigned tasks, but don’t expect to be spoon-fed.

Attempt to figure out some things independently but make sure you check in with your supervisor before acting on your ideas.

The Basics of How To Nail Your First Day as a Mid-level Employee

As a mid-level employee, it’s clear that you have some past experience from your previous jobs. Be careful about what you say about your previous employer, and don’t discuss too much in detail. It’s unwise to spill any internal confidential information from your past jobs to your new company.

You don’t want people to think you disloyal and unprofessional regarding any organisation. In order to this, you will need to be in the know about the organisational hierarchy first.

The Basics of How To Nail Your First Day as a Top-level Manager

Being a new manager can be incredibly nerve-racking. You don’t want to gain a reputation as a little Hitler nor do you want to be too easygoing. It will be critical that you get to know all the employees. You must be open and encouraging towards them.

However, you’ll still need to establish some guidelines that you know will benefit the company while at the same time ensuring the employees’ satisfaction and well-being.

Why Do Women Misunderstand & Avoid Female Bosses?