FIRST DAY AT WORK
WHAT TO DO ON YOUR FIRST DAY AT WORK
Starting a new job? Your first day at a new job can be pretty overwhelming. There’ll be many new people to meet and new things to learn. Read the following tips on how you can put your best foot forward.
- Show up early
- Prepare and ask questions
- Prepare and perfect your personal pitch
- Look and play the part
- Relax
- Don’t try too hard
- Don’t be shy
- Smile
- Listen and observe
- Figure out the social landscape
- Talk to as many people as possible
- Make great connections with your colleagues
- Don’t turn down lunch
- Project high energy
- Learn the professional rules
- Show interest in everyone, and the company
- Be available to your boss
- Don’t judge anyone or anything too quickly
- Learn where everything is
- Find out who your go-to is
- Get organised
- Learn communication tools
- Focus on coworkers, not processes
- Be a sponge and avoid bias
- Be punctual and efficient
- Don’t isolate yourself
- Offer to help during downtime
- Leave with a good attitude
THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO ON YOUR FIRST DAY
Here is a list of 21 things you should NEVER do when starting a new job.
- Don’t dress unprofessionally
- Don’t be too early
- Don’t blow off orientation
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t ignore offers for help
- Don’t complain about your former or new boss
- Don’t turn down a lunch invitation
- Don’t get caught up in office gossip
- Don’t be unwilling to learn how to do something a new way
- Don’t yawn or watch the clock
- Don’t be antisocial
- Don’t guess instead of asking
- Don’t show off
- Don’t be overfamiliar
- Don’t take too many personal calls
- Don’t spend time on Facebook or other social sites
- Don’t spend half the day decorating your new space
THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY ON YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK
First impressions at your new job are a really big deal. What you say during your first day on the job can mean the difference between a lasting relationship with your new employer or a dash in the pan for your career. Read the following list of things you should NEVER, ever say on your first day of work.
- It’s not that hard
- In my last job
- This may sound stupid, but
- This will only take a second
- When do I get a raise?
- I have to leave early on Fridays
- Who should I avoid around here?
- That’s not how I learned how to do it
- That’s not my problem
- Can you keep a secret?
- My prior boss was clueless
- I really don’t have time for this
- Lunch hour isn’t just an hour long, right?
- That makes no sense
- I don’t want to listen to your complaints
- This is how we’ve always done it
- I’ll take it under consideration
- Sorry, there’s nothing I can do about it
