THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER SAY ON YOUR FIRST DAY OF WORK
You’ve finally done it—landed your dream job! But among the endless nerves and excitement, it’s easy to forget just how important your first day is! How you behave and what you say will set the tone for all your future interactions. It will influence what your new colleagues will think of you. First impressions count!
Photo by ALTO IMAGES
To help you get it right, we’ve put together this list of things you should never say when entering a new job:
- It’s not that hard
No one likes a know-it-all! It’s natural to want to show off your talents and abilities—especially on your first day. Of course, you want your bosses to like you. You want them to see your potential, and yes, you want to have awesome energy. However, you should try and tone it down to begin with—apply a splash of modesty. Showing off won’t help when getting people to like you. And it certainly won’t impress your new coworkers!
- This may sound stupid, but…
You know what else to avoid at all costs? This statement. I know we said don’t show off, but this takes it too far the other way. You’re making yourself look like you lack confidence. It’s painting a picture that you don’t know what you’re talking about. Aim to make strong, positive statements—don’t doubt yourself!
- Who should I meet and who should I avoid round here?
Sounds like a reasonable question, right? Wrong. A question like this is basically inviting your brand new coworkers to gossip. It’s totally unprofessional. Not only does it set the wrong tone straight away, but you also run the risk of upsetting people before you’ve even started work. You don’t want to get caught up in other people’s fallouts. It’s a recipe for disaster. Period.
- That’s not how I learned to do it
When you start a new job, of course, you want to show your expertise. After all, that’s why they hired you! If you’ve learned to do something a different way, it’s something you feel you should point out. The trouble with this is it sets a really negative tone very early on. Yes, you might have learned differently, but it’s also important to show you’re open-minded, and up for learning and trying out new things!
- Can you keep a secret?
Again, gossiping at work is a big no-no—especially on your first day! Always avoid asking questions or spreading rumors and gossip—whether about the new company, your old company, or anything else! Try and be as professional as you can. It’s a brand new job—do you really want to be labeled as a gossip straight away? It’s a reputation that can be hard to shake off!
- My prior boss was clueless
It might be the truth. Maybe your last boss really was a total idiot. But, guess what? This doesn’t need to be said in your new workplace. It portrays you as being extremely negative, and this is so damaging to your reputation. Remember, everything you say and do reflects on you. And once you’ve established yourself a certain way, it can be hard to change this.
- I really don’t have time for this
A big part of success is being likable and able to win people over. And while you may be busy, remember, everyone else is too—flat out refusing to do something isn’t a great idea. If your schedule is jam-packed, that’s okay. Simply look at your to-do-list and see when you can make some time. If necessary, just explain the situation and let the other person know when you’ll get the time to help them.
- That makes no sense
Starting a new job is a learning curve. It takes time to get used to everything, and you may come across processes that you’re unsure about and make no sense to you. It’s crucial you keep an open mind. Rather than brushing things off and saying they don’t make sense, try and dig deeper to try and understand. Otherwise, you run the risk of looking dumb in front of your new colleagues!
- This is how we’ve always done it
When you’ve been working in a job for a while, it’s easy to get set in your ways. After all, if you’ve always done something this way and it works, why change it? The problem with this is, it can make you seem too rigid and unwilling to adapt. And when it comes to getting new opportunities, projects and promotions, you need to show you’re willing to try new ways of doing things.
- I’ll take it under consideration
On your first day in a new job, you want to create the right impression. Phrases like this make you look negative and indecisive—definitely not what you want. Try and be as enthusiastic and passionate as you can. This will really benefit you in the long-run.
- Sorry, there’s nothing I can do about it
Whether you’re talking to a client, boss, or coworker, taking this approach is a sure-fire way to upset people. Sometimes there’s little you can do, but a flat-out no can come across rude.
When someone brings up an issue, always try to resolve it. And if you can’t, at the very least, point them in the right direction and help them find someone who can.
If you want to succeed in a new job, read The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Updated and Expanded
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