You sent your CV, had your interview and finally received the call telling you got the job. Fantastic! Even though you’ve just passed what seemed the most stressful time of your life, you are still worried and nervous because of your first day at work.
It’s a natural thing. It’s a new environment, a new manager and new people to adapt to. And it is never easy to know how to make a great impression on everyone immediately. During the first days in a new company, it isn’t uncommon to overthink and behave less spontaneously in an attempt to give the best of ourselves.
We all went through this. That is why I decided to share with you some advice to help you face your first day in the office so that people will have a great impression of you.
Coming knowing how to behave means less fuss and more space to get used to your new job.
Be friendly
Usually, your first day starts with meeting the HR or your manager. They will give you all your office equipment (pc, pens, mouse, notebook…) and show you where you sit. Right after that comes your introduction to the team and a quick office tour to introduce you to the other departments. Even if you try hard, remembering all these names and faces once at your desk will prove difficult (unless you’re gifted with an incredible visual memory). But don’t worry, it is normal. Just try to remember first those sat next to you and the people with whom you will work closely. In the following days, they will be the one helping with familiarising with your new office and the names of your colleagues. When you introduce yourself to someone always smile, be friendly but don’t forget to be professional. It should be like this when someone sees you: “I’m nice, but I’m also competent, and I know how to do my job.”
Take notes
After your introduction and the explanation of the company’s structure, it’s time to go back to your desk. Your manager or a colleague will tell you about the organisation of the company and what your role is about. It’s the moment to take notes. Write everything, the passwords to go on your computer, the path to files you’ll need for work on, the names of the people you’ll need to ask things and everything about what you’ll need to do and how. Write everything down because if on the moment everything seems clear, it’s easy to forget. Ask questions on your first days is absolutely fine so it’s better to do it now than being told things already said.
Be proactive
A manager is always busy, so on your first day, you might feel abandoned and not know what to do. Then, you can have a look at your notes and begin to familiarise yourself with the applications used within the company, have a look at the files to understand how they are organised and have a chat with your neighbours. Ask them what they do, and if you don’t have yet much to do, ask them if you are of any help for something. Not knowing what to do can feel awkward, that is why you should stay alert and find something to do. Other than making a good impression, you’ll feel great about yourself.
Ask (the right) questions
When starting a new job, always ask everything you can. If something isn’t clear, don’t hesitate to ask to understand better. Take advantage of beginning to ask questions because it’s only understanding your job fully you’ll be able to do it well.
Do you have any other advice? How was your first day at work? Tell us in the comments below.
