Tips to Get You Through Your First Day At a New Job

June 11, 2013 Chloe Young

Congratulations – you aced your interview and landed a job!  Your first day at a new job doesn’t have to be so daunting. With a little bit of preparation, you can go away from the day feeling confident for the next.  These 10 tips will put to bed pre-first day nerves and prepare you for the first steps into your new job role. Remind your boss of exactly why they hired you!

1. A good nights sleep the night before
There’s nothing worse than yawning your way through your first day at a new job. Make sure you are well prepared and go to bed at a reasonable time the night before. You don’t want to have to rely on copious amounts of coffee to get you through the day.

 2. Leave extra time to get to your new place of work
Plan out your route to work in advance of your first day. Allow extra time on the day to avoid any travel hiccups. Showing that you’re punctual is common curtesy and will give you a good first impression on your first day at a new job.

3. Research your new employers
Show your boss that you understand the company and their values by doing some background research. Familiarise yourself with who you’re going to be working with and recent news. After all it is your first day at a new job which you showed interest in by applying!

4. Be inquisitive
Doing your research means you can ask intelligent questions about anything you are unsure of. Use being a new team member to your advantage, the team will expect you to be very inquisitive so don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions. The first day at a new job is the perfect time to clarify any job duties and familiarise yourself with your new working environment.

5. Take notes
Taking notes is just as important as asking questions on your first day at a new job. That way you can always refer back to your note pad instead of asking again. It will show the person talking to you that you are fully taking onboard what they are saying.

 6.Go for lunch with colleagues
If the opportunity arises, go for lunch or grab a coffee with your colleagues. Forget the packed lunch you have already prepared, a part of the process of your first day at a new job is to begin the forming of work bonds. However, spaghetti bolognese is a no-go.

7. Think about your wardrobe

You’ve landed a new job so treat yourself with a new work wardrobe! If you’re stuck on what to wear, take your mind back to your job interview and think about what other employees were wearing. Dress in a professional manner as it is always better to be overdressed than underdressed. After your first day you can always reassess your outfit choices and follow suit.

8. Demonstrate your listening skills
There is a lot to take in on your first day at a new job and it is important to remain focused. Paying attention to what your colleagues are saying will mean you have more of a chance at getting the task right the first time. Also boost your likeability factor by paying special attention to learning names. Being a good listener is an excellent quality and one that people warm to.

9. Share ideas, show what you know
Start as you mean to go on, share your skills and knowledge with your team. Show that you are on the same page as your team by sharing your ideas. You are a fresh mind to the company with an outsiders perspective that will be greatly appreciated!

10. Come prepared!
Bring all of the necessary documents you will need on your first day at a new job. It doesn’t look great if you can’t organise yourself to do that. Also to show that you’re super organised, make sure you have two working pens and a note pad. You don’t want to be rummaging around in your bag for scraps of paper or testing your pen out with scribbles.