Starting a new job can be daunting but exciting at the same time. In fact sometimes, the thought of starting a new job evokes so much of fear in some people that their natural inclination is to stay complacent. But this is a story for another blog post about overcoming fear, instead the subject of this article is first day of work advice. Mmmm yes! First day of work advice is probably one of the most sought after pieces of advice any young or growing professional alike hopes will change their life. So without further ado;
Here is a list of first day of work advice tips to implement in your new job:
Make friends to show you the easy way
Ask any seasoned professional for first day of work advice and they will tell you something in the line of networking. There is always an easier way to do things which only years of working in a company will teach you. Avoid the long route and find the people that are friendly enough to show you how to cut corners. No! I don’ mean cheat the system – it’s more like softening the system to make things easier. A good example of this is learning how to win an argument with difficult people.
Learn the process
This may be difficult to do all in one go, however you should definitely start your journey with this piece of first day of work advice . This is because your first day is often where you are allowed to ask as much silly questions as you want; since you wear the badge of “newcomer.” Take advantage of this. You can use visualization tools like process mapping to help you with this.
Don’t show off too soon
Showing off on the first day is probably the worse thing you can do for your growth in a new company. Irrespective of how smart you think you are – people don’t like to be shown how to do things by someone new. Instead, tactfully show your worth by first understanding how things are done. Before implementing new ideas – the key is to first understand the old way (what works and what doesn’t); never try to fix something that isn’t broken. Likewise, realize that change is difficult for everyone – employ the correct change management principles to employ new ideas – the forceful method is seldom sustained and just leaves you as the bad person.
Find out the wins and fails of the company
Keeping with the above step, it is critical that you examine the successes and failures of the company you are joining. There are two reasons for this:
- It prevents you from making the same mistakes
- Your time isn’t wasted on non-value adding work
- It is easy to pick up on failed projects and identify the cause of their failure; i.e. how you can re-employ them with your skills.
Take notes on the first day and have a mental or written list of potential improvements you plan on making during your tenure of your employment. These are the things that are going to make you stand out.
Make a good first impression on everyone
Just because your boss is not around doesn’t mean that you need to be a douche. Learn to make a good impression with everyone on your first day. The chances of your boss being friends with the cleaner is highly likely. Don’t risk your career plummeting because of people you treated poorly demoralizing your character.
Dress the part you want to play
Obviously this needs to be taken within context….. A mechanic can’t be expected to dress up like Harvey Specter from Suits. However, dressing up smartly for an admin position for example – even though you are a junior isn’t a bad thing. An even more interesting article published, suggests that the clothes you wear changes your perception of yourself. Various studies were done, one such study indicating that wearing professional clothing increases abstract thinking and broader perspective.
Have confidence
Confidence on your first day can either make or break you. Lose the nervousness if you can and make sure to practice gestures that reaffirms your confidence. This includes a firm hand shake and being clear and fluent when speaking. Here are 10 tips to help you shake hands firmly. When you show confidence – it highlights to people that you are confident in your abilities and therefore should be wary of overstepping the mark with you.
There you are….. a great list of “first day of work advice” tips to help kick start you new career venture. Go forth and make things happen!
To learn how to fully achieve success in all facets of your life, read: Applying A Growth Mindset To Achieve Success
