Tips for Your First Day on the New Job

Starting a new job can be one of the most memorable life experiences, but it can also be stressful. You’ll need to know how to act, what to wear, and figure out the many intricacies of the new company so you can fit in. Many people remember their first day of a new job because of the pressure they feel. Luckily, you can reduce this anxiety by planning your first day as best you can and learning how to communicate with your new bosses and coworkers. Here are tips for your first day on the new job.  Ask Questions The onboarding process will allow you to ask as many questions as necessary so you can feel confident in your new position. If you don’t ask the questions you need to ask on your first day, you might be setting yourself up to fail. Everyone expects questions for the first few weeks to months after you’ve been hired because everything will be new to you.  However, many people might not expect as many questions when you’re in your sixth month of employment. Instead of waiting to ask questions, make sure you ask the right person the questions you need to be answered so you can have a successful first day and set yourself up for a successful career within the company.  You can also prepare questions beforehand that will demonstrate your desire to learn about the company. For example, you can ask questions such as what goals the company has and how you can help them achieve them. Be prepared to have many questions pop into your head, such as where to find the bathroom, so you can immediately get all of the basic answers you need.  Prepare Your Intro Your new coworkers are going to be curious about you and ask you questions about yourself. It’s best to prepare what to say. Prepare an elevator pitch about yourself so you can describe who you are, where you were working before, and your expertise. Your pitch should only be 30-seconds long. Remember, your coworkers are curious about you, but they still have jobs to do, so it’s best not to take up too much of their time.  Arrive Early Ensure you’re not late for your first day because that can put a target on your back and make your managers feel like you already don’t care about your job. Try planning your route the night before so you can arrive 15 minutes early. You can even practice the commute so you know how much time you’ll need during the morning rush hour.  Once you arrive at work, consider staying in your car or going to a cafe so you don’t walk into the building early. While it’s always a good thing to look eager to your new bosses, you shouldn’t appear as someone who will always show up early, especially since you’ll still be expected to stay throughout the entire day and until working hours are over.  Socialize If you want to succeed in a new position, you’ll need to frequently deal with people, which means learning how to successfully socialize, solve problems, and effectively communicate. Getting along with your coworkers can make going to work much easier, but associating with the right coworkers can help you grow within the company. After all, you never know which of your coworkers will be promoted to being your boss or have the ability to promote you to upper management so you can get a promotion yourself.  Stay Calm While going to your first day of a new job can be nerve-racking, remember you were hired for a reason. You beat out the...