A new job is a great opportunity to learn from your past mistakes and start afresh. But make a bad impression on your first day and you could find yourself working even harder to convince the boss they made the right decision when they hired you.
Make a good impression on your first day with these five easy steps.
1. If you’re not sure, ask
There’s no such thing as a stupid question on your first day, so get any queries in quick before it’s too late. Establishing where the printer is (that’s right behind you), finding out how to use your pass or enquiring what your line manager’s called will only get more awkward as time goes on.
2. Smile
Nobody wants to see a miserable employee that already looks like they want to leave, so when you’re taken on a circuit of your new working environment — no matter how many desks you have to parade or random people you have to shake hands with — keep smiling.
Even if you’re incredibly nervous, a smiling face exudes confidence and warmth and it’s a vital ingredient in making friends in a new job.
3. Make an effort with introductions
Hopefully your manager will take responsibility for this, but if colleagues are missed out make the introductions yourself. If you keep your distance and decide to ignore anyone you aren’t formally introduced to, people will assume you’re either rude or have a bad attitude.
As well as making friends, find out who you report to and who reports to you. You’ll soon rub colleagues up the wrong way if you fail to keep your boss in the loop or take decisions without consulting the right people first.
4. Listen to your colleagues
It’s important to remember that every workplace is different. You may have experienced similar environments before, but try to hold back and listen rather than interrupting with “In my old job…” Nobody likes a know-it-all, so on your first day focus on asking questions.
5. Be careful what you say
There’s no way to identify who the gossips, backstabbers and game players are when you’re new to the group. So be careful about who you let your guard down with and what you say until you know more about your new colleagues.
