Do you know the feeling of starting a new job? Your job search is finally over, you found yourself a new job in a new company you're about to become a part of. Everything is new, unfamiliar. The people, the building, the atmosphere, the names, the way of doing things... Basically a lot of information that you need to process as soon as possible. How do you deal with this? What does your "first day at a new job" look like?
We have prepared a list of basic rules you have to consider when you start a new career opportunity. These essential mental notes will help you during your integration with the new company culture, tasks and teammates.
Smile and Stay Positive:
First days in a new job, working in a new environment can be mentally draining and overwhelming. However, you know what they say: First impressions last. People conducting your training will be well aware of your situation but seeing a resilient and enthusiastic face will motivate them to work with your further. Working with a positive attitude is mandatory in your first days.
Be Yourself and Stay Humble:
There's no need to fake a personality in your first days. In a healthy company culture, you don't expect to be judged for whoever you are. No need to be a people pleaser, just be authentic and don't forget that you have just arrived. It's a new environment and you can't be friends with everyone and most importantly be fully aware of what's going on around you. Do not act like you know everything that's new, especially in your training. Try not to be arrogant and remember that especially during the first days, people around you will know much more than you do about the company.
Don't Stop Asking Questions:
It is the perfect moment for you to ask all you do not understand. You might have been bringing previously learned skills from your experiences, however, no one expects you to know everything about the new organization and the tools and methodologies they follow. Remember this: If there is anything that's not clear to you, ask for help. It is always better that you understand the basics from the beginning. If you keep repeating a mistake since the beginning, it will be more difficult to correct it later.
Observe and Learn From Everything:
Take your time in between tasks. Walk around the office or go through the tools and files that your team shared with you. Remember that observation is vital for your learning and it will help you to better understand the company rules and rhythm quicker than your expected time. Are you done with all your tasks early from the first days? Don't stay unoccupied. Look around and find someone who needs your help or dig into other areas of work. Be curious and proactive, there will be always something to do.
Organise Yourself and Pay Attention to Details:
Once you pass the threshold of being disorganised, there's no way back. Use your first days to create a structure and organisation for your tasks and workflow. You won't regret spending some extra time on it in the beginning to save hours and hours in your following months. Attention to detail will also help you to stand out in your first weeks. Let perfectionism be your friend and make it your strength to complete your first tasks successfully.
Absorb The Company Culture:
Your education, experience and skills are great and probably a big part of the reason why you have been hired for your new job. However, if you want to put some glue around all of this, we recommend you make an effort to understand the company culture and its values. The personality and the attitude you will have at the beginning will be essential to see if you fit in the company. People will talk about it and they will ‘test’ you to see if you really have similar values to contribute to keeping and improving this.
There is much more advice we could give you but we believe if you follow these basic rules, everything should be fine. If for any reason it does not, always the best you can do is to communicate your problems as soon as you are aware of them. Did you realise a missing structure in the organisation or way to do things actually more efficiently? It is not bad to speak about your feelings and impressions. Open communication always brings solutions.
How are you feeling about your new career adventure now? Memorize these 6 simple rules and go out there to show the best of the real you!
