First day at work do's and don'ts
Step away from the emergency new outfit shopping...
Starting a new job can be so so exciting but also very stressful.
You’ve come through the application, the interviews, even tests or in-person meetings… it’s been quite the ride.
You got the job! Amazing! Job hunting is great - but then when you get the job there is the fear and scaries of being the new person. There is build up to the big first day, with nerves about being the ‘new person’, wondering whether you should get a new outfit, new notebook, whether you should speak up in meetings straight away, and what all that in-house lingo means.
I came across a BBC article about the measures in place for new MPs here in the UK, after our election last week and a new Labour government coming into power. It actually sounds like a great set up - there’s a welcome centre and a buddy system!
It got me thinking about what I’ve learned about those first day ‘feels’.
I’ve had so many first days at work, across a lot of different jobs. From starting a job remotely to a first day in an office, to the first shift in a restaurant or the first day trying to operate a switchboard as a uni temp (spoiler alert: I did not learn to operate the switchboard).
Here’s what I’ve learned:
DO wear something you already own. You absolutely, totally do NOT need a new outfit. Not for impressing people and not for your budget, right? If you’ve been job hunting a while the last thing you want to do is spend out on a new outfit that isn’t ‘you’. Wearing my own clothes is always a winner for me. If you do need uniform then finding out in advance what you need is a good idea. I’ve worked in restaurants where I’ve had to wear a branded t-shirt and black trousers, for example. Knowing what’s expected of a dress code is important but I would wager you have something in your wardrobe that’ll make a great first day outfit. I know some of the cabinet looked super spruced up when they entered Downing Street this week but unless your job requires you to walk past the press pack, perhaps that dress/suit from your old job will do just fine. If you really must get something new, make a charity shop or Vinted your first port of call.
DO ask where the loos are. There is nothing worse than walking around not knowing, while needing the loo.
DON’T be shy to speak up in meetings. They’ve recruited you because they think you’re the right person for the job - for me, speaking up in meetings is a ‘sooner rather than later’ ripping-off-the-plaster thing. The longer you leave it the more ‘ick’ it can become.
DO Embrace the time as the new person. I’ve been so keen in the past to rush into doing ALL THE THINGS as a newbie. But there needs to be time to just absorb. to sit and observe, to soak up the culture and the way things work. Allow yourself that time. Take notes, see how things tick, get to know people with informal chats as much as you can.
DON’T expect to get it all at once. You are only human and you will learn as you go. I have often gone into new roles and then become exasperated with myself because I don’t know all the things straight away. Giving yourself space is normal and your brain and mental health need time to adapt and absorb.
DO say yes to things that’ll help your development. Mentor scheme? Say yes! Training? Say yes! Take time over training videos, make notes, let it all sink in (did I say that? It’s important!). I know some roles need you to hit the ground running, as they say, but it’s also key not to hit it and run so hard you miss the right signs and signals to build on the skills you’ve been hired for.
DO update your LinkedIn. Including, if you’ve parted on good terms, some recommendations from previous colleagues.
What would you add? Share in the comments!
And GOOD LUCK if you’re starting a new job soon, too!
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