Nervous about work and looking for tips for starting a new job? We’ve been there and as never wrecking as it is, it’s exciting to consider the new world of opportunities lined up for you. Family and friends might have a lot of “new job advice,” but these can often be contradictory and overwhelming when it’s directed at you all at once. Setting the chaos aside, we’d like to offer you our own tips for your first week at a new job.
First-day jitters are no joke—you arrive at an unfamiliar place, see an imposing crowd of unfamiliar faces and wonder if you’ll ever be able to get settled at your own job. As you get started with the onboarding and training sessions, you wonder how you’ll ever take it all in. Your company might be able to help with their own version of new hire basics, but they might not cover all the little details that you’re uncertain about. If you’re prepared, the fear can disappear quickly, but going into the situation unprepared sets an unfortunate tone for the rest of your time there. If you want to start off on the right foot and make a good first impression, you might want to take a look at these tips for starting a new job correctly.
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Tips for Starting a New Job like a Pro
You might have your wardrobe planned and laptop ready to go, but if you’re shaking in your boots wondering how to survive the day, it becomes difficult to pay attention to your first day at work. It’s natural to be nervous, but it shouldn’t overpower all the other feelings you have about your first day at work. You’ll have a lot to learn about the company and your role and it’s better to get started with a clear head rather than one packed with worry. When you feel confident in your ability to handle it, you’ll find it much easier to find your place at work and understand the essentials of starting a new job.
This is why our first piece of advice for a new job is to build your confidence up before you get started. Trust in your ability to handle whatever your new work life throws at you. If you find it hard to do this in practice, then these tips for your first week at a new job might come in handy.
Study The Company Before Your First Day at Work
The company is obligated to introduce you to elements of the organization but it’s best to take some initiative and educate yourself on its history. Many businesses use a variety of social media platforms these days or at least have a website to showcase their products and services. This can be a useful way for you to understand various aspects of their business model. By reviewing the company’s past projects and its approach to each one, you’ll understand how the company handles its clients, making it easier for you to shape your perspective as well.
Looking at the company’s competitors and how your new job sets itself apart from them is also a great tip for starting a new job.
Download Relevant Software and Try to Get the Hang of It
Another piece of advice for your new job is to get a headstart with learning the new software you might have to work on. You can reach out to your assigned manager or go through the HR personnel who is handling all the proceedings and learn the names of all the software you’re going to be using. If you don’t yet have access to your company credentials, check if there are free trials available for you to get a hang of them.
YouTube tutorials are a game changer and there are often tips and tricks you can pick up from watching others who are more familiar with the software. Even matters as simple as practicing how to make Zoom or Teams presentations might be a good idea if those were underutilized skills at your previous job but are necessary for the new one.
Plan Out Your Commute in Advance and Plan to Reach At Least a Half-Hour Early
If your job requires an in-person presence, then learning the route and how you need to get to the job can be very helpful. You will likely be stressed and panicked on your way to work on the first day but if you have your journey planned out, you should have some time to calm down before you get there. You can ask your HR person where you need to report when you get to the office and who you need to talk to as well.
Plan your first day at work well in general. Familiarize yourself with a dress code and if you’re worried about whether the outfit you had in mind is “formal enough” then just save it for another day and pick something you’re more sure about. It can also be quite tempting to enjoy your last days of freedom before work starts, but if you ask us about the essentials of starting a new job, we’d say doing it without a hangover is a good start. Plan early and get a good night’s rest if you can.
Have a Quick Introduction Ready to Go
Once you get started with work, you will inevitably have to introduce yourself to people again and again. Sometimes you might even have to introduce yourself to the same people twice. It’s a good idea to make a note of some key points that you want to define yourself by so you don’t “umm” and “uhh” your way through your first meeting with your team. You can have a few straightforward facts like where you last worked and what kind of work you’ve done before, as well as some more casual, friendly details about your interests.
Depending on the workplace culture you see and how you’re asked to introduce yourself, you can choose between the details you have planned already. Don’t repeat the exact same lines each time you have to do it because you don’t want it to sound rehearsed and robotic. Just be prepared and use those points as guidelines. What do you want to be known for at your new job?
Take Lots of Notes: Tips for Starting a New Job
You might feel a little conscious about scribbling in a notepad on your first day at work, but it’s more important to track all the information that’s being shared with you. It’s very easy to forget things when you’re bombarded with information, so design a system to take brief notes of everything being shared with you.
If you’re too worried about noting things down as they are happening, then you can also try to make quick notes when you get a break or have a chance to sit down at your desk. Penning down important names and their roles can be very helpful for the rest of your month in getting familiar with your colleagues.
New Job Advice—Ask Questions During the Onboarding
The onboarding process should have everything you need to do your job well, but there could be gaps that don’t necessarily address what you don’t understand. If there is something that isn’t making sense to you, ask about it. When you sit down for the onboarding process, you can ask the instructor whether they’d prefer you ask a question while it comes up or save them for the end. Depending on their response, you can have your pressing questions answered in time.
If your onboarding officer does not seem receptive to questions, make up your mind to ask a colleague who might have the answers as well. Never start your work without understanding what is going on or how you can find out what you need to know. If you want to get started on this early, you can also message your hiring manager to share any documents that you need to go over before onboarding if you want to be better prepared.
Know Your Limits and Where You Stand On Critical Issues
You should be open to new experiences when you join a new job—that’s one of the most basic tips for your first week at a new job. Try to say “yes” when you can and make yourself available to communications from your coworkers. However, this does not mean you have to go along with things that make you uncomfortable. Knowing your limits is the best way to recognize behaviors that you want to maintain a boundary with. This makes it easier to say “no” to things later in your career when people might begin to expect you to work overtime without pay or take work with you on vacation. Be clear on what you are and are not willing to accommodate.
Nothing Is Permanent—What Is Done Can Be Fixed
One of the last tips for starting a new job is to remind yourself that most issues at work can be resolved. Creating a good first impression is a great idea but if things do go wrong, it doesn’t have to be permanent. Over the next few months, you can work to redefine how your coworkers see you and the work that you do, by giving them a reason to trust in your work more than in what they used to think of you.
The best advice for a new job that you might see, is approaching work with a positive attitude and a sense of excitement at the possibilities. You were hired because the recruiter saw some potential in you, so address the areas you’re worried about and look forward to building your career to the places you want it to reach.