As a budding professional, your first day at work is an exciting one! It is an important day for your career as it is a day to make first impressions that could last the entire span of your career.
Relationship building, career navigation and development all start from that first day.
In this article, we’ll share five tips to help you maneuver your first day at work excellently and come out with a solid foundation for a flourishing career.
1. Timing matters!
According to career experts on Indeed and World Economic Forum, the time you arrive on your first day has an impact on the first impression your colleagues will get. These career experts advise that you either ensure you arrive at least 10 minutes earlier or exactly on time.
Arriving ten minutes earlier would allow some time for you to register at the front desk, familiarise yourself with your workplace and office, and do other necessary tasks before work starts.
If you have, however, done all these before your first day then arriving on time is better advised as you want to come in when your colleagues arrive. This projects confidence even if you do not start a conversation with them.
Whatever you do, arriving late on your first day leaves a semi-permanent mark on your first impression and we strongly recommend not to.
2. Ask questions
Your first day of work comes with a lot of uncertainties and things you might be unfamiliar with and a good way to navigate that is to ask questions. Lots of them.
When you ask questions however you have to make sure they are smart questions, not one with obvious answers. Asking questions shows dedication and commitment to the role. It shows that you are eager to learn things that would enable you to perform well at the job.
Ask questions about your role and who you’ll be working with directly, about the company culture and if you’re working remotely, the preferred mode of communication.
3. Look Confident!
First impressions are significant and most of the time first impressions are made with physical appearances. Before resuming your first day, make sure you know the dress code of the company you work. Is the dress code professional or is it more casual? What are the dress code rules?
On your first day, looking confident is a way to enhance people’s first impression of you. Dress comfortably for your role. A well-dressed person projects confidence, inward and outward. Maintain the right posture. Look people in the eye when you’re talking to them and have a polite and friendly smile on your face.
4. Start building relationships
Your relationships at work can be truly beneficial to your career and it all starts from your very first day.
Starting conversations with your colleagues outside work can allow you to learn more about common interests and this is a great way to build relationships. You should also ask for help and offer to help. This creates a sense of trust and reliability. While you build relationships, be careful to avoid work gossip. Set clear boundaries and limits when you relate and have conversations with your colleagues.
5. Attitude is Key!
According to Business News Daily, “Having a positive attitude in the workplace won’t necessarily make you better at your job, but it will improve the way people view you as a person, so they may be more inclined to help you succeed and cheer you on”
You want to project a good attitude as a first impression and ensure you stay consistent with the positive attitude. Having a positive attitude at work helps relieve stress and hence boosts productivity.
A positive attitude helps motivate others because of how contagious energy is. It demonstrates leadership capabilities, especially during uncertainties.
We frequently create content that you’ll find helpful! When we’re not doing that, we’re interviewing inspiring Leading Ladies who are eager to share their experiences with us!
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to get these straight into your mailbox
