What Not To Do On Your First Day In A New Job

First day in a new job? It’s an exciting moment, yes?

Well, yes, kind of. Though chances are, you are probably too nervous to feel excited. What if you say the wrong thing? What if you do something stupid? What if people don’t like you? What if you don’t know what to do?

Are you relating thus far? Many of us replay these ‘what if’ thoughts through our heads the day before a new job begins. Thankfully, our worries can be allayed somewhat. Most employers offer some kind of an induction program with a new employee onboarding checklist to make life easier for us. And our colleagues are usually prepared to forgive us for any beginner mistakes in that first week. So, in most cases, you don’t need to worry at all.

However…

If you want to get off to a good start with your boss and the people you work with, you might want to avoid the following first-day blunders. If you make any of them, you only have yourself to blame if your first day is worse than you had expected.

#1: Turn up late

Want to make a bad first impression on the people you work with (and infuriate your boss)? Turn up late. Sure, you might have a good excuse. You might have missed your bus. You might have got lost along the way. Or you might have slept in if you laid awake for much of the night filled with nerves. These are all excellent excuses, but if you are more than a few minutes late through that door, you will give your boss and colleagues reason to suspect you might be the wrong hire. You are more likely to make a fool of yourself too if you arrive in a flustered state. So, make the effort to know your journey before your first day. Do a trial run with the commute. And surround yourself with alarm clocks to ensure you wake up on time.

#2: Say something to annoy your colleagues

We can all say something stupid when we’re feeling nervous. However, you need to watch your tongue if you want to get your working relationships off to a good start. So, don’t ingratiate yourself too quickly by asking your colleagues personal questions. Don’t try to make them laugh with rude or offensive jokes that are more befitting of a comedy club than the workplace. Don’t try to claim superiority over your colleagues with a know-it all-attitude. And don’t give them the ins and outs of your life story. Instead, play it cool. Get to know your colleagues slowly. Form an understanding of each person. And above all, think before you speak. You might then make it through the day without saying something you will later regret.

#3: Turn up in the wrong outfit

You have little to worry about if you have to wear a standard uniform. But if you’re in a job where there is an element of choice in your outfit, try to find out the dress code beforehand. Turning up in a suit and tie when everybody else is wearing something casual will make you feel overdressed and uncomfortable. And wearing something too casual when everybody else is dressed smartly is only going to make you feel like the fool. Your boss and colleagues might forgive you for the mistake, and they might even find it funny. But in your mistake, you might get flustered, and then say or do something stupid because of your heightened nerves. Beware then!

So, don’t let your first day be a bad one. Avoid these mistakes and you should get through your day unscathed. Heck, you might even enjoy it!

Thanks for reading, and good luck if you are starting a new job soon!