Your first 30 days in a new job are all about being organised. So take a deep breath, smile and be the best person for the role!
Having a ‘new work plan’ will help you become professional in the shortest amount of time possible, with the least amount of stress as possible. Here are 21 (sorry it’s long, but everything here is important) of our “best foot forward” recommendations to help you to make a great impression for your first 30 days in the job.
1. GET TO WORK EARLY
The best way to make a great impression is to get to work very early on the first day. In fact, this is a great habit to keep even when you’re well into your career. Being early will reflect that you are trustworthy, and worth the company’s investment. Set your alarm early and get to the office about 10-15 minutes before you start, and do a test-run of your commute ahead of time to make sure that you’ll be on schedule.
2. DRESS TO IMPRESS
Depending on the company culture at your new workplace, you may not be required to wear a suit to work, however, in most office environments, tank tops and shorts are not considered appropriate. If your company doesn’t have a dress code, use your best judgment to decide what’s most appropriate to wear for work. It’s always better to overdress, particularly on your first day than to show up looking untidy and most importantly, make sure that your clothes are clean.
3. PUT YOUR MOBILE ON SILENT
Do we need to say it? You need to be 100% present at work, especially on the first day. No distractions. Put your mobile on silent or switch it off.
4. PREPARE AN ELEVATOR PITCH
Get ready to give a 15-30-second explainer of who you are and what you did before, as many new colleagues will likely ask about your previous place of employment (or college). Be prepared to also describe what you’ll be doing in this new position, since there may be people who have a vague understanding of your role or simply want to strike up a conversation.
5. KNOW YOUR COMPANY
If you’ve accepted a role at a company it goes without saying that you should know exactly what the company does, but if you are slightly unsure make sure that you have a clear understanding of what your company does before you head into the office. You should also read up on the latest news about your company (on their website, blog, social media etc) so you are in the loop when you start and this will hopefully save you from saying something stupid!
6. LEARN THE PROFESSIONAL RULES
On your first day, your employer will have a description of your responsibilities — either written or verbal. This is what you should do to be successful at your job. Take notes. With that being said, there is usually a gap between what you should do, and what actually happens. This is important because while you shouldn’t neglect any articulated duties, there may be more that are implicitly expected of you. It is usually best to find this out sooner rather than later.
7. KNOW THE OFFICE LOGISTICS
Make a conscious effort to learn all the office basics to show that you're savvy and resourceful. Rather than pestering your cubicle neighbour about little things (like where the copy machine is), try and figure these things out yourself. Some basic key players to look out for: the HR department, the IT/help desk, and the company directory if they have one.
8. MEET AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE
It’s exhausting and slightly overwhelming meeting so many new colleagues but treat everyone’s advice as important, regardless of their rank. Take the time to converse and get to know your colleagues – the quicker you develop more personable relationships with your coworkers, the sooner you’ll understand the office politics.
9. FIGURE OUT THE SOCIAL LANDSCAPE
Two of the more important factors in succeeding at a job are to not only getting along with your co-workers, but also to associate with the right ones. In any sizeable work environment you will find cliques, and some mesh better with management than others. If you want to eventually move up in the ranks with your new employer, you’ll need to associate with the right crowd. It’s also essential that you begin to determine the office politics on day one.
10. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY LANGUAGE
Your body language makes up the majority of your communication in the workplace. Assess what you’re communicating to better understand how others may perceive you, and make any necessary adjustments.
11. SMILE
It may have taken a while to reach this point, after searching, interviewing, and landing the job, so don’t forget to be happy and enjoy the moment. We all know that first impressions matter. Smile when you meet new people, and shake their hands. Introduce yourself to everyone, and make it clear how happy and eager you are to be there. Smiling makes it easier for people to get along with you. Your co-workers will remember.
12. PROJECT HIGH ENERGY
You will be observed more in your early days from an external standpoint. Your attitude and work ethic are most visible now, as no one has had a chance to evaluate your work skills just yet. Everyone wants to work with enthusiastic, upbeat people — so let them know that this is exactly what they can expect.
13. MIND YOUR MANNERS
Be courteous to everyone you meet, and make sure to thank your boss or supervisors. Your new colleagues may not necessarily remember your good etiquette, but you can be certain they’ll recall any act of rudeness. That’s why it’s important to be on your best behavior if you want to make a good impression. Obviously, it’s best not to swear or use sarcasm, and you should also avoid controversial topics of conversation such as sex, religion and politics.
14. ASK QUESTIONS AND TAKE NOTES
As you begin your new job, don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions and take notes. Doing so shows that you’re eager to learn quickly and do well, which in turn reinforces how much you appreciate being hired. Buy a nice bound notebook and keep it (and a pen) with you always. You’ll also be able to refer back to it to remind yourself of the conversations you’ve had if you feel a bit overwhelmed.
15. ASK FOR HELP
As a new hire of the company, you are not expected to know everything. If you have questions or need help with a task, don’t be afraid to ask, as I’m sure people will be more than happy to help. Don’t feel that you have something to prove and spend a whole day trying to figure something out and getting yourself wound up if you can’t. You may end up doing something incorrectly and wasting a whole day on it.
16. ALWAYS SAY YES TO LUNCH
Eating alone means you're missing a huge opportunity for key networking moments. Lunch is a great opportunity to build trust with your colleagues and let them get to know you a little better.
17. DON’T ROCK THE BOAT
Sometimes new hires try to show off by suggesting changes in policy right off the bat. This isn’t the best way to make a good impression. Simply put, it comes off as arrogant. Don’t try to change the system before you get a working knowledge of the one in place. You still have a lot to learn, and it’s best to keep your mouth shut until you’ve gained some credibility with your new employer. Besides, people are naturally resistant to change, and if you push your innovative ideas too soon, people may come to resist or even resent you.
18. AVOID GOSSIP
You're too new to get involved with who did what at the last holiday office party. More importantly, who cares? Your first three months should focus on proving your expertise. While it's important to be congenial and engage in small talk, exit when the topic starts getting a little too gossipy.
19. UPDATE YOUR NEW ROLE ON LINKEDIN
Broadcasting your new role to your professional network shows your enthusiasm and commitment to the job. It's signaling to all other hiring managers and recruiters that you've been swept up. And always send a thank you to the person who recommended you for the job.
20. DON’T BE A CLOCK WATCHER
Depending on the company you’re at and the position you’re in, you probably have an official workday of about eight hours. You should stick around for a bit during your first week or two to show that you’re making an effort to get up to speed as fast as you can. Finally, if you are feeling nervous then tell yourself that they picked you because you are the best fit for the role, possibly over hundreds of applicants. The job is yours. If they didn’t want you there, you wouldn’t be there!
21. MAKE YOUR BOSS LOOK GOOD!
Making your boss look good isn’t about being the first to say something positive or pretending an idea is better than it really is. You don’t have to feel like you’re abandoning your principles or standards to shine a positive light on your manager. Here are a two important ways to make your boss look good:
Give credit where it’s due. One of the easiest ways to make your boss look good is to simply acknowledge his or her contributions when one of your projects goes well and praise comes your way. If your manager contributed to the success (even in small way), be sure to mention it. Publicly praising your manager — and other helpful creative colleagues who pitched in — shows everyone that you’re a team player who appreciates the help you get from others.
Look good yourself. Be a positive force all on your own. Whatever your responsibilities, commit to giving your all. The higher-ups will see your boss managing a dedicated and hard-working employee, and that will reflect positively on both of you.
So take a deep breath, smile and be the best person for the role!
“Be so good they can’t ignore you.” Steve Martin