Ah, the mixed emotions we experience right before we’re about to start a new job. It’s always the same feelings even – excitement, anxiety, anticipation, nervousness. All that gets twisted into this knot we feel in our stomachs as we make our way down to the office.
A brand new start. A brand new desk. And brand new friends. So much is novel about the situation that it can get us feeling panicked a little too easily. With that being said, it is important to remain calm on our very first day at work too.
It’s the day of first impressions that you’ll have to make with so many individuals. As such, you’ll need to be ready for a smooth transition to your new employer. Now, how exactly can we get about to that?
Fret not – in this article, you will be able to find some useful and helpful pieces of advice that can potentially get you through your first day at work as you start your new job. Here are 7 Do’s and Don’ts you’ll want to keep in mind as you take on that new work opportunity!
A word of caution
A word of caution before we delve into the article: the following mentioned tips and tricks are information that has been generally observed across numerous work sectors. There may be instances in which specific advice may not match or suit what is expected for a specific firm, industry or job role.
As such, this written piece aims to function as a guide and should not be read as a comprehensive or exhaustive list of advice when it comes to starting a new job. The best way to find out what may work for your success would be by conducting ample research.
Browsing through this article could function as the first step you take into exploring different ways to succeed at work.
Without further ado, let’s get right into the article!
Do: Plan your transportation time
One of the biggest favours you can do yourself is to alleviate some of the stress you already have inside you by preparing the things you can actually prepare. This includes planning your route, transport method and travel duration before getting to the office.
Getting to your workplace on time not only helps to make a good first impression. It can also help to take off some unwanted and unnecessary pressure from your shoulders.
Plan your mode of transportation earlier. Will you be driving to the office or will you be taking public transportation? Are you leaving your home at a time when traffic is crazy or will it be a little more relaxed on the road?
Plan to reach the office at least 15 minutes ahead of your reporting time. This will also give you some extra time to cool down before meeting your new colleagues.
Feel free to make a trip down to the office a few days ahead to gauge how long the entire trip will approximately take. This will enable you to figure out any shortcuts in advance. It’ll also giving you some extra time allowance for unforeseen traffic mishaps too.
Don't: Don't turn down that invitation to lunch
Speaking from personal experience here: never, ever, ever turn down that invitation to lunch. I had brought food from home on my first day and decided to stay in the office for lunch. This was definitely a bad idea on my first day at work.
Sure, homemade food provides a different form of comfort. But turning down that invitation to lunch had cost me a priceless opportunity to get to know everyone on my first day. I had not put much thought into my instinctive reaction to declining that invitation. But I did regret it a few days later as it took me longer to connect with some of my colleagues then.
So, word of advice: take your co-workers up on any lunch invitations. They are probably just using lunch as a time to get to know you better. It’ll make you feel less awkward and out of place. Yes, they are in fact doing you a favour!
Resist the temptation to meet up with your former colleagues or the pressing need to put on your headphones and tune in to that show you like to catch when you’re alone.
Use that time wisely to socialise with the people you’ll be working with in the future! Get to know them, their personalities, habits and pet peeves. Make new friends! It’s part and parcel of the entire ‘starting a new job’ deal.
Do: Ask questions
If you have ever had the opportunity to go out on internships, you probably would have been told by your managers or supervisors to always ask any questions that you may have in mind.
These words of gold weren’t only meant to last you through your intern days. This piece of advice is one that can do you good throughout your entire career. Whenever you find yourself in a spot of doubt, clear it right away by asking the questions you have in your mind!
If you are ever unaware of how to get a certain task done, clarify how to get it done! Ask questions and learn what the others are expecting of you to get done. This will ensure that you and your supervisor or manager or even your bosses are all on the same page.
Imagine the scenario where you don’t ask the questions you should. You may end up sticking to your guts and go about completing a project without knowing what was actually expected of you. This will either cause you to lose that project or end up having to re-work on it. This’ll cost both you and your colleagues extra time and effort.
All of which could have been avoided had you just asked your questions and cleared your doubts right from the beginning!
Don't: Don't be unwilling to learn new things
Remember when you had applied for a new job and gone for an interview at the office you are just about to join? Where your potential employer had most likely asked if you knew how to complete certain tasks and if you didn’t know, if you were willing to learn how to get them done?
Now that you’ve joined the firm, it’s on you to keep your word! Don’t be unwilling to learn new things! Embrace the unknown and take a leap of faith whenever it comes to gaining knowledge about something new or unfamiliar.
Be open to picking up new ways and techniques of getting the same tasks done! These new methods may be more efficient or effective, but you would not know until you gave it a shot!
Besides, learning new ways to get tasks and projects done at work will also keep things interesting for you! It can save you from the boredom experienced as a result of routine practices while also improving your skills and speed at your new job!
Do: Be kind, polite and nice
No matter what you forget to bring to your office on the first day (and any other day, for that matter), do not ever forget to bring along your manners. Being nice to one another goes a long, long way.
We all like nice people. If you’re polite and kind to one another, people will remember you optimistically. Whenever you need a favour, you will have people whom you can turn to. People will have your back when things get too stressful for you too.
Don’t just be polite to your higher-ups and bosses. Learn to respect everyone at the workplace, regardless of their designation or pay scale. While making new friends and building professional relationships at the workplace can be hard if you’re the new kid on the block, it’s not impossible!
Do your best to be kind, polite and nice to everyone! As Bob Kerrey once said, “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly and most underrated agent of human change.”
To wrap things up...
With all that being said, above-mentioned are the 4 do’s and don’t to keep to when starting a new job! To conclude, we hope this article gives you a better idea of how you can get more gigs when working as a freelance writer.
With all that being said, we have to come to the end of this article! We hope this written piece has provided you with some insights. Especially, as to what sort of steps you can take to help boost your performance at a new job!
In the meantime, if you’re on the lookout for job opportunities at companies within Singapore that are looking to hire individuals like yourself, read on! 😉
Need some career resources?
As was briefly covered above, GrabJobs shares career resources in the form of articles for people at different stages of their work lives. Our resources share details on how freshers can start to look for jobs more effectively. We also share the best job interview practises, how individuals can grow their career and so much more!
These are just some of the topics we explore, namely.
Feel free to visit GrabJobs here for more information and interesting reads! We hope you find our resources helpful and useful 🙂
On the lookout for a job?
If you’re just about to begin the job hunting process, why not consider giving GrabJobs a visit?
GrabJobs is an efficient recruitment platform that connects thousands of job-seekers and employers around the world on a daily basis. Individuals can rely on the platform’s free job search functionalities to receive job matching alerts, access the career resources library and online courses to build their career.
With its instant live chat feature with employers, job seekers can expect to not miss a single opportunity. Receive timely updates about your applications as well as automated reminders when you’re invited for an interview!
Through the platform, you’ll be able to filter through specific industries, part-time, freelance and full-time positions too. No matter the industry or the position, remember to visit GrabJobs to find a job opportunity in Singapore easily!
