Two weeks ago, after successfully crushing your last interview, you felt like the master of the universe. Well dressed and emitting an aura of confidence, your anxiety was under control, your answers sounded passionate and natural, and your body language gave off vibrant, positive energy. Your interviewer(s) were impressed with your enthusiasm, questions, and understanding of their company and industry. Although the interview went well, you were still surprised when you heard those four little words – “you got the job.” Your first day is tomorrow, and if you’re wondering how you can continue to make a good impression, you’ve come to the right place.
According to Angela Copelands’ article, 19 Tips for Making a Great Impression at Your New Job, there’s a lot you can do to continue to shine. Remember to be respectful, courteous, and appreciative of your colleagues. Thank everyone you meet, and note their names, titles and something to help you remember who they are. Don’t forget to be positive and ask questions to understand your new responsibilities better.
Once you understand the policies and procedures and become comfortable with your duties and assignments, don’t miss the opportunity to demonstrate your willingness to learn. If you’re a fast learner, take the initiative and ask your boss for more work. You can show peers how quickly you pick up software, techniques, or workflows. When it comes to completing your tasks, establish a routine to help you stay organized, productive and efficient.
Since you’re new, invest more time listening and learning, and less time expressing your thoughts. While you may have an opinion, the last thing you want is to come off as a “know it all.” A better approach may be to soak up information like a sponge and put it to good use. If you happen to overhear a discussion about another colleagues’ performance over lunch, don’t get involved. Regardless of how long you’ve been working at a company, it is always best to avoid office politics and gossip. Angela Copeland suggests in the article above to remain “neutral on political workplace issues for as long as you can.”
As your first day ends, take a mental note of what your colleagues are wearing. While you may have followed the dress code explicitly, you may notice it isn’t as strict as expected. You may also want to take note of how peers prefer to communicate. Do your colleagues prefer instant messages, emails, or phone calls? As for goals, you probably won’t be expected to set them for your career development right away. However, it doesn’t hurt to start thinking about what skills you’ll need to learn and develop to advance your career.
When you’re new to the company, you want to make every effort to make a good impression. Start by being positive, be respectful and ask as many questions as necessary to understand your duties. Don’t be afraid to show some initiative and ask for more responsibility if you’re ready to handle the additional work. Whether at a cubicle in an office or at the dinner table working from home, when communicating with peers, always distance yourselves from gossip and office politics. And lastly, take mental notes of the dress code and how peers prefer to communicate. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure it counts.
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