Starting a new job can bring a lot of excitement and anxiety. Maybe you’re totally changing career paths, or maybe you finally found that promotion to get you to the next step on your career plan. Whatever the change, there are ways to help relieve the stress and make sure you start out on the right foot.
- Get A Full Night’s Sleep – While the nerves may be high and you are anxious to just begin your new adventure, it’s imperative to get the rest you need to be on your A-Game at the new job. Better yet? Get a few good nights worth of sleep to make sure you are at your best!
- Map a Route – Make sure you have a good sense of how long your new commute is going to take you. You may even want to consider doing a dry run a few days ahead of time to make sure you give yourself plenty of time to arrive. Maybe you’ll find a short-cut you were not aware of and it will not take you as long as you estimated. Or maybe it will take longer. Be prepared!
- Brown Bag it – You never know what that first day is going to bring. Many employers may plan a lunch in your honor to welcome you to the team, or may even want to take you to lunch on their own in order to get better acquainted with you, but that isn’t always the case. Make sure you are prepared so you do not have to raid the vending machine at 3pm!
- Dress the Part – Do your best to learn the culture before you start so you’re not under or over-dressed. You may need to make a shopping trip beforehand in order to get your wardrobe in order for your new gig!
- Arrive on Time – Many will tell you to arrive early, but it’s best to arrive when you are told to arrive. Do not show up late on your first day, as that will set a horrible example of your time management skills. But being early can throw people off of their own schedules, as well. It’s best to be right on time the first day!
- Shake Hands – When being introduced to someone new, make sure you are making yourself approachable and sociable. Introduce yourself to the people around you and start assessing who may be a good veteran to befriend. You’ll want them in your corner in the upcoming months!
- Do Your Homework – Don’t wait until the first day to know things about your department and company. Engage your new manager before you start to ask them questions on items you may need more clarification on. Or ask them questions about the market that your new employer is in and do your research. Don’t go in blind!
- Take Notes – You will be learning a lot of new information the first few weeks at your new job. Make sure you start out strong and begin taking notes right off the bat. Nobody likes to repeat him or herself on how to do a process or when to run a certain procedure. Make sure you’re being proactive and stay on top of the things that will be required of you in your new position.
Now go knock them dead! Be yourself and be diligent and good things are sure to come your way!