Starting a new job is an exciting career milestone, promising lots of opportunities to meet new people, learn new skills and advance your career. Your first day at work is a chance to start this new chapter on the right note with a good first impression, which is vital for future success. Here are some tips to help you bring your best self to work on day one.
Tips for Your First Day of Work
- Arrive early
- Dress to blend in
- Be friendly and introduce yourself
- Ask lots of questions
- Learn as much as possible
What to Expect on Your First Day at Work
Onboarding: Your first day at a new job is nothing to stress about. Most companies will have some sort of onboarding process that will provide you with all the information you need to get started.
Orientation: If you work for a larger company, you and other new hires may go through an orientation where you learn about the company, its business model and its values. Your supervisor or a coworker will also likely provide information specific to your team and your role.
Office Tour and Tech Setup: You will probably get a tour of the office, meet other team members and set up your computer and software systems.
Training: You might also undergo training specific to your position and receive documents that will help you understand the finer points of your work.
These housekeeping items and introductions will likely take up a good chunk of the day, so you probably won’t accomplish much actual work on your first day. But you should take some time to reflect on how you plan to approach your work, and think of questions that will give you a better sense of your objective.
Tips for a Successful First Day at Work
1. Arrive Early
Being late to your first day of work is not a good look. Before your first day, create a plan for how you’re going to get to work and what route you’re going to take. Schedule your trip using Google Maps to adjust for the typical rush hour traffic on that day, and give yourself an extra 15 minutes to account for any unexpected delays.
2. Dress Nicely
Your appearance plays a key role in making a good first impression. If you were interviewed in the office, try to choose clothing that matches what other employees were wearing. You can also consult the company’s dress code policy, which should be included in the employee handbook you signed when you were hired. If you’re on the fence about what to wear, err on the side of overdressing on your first day. You don’t want to be the only person wearing jeans in a business casual environment.
3. Prepare Your Self-Introduction
You’re going to be meeting a lot of people for the first day, either in one-on-one conversations or in team meetings. Prepare for these interactions by practicing a 30-to-60-second elevator pitch that sums up your professional background, your current job and why you decided to join the company. This will prevent you from rambling or sharing too much information.
4. Be Friendly and Open
Start off on the right foot with coworkers by smiling at people who make eye contact with you and being friendly with anyone who talks to you. Feel free to strike up brief conversations with your teammates, but be mindful of their time and don’t interrupt them when they’re busy.
5. Silence Your Cell Phone
It’s important to be present and engaged on your first day of work, so limit your phone use to urgent messages only. Casual text messages from your friends and family members can wait until after work. You should also silence your phone, as you don’t want to distract other people in the office.
6. Learn as Much as Possible
While most of your first day will be devoted to housekeeping items like onboarding paperwork and technology setup, you’ll also begin to learn more about the goals of the business, how your team works and how to do your job. Think of yourself as a sponge, trying to absorb as much as you can in this moment. Taking notes (either on a notepad or on your computer) might also be helpful for capturing information that isn’t included in your onboarding materials.
7. Ask Lots of Questions
One perk of being a new employee is there’s no such thing as a dumb question. You will probably have several questions related to technology, the office space and other items, so you shouldn’t be shy about asking your manager or a nearby coworker for help. It’s your first day, and they’ll likely be happy to help you get acquainted.
8. Accept Any Lunch Invitations
It’s possible your manager or a coworker will ask if you’d like to go out to lunch. This can be a fun way to get to know your team better, so you should accept. For this reason, you might not want to pack a lunch. If you’re not asked to go to lunch, you can always find a place nearby to grab a bite to eat. Don’t forget to scout out the kitchen area to figure out where you can store your lunch in the future.
9. Steer Clear of Office Drama
Take note of team and interpersonal dynamics, but do not get involved or take sides in any office tensions. Politely avoid any toxic coworkers that try to drag you into office politics, as this could diminish your positive energy or damage your ability to form productive workplace relationships.
10. End the Day With a Goodbye
As people start to leave for the day, they may wave or say goodbye. In either case, you should try to notice this and reciprocate. Don’t be in a rush to leave right at the close of business, either. After several other team members have left, you should check in one last time with your supervisor or the person who trained you to say goodbye and thank them for their help.
Frequently Asked Questions
What not to say on your first day at work?
You’ll be inundated with a lot of new information on your first day of work, and some of it may be different from what you’re used to. You shouldn’t talk about the way you did things at your previous job, though, as it may give the impression that you are unwilling to adapt and learn new things. These interruptions also slow down the training process and make it difficult for your supervisor to teach you how to do your job.
How early should I arrive to my first day of work?
You should arrive 10 to 15 minutes early on your first day at work. When planning your commute, though, you could aim to get there 20 to 30 minutes early, recognizing that traffic or other unexpected delays could slow you down.
What usually happens on the first day of work?
Your first day at work is typically spent filling out paperwork, setting up your computer and meeting other team members. If you work in-person, you’ll probably get a tour of the office.
