Make a Good First Impression at your new job
Having completed your education, you are ready to embark on a life-altering adventure. Your first employment begins. It’s your first full-time job since you worked part-time while studying. Your first impressions will be very different after spending the previous 17 years in a classroom soaking up information, being tested regularly on your recall, and sometimes being required to produce a research paper.
In the Real World
Remember when your instructor or professor gave you a paper? It was assigned early in the semester, but not due until the end. You had time (unless of course, you procrastinated until the due date was close). Things are quite different when you start your first job. Your deadlines will be weeks away. If you delay, you may miss them.
Good news regarding those tests you dreaded. Your boss won’t. It’s not all good news. The outcomes will be in performance evaluations, not report cards. Your employer will be watching how you do your work and how you behave. Don’t allow him or her to see you acting badly at work.
Why is your boss watching? The issue may be one of cost. That’s true, but it’s not the only reason. Your classroom performance affected just you, not your school or even your lecturer. Your job performance impacts the company, your supervisors, and even your colleagues.
Success Strategies:
Here are some easy steps to take to succeed in your first job.
- Arrive on Time
Arrive early if possible. Stick to your lunch hour and eat at your desk if you’re busy.
- Dress Properly
Look around at what others are wearing, particularly those farther along in their careers. To be an account executive at an advertising firm, you cannot dress like an art director who may wear a more casual style.
- Listen and Observe
Spend your first several weeks in any job listening and watching what is going on. This will teach you a lot.
- Don’t spread gossip and avoid becoming a target
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep an ear out for important information. Learn to tell facts from fiction.
- Be Polite
Never forget your childhood lessons. “Thank you” and “please” should always be your magic words. Always knock first. Going into your friend’s dorm room is OK, but going into your boss’s office is not. If you’re asked to a business lunch, there are certain things you should never do.
- Learn Phone Etiquette
You’ve had a phone your whole life, but not for business. Your phone manners should be impeccable.
- Find A Mentor
Look for a mentor on your professional path. Your boss may not be a terrific mentor, but someone who works for him may.
Instead, do your research to collect all the facts you need.
- When in doubt, ask questions.
You may feel foolish admitting your ignorance, but everyone knows you are new. It beats postponing a project due to a mistake.
- Learn Time Management
Your deadlines will be met. Unless your employer instructs you otherwise, it’s a necessity.
- Finally, Focus on Corporate Culture
Learn your company’s procedures. Is it official or friendly? Arrive early and stay late? Is lunch time-limited or absent?
Give yourself a break if you don’t always perform as expected. It’s your first job, and you’ll improve.
