6 Things To Do On Your First Day At A New Job

You’ve run the race – the initial job application, the competitors and the interviews. Now it’s time for the final hurdle: the first day on the job.

Although you have currently secured the role, most employers subject you to a probation period in which you must convince them that they were justified in employing you. Potentially the most crucial determiner of their opinion of you is the impression you create on your first day of work. Follow these pointers to ensure you make the best first impression possible.

Dress smart

Most jobs will either require you to wear some kind of uniform or a suit. However, some demand the most terrifying dress code of all: smart-casual. No-one knows what this dreaded phrase really means. To be safe, always dress up rather than down.

Bring a packed lunch

You probably won’t know the lunch situation prior to your first day of work – i.e. whether there’s a canteen or a nice sandwich shop nearby. It can therefore make your first lunch hour a lot easier if you come prepared with your own packed lunch.

It also makes a lot more financial sense not to spend your first pay cheque on a pricey meal out before you’ve even earned it.

Arrive early

Nothing creates a bad first impression like arriving late. It suggests laziness, disorganisation and disrespect – none of which are desirable to an employer.

Ensure you leave in plenty of time for the office and aim to arrive well before you’re actually scheduled to start. Not only will this come across as enthusiastic and polite, but it will also offer your employer the opportunity to give you a tour of the premises and explain key aspects of the job to you before the working day officially begins.

Know where to go and what to do

A key part of not arriving late is to know exactly where you need to go and how to get there from whatever mode of transport you are using.

If you’re driving in, check where the nearest parking is and whether you have to pay or not. If you’re taking the bus or train, look on a map where the nearest station is to your place of work and plan the route you need to take.

Bring important documents

Employers often require your official documents (ID, proof of address, national insurance number) prior to starting the job. It never hurts to bring these documents with you on your first day, just in case. For example, you could be asked for ID to even gain entrance to the building.

Leave your phone alone

Every employer has a different attitude towards personal phone use during working hours. Some take a very relaxed approach, while some consider it an unacceptable waste of company time. You won’t know your boss’s feelings towards it until you’ve been in the job a little while, so it’s safest to only use your mobile phone during breaks and lunch until you know it’s acceptable to do so at any other time.

Now that you’re fully equipped for your first day on the job, you can focus on your fantastic achievement of actually getting the job in the first place!

Inspiring Interns is a graduate recruitment agency which specialises in sourcing candidates for marketing internship roles and giving out graduate careers advice. To browse graduate jobs and graduate jobs Manchester, visit their website.