How to Survive Your First Day at a New Job
First days are always nerve-racking. Whether it's your first day of university, your first day at work or your first day as a parent, the experience can leave you feeling a bit overwhelmed. In the middle of December, I started working at a large travel & resort company doing their social media, so I have some first-hand pointers on how to survive your first day at a new job.
What to do Before Your First Day at Work:
Breathe In, Breathe Out - Before you get too stressed out, take a moment to seriously breathe. Inhale & exhale. If your palms are sweaty, your heart rate is up, & you're feeling slightly anxious, do whatever it takes to unwind & destress. You can survive this. You can do it!
Research - Google is your best friend. Research the company, salaries, & the experiences others had. You can find nearly everything on the internet these days so don't be afraid to put in some time to study your future company. It will make you sound smarter & more prepared for your first day at work. Plus, it'll ease your nerves a little bit.
Dress to Impress - Plan your outfit prior to your first day. Some jobs require a uniform, so make sure you look the part & have all the necessary pieces. Iron your clothes. Wash your face. Brush your hair. Look nice. Other positions allow you to wear what you want whether it's casual, business casual or professional. Determine what you'll wear & hang it up so you're ready to go first thing in the morning.
Dress to Impress - Plan your outfit prior to your first day. Some jobs require a uniform, so make sure you look the part & have all the necessary pieces. Iron your clothes. Wash your face. Brush your hair. Look nice. Other positions allow you to wear what you want whether it's casual, business casual or professional. Determine what you'll wear & hang it up so you're ready to go first thing in the morning.
What to do During Your First Day at Your New Job:
Know You're Not Alone - Just know that you're not alone in this new adventure. You're not the only person who's had a first day at the job & you're not going to be the last. Understand that everyone at your work had a first day at some point, even your boss. You'll do great!
Engage with Coworkers - Never be afraid to talk to your coworkers. Talk about life & personal interests. Within a couple days I was already getting looped in to the marketing team's whimsical emails about mermaids & kittens. These people are going to be your new buddies in life. You're going to spend the majority of your time with them so get to know them now.
Ask questions - Ask questions about the company itself & inquire about each person's position & role therein. It's important to figure out how the company works & where your position factors in. These people know more about the job & brand than you do; use that to your advantage by learning from them.
Take notes - You'll probably be overwhelmed with information on your first day. Take some notes so you can remember things without having to repetitively ask for help. They might explain how to do a particular task, where to find a certain item, or who to contact for a specific problem. It's your duty to pay attention so you can sound super cool, like you know what you're doing.
What to do After Your First Day at Your New Job:
Get Some Sleep - Phew! You survived your first day at work! Give yourself a round of applause & a pat on the back because you did it! Now you should get a full eight hours of sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow. Stay energized so you can kick butt at your new job. You'll get into the habit of finding a routine that works but you but until then, sleep sleep sleep!Update Your Resume - It's never too early to update your resume. After all, it helped get you hired in the first place & it may do so in the future. Dust it off & give it a redo with current information on your brand new position. It's imperative to stay on top of your resume because you never know when you'll need it.
Repeat - Set yourself up for success at your brand new job. Be the type of person you'd like to work with. Be efficient & smart. Dress to impress. Take notes. Lastly, don't be afraid because you are awesome enough to have just gotten a new job!
Are these tips helpful? When was the last time you had a new job? What advice do you have for others? :]
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Such good tips! I'm totally not in the position of applying for a job, or getting a new job, but I think I can use some of these for my first day at Miami University.
ReplyDeleteProject NW | Places I want To Visit In the USA
So true. This can be relevant for any first day. :]
DeleteThis is so cute!! Love this post!
ReplyDeletexx Olivia
www.hellooliviablog.com
Thanks Olivia. :]
DeleteI've read every single word, even if I'm not searching for some new job thanks for the tips! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulation on a new job also!
xx, Nataliya
www.ndudlagirl.blogspot.com
Thank you so much! :]
DeleteGreat tips, I'm soon to be starting a new job with any luck so I'll have t refer back to this! I hope you are enjoying it so far. Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteHayley-Eszti | www.hayleyeszti.com
For sure. Best of luck in your new endeavor. :]
DeleteLove your tips! Wishing you good luck and much success, love! You can do it!
ReplyDeleteHappy Wednesday, love!
xoxo, Vanessa
www.WhatWouldVWear.net
Thanks. :]
DeleteThis is great advice!
ReplyDeletexo, Liz
http://lipstickandconfetti.com
:]
DeleteFirst of all, congrats on your new job! Thank you so much for posting this, I'm the kind of person who gets way too anxious when it comes to "first days" in general because I'm always afraid to do or say something stupid. I'll keep in mind these tips for my next "first day" so thank very much! <3
ReplyDeletexx
www.stylebydeb.com
First days are often full of anxiety so this is my attempt to alleviate some of the tension. :]
DeleteAlways dress to impress!
ReplyDeleteMr Essentialist
The only way to go. :]
DeleteYou're so right about asking questions about both the company and the people!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips, Carmen.
Lovely to meet another lifestyle blogger. :) xS
http://sofiaclara.com/
Nice to meet you too. :]
DeleteGreat content that anyone can apply, and not just in the situation of a new job! XO
ReplyDeleteLauren-Blair
www.prefertobedemure.com
Attley. Hope you refer back to it later. :]
DeleteFantastic advice! It's important to ask questions and do research beforehand. Thanks for writing this. Congrats on your job!
ReplyDeleteHttp://Leftbankgirl.blogspot.com
It's kind of like researching a paper. You want to be prepared. :]
DeleteThese tips are spot on! Note-taking always helps me so much when I'm at a new job because I can never remember the sheer amount of information that is given to me off the top of my head!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely. There's always so much information to learn. :]
DeleteBeing a working adult, your tips are on point. Especially dress to impress. Girls/Guys must know the importance of grooming as the first impression lasts a good while x
ReplyDeleteReal Life Nerd // www.vivienekok.com
You can never redo a first impression. :]
DeleteI love these tips, so well thought out! I love the emphasis on getting sleep too, when I'm nervous I always end up staying up too late preparing, and not taking the time to relax xD I love your blog! xx
ReplyDeleteelizabeth ♡ ”Ice Cream” whispers Clara | (doing follow for follow on bloglovin or instagram)
Sleep is vital for work, school, or simply functioning on a daily level. :]
DeleteGreat tips :) I always feel better about myself when I dress to impress!
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly been known to build confidence. :]
DeleteThese are great tips! Looking forward to the application/interview process after I finish nursing school...thanks for the great post! I'll be sure to bookmark it!
ReplyDeleteXOXO,
Natalie
www.combatbootsandcouture.com
Thanks I hope you do bookmark it, Natalie. :]
DeleteI´ve only ever had one job in a bakery that I kind of slipped into & I was 16-years-old, so nobody really cared for how exactly I acted. For now, I don´t plan on starting a new job while I´m still studying. But I will definitely come back to this post when the time comes. I think these are some great tips to remember.
ReplyDeletexx Lisa | Following Lisa
I too had a first job at a bakery & I've come along way. Hopefully these tips will come in handy for you. :]
DeleteThis is a great guide!
ReplyDeletexo
www.dylanasuarez.com
Many thanks! :]
DeleteThese are awesome tips, Carmen! Thanks for the great list, I'll have to keep these in mind for the future :)
ReplyDeletexo Kiki
http://colormekiki.com/
Hope you do, Kiki! :]
DeleteGreat post! Love your tips!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Love from www.trangscorner.com {a lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and food blog}
Good point! But either you love what you do or you have to find a new job.
ReplyDeleteCheck out my blog: www.theminxivixen.com
xoxo
Gianina
I agree, but if only it were that simple. :]
DeleteSuch great tips! -Maireem
ReplyDeleteMy Fair Autumn | Instagram
:]
DeleteLast time I changed jobs was within the same organisation but in a different team and it still felt a bit overwhelming. I think making time to chat to people informally is key. Those people you meet in the first few days are key!
ReplyDeleteInma x
sunshineandglow.blogspot.com
Yeah, any new position can be challenging & overwhelming. Just have to experience it & learn from it. :]
DeleteThese are all such great tips! I'm looking for tips like these since I'm closer to attending an intern job. Thanks for sharing <3
ReplyDeleteFollow for follow on Instagram, GFC, Bloglovin and Google+? :)
Capturing Life Memoirs | bloglovin' | Instagram
These definitely apply to internships as well. :]
DeleteFirsts of any kind are so scary! But once a routine is set, life is good. I love these tips. :)
ReplyDeletehttp://trend-mixblog.com/
So true! :]
DeleteAll great points! It definitely helps me to do my research and dress the part for anything new.
ReplyDeleteAmy Ann
Straight A Style
Yeah, even a blogging event or collaboration. Research is imperative. :]
DeleteAmazing advice! Definitely taking these tips to heart. Xoxo Taylor Aube.
ReplyDeletehttp://stopdropandvogue.com/
Lovely post. So many great tips here! Congrats on your new job!
ReplyDeletexo, jackie
stylemydreams.com
This post made my life. I always get so nervous before my first day on the job,e specially interviews but these tips were so helpful. Thanks girl <3
ReplyDeleteSending love from www.shebebutfierce.com XOXO
Great post Carmen! I always get so stressed out an anxious on a first day at a new job that I have to ban coffee! It makes me sweaty and shaky haha thats my only rule for an interview or first day on the job!
ReplyDeleteXoxo Annie
http://www.somethingswellblog.com/
Great advice! I think the only advice I'd add is to avoid engaging in paltry office gossip. Though it's tempting to make friends by socializing that way, I've learned from experience that gossip can put a damper on work relationships. An older, wiser me would pass this on to my fresh-faced, new-to-the-job self :D
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