TNM CAREER
how to survive the first day at office! c ongr at ul at ions! You are hired. That’s awesome! It’s your first day at a new job. You are happy, excited but nervous and grey. Starting a new job can be very much nerve wracking, thanks to sleepless nights and confusing expectations. With new faces in a completely new setting, you may have already suffered a nervous break-down before you’ve even started any work. Should I ask anyone before I turn on my workstation? It’s already 1.30pm, should I go to the canteen? It’s already 5.00pm, can I go home? These first-day situations create confusion and add further nervousness and anxiety irrespective of your age or experience. You are stuck in the middle paralyzed between your thoughts. You don’t know what to do, how to react or whom to ask. Well, adieu ‘good-bye’ to these. To be remembered for all the right reasons, here’s what you can do for a successful first day on a new job. You can survive the D-Day and make it go more smoothly by successfully implementing these 10 behaviors:
Words: Saurav Nepal | Illustrations: Niren Tuladhar
confidence
2 . Be C onfiden t: You might feel nervous but that shouldn’t make you feel lowly confident. That nervousness won’t give you a second chance to make the right impression. Since you are stepping out of your comfort-zone into a totally different setting, adjust your confidence level in between. Don’t destroy anything out of your over-confidence. You should be happy because they liked you so; you are here at the job. First days are tough but your confidence should slip in and make you feel comfortable. Keep calm and stay confident!
3 . Be p unc t u a l : Don’t be late. You don’t want to be remembered as an employee who arrived late in his/her first day of job and make a false impression. Arrive on time. Have an idea of the office’s location. Leave your house an hour earlier because blaming the public transport is a lousy excuse. Unpunctuality is not tolerated at any cost. Remember, whether you drive, bike, bus or walk to your new job, it’s smart to test drive the route before that first important day [source: Huhman].
4. S ta rt slo w : hello my name is lasti ng fir st impres sion
1. M a k e a p osi t i v e imp re s sion: You might be an amateur but don’t make a negative impression because it’s your first day at job. Today is the day you’ll be laying a strong foundation for your worklife. Everyone will be looking upon you, so these first few weeks are very important. Remember to keep it simple and easy instead of over-doing it. A bad first impression would cost you months or even years to undo it. Whether you want to portray yourself as a friendly and hardworking colleague or an unreliable and a laid-back guy, it all depends on you. You want to be remembered for all the right reasons.
70
July 2013
No company expects perfection from you since day one. It takes time to adjust, learn the company, and learn the responsibilities of the new job you have. If you try to sprint at the very first stage then you’ll be more likely to make mistakes. Just take it slowly at a reasonable level allowing you to grow when you start. Pace yourselves slowly because fatigue kills your performance and productivity.
Just take it slowly at a reasonable level allowing you to grow when you start. Pace yourselves slowly because fatigue kills your performance and productivity. fb.me/TNM.Magazine