Table of Contents
Congratulations! You’re about to start a new job.
Maybe it’s your first job ever or maybe it’s the next step in your career. Either way, the following DOs and DON’Ts are essential for making the right impression and setting yourself up for success on your first day at work.
Arrive when and where you were asked to arrive
I have had people call my cell phone over the weekend to confirm where and when they were expected for their first day of work on Monday. I have already had that conversation with them and am now wondering why I’ve hired someone who can’t follow instructions.
Be sure to ask when and where to arrive for your first day and write it in your calendar or wherever you keep that type of information. If there are special instructions such as who to ask for or what door to use, write that down too. It matters.
You don’t want to be the person who has already made a bad impression before your first day.
Do you know someone who needs help getting their first job? Check out this course.
Bring whatever documents you were asked to bring
You may have already submitted all required documents before you start the job. If, however, you have been asked to bring ID or certifications or any documents, write it down and bring them.
Do not forget them, or be unable to procure them.
If you lost your license and have to go to the DMV to get a replacement, give yourself enough time to do that before your start date. Better yet, think about this before you even start looking for a job.
I had a gentleman tell me while we were establishing a start date for him that he just found out that his driver’s license had been suspended. He said on his application that he had a valid driver’s license. I didn’t believe him because it wasn’t credible. I canceled his start date.
Be sure you know what documents you have and what you need and take care of this before you even start the job search.
If you don’t know what the company norms are, bring your lunch
Maybe everyone goes out for lunch. Maybe everyone brings lunch and eats at their desks. Perhaps everyone does it differently. Until you know, bring your lunch. That way you won’t go hungry and won’t have to appear awkward come lunchtime. Ultimately you can plan to do what you choose for lunch, just don’t make it an issue on day one.
Be pleasant to everyone
This seems obvious, but you’d be surprised.
Ask questions that show you are interested in the job
Questions like “When’s lunchtime?” and “How do I request days off?” are important, but they shouldn’t be the first things you ask about. Instead, try asking your supervisor about priorities for your position and how often he or she wants progress reports from you.
When you agree to a start date, don’t change it
I have had new hires call and ask if they can start a week later than the date to which they agreed, citing various personal issues. DO NOT do this.
When you are offered the job and a start date is discussed, either agree to a date that you know will work for you or tell the employer that you will contact them within the next two days (no longer than that) with a date that you are sure you’ll be able to keep.
Remember, the employer has a job that needs to be done and they have planned on the start date that you agreed to. You lose credibility when you don’t do what you said you would do.
Click here to read more about maintaining credibility at work.
Don’t call out during your first week (or really your first three months)
Yes, of course you matter. Your health and your family and the other parts of your life – they all matter. They even matter to your employer. But you were hired to do a job. Your employer has put resources (both time and money) into the recruitment process. This is the time to prove that they made the right decision.
You most likely have a probationary period, usually three months. This is the time during which you are seeing whether you like the job and your employer is considering whether or not they want to keep you. Don’t give your employer reason to put you in the category of being unreliable. When this happens early on in your employment, it is very difficult and, in many cases impossible, to change.
If you are labeled as unreliable, you will likely not maintain employment past that three-month probationary period.
If you absolutely, positively have to call out during your first few weeks:
By “absolutely, positively have to call out,” I mean you are contagious or hospitalized or there was a sudden death in your immediate family. Really, there is no other acceptable reason to call out from work during your entire probationary period (usually three months).
Do not call out for:
Non-contagious illness (headache, muscle cramps, etc)
Go to work. If it is obvious to your employer that you are sick, they will send you home. This earns you points – you came to work regardless.
You do not want to be seen as someone who is going to call out often. Believe me, it is very hard to come back from that. Thinking about my very long career as a manager, early call-outs was a decisive indicator of someone not being able to keep the job.
Car problems
If you just started a job, do not call about a car problem, ever. Get a ride share, phone a friend, take the bus, do whatever you need to do, but get to work.
If you have a flat tire or breakdown on the way to work and so really can’t help being late, be very apologetic when you call and assure your supervisor that you are just getting the car to a safe place and then coming right in.
DO NOT talk about having to get it fixed right now and coming in after that. You have not earned that and I am telling you from very many years of experience that you will change your relationship with your employer in a way that cannot be repaired.
Childcare issues
You will need to have three backups plus a backup to the backup plan. Have this set before you even start looking for a job. I was a working mother during my son’s entire childhood and I know how challenging it can be to balance work and parenthood.
But, if you choose to be a working parent or, like me, if you have no choice but to work…
You cannot make your childcare issues your employer’s problem, ever. But having it happen within the first few weeks is just not reparable. You’ve already been put in the category of an unreliable employee. In my experience, that really can’t be fixed.
Family Emergencies
There are different interpretations of what actually constitutes an emergency. In almost all cases, if you call out during your first few weeks for this reason, the new family emergency will be your own unemployment.
As noted above, unless there was a sudden death in your immediate family (in most cases that means spouse, parent, child or sibling – not uncle, grandparent, cousin, etc.) – go to work. You have to establish yourself as someone who can be counted upon.
For more about calling out and family emergencies, click here.
