5 tips: surviving your first week at your first job

A first job can be the cause of many worries and stress. We offer you a few useful tips for surviving your first week at your first job.

1. Better early than late

The days of arriving too late are definitively over: no manager will appreciate you stumbling into the office at ten o’clock, particularly if you have just started working. From now on you go to bed on time – just like other working people – so you are well-rested and at work on time in the morning … because daydreaming at your desk is another thing you had better not try, especially during the first week at your first job.

2.  Make sure you look professional

You might be starting your first job, but that doesn’t mean you should not look professional. If you want your colleagues and boss to take you seriously, then adapting your outfit accordingly is the first step. This is not to say you should immediately run out and purchase a suit, but dress pants or a skirt can work wonders.

3. Your boss always has the final say

You may always have your own opinion, of course, even if you are just starting out. In this way you demonstrate your involvement and that you take your job seriously. But don’t forget that hierarchy is very important in many companies. Your boss is the one that hired you and pays your salary, so respect his or her opinion.

4. Make friends

You will probably not get along with everyone, but it is important that you get to know as many people as possible during your first week at your first job. Only in this way will you really learn about the business culture, the way they do things and your manager; and you will find out what is expected of you. The best way of getting to know a company is often from what you hear in the corridors.

5. Keep your private life to yourself

It is fine to tell people something about yourself at work, but it is unwise to advertise your wild stories from the past weekend. Particularly when you have a new job in the company, those types of stories will quickly start to lead a life of their own, and that can work to your disadvantage. Therefore, find a nice balance between what you tell your colleagues and what you keep to yourself. Once you have worked a little longer in the company, it is fine to talk about yourself once in a while.

Wishing you luck for your first week of work!

Source: Stepstone