The 3 Things You Should Always Do On Your First Day At A New Job
On your first day at a new job, it's crucial to make a positive impression on your colleagues and managers.
adriaticfoto / Shutterstock Nervous about your first day at a new job? Don’t worry, everyone is!
Luckily, one career coach has you covered, sharing the most important things you should do during your first day at work to make a lasting impression on your new boss.
Life advice expert and career coach, Erin McGoff took to TikTok to reveal her helpful tips about starting a new job for anxious employees unsure of how they should start.
Here are 3 things you should always remember to do on your first day at a new job:
1. Set your tone
Normally on our first day at work, we want our colleagues and managers to have a favorable view of us. To achieve this, many employees will exaggerate their usual personalities, breaking out beaming smiles and enthusiastic voices.
However as the days go on, our usual, professional work personalities creep up on us, and the mask falls. Even if we’re not having a bad day or in a sour mood, it may appear that way to some people if we suddenly go from 100 to 0 with our enthusiasm.
“When you walk into your little office, or getting on your little Zoom call and you start meeting everybody… and you’re like, ‘Hi everybody! I’m so excited to work here! I can’t wait to work with all of you.’ And the next day you default to your normal personality, everyone’s gonna think there’s something wrong with you,” McGoff said.
“They’re gonna think you’re mad or you’re mean because you set that first impression with a different personality.”
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Therefore, McGoff explained that it is important to set your real tone and let your colleagues and managers know what your work tone usually sounds like.
More often than not, you’ll have a serious, more professional tone, and this does not make you unfriendly! It means that you take your work seriously.
2. Start a cloud folder
McGoff encourages all employees to set up a folder on their first day at work. It can be a digital folder or one they store in their desk drawer.
“You’re going to get in the habit that when you get a compliment, award, achievement, etc., you’re gonna upload it to your folder,” she said. “So when it comes time for you to look for a new job, all those little accomplishments are in that tiny little folder.”
Keeping track of positive feedback you receive at work also serves as a morale booster, reminding employees of their strengths and contributions to the organization. By keeping a record of such feedback, employees can revisit it during challenging times, boosting their confidence and motivation.
3. Set standards and boundaries
As McGoff stated, “People will take what they can get from you."
“For example, someone says to you, ‘Hey, we’re all gonna stay late tonight and work on this project,’ you can either respond, ‘Okay yeah! Let’s totally stay late,’ or ‘Actually, I’m unable to stay at the office past 5 p.m. but when I get home I can hop back on Zoom at 7 p.m.’”
There is nothing wrong with speaking up for yourself and setting fair boundaries with your colleagues and managers to prevent them from taking advantage of you.
Boundaries help delineate the line between work and personal life, preventing work from encroaching on personal time. This balance is essential for overall well-being, reducing stress and burnout, and maintaining healthy relationships outside of work.
Photo: Dean Drobot / Shutterstock
Establishing boundaries can also strengthen your professional relationships at work, ensuring that they remain respectful, supportive, and conducive to collaboration.
Starting a new job can be stressful, but with proper preparation, you can set yourself up for success.
According to a poll conducted by Monster, 87% of people admitted they felt nervous about starting a new job, with 53% claiming that starting a new job is scarier than skydiving.
While the jitters likely won't go away, following McGoff's guidelines can certainly start you off on the right foot. Just remember: be yourself, trust your instincts, and set healthy boundaries.
Approach your new job like a new adventure, and with that mindset, there's nothing you can't accomplish!
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.