So, you’ve aced the interview, made sure that your potential employer knows that you are willing to do whatever it takes to obtain this position, and they’ve just called and offered you a new job. Success! You can relax now, right? Well, probably not. Starting a new job can be intimidating, and it’s important to make sure that your co-workers know that you take your new position seriously—that you want to be a team player and carry your weight with everyone else. This will help to ensure that you keep your new job as long as you’d like, and could potentially help you to make new contacts that just might come in handy in the future.
First things first when making a good impression: be on time. No one likes waiting around for someone else, especially not your new boss. If it’s your first day, try to be ten to fifteen minutes early so that you can wander around your new office and figure out where everything is. You could also take some time to introduce yourself to a few people and make some “inside” friends. Showing up a little early shows the management that you take them, and your position, seriously. You don’t have to show up early for every shift, but it’s not a bad idea to give yourself five minutes or so to get settled in before you’re supposed to be on the clock. This will make sure that your not rushed or stressed when starting your day, and will help you to be more productive overall.
Secondly, it’s important to dress the part. If you are working in an upscale office in the middle of a bustling city, you’re going to need to wear business clothes. This means trousers and a shirt and tie with some nice dress shoes for men. For women, you can opt for a pencil skirt and nice shirt, or some dress slacks and heels. Whatever you decide to wear, make sure that you are at the same level that your co-workers are at—this is a great way to gauge the dress code of the office. You also want to make sure that you’re clean and put-together. This means hair done, a few accessories thrown on, and maybe some nice perfume/cologne (but don’t overdo it on the smell, or you may have some unhappy people in your office).
Finally, it’s crucial to live up to your word in order to make a good impression on people. When it comes to deadlines or projects, do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. If you’re struggling with something, or feel like you’re falling behind, be open and honest with your boss. Most employers will see your honesty as something to be valued in the workforce and realize that you care about your job. If this job is important to you, make sure you prioritize your tasks and really put a lot of effort into what you’re doing—again, you never know where a contact you make could lead you, and you want to make sure that everyone around you knows that your dedicated to your position.
Just remember to be yourself, and put 100% effort into everything you do. Your employers clearly liked what they saw when you came in for your interview, so stay true to who you are and be confident in that. If you work hard, you’re guaranteed success. So keep it up!
