Lauren RileyWhen you start a new job, you’ll be feeling a mixture of emotions from excitement to nervousness, and you’ll be desperate to make a good first impression.
In your first few days in your new job, you’ll be wanting to prove yourself, as well as getting to know all of your new co-workers and managers, and it can all be a bit overwhelming.
If walking through the doors of your new office give you horrible flashbacks of the first day of school, then this blog will help you to avoid some common mistakes made in a new job! We’ve also covered what you should bring to your first day previously – so you’ll be totally prepared!
1) Unprofessional Clothing
First impressions can be made instantly when you start a new job, and the first impression you make to your colleagues will probably be based on what you look like.
Turning up in a mini skirt or low cut top won’t earn you the professional reputation you were looking for, neither will a creased shirt, stained trousers or dirty shoes.
Plan your outfit the night before, and think back to the interview to get an idea of what the office dress code is. If you can’t remember – email your contact to ask. You don’t want to turn up in a three-piece suit when everyone else is in jeans and a t-shirt!
2) Being Late
On your first day, everyone will be eagerly awaiting your arrival, your desk space will be prepared and everyone will be ready to welcome you.
So, if you stroll in 20 minutes late, it won’t exactly give off the best first impression!
Make sure everything is prepped and ready the night before, make sure you know the route to work and leave yourself plenty of time to get to the office.
3) Getting Things Delivered To Work
When you first start a job, you’ll probably be in a probation period for a few months – so it’s not the time to kick back and get too comfy.
This includes getting personal items delivered to the office rather than your home!
Not only is this unprofessional, it’s cheeky and makes you seem like you’re not taking the probation period – or the job – seriously.
4) Not Paying Attention
In the first few days of your new job, there’ll be a lot of information to take in – from where the bathroom is and how people like their tea and coffee, to what your login details are and what your day-to-day tasks will be.
During this time, it’s really important to pay attention to what everyone tells you, otherwise you’ll end up looking clueless further down the line.
If you think you’ll forget things, write them all down in a notepad that you can keep in your desk drawer and refer to if you ever get stuck.
5) Not Asking Questions
Similar to the last point, another mistake people make when they start a new job is not asking enough questions.
You might not want to bother people, but it’s going to be more annoying for your colleagues if they have to explain things to you three months after they first told you.
If you don’t understand something – speak up! You’re not expected to get everything in your first few days, your co-workers will understand – they were you once!
6) Breaking Down Over Mistakes
During your first few days, you’ll understandably not want to make any mistakes and will be out to prove that you can do the job.
But, as with anything new, you’re bound to make a couple of mistakes here and there, and you shouldn’t beat yourself up about it!
Instead of getting upset or angry at yourself and trying to cover it up, own up to your mistakes, learn from them and then it won’t happen again. This period is all about learning – so no one’s going to expect you to get everything right straight away.
7) Oversharing
An important part of starting a new job is getting to know your colleagues, so you’ll probably have some non-work-related conversations with them at some point, but be careful not to overshare.
You might become close friends with some of your co-workers over time, but maybe in the first few days of your job, you should avoid talking about your marital problems, weird habits, or crazy nights out!
8) Moaning
A new employee is always expected to be enthusiastic about the job and the business, so if you start moaning about certain aspects of the job as soon as you walk through the door, it won’t put you in the greatest light!
Yes, the lunches might be rubbish, there might be no parking, or the office might be too cold, but it’s not your place as the newbie to start complaining about this on the first day.
9) Turning Down Social Events
If your new colleagues invite you for a coffee at lunch, or for a drink after work, you should grab the opportunity with both hands.
Take the chance to get to know your co-workers outside of a work scenario and make some friends along the way.
If you turn these down you might not get asked again, and you could find yourself being ostracized in the office.
10) Gossiping
This should go without saying, but gossiping with co-workers is something to avoid at all times – especially when you’re a newbie.
Gossiping can have a detrimental effect on your career, you can make enemies quickly, and it’s just plain nasty!
If anyone tries to gossip with you, quickly change the subject or let them know nicely that you’re not interested in gossiping.
So there we go, some things you should definitely avoid when you start a new job! Do you agree with the tips or have any of your own?
Let me know in the comments below!
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