5 Things to Do on Your First Day at a New Job

Congratulations, you got the job! Perhaps you’re filled with nervous excitement as you plan for your first day and imagine what it’ll be like in your new position. Perhaps your new employer has a formal new employee orientation or maybe you’ll just be thrown into it.

Regardless, there are some things you can do on your first day to set the tone for your new work experience and to ensure that you get off on the right foot.

In addition to planning what to wear on that first day, consider how you might fit the following into your first day plans.  

Get organized. There is no better time to figure out the best system of organization for your work style. By day two you might already find things to be a chaotic mess and struggle to catch up. Talk with your supervisor and co-workers about the methods they use to keep things organized and under control and begin to implement your own system immediately.

Eat lunch with others. Sure, you might need some time alone to catch your breath and refocus your energies but do that over a short break. Do not eat lunch by yourself. If no one invites you to join them, take the initiative and extend the invitation to your colleagues. You’ll feel more comfortable on the job the quicker you get to know the people you work closely with every day.

Familiarize yourself with the layout of the building. Take a few minutes to get the lay of the land. Some companies will take new employees on a tour of the workspace and even if you get this tour, take some time to wander around on your own. You’ll become more easily oriented when you look around at your own pace and stop to situate yourself. Even if you work in a small office you’ll want to know where the kitchenette and rest rooms are located. 

Meet the person in charge of technology. Regardless of our work, we usually end up needing to use some form of technology to get the job done. And our tech eventually breaks down or malfunctions. On your first day take some time to seek out the person you’ll need to contact in this situation. Understand the best way to contact him or her and how you submit a request for help.

Be friendly and curious. This should be obvious but might be difficult if you’re overcome with anxiety. Make an effort to smile, be friendly with those you meet, and be curious about the work. Everyone you come in contact with does something of value to your new company and your job will be more enjoyable if you understand what it is that they do and how it relates to your new position.

Enjoy that new job and congrats!

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Tips for Organizing Your Workspace

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career and life development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

In the video below from Fast Company, best-selling author Marie Kondo provides some tips for tidying up a messy desk at work. Check out the video for more.

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This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Landing a Job after a Parenting Gap: "As much as you may want to believe that quitting your job to parent won’t affect your career long term, the unfortunate reality is that landing a job after a gap can be a challenge."

• How to Keep Learning: "Remember that learning new things isn’t always about getting a raise or earning a promotion. Learning in all forms is inherently beneficial."

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• How to Plan Your Own Networking Event: "if you’re interested in organizing your own networking gathering, here are five strategies you can use to curate your attendees and bring a fascinating mix of people together."
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This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• Identify Your Life Purpose & Leverage it in Your Career:"each of us can identify a key, over-arching purpose of our lives and live from that knowledge, and doing so is helpful and positive. And I've seen that when we do, we open the door to experiencing more joy, peace, satisfaction and positive energy."

• 7 Ways to Maximize Your Workspace & Productivity: "Now that I’ve fully implemented the formula, I’m much happier and infinitely more productive. My desk is now my oasis. Adopting these seven habits made all the difference."

• How to Be Creative When You're Feeling Stressed: "f you still feel stuck and just can’t come up with something new, then you may want to give your brain more material to work with. This could look like reading on the topic, taking a field trip to a place where you can see other people’s creative solutions to a similar problem, or talking to experts."

• How to Stay Productive When You Travel A Lot: "People overvalue money and undervalue time. I have been willing to spend money to make sure I am fully staffed so that I can leverage my time better."
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