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Employee Engagement | 4 minute read

8 Things to do on your first day of work to calm new job anxiety

August 8, 2016

Are you suffering from new job anxiety – thinking about all the things to prepare for during your first day of work? The first day is critical for making a good first impression. It's time to get to know your team members and learn the ins and outs of the new role and company. It is also important to settle in with your team and take pointers on everything from where to locate different departments to standard office hours.

Well, don't stress about starting a new job! We're sharing eight tips to make the first week of your exciting new job a breeze! Keep these in mind, but be sure to tweak based on company policy and any handbook requirements.

 

1. Show up early

Practice the commute before your first day and always give yourself extra time in case of accidents or delays! Make sure to arrive at least 15 minutes early, not only the first day but also the entire first week — and keep that trend going if you can. If you work virtually, sign on early and get a jump on email before logging onto your companies instant messaging tool.

2. Dress the part

Determine the dress code of the office before your first day. You do not want to be wearing jeans when everyone else is in suits. What you wear is more important than you may think, so it’s important to show you have researched and asked about the office vibe before your first day.

3. Smile

Don’t forget to enjoy the moment! After the job search, interview and landing (hopefully) your dream job, remember to take it all in! Also remember when meeting new colleagues that everyone likes to be greeted with a genuine smile. It will also show how elated and enthusiastic you are to start your new position.

4. Leveraging lunch

If anyone, whether it be your new boss or a coworker, asks you for lunch the first week, be sure to go out. This is a great way to get to know the people you will be working with! So save the packed leftovers for another day. Go into your first week with a “yes” mindset — don’t turn anything down and be open to new opportunities.

5. Pay attention to your body language

We can change people’s perceptions about us just by changing our body language. To appear more confident your first day, stand up straight, smile, look at the person you are speaking to in the eye, avoid crossing your arms and fidgeting, and always give a firm handshake.

6. Communicate using colleague’s first names

Always make a genuine effort to remember a colleague's name — everyone likes to be remembered. Here are a couple tips for those terrible at remembering names: Focus on the person, repeat their name aloud, repeat his or her name silently, make a vivid association to their name with something familiar to you and lastly conclude the interaction with his or her name.

7. Talk to everyone

It does not matter if the coworker is an intern or the CEO — just try to have a chat with everyone you meet! This will show how friendly, approachable and confident you are. So be sure to reach out and try to introduce yourself to as many people in the first week as you can!

8. And lastly, do not be afraid to be yourself

To make a good first impression, be honest and authentic. Your coworkers want to truly know who you are, so be open about your experiences.

About WilsonHCG

WilsonHCG is an award-winning, global leader in total talent solutions. Operating as a strategic partner, it helps some of the world’s most admired brands build comprehensive talent functions. With a global presence spanning more than 65 countries and six continents, WilsonHCG provides a full suite of configurable talent services including recruitment process outsourcing (RPO), executive search, contingent talent solutions and talent consulting. TALENT.™ It’s more than a solution, it’s who we are.