How to Make a Great First Impression in a New Job
Congratulations! You have a new job, and that indeed is worth celebrating; however, it can be an event that fills you with mixed emotions. Happiness that your skills and expertise have been recognised, but nerves too, what if you make mistakes, or your skills fall short?
You also must contend with entering a new workplace culture that you do not know will suit your personality. What if you hate it? There’s a lot to be thinking about.
Research commissioned by 4imprint has shown that half of workers have a terrible first day, which is itself a daunting statistic, so to help you have a great first day in your new role, here are 3 tips to guide you through the minefield of making a good, if not sensational, first impression.
1. Contact your manager
Before your start date looms, contact your line manager and ask them if they have any suggestions for how you can prepare. Respondents to the research identified that being fully prepared and knowledgeable about the company ahead of the start day ensured that it was a success. It can be about what to wear; is there a corporate uniform or preferred dress code?
The most common source of creating a wrong impression was turning up underdressed for the workplace culture. Corporate workwear can help create a strong first impression, so find out in advance whether there is something that you should specifically wear. If there is, arrange to collect it before your first day so that you can arrive ready and prepared for the new challenge.
2. Practice Commute
If your new job means that you must take a new commute route, take a dry run to check that you can get to your new job on time. You need to be able to make sure that you have all your ducks in a row, that your train will get in with good time to catch the bus, etc. Do your dry run on a day and time that will mirror your working pattern. The weekend and evenings will have different traffic to rush hour on a Monday morning. After all, 58% of respondents said arriving at work early boosted their confidence.
You can use this opportunity to make sure that you have the right site because turning up at the wrong location will not create a good first impression! Check your paperwork to confirm exactly where you will be working.
3. The Night Before
The night before you start your new job, prepare your work clothes. This means ironing shirts, cleaning shoes and packing your bag. 82% of respondents believe that their work attire is central to making a good first impression. Be mindful that your colleagues, customers and clients make a decision about you within the first 26 seconds of meeting you, so your first impression must be a good one!
You don’t want your morning to start off on the wrong foot by being rushed and forgetting something that you need. Check that you have the relevant paperwork packed, which includes your P45 from your previous employer, photograph identification and bank details for HR.
Starting a new job is a big deal and can make you feel anxious just thinking about it! However, if you prepare efficiently, you will be able to make your first impression be remembered for all the right reasons. Good luck!
