Confidence 101: Entering Your New Job with a Can-Do Attitude
Going into a new job or internship can be scary, especially the first day there. All of us want to do the best we can to impress our new boss, but it can be challenging settling into the swing of things. I will be going over a few helpful tips to calm your nerves when you enter your job for the first time. The big thing to remember when going into your new job or internship is that you are qualified for the position. You made it this far, so remember that you have the skills that the company is looking for!
To prepare for your first day at the job, make sure to give yourself enough time to navigate to and around the office, in case there is traffic or you are unsure where your workplace will be. You may want to try driving to your office before your first day to see how traffic is and where to park. Also, having multiple alarms the night before will help if you sleep through a few. You want to walk into the office confident and on time.
A good starting point for your new job is to learn. Make sure to go over your position thoroughly to ensure understanding of what your responsibilities are. Take in what your co-workers say and how the flow of the office works. Your office will most likely have an official organizational chart that shows workplace processes. Make sure you learn the different parts of the organization and where you fit into the big picture. It is important to learn where everything in the office is and where each department is to establish rapport with colleagues as well as feel connected to other aspects of your company. If you are not given a tour, ask one of your coworkers if they can show you around!
It is important to absorb everything you learn on the first day. It will be overwhelming, but important later down the line. You will get to learn more about your company’s culture and see it firsthand yourself. Also, get to know your team! When meeting your teammates make sure to be friendly. Learn how they work and how they communicate with one another. Do not be afraid to ask them questions to get to know them. An example of this could be, “How long have you been working here?”
Speaking of asking questions, a big thing a lot of people get nervous about when joining a company is asking too many questions. It is important to remember that your boss does not expect you to remember everything, especially since you are just starting out. It is okay to ask questions, in fact, it is encouraged that you do to make sure you are staying on track. If you are unsure who to ask, ask the person who hired you who to go to.
When asking questions make sure you remember the answers to them. This will help you not ask the same questions over and over again and prove you know how to absorb information. A good tip is to have a notebook where you can write down the answers to your questions and anything else you think is important. This way you can go back to your notes if you forget or look back on if you get stuck on the same question again.
Remember that it is okay to speak up. You are now part of the team and if you have a good idea then tell your coworkers. It will show you can take initiative and help the team out. Make sure to “read the room” before speaking and not over-talk your coworkers. This can come off as arrogant or overconfident.
Come into your new job or internship with an open mind. You are entering a whole new atmosphere where there will be a lot of people from different backgrounds. It is important to remember that people will have different ideas than their own. Make sure you allow everyone to be heard. You want to ensure you are respecting everyone else’s ideas so they respect yours. Remember everyone has different opinions and that is okay.
Another important reminder is to demonstrate good work habits from the beginning. If you start strong with excellent time management, then it will help down the road when the work piles up. Having good habits like this from the start will make your life easier and show your supervisors that you are doing the best you can. Have to-do lists for the day or a calendar marked with dates when projects and meetings are scheduled. This will help you manage your time and make sure you never miss an important date. Having goals is also important because it will motivate you to stay on track and do your best to succeed. These will help you down the line when you are getting more work on your plate.
Try to get involved with informal events and organizations at your company. This will allow you to form relationships at your company. Also, it is important to take some time to have fun outside of work. Forming bonds with your coworkers will make tackling big projects together more manageable. It is also nice to develop workplace friendships and feel excited to spend your day with your team!
Keep in mind that you don’t have to take on too much, too fast in your new job. You will be eager to show your boss that you are capable of multitasking, but if you take on too much you will overstress yourself and fall behind. When starting out at your new job, first work on projects you are assigned first before taking on additional responsibilities. This will ensure that you finish the assigned work in time before anything else and demonstrate you can follow directions.
The last tip is to ask for feedback from your supervisors and team members. This shows that you want to learn and are not afraid of making improvements. Your supervisor and team members will realize you want to grow. It is also important to see what others think of your work and how they think you can improve. This is beneficial for future projects and shows you care about the work you are producing.
Entering a new environment can be very stressful, but remember that you were picked out of the many applicants for your job or internship. Go into your job confidently and excited to learn! Know that you have resources if you get stuck and just take every day one by one, learning more as you go along. Soon you will be helping out the next new member of your team and thinking back to when you first started at your company.
By: Meng Hembrey
