Before Starting A New Job

Congratulations! You’ve been hired and you’ve got a few days before you’re due to start your new job. There are a few things you should do between now and then.

For starters, make sure you’ve shared your good news with all the stakeholders you involved right from the beginning. Whether an email sent out to them, a phone call, a personal card or notification on your social media platform, let everybody know the news. After all, whether you told 6 people or 50 people, all those people are under the impression you are still actively looking unless they hear otherwise. Even if you never heard a word from them, it’s a good practice to communicate your success with them.

The people who really need to hear your good news the most are, I would argue, those who agreed to stand up and be a reference for you. If they were contacted by the company, it could well be that part of the decision to offer you a job was based in part on the conversation the interviewer had with these people. Those folks may have had to keep you foremost in their minds as they went about their daily work just on the off-chance that someone called and asked about you. Seems like the very least you should do is thank them personally.

Depending how long you have been out of work, you might find that your wardrobe is dated. You’re going to want to make a good impression on day one, and taking a trip to the store to pick up something you are going to feel confident in on day one could be just the thing. If you’ve been scrimping and saving, this is one thing you can do for yourself that will lift your spirits. If you paid attention to how the people dressed in the company when you had your visit, you’ll have an idea of what to wear. Not sure? Why not call and ask about the expected dress code? And consider a haircut too.

Some organizations are really well-organized and you’ll have people looking for you right from day 1. You may be met in reception, given a tour, have a meeting with your new boss right off the bat and then get introduced to others and given some time to set up in your work area. In some cases, there could be poor communication and planning, and when you arrive, no one seems ready to receive you and make you feel welcomed. Pay attention to how you feel and how you are brought into the organization one way or the other. This could be a great opportunity to improve the experience of new hires.

Planning is important for you as much as it is by the company. You should have planned out how you will get to your workplace, asked where to park your vehicle and if the parking is free or not. The last thing you want to do is have to drive around for 15 minutes once you arrive and then appear to be late walking in the door. And it might not be advisable to park in the area reserved for your boss. If you are reluctant to contact your new boss for this information, call the general number and ask the Receptionist. Getting his or her name will also give you someone to say hello to when you arrive on your first morning.

Think ahead about your lunch too. Eat in or eat out on day 1? Good advice is to bring your lunch and plan to eat in the lunch area presumably provided, but if you get a chance to go out with some people, leave the lunch there for the next day and go. Making friends or just being welcomed by a few people and included in their lunch time is a great way to start off. If no offers are made to you regarding lunch plans, you can eat your lunch and maybe use your time to keep your eyes and ears open. Be friendly!

Oddly enough, there is something to look out for on your first day. While no one may know you, you might actually find that it appears someone or a group of people aren’t too happy with your arrival. Why would that be? Could be something like the person they thought would get the job is a friend, relative, neighbour etc., of someone who works there now. Your co-workers might resent not you specifically, but you in general because you got the job they hoped would go to someone else. This isn’t fair to you of course, but it could be you’ll need time to win them over and give you a break. No need to be everyone’s best friend on day 1.

Also on your first day, don’t bring a lot of knickknacks to work. Little figurines, toy cars, desktop golf games etc. might be cute in the store, but find out what is acceptable and what is not before you show up with lots of things you accumulated at your last job. You might find that poster you wanted to hang in your locker or adorn your wall with offends your colleagues.

It feels good to get a job doesn’t it? Part of your identity is coming back, and so is your confidence. Awesome!

Written By Kelly Mitchell

Before Starting A New Job was originally published @ myjobadvice and has been syndicated with permission.