Prep to Impress: 5 Tips for the First Day of Work

Guest post by Melissa James, Hack.Diversity Cofounder

Starting a new job can be a little intimidating for everyone, especially on that first day. There’s the daunting task of introducing yourself to coworkers, building a healthy rapport with your boss, and perhaps most importantly, making sure you’re efficiently doing what your job entails.

If you’re starting at a new position soon, we’ve got you covered. Try out these practical tips to ensure first-day success:

1. Show up 30 mins early

The common saying goes something like, “You’re late if you’re on time, you’re on time if you’re 15 minutes early.” Well, we’re going to kick it up a notch and advise you arrive 30 minutes early. This allows you to comfortably settle into your new work environment and make all necessary introductions before diving into assigned tasks.

2. Bring a notebook

Come prepared to learn. More likely than not, there’ll be a lot to catch up on, and a notebook is always useful to organize your thoughts, remind yourself about upcoming tasks, and write down important memos your boss may mention.

3. Understand what happened previously in the role.

To make the smoothest transition possible, ask your manager and team members what your predecessor did in your position. Where did they leave off on major projects? Who specifically did they work closely with? Are there recurring responsibilities or meetings you should be aware of? Finding the answers to these questions could make you much more confident about where and how to get started in your new role.

4. What needs to get done in the next 30 days?

Just because it’s the first day doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be thinking ahead. Discuss with your manager what is expected of you to accomplish within your first month and beyond. This way, you’ll be able to properly orient your goals and prioritize tasks based on their due date.

5. Stay focused!

Remember, you have an impression to make! Stay focused, take initiative, and prove early that you are a responsible, hard worker.

Hack.Diversity internships at Carbonite, DataXu, Hubspot, Vertex, and Wayfair will start as early as May 15th. ICYMI, meet our cohort!

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