Your attitude is just as important as your abilities and skills. From high-stress offices to fast-paced restaurants, learning how to navigate a new job requires a unique blend of dedication and social skills. You can learn to make a good impression on the first day and turn it into a good reputation in the future.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Starting a New Job
Step 1. Get there early
On your first day, it's important to make a good impression and be on time. Make sure to arrive early so that you have plenty of time to prepare and change, if necessary, to start your day. You should be ready 10-15 minutes before your day begins.
- If you have to take public transportation or are unfamiliar with the location of your work place, visit that place a few days before so you know for sure how long it will take you to get there and where it is located.
- Don't stay longer after your shift. Leaving late can indicate that you are not organizing your time properly. Impress your boss by arriving early enough to get ready for the day. Then leave when you're done.
Step 2. Listen and apply what you heard
People won't expect you to be excellent right away at most of your tasks. Also, most employers know that there is a learning curve with new workers. So don't worry too much about making mistakes and making mistakes on the first day, but focus on learning as much as you can and listening carefully to make sure you don't miss a thing.
Make it your goal to only make a mistake once. If your boss teaches you how to do something, listen to it and remind yourself so you don't have to ask again
Step 3. Don't be afraid to ask
Many new employees are embarrassed to ask questions, so they end up doing things the wrong way. Learn to identify when you need help. Asking especially on your first day shouldn't embarrass you. It's better to get explained once and make sure you get it right, rather than trying to guess and then be exposed for it later on.
Step 4. Try to anticipate what to do next
The process for each workplace is very different. Even if you are talented, it can take a while to understand what to do and in what order. The best way to stand out as a good worker on your first day is to try to analyze the situation and understand what to do next.
- In some jobs, the first day involves a lot of looking around. Take action when you see an opportunity. If you see an employee carrying large packages from one place to another, don't wait for them to tell you that you can help.
- In some jobs, you need to ask before you act. If you start working in a kitchen and there are some dirty dishes, it may seem obvious that they should go to the dishwasher, but there may be another procedure, so ask.
Step 5. Clean without being asked
Something that is constant in any workplace is cleanliness and safety. Cleaning usually does not require any training. Find things you can organize or ways you can clean to make your workplace that much more enjoyable.
- If you work in an office, change the coffee filter and put in a new mug. Wash the cups, spoons and throw away the waste. Help tidy up shared areas if they need to be fixed.
- If you work in the kitchen or restaurant, keep an eye out for obstacles someone might trip over or help wash the dishes in the back. Help out in the laundry room if necessary. Try to find a way to always keep yourself busy.
Step 6. Be yourself
Your success will not come thanks to what you know, how talented you are or even what you do on the first day, but your attitude and behavior. Your employer hired you because there was something about the combination of your skills and personality that will benefit your workplace. Have faith in your ability to succeed as yourself and don't think about having to be someone you are not.
You don't have to act like your colleagues for better or for worse. It takes time for people to get used to someone new, so give your colleagues time to get used to your personality rather than changing your behavior to match theirs
Part 2 of 3: Be a Good Worker
Step 1. Set short-term work goals
Being a good employee includes doing more than what you are asked to do. Try to be the best employee you can be by creating short-term personal goals to help you stand out. After a few days at work, try to identify the things that you need to try harder and make them a goal to get where you want to go.
- If you work in the kitchen, make it your goal to learn sandwich recipes before the month is out so you don't have to refer to your recipe sheet. Also, you can make it your goal to have your plate ready before the other employees.
- Worry more about the quality of your work and less about the speed during the first weeks. Learn how to prepare each sandwich well before worrying about making it quick. Worry about working faster or producing more as time progresses.
Step 2. Be willing and realistic about what you can do
Good employees are volunteers and are willing to take on additional responsibilities when asked. If you want to build a reputation that you are a trustworthy employee, you must be willing to do the things that need to be done.
- It is also important to know your limits. If you have 10 things to do before you retire, don't offer to do something else that will take several hours. Organize your time correctly.
- Be careful when necessary. If a colleague asks you to do something that you are not sure about, it will be more helpful if you think of an alternate plan. Be cautious and ask your boss for help if necessary.
Step 3. Just do your job, not someone else's
Good employees do not interfere and take care of their things. When you're at work, focus on doing your duties as well as possible. Don't spend your time meddling in work and other people's business. Stand out for complying with everything you have to do.
Avoid gossip at work. It's easy to fall for some typical work distractions that can distract you from your responsibilities. However, just focus on doing your job, not on how well others are doing
Step 4. Be dynamic
If you see debris lying on the floor, don't walk around or tell your boss that someone has to pick it up. Just collect them yourself. Do things to create a better work environment, not to appear to be a better employee.
Step 5. Add something else
Get your job done right and get it done, then find ways to do a little extra work to help the company meet its goals. Good employees bring creative ideas for improvement and efficient strategies to create a better work environment.
Try to come up with some creative ideas from time to time, then keep them on hand in case they help in the future. Take five minutes to discuss your idea privately with your boss, rather than bringing it up in a group meeting with multiple people
Part 3 of 3: Have the Right Attitude
Step 1. Set long-term work goals
Where do you plan to be in 5 years? And in 10 years? How does this job help you get there? Set clear and achievable goals for yourself at work and strive to achieve them each week. Knowing if your work is related to your main goals in life will give you confidence and motivation to empower the company and yourself.
- Try keeping a list of what you work on to help you achieve it during the week. What you do now may not seem important. However, how does it help you achieve your goal? How does it make you excel?
- The main goals of the company are also important and you should always keep them in mind.
Step 2. Speak well about other workers
Employers appreciate workers who support other good employees. If you always make an effort and help the company's goals to be achieved, you will become someone you can trust. Use your voice to help them recognize and promote the people who deserve it.
- If one group of employees mocks or criticizes another, do not participate. It's so easy to fall for those irritating cliches at work, but it can create a toxic work environment. Don't be a part of it.
- If you are part of this to earn a place in the company, you may win a place in the short term, but you would lose it in the long term by creating bad relationships with other employees. Let your boss evaluate you on your work and your skills, and determine where you best fit in the company.
Step 3. Enjoy what you do
Employers value workers who are proud of what they do. If you are doing something you are passionate about, it will be easy. But if you work only for the salary, it will be a little more difficult to become passionate about it. Find ways to enjoy what you do so that your passion shines through your work.
For the moment, stay focused on what the job has to offer and remember that if you are successful at it, things will be easier. If you are working to feed your family or to pay for your studies, remember that what you do in this job will directly affect that part of your life
Step 4. Treat all people with dignity and respect
While some people at work are difficult to deal with, you need to remember that if you treat them badly, you are negatively affecting your opportunities at the company. Your colleagues were handpicked just like you, so being disrespectful to any of them will show that you devalue your employer's performance.