To be successful in week one of your new position, it’s all about balance. You want to make a great first impression with your co-workers, but you shouldn’t put too much pressure on yourself to get everything right. The goal of week one is to learn about your new workplace and feel out your role in that environment.
Here are 5 tips to help you get through your first week on the job.
Introduce yourself
Your first week on the job can be nerve wracking and intimidating, but that’s a natural feeling. When you’re new to the company, you don’t necessarily want to bring attention to yourself, but in the first days of a new job, you want your enthusiasm to be noticed. During a meeting (when appropriate) or on your own time, give a quick and friendly introduction to the people you don’t know yet.
If meeting new people is particularly important to you, you can enlist the help of others. Mention to your manager that introducing yourself is a priority for you and ask for a list of people you should get to know. In meetings, you could ask the organizer to give you some time at the beginning or end to introduce yourself.
Ask Questions
When you ask more questions to become more comfortable with your new work environment, you can perform, By asking your leaders and peers for new information, you’ll get up to speed quickly. In your first week, you want to find the right time to ask questions. Here are some guidelines for deciding what to ask:
- Think about what you want to know
- Prioritize the information you need
- Write down your questions so you don’t forget
Create Friendships
Once you’ve made some introductions and have a sense of who you’ll be working with, ask a new colleague to lunch or coffee. It could be the person sitting next to you or another new employee who started at the same time. Developing a trusted relationship will make you feel more comfortable as you’re getting to know this new workplace. Making friends can also help improve your productivity!
During this first week, you may not find your best friend or develop a deep relationship with anyone, but seeking out someone you can relate to will provide some needed stability.
Learn Your Office Layout and Location
Locate the restrooms, the coffee and water, the stairs and elevators, where you can eat lunch and take breaks, and seek out any other amenities this workplace offers. If you haven’t been given a tour, consider asking a colleague for one.
In this first week, you may also want to experiment with your commute to find the right times to leave home and test different routes or transportation methods. Identifying and establishing the routines early on will give you peace of mind.
Add Value Wherever You Can
In your first week, your main priority should be to soak up information and adjust to a new place of employment, but consider challenging yourself to add value – whether it’s big or small. Here are two ideas of where to start:
- Ask your manager what their biggest pain point is and spend some time thinking about how you can help. Don’t force it or overstep boundaries, but if there’s something you can do, do it!
- Think back to your interview – was there a specific need that came up? Communicate with your manager on how you would approach solving this problem or need.