Tips to Succeed on Your First Day of Work

After reading many articles of advice from seasoned career experts, here is a general list of tips and advice for your first day.

• On your first day, wear a suit. Always dress conservatively until you can gauge what is appropriate to wear based upon everyone else. Even after you’ve seen how everyone else dresses, dress for the job you want, even if it means a suit everyday when your colleagues are in khaki’s and a button-down.
• Plan out your route to work and have a few alternate routes in case of severe traffic or a roadway shuts down.
• Be sure to be polite on the way to work as well- you don’t want to cut off your boss (or worse!) on your way to work and have him notice you, in a bad way!
• Always arrive at work on time, if not a little early.
• Walk in with a smile on your face. Keep your head up and remember to make eye contact. Be polite and friendly to everyone you encounter, whether it's the receptionist or the mailroom clerk, your colleagues or your new boss.
• Stick to your lunch hour, and if you are particularly busy, eat at your desk or come back early.
• Understand that on the first day, you could be really busy, or you could be sitting around. Some companies prepare extensively for a new hire and prepare training and work for them. Others won’t know what to do with you on the first day and you might not get a badge or anything to do for days. Or they’ll give you something menial to do to fill up time.
• Introduce yourself to those you meet and remember that it's okay to ask questions. People generally like to help others and it usually makes them feel good about themselves.
• While it's okay to hold onto some of things you learned in your previous jobs or internships, and/or the knowledge you gained in school and use that knowledge in your new job, remember that every workplace has it's own way of doing things. Your first few weeks or even months on a job is not the time to change the way things get done. Do not utter these words: "That's not how we did it at XYZ" Your colleagues will just be thinking this: "Well, you're not at XYZ and if you liked it so much why didn't you stay there."
• LISTEN!
• Stay away from office gossip. You can pay attention to what you hear through the grapevine- that can be helpful. However don't contribute to it.
• Always knock before you enter. Although barging into your best friend’s dorm room may have been okay, barging into your supervisor's office is not okay.
• Answer the telephone politely, even if the call is internal.
• Find a mentor. Look for someone on your career path who is willing to take you under his or her wing. Your own supervisor may not be a good idea, but someone else under his supervision may be a good idea.
• Don't pretend to know things you don't. However, do your homework. Learn what you need to know.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you are assigned a project and are not sure how it should be completed, ask. It's better to ask before the project is due, than to have it delayed because it was done incorrectly.
• Always stick to deadlines. Bosses usually want projects completed on time. If there is any flexibility, she will let you know.
• Pay close attention to corporate culture. Are relationships formal or friendly? Does everyone arrive early and stay late? Are lunch hours short or non-existent? At a minimum, do what everyone else does – if not more!