What to do on your first day at work?

Congratulations!
Finally, you got offered and will start a new job on Monday.

Well, many people actually wondering what to do on your first day at work? If this is your first job, I am sure you got too excited that maybe you will experience something unexpected.

In general, I want to go through with you what should happen before you start your first day at work. Especially after having a long break or long quarantine, your mind might not be as sharp as before when you were working.

That’s okay, that’s normal and human.

Get in touch with your employer or Human Resources

Your employer might have a special protocol that you need to follow before you start your first day. A dress code, or some special instruction. So make sure that you get in touch with them and find out what you should bring or do.

Here are the list of the things that you should ask them before your first day:

Your job location

The location of your interview may not be the same place where you will be working. Make sure that you know where you are going and find out how to get there.

If you are totally unaware where is the location, the best thing to do is to try to find out where is the location at least the day before so that you know how long it will take you to get there in the morning?

Find out where to park the car

Ask them if they have a designated parking space for employees. Parking could be very expensive if you have to end up parking your car at the paid parking space for the whole day.

If you don’t drive, make sure you know how to get there on public transport or taxi. With the UBER app, you can easily find out how much it will cost you if you wish to take a taxi.

Is there special access or protocol?

If you are working at a very high-security building, make sure that you ask if you require an extra protocol that you need to follow. Make sure you have an ID of some sort to identify yourself.

What to bring with you on your first day?

They might tell you that you are not required to bring anything on your first day. However, always be prepared with at least a pen that works or a pencil and a notebook or a journal. Bring also your own laptop in case they are not yet ready with a desktop or laptop for you to use.

Dress code

Some companies have a strict dress code to follow. Either it is a smart casual or formal. Make sure that you are not underdressed or overdressed. You will fill uncomfortable the whole day if you are not following their dress code. If there is no dress code, at least come with smart casual attire.

What time you have to be there?

Some employees sometimes on their first day must attend up to a week of orientation and it could start earlier than your regular working hour. Or you might need to attend the training elsewhere and not at your work location. Or they even let you start a little bit later than the normal hour. Make sure you have the timing right.

What to prepare the day before?

Your Lunch

Some companies might provide you with lunch at their staff canteen. But never assumed that it will be. Also, maybe you don’t know where to find a good affordable place for lunch on your first day. Just to be safe, be prepared with a packed lunch.

Prepare your attire

It’s the last thing you want to do is trying to decide what to wear in the morning. Or you cannot find your favorite shirt. Or some kind of wardrobe malfunction.

For ladies, I would recommend not wearing your stilettos on your first day. You never know if you will be standing all day or walking around all day. Find comfortable but presentable shoes, at least for your first day.

Iron your shirt and pants or skirts. Make sure they are clean.

The same for the guys. The last thing you want to do is having sore feet because of your new shoes.

Prepare your handbag

How many of you will still go to work with a backpack? Okay, not that this is not allowed, but it really depends where you are working. There are office buildings where require a security check. The last thing you want to have is that you have to take everything out from your backpack at the security check.

My suggestion, prepare your handbag. Bring only the things that you really need for the first day at work. Leave the rest at home.

Here goes the first day at work

Wake up early

Don’t go to bed too late the night before and wake up early. Have your breakfast, a good breakfast. Not too much that will cause you trouble on your first day.

Take a shower

Take a shower and if necessary wash your hair. Make sure you put on deodorant. The last thing you want is when you get nervous and you start to sweat a lot. You will not realize when your body produces a body odor. So, protect yourself before anybody complaining about you.

Get to work early

As I mentioned earlier, you might need to be at a different location on your first day at work. So make sure either way, you allow yourself enough time to get there.

If you happen to be late, make sure that you call your HR or whoever that you are in touch with and let them know that you are late. You want to give a good impression still even if you are late.

The first half of your first day

If you are not attending orientation training, then your first day basically should start with greeting everyone in your team. Introduce yourself and ask people questions about them, but don’t overdo it that it sounds like you are interviewing them. Keep some questions for later. You have the time in the world to chat.

Meeting your Boss

I am sure your boss is as excited as you are that you join their team. Bear in mind that this meeting is very important that you listen very well. Take note as much as you can. Don’t be afraid of asking questions.

Take this opportunity to get to know your Boss. His leadership style. Know how to communicate with him and understand how he likes to be managed.

If your boss has a Secretary or Personal Assistant, make sure that you greet her and introduce yourself. She could be the most resourceful person in the entire company. Don’t get too flirty or disturbing her, but enough to get to know her a bit. You still want to make a good impression.

Your second half of the day

In your second half of the day, you will start to get overwhelmed with the amount of information and the number of tasks that your boss wants you to jump right in.

Take a deep breath and grab a cup of coffee or tea to refresh yourself. Keep yourself in order and organize, because congratulations, you are almost done with your first day at work.

Write down all the passwords you have been shared to access anything that day. You don’t want to keep forgetting them.

Your First Day Checklist

If you ever need to use my First Day Checklist, you can download it for FREE here.

I know how it feels going back to work after awhile, it can get very overwhelming. Good luck with your new job.

For Human Resources, you can also share this checklist with your new employee as part of their On-boarding checklist. It is best to also impress your employees on their first day. They will always need your guidance.