Starting a new job can be a daunting prospect. After successfully impressing management at interview stage, you now you need to extend this to the whole office.
First impressions do count, so it is important to make sure you are prepared for your first week and understand how your behaviour might affect how you settle in.
Managing information overload
Your first week will require you to take on a huge amount of information. It's unlikely there will be another week in your time at a company where you will have to learn as much as your first week.
Understanding all the complex processes and procedures which will be unique to the organisation, alongside performing your job can be challenging.
Try to manage this by making notes of the details you learn so that you only need to be told once, and take some time at the start or end of the day to review what you have been doing.
Use this time to consider any gaps in your understanding and make plans to ask questions to counter these areas.
Managing attitudes
What you perceive as confidence may be considered arrogance by others. When starting a new job it is important that you recognise building relationships is as important as bedding into an activity.
Try to maintain a balance between respecting others knowledge whilst imparting your own. Your first week will rarely be a good time to make any drastic changes to how things are done. Instead, learn from those around you, show them why you got the job through your skills. Once you have earned their trust then you can start making any changes that you feel are necessary.
Managing relationships
Just as you wouldn’t want to be judged solely on your first week, it is important that you keep an open mind about the team around you.
It is easy to fall into the trap of pigeonholing people based on their first encounter with you. But try not to! Now is a great time to apply the rule of the benefit of the doubt.
People pick up on the way they are treated and you might just find that by jumping in at the deep end you will alienating someone who might have been your biggest ally. Try to keep an open mind about everyone.
Managing downtime
When people are familiar with each other and already have routines for breaks and lunch times it can seem isolating. Breaking into a social gathering is difficult - but rewarding if you can. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself in the first week, be open to options for lunch invites if they arise but have a backup plan if not. Take some time to understand the groups in the office and who instigates the social. That might be someone you want to focus some attention on getting to know over the coming weeks.
Conclusion
It’s always tough getting settled into a new workplace but take time to manage well, understanding everything and everyone that is around you. Keep composure, taking every new aspect in your stride and asking questions along the way, will benefit you greatly in the long run.