Make a winning impression in your first week at work

You finally got the job you wanted and now you need to make a lasting first impression. You don’t want to come off as a pushover, but at the same time you don’t want to be perceived as entitled and arrogant. Here are some great pointers about how to go about this. 

1.Arrive on time:

15 minutes before arrival time is on time; this is the general rule you need to abide by with time keeping. If your reporting time is 8am, be there by 7.45 am. Traffic is not a tolerated excuse. 

2. Look the part:

By this time you know what the company dress code is. Even if it is casual, that doesn’t allow you to show up looking like you just rolled out of bed. Take a smarter casual look. You can wear your jeans, but ensure you wear a shirt / blouse and a decent jacket, and proper shoes. 

3. Have a winning attitude:

It is a new place, new people with unusual quirks you may not be used to. Don’t be too judgmental and dismissive. Be positive, smile, and tackle your tasks with tonnes of enthusiasm. Try and understand the office dynamic and engagement. The best way to learn is to observe and take note of different quirks. Watch how your boss engages with other staff and gauge how best to relate to him in your own way but still maintaining professionalism. 

4.Ask Questions:

There is nothing wrong with asking questions. It shows you are eager to learn and settle in. If you don’t know where something is, how to use the photocopier or printer or if your machine isn’t one you are used to, ask how to use it. 

5. Be proactive: 

In most cases, the first day or week at work is slow and boring. Remember your job description based on the contract you signed. See what work there is and see what you can do. For example if you are required to do some data entry find out what kind of system they have, what work has been done and what hasn’t. Figure out a more effective system of speeding up delivery times. No matter how routine or simple your work is, there is always a more efficient way to get the work done. This is your chance to figure it out and show the rest of team a new and effective way of doing things. 

6. Avoid office Gossip:

Where there are people you will find a whole lot of gossip. It is human nature. Sitting around gossiping means you are spending less time working. Secondly, gossip tends to always raise a certain perception of who you are to others. Seek the company of colleagues who are more progressive and constructive in their work. This powerful quote from the late Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the US, sums it up, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.” Be a great mind! 

7. Own up to your mistakes:

You are human. Remember you are setting the pace for the next few months to years at work. If you own up to your mistakes and come up with a strategy to make up for them, it shows your willingness to grow and improve. Don’t point fingers and blame people for your mistakes. Lack of ownership of your mistakes demonstrates that you are dishonest and unwilling to learn and grow. Mistakes are part of the growth process, you are meant to learn for them.