When you initially meet someone you have a very important window of seven seconds until the first impression has been made. When you start work at your new job you are likely to meet numerous different people and it’s important that overall throughout your first day you make a great impression. This will occur not only during those first seven seconds of meeting each new individual, but you will also need to impress how awesome both you and your work ethic are throughout the day.
We’ve compiled a list of the top five ways in which you can make a great impression on your first day at work. Listen up…
1. Laugh, even when it isn’t funny
Not only are you wanting to make a good impression on your colleagues, they want to make a good impression on you as well. Everyone likes to feel liked and throughout the day you will probably hear a never-ending stream of witty and not so witty comments, jokes and attempts at humour. If someone wants to make you laugh, let them, even if you’re having to force it out. Don’t hold back, the more you laugh the happier your audience will be.
2. Arrive Early
Arriving early is a key way to make an excellent first impression. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get to work and walk in looking refreshed, awake and like you actually want to be there. In addition to this, when you leave work don’t be the first one out of the door. Not only does this look good to the boss, it’s also nice for your colleagues to think they’re working with someone who is conscientious and doesn’t object to being there – even if they don’t feel the same way themselves.
3. Have a Positive Attitude
Quite often when you enter a new workplace you will come across a vast array of attitudes both positive and negative. Show your colleagues that you are positive. Engage with your fellow positive co-workers in appreciating the good things about the job and life in general. When talking to your more negative colleagues simple listen to what they have to say without engaging with and encouraging their negativity, but try not to be overly positive to make it seem like you’re saying they’re wrong or indicating that there is any flaw with their way of thinking. An ‘Oh right,’ and an exasperated expression at the pains they are going through should suffice.
4. Use Your Initiative
If you’re fairly confident that you can see something needs doing but no one has told you to do it simple say ‘hey, shall I get on with that’. They will be pleased that you are happy to help, are willing to work even when not instructed and will also see that you are quick to learn. Always ask if they would like to be done to avoid coming across as a bit of a know-it-all and putting someone’s nose out of joint.
5. Ask Questions
Asking questions shows that you are thinking about the job and also that you are eager to learn things as quickly as possible so you can become a valuable member of the team. Asking questions can also sometimes boost the ego a little bit of the person you’re asking and make them like you even more.
Good luck and enjoy your first day at your new job.
