What you must do the night before starting a new job
Sep 4, 2017, 17:25 IST
If you are entering a new phase of your career, there’s nothing more important the night before. While the beginning of this new chapter in your career is exciting, it can also be very overwhelming at the same time. You're bound to experience at least a few challenges and adjustments, whether it's your first job or your 10th.
From figuring out what to wear to remembering where your new cubicle is, all while trying to learn the ropes and make a good first impression on your new boss and co-workers, your first day at a new job can be absolutely terrifying.
So, if you want to make sure things start off on the right note, just remember the night before the first day of school when you were growing up. You had your outfit all picked out, your backpack packed and put by the door. It doesn’t hurt to approach the first day of a new job similarly; with as much preparation the night before as possible. The morning of your new gig is sure to be a stressful one, so help yourself out by doing as much as you can ahead of time. Then, you can wake up in the morning focusing on what your conduct will be rather than running around to put the things together.
So, here's how to prepare yourself a night before and make a great impression during that critical first day on the job:
Pick Out Your Favorite Outfit
Not being able to find clean pants or your black shoes will get your first day off to an unnecessarily bad start. Think of something simple and professional that you feel confident in, and set it out the night before so you don’t have to think about it when you’re rushing the next morning. Bonus points if you pre-pack your work bag and have it sitting by the door.
Go Prepared
While most companies will provide you with plentiful office supplies and a computer, it’s always good to come prepared. It’s a good idea to take with you a notebook, a few pens, a phone charger, and sometimes even a laptop (just in case your new office computer isn’t fully set up). Stuff all of that in thoughtfully in your office bag the night before. Doing this in the morning can delay your schedule to get to office on time.
Pack your Lunch
There’s a good chance your manager will take you out to lunch to celebrate your first day, but if he or she doesn’t, going out to grab a bite with your co-workers is the perfect way to start to get to know them. Make friends with your cubicle-mate by seeing if he or she wants to go out to eat with you anyway: “Hey! I totally forgot my lunch at home this morning. Want to save yours for tomorrow and grab a bite with me close by? My treat!” And if everyone in your office does pack a lunch, you could join them with the box you are carrying with you.
All that being said, you should pack some small snacks: an apple, some almonds, or a granola bar to help get you through the hours of reading on-boarding documents that are likely ahead of you. There’s nothing worse than having midday hunger get in the way of your first day! Prepare all of this beforehand for a tension-free morning.
Give yourself a pep talk
Get Enough Sleep and Set two alarms for the morning
Strutting into the office five or 10 minutes before the start of the day gives a stellar first impression, hinting to your boss that you’re likely to go above and beyond expectations.. Since traffic and public transportation can be unpredictable in bigger cities, give yourself a little extra padding. You’ll never get in trouble for arriving to work 10 minutes early. But for that you need to give yourself enough sleep, no? If you don’t it’s highly likely it will impact your mood, and zap off that smile you need to carry on your face. Moreover, your body repairs itself when you are asleep. If you don’t give it time, you will tend to forget things the next day – something that your boss asks you to do, colleague’s names or maybe remembering your desk everytime you return from the coffee machine or washroom.
Before sleeping, take 2 minutes to think about your conduct the next day
You’re going to be meeting a lot of new people on your first day. And there’s nothing that feels worse than meeting your new team and having no idea what to say after, “So nice to meet you!” Think about - How will I Introduce Myself? We advise you to do it Politely to every person you come across, and do your best to remember their name. Even write it down if you have to! You’re going to be spending a lot of time with these people, and it’s best to get started on the right foot. If you’re shy or reserved, try to force yourself to interact to each new coworker you come across, even if that means saying a simple “hello.” Hopefully the conversation will flow easily in the few minutes you have in the break room with your new co-workers, but in case it doesn’t, have a few ideas in the back of your mind.
Think up a couple of your favorite conversation starters. Catch up on the latest news or celebrity gossip so you can pitch in if your colleagues are gabbing about that. Maybe even watch the latest episode of your favorite TV show in case your co-workers are also fans.
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From figuring out what to wear to remembering where your new cubicle is, all while trying to learn the ropes and make a good first impression on your new boss and co-workers, your first day at a new job can be absolutely terrifying.
So, if you want to make sure things start off on the right note, just remember the night before the first day of school when you were growing up. You had your outfit all picked out, your backpack packed and put by the door. It doesn’t hurt to approach the first day of a new job similarly; with as much preparation the night before as possible. The morning of your new gig is sure to be a stressful one, so help yourself out by doing as much as you can ahead of time. Then, you can wake up in the morning focusing on what your conduct will be rather than running around to put the things together.
So, here's how to prepare yourself a night before and make a great impression during that critical first day on the job:
Pick Out Your Favorite Outfit
Not being able to find clean pants or your black shoes will get your first day off to an unnecessarily bad start. Think of something simple and professional that you feel confident in, and set it out the night before so you don’t have to think about it when you’re rushing the next morning. Bonus points if you pre-pack your work bag and have it sitting by the door.
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Go Prepared
While most companies will provide you with plentiful office supplies and a computer, it’s always good to come prepared. It’s a good idea to take with you a notebook, a few pens, a phone charger, and sometimes even a laptop (just in case your new office computer isn’t fully set up). Stuff all of that in thoughtfully in your office bag the night before. Doing this in the morning can delay your schedule to get to office on time.
Pack your Lunch
There’s a good chance your manager will take you out to lunch to celebrate your first day, but if he or she doesn’t, going out to grab a bite with your co-workers is the perfect way to start to get to know them. Make friends with your cubicle-mate by seeing if he or she wants to go out to eat with you anyway: “Hey! I totally forgot my lunch at home this morning. Want to save yours for tomorrow and grab a bite with me close by? My treat!” And if everyone in your office does pack a lunch, you could join them with the box you are carrying with you.
All that being said, you should pack some small snacks: an apple, some almonds, or a granola bar to help get you through the hours of reading on-boarding documents that are likely ahead of you. There’s nothing worse than having midday hunger get in the way of your first day! Prepare all of this beforehand for a tension-free morning.
Give yourself a pep talk
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If you feel yourself starting to worry, take a few minutes to do deep breathing exercises, and then think about all of your past successes. Reflect on projects that you completed, the awards you won and the positive feedback you received. By remembering all of your past accomplishments, you will put yourself in the right frame of mind to project a confident attitude.Get Enough Sleep and Set two alarms for the morning
Strutting into the office five or 10 minutes before the start of the day gives a stellar first impression, hinting to your boss that you’re likely to go above and beyond expectations.. Since traffic and public transportation can be unpredictable in bigger cities, give yourself a little extra padding. You’ll never get in trouble for arriving to work 10 minutes early. But for that you need to give yourself enough sleep, no? If you don’t it’s highly likely it will impact your mood, and zap off that smile you need to carry on your face. Moreover, your body repairs itself when you are asleep. If you don’t give it time, you will tend to forget things the next day – something that your boss asks you to do, colleague’s names or maybe remembering your desk everytime you return from the coffee machine or washroom.
Before sleeping, take 2 minutes to think about your conduct the next day
You’re going to be meeting a lot of new people on your first day. And there’s nothing that feels worse than meeting your new team and having no idea what to say after, “So nice to meet you!” Think about - How will I Introduce Myself? We advise you to do it Politely to every person you come across, and do your best to remember their name. Even write it down if you have to! You’re going to be spending a lot of time with these people, and it’s best to get started on the right foot. If you’re shy or reserved, try to force yourself to interact to each new coworker you come across, even if that means saying a simple “hello.” Hopefully the conversation will flow easily in the few minutes you have in the break room with your new co-workers, but in case it doesn’t, have a few ideas in the back of your mind.
Think up a couple of your favorite conversation starters. Catch up on the latest news or celebrity gossip so you can pitch in if your colleagues are gabbing about that. Maybe even watch the latest episode of your favorite TV show in case your co-workers are also fans.