The First Day: What to expect and how to make the most of it.

Congratulations on getting the job! To help you get off to a great start, here’s my ultimate guide to a great first day. Firstly, the basics:

1.     Get a good night’s sleep the night before – staying out late or celebrating with a drink as a hangover is not recommended.

2.     The following morning (assuming you have a morning start time, which you will with most jobs) get an early start so you’re not rushing around getting flustered.

3.     Please be well-groomed and make sure that whatever you’re planning to wear (check the company dress code) is freshly washed and ironed.

4.     Be on time – being late on your first day gives a really bad impression which can be lasting. Leave early (but not too early so you’re not waiting around for hours) to allow time for any transport delays.

5.     It’s likely that you’ll have been asked to report to reception – if you have, please be polite to the staff at the reception desk. You might think this advice is unnecessary but I have seen plenty of people leave a terrible first impression by being rude.

6.     If you’ve been asked to take documentation to prove who you are and that you’re entitled to work, please don’t forget it.

Most often, your manager or a trainer will collect you, provide you with credentials so you can enter the building and take you either to the place where you’ll be working or to the area where you’ll be trained.

If you start in a training area, you’ll probably be working with a full-time trainer and often there’ll also be a Subject Matter Expert (SME). The SME is usually experienced at the job you’ll be doing and is there to answer your questions and help with any computer systems while the trainer is there to be in charge overall and guide you through the training.

If you’re trained by a SME in the area you’ll be working in (sometimes this is called ‘on the job’ training) they’ll most likely start by showing you how the job is done. As the day goes on, they’ll switch over to watching you work. Once you’ve done this, they’ll be able to let you know how you’re doing.

See next week’s more detailed guide on how to succeed in the training environment.

If you’ve followed this guide, you’re going to be tired by the end of the day. Well done, keep up the good work and take a well-deserved rest. See you next time