Making a good impression on your first day
Your first day in the office is an important one, especially at a professional services firm. Whether it's your first internship, first full-time job, or just a new job, it's critically important to make a good first impression. Today, we are going to walk through three important things to keep in mind on your first day at work to make that good first impression. Let's jump in!
#1 - Be on Time
We all have the same amount of time available in a day, and no one likes having their time wasted. Being on time for your first meetings and events is critical to leaving people with the impression that you respected them and at their time. Because you're new to the job, I strongly recommend showing up early to leave time to find where things are and orient yourself beforehand. As someone who manages others and works in a client facing role, I cannot emphasize punctuality enough. If someone came to me on their first day late and unprepared, I would not trust them to represent me well when working with a client. When preparing for that first day and that first impression, I would plan to be there and ready at least 15 minutes early after considering the potential impact of traffic and other commuting issues. The variety and severity of those communion issues will depend on where you live and what your working arrangement is, but it's important you learn the timing before your first day.
#2 - Dress Nicely
It's your first day, and it's okay to overdress a little. I would much rather have a new employee who overdresses on their first day because that proves to me that they know how to dress above and beyond what is required. I get worried when a new person starts, and they are comfortable enough to be underdressed. People who are underdressed on their first day give off the vibe that they can't adequately prepare beforehand and might not be ready to face clients. Every workplace is different and once you assimilate into your team, you will have a feeling of what attire is appropriate for your workday. But for the first day, dress nicely. Don't wear a hat. Wear a button down shirt instead of a polo, even wear a suit if appropriate.
#3 - Be Open Minded
At professional service firms, there are a variety of ways to do things. Each firm has their own unique way of doing orientation, quality control, and conducting business. Firms establish these processes over time and involve personnel at many different levels in the process. Just because your internship or previous job did something a certain way, it doesn't mean that way is the only correct way to do it. My general rule is that when starting a new job, I will wait months before giving feedback on processes so I can fully understand what I am working with. On your first day, assume that every deadline provided to you is an important one and the requirements are set for a reason. While there are times where it's important to ask why something is done a certain way, it's not something a new employee with no context should do on their first day. If you're reading this, you're probably going to be a lower level employee. And to me, there's nothing more annoying than a lower level employee questioning how things are done before they even understand what to do. For these reasons, it's important to be open-minded on your first day and absorb as much information as possible. Your co-workers will notice the difference!
Remember, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Taking the time to make sure that you are ready to be on time, dress nicely, and come into your first day with an open mind can make a considerable difference in your career!