DON’T DO THESE ON YOUR FIRST WEEK OF WORK!

By Mel Sim

Especially #4.

As if starting work in a completely new environment isn’t nerve wracking enough (your first job ever? Let’s not even go there!), there are few cues you might miss and end up making all sorts of mistakes during your first week of work. You don’t want your first impression to be of someone who made a boo-boo so here are some common mistakes to avoid.

#1 Don’t stay too late or show up too early
It’s good that you are enthusiastic about your job but it could be misintepreted as you trying way too hard. Plus, doing this in the long run will result in you burning out quickly – and you are not even through your first year! You want to impress your boss and co-workers with your early to work, last to leave tactic. But if you start coming in later after showing up early for the first week, people in the office will think you are slacking. Set boundaries and strike a balance on when are the ideal times to come and leave.

#2 Don’t be a lunch loner
Being the newbie doesn’t mean you keep to yourself. A lot of new hires end up eating lunch alone – it’s naturally to want to do so, especially when your teammates have their own office clique and you don’t know which to join. You’ll get plenty of lunch invites as a new hire but if you keep turning them down because you are shy or unsure, people may stop going out of their way to make you feel welcome. Also, lunch times are when your teammates let their hair down a little and gossip. You’ll want to be in on the goss so that you know the office dynamics.

#3 Stick to the dress code
Dress code says officewear and you show up in jeans? Even if it is Casual Friday, keep those blues aside. A dress code usually dictates the company’s culture so if you go into work wearing something completely off, it’s a sign you might not sit well with the culture. The right thing to do? Dress so that you belong to the team and not stick out like someone who doesn’t belong or plan to stick around for long.

#4 Don’t reminisce the past
Yah yah, at your old job you had A, B, X, Y and Z so you’re surprised that it is only 1, 2, and 3 at the new office. Maybe you’re nervous and not sure how to talk to your colleagues yet but always talking about your own company is definitely on the list of things not to do during your first week at work. You know what it’s like? Talking about your ex all the time when you’re on a date with someone new.

#5 Showing off
Think your way is better than your colleague’s? Do yourself a favour and keep it zip! Nobody appreciates a show-off or being told by a newbie how to do their job. Unless your way is groundbreaking, it’s best to keep things status quo until everyone gets more comfortable with one another. Additinally, you may want to be impressive to your new boss and colleagues but don’t make it a brag fest on how good you are at something. If you’re really awesome, it will soon become apparent to everyone else.

Photo by Hunters Race on Unsplash

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