A new job can be exciting stuff. Your first day feels like the first day of school, and new opportunities allow you to dream big.
But once you arrive and find yourself at your new desk, things can get rather frightening. You may begin to question everything – whether you can handle the workload, if your coworkers like you, if you dressed too casually, etc.
Instead of worrying, doing these 6 things can help calm your nerves and make every day at your new job feel like the first day of school.
Be humble Getting a new job means you’ve already won: you beat out dozens of other applicants for your new position. It’s important now to get out of the competition mindset and be prepared to learn from your coworkers by asking questions, taking notes, and being helpful without being pushy.
Leave the desk Whenever you can, move around your workplace and interact with others. By making an effort to put yourself out there, other employees will recognize your face faster and be more likely to approach you than if you were, say, eating lunch with your back to everyone at your desk.
Get feedback Take the uncertainty out of your first few projects by asking a supervisor or coworker how you did. The worst that can happen is you get advice on how to improve and avoid making the same mistake twice.
Make small talk Don’t be above small talk. While conversations in the lunchroom often start as something petty or minute, they are often the only way you can advance into more serious conversations with coworkers, and can help establish a new network of professional friends.
Be positive You don’t have to be overly jovial and bake cookies for the entire office your first week of work, but you should have a completely positive attitude. Down-talking your previous job, your workload, or the freezing A/C will only make you less approachable to coworkers.
Take someone’s lead Try to hang around those who seem to always be moving and shaking while starting out at a job. A veteran of the company is always the most in tune with the culture and language of the office, and just being around them will allow you to quickly learn how things are run.
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