6 Things you should never do on your first day at work
The new job jitters can make us do some silly things, like spill coffee all over ourselves or accidentally step on the boss’s foot. No first day is going to be perfect, and accidents happen. But there are some things you should keep in mind never to do, ever.
Here are six things you should always avoid doing on the first day at a new job:
1 - Show up late… or even on time
Does it really need to be said that you should never show up late to your first day of work? Unfortunately, it does, because some people still do it.
But beyond that, you shouldn’t be arriving just in the nick of time, either. I heard this saying once: “To be on time is to be late; to be early is to be on time.” On your first day of work, you shouldn’t show up any later than fifteen minutes early.
2 - Forget your paperwork
The first day usually entails filling out employee paperwork, so don’t forget your two forms of identification. If you were given paperwork to fill out at home, make sure you complete it in full, and do not leave it at home. Any other papers you were given, like copies of contracts or the employee handbook, should come with you, too, just in case anyone asks or you need to refer to them.
3 - Complain about something
You do not want to earn the reputation of being a negative person on your first day at work. You’re the newest employee, so you don’t yet have the right to complain about or criticize anything that has to do with your job, boss, company, coworkers, or actually anything at all.
And don’t complain about your life in any way, either, or mention that you’re “so tired!” Try your best to be positive about everything.
4 - Answer your cell phone
If your cell phone rings, many companies consider answering it to be a big no-no.
Try to make sure your phone isn’t going to ring while you’re at work by setting it on silent mode. If it does happen to ring, don’t answer the call.
Some employers allow some flexibility in answering personal calls, especially if they are emergency calls. But make sure you understand exactly what your new company’s policy on this is before you start answering calls on your cell phone.
5 - Forget your boss’s name
When you start at a new place of employment, it can be hard to keep everyone straight. You have lots of new names, titles, and faces to remember, and it’s difficult even for people with memories like elephants.
While it’s excusable to forget a coworker’s name and need a reminder, you should never, ever forget your boss’s name, unless you want to make him/her dislike you.
6 - Be afraid to ask questions
This is your first day at a new company. No matter how much you know about your job, you don’t know everything about this one in particular.
It is expected for new employees to ask questions, and in fact it’s a bad sign if they don’t. Don’t hold your questions for fear of sounding incompetent. It’s better to ask them now than make a mistake later, when you really might look stupid.
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