How to behave in a new job - 7 common mistakes on the first day

Scared to go to a new job

Everyone dreads the first day at a new job. It's clear. But let’s figure out what you’re afraid of.

I'm afraid I won't like you

Not worth it. No one judges a person by their first meeting, or a specialist by their first day. Look, listen, remember. No more is required.

What if I make a serious mistake?

It is unlikely that in the first days or even weeks you will be entrusted with something truly complex and responsible. In addition, an experienced employee will definitely be asked to look after the new one.

I'm afraid that my colleagues won't accept me

In vain. Usually, beginners are helped to get used to it faster.

Catch lifehacks - how to cope with stress:
Dress as comfortably as possible.
Take your talisman - something that brings good luck
Put some chocolate in your bag

Stages of adaptation

The third stage of adaptation is joining the team

Once you get to a new place, even if you previously worked in a similar position, you still must go through four adaptation stages.

At first, the social and professional skills of the new employee will be assessed.
At the second stage, it is important to familiarize yourself with all responsibilities, including job responsibilities.
On the third stage, the person joins the team. Manifests himself socially and professionally.
The final stage represents the transition to excellent performance of one's duties. The last stage can last up to one and a half years.

Behaved unnaturally

Often beginners are afraid to show their weaker sides.

If you don’t perceive information well by ear, ask it to be repeated and write it down.

If you find it difficult to communicate with strangers, keep communication to a minimum. Don't forget, you'll have to maintain your image later.

Remember: you came to work. The main thing is that you are respected as a professional.

Of course, you shouldn’t shy away from communication. Behave as usual, but don't be too categorical - it's always scary.

Total

It’s better not to build castles in the air in advance; the real state of things in the company will probably not coincide with your ideas. A company can pleasantly surprise you, even if it’s not Google at all with a million “goodies” for employees. But if in reality you are rather uncomfortable, it is better to discuss this with your superiors in time, clarify the situation, and if no one is ready for compromises, say goodbye.

Previously, HR people were sincerely surprised when seemingly motivated and seemingly suitable candidates turned around and left after a couple of days. Now the rhetoric is changing: a candidate has as much right to decide whether to stay on the job as companies have to decide whether to keep a candidate after an internship. When newcomers come with this attitude, they integrate into the work process with less stress.

Adviсe

How was my first day at work - stories from the Gorodrabot.ru team

I was told to come at nine in the morning. I came - but my boss wasn’t there. It turned out that he always arrives at ten. They simply forgot about me that day
They immediately gave me a bunch of names. Of course, I didn't remember anything. I had to look for colleagues using social networks to find out what their names were
She got a job as an administrator at a medical center. A patient came to make an appointment with a venereologist. To convince me of the seriousness of the disease, he was eager to show me the diseased organ
First day as a university teacher. The students didn’t wait for me for the first class - they got the building mixed up
During the interview I was able to impress with my level of qualifications. On the first day I updated the computer of a colleague who was on vacation - and broke it
First job. It was so scary that I never got up from my chair all day, didn’t drink or eat anything
On the first day of work as a sales manager, he told the client the amount to be paid by 20,000 rubles less than needed. It’s good that the client was reasonable and agreed to pay extra later
I had an interview and agreed on a day to return to work. But in the morning I became so scared that I didn’t go to a new job.
First day of work, I'm an assistant manager. I sat beautifully in a chair all day because the boss was in meetings from 9:00 to 18:00

To the head

As a rule, a newcomer to an organization faces a large number of difficulties, the bulk of which are generated precisely by the lack of information about the work procedure, location, and characteristics of colleagues.
A special procedure for introducing a new employee into an organization can help alleviate a large number of problems that arise at the beginning of work, which will ultimately give positive results in the form of increased productivity of the new employee and an improvement in the psycho-emotional state of the team as a whole. Because, as studies show, up to 90% of those who quit their jobs within a year made this decision on their first day of work.

The adaptation process is a two-way process. On the one hand, behind the fact that a person started working in a company is his conscious choice, based on a certain motivation for the decision made, and responsibility for this decision. On the other hand, an organization assumes certain obligations by hiring an employee to perform a specific job.

The process of adapting an employee to a team can be divided into four stages.

The first stage is assessing the beginner’s level of preparedness. It is necessary to develop an adaptation program. If an employee has experience working in the relevant structural units, the adaptation period will be minimal. However, since the organizational structure depends on a number of parameters, the newcomer inevitably finds himself in an unfamiliar situation. Adaptation should include familiarization with staff, communication features, and rules of conduct.

The second stage is orientation. This stage involves practical acquaintance of the new employee with his responsibilities and the requirements that are imposed on him by the organization. Typically, an orientation program will include a series of short lectures and tours that will cover organizational policies, pay, fringe benefits, safety, economic factors, procedures, rules, regulations, reporting forms, job duties and responsibilities.

The third stage is effective adaptation. It consists of the newcomer’s adaptation to his status and is largely determined by his inclusion in interpersonal relationships with colleagues. As part of this stage, it is necessary to give the newcomer the opportunity to actively act in various areas, testing on himself the acquired knowledge about the organization.

The fourth stage is functioning. This stage completes the adaptation process; it is characterized by the gradual overcoming of production and interpersonal problems and the transition to stable work. With the spontaneous development of the adaptation process, this stage occurs after 1-1.5 years of work. If the process is regulated, the stage may occur in a few months.

Reducing the adaptation period can bring significant financial benefits, especially if the organization involves a large number of personnel.

Traditionally, the adaptation program has three main areas.

Watch

So, in the first days, I lower my demands on myself and do two things: observe my colleagues and digest information. That is, of course, I don’t eavesdrop and don’t look over my shoulder at other people’s monitors. I just look around, listen, and draw conclusions.

This way I learn a lot of important things. Is it customary to speak formally and to the point here, or can you throw in a couple of slang words and tell a story from your life? How is it customary to celebrate a birthday: bring a cake, invite everyone to a business lunch at the nearest cafe, or order pizza? Do they bring souvenirs from vacation, and if so, is it a couple of bottles of wine for everyone or a refrigerator magnet for everyone? Are there people in the company who are openly liked or disliked? For what?

Watch, and in a few days you will at least understand a little how everything works here. Knowledge of colleagues will be a bonus. You will understand who is a lover of order and who is an office rebel; distinguish talkers from silent ones, silent ones from bullies, and at the same time identify potential friends for yourself.

Try to be social – at least a little

I know it doesn't sound very good. And yet, I strongly recommend that you step towards fear and invite colleagues to lunch or offer them help in something everyday. If your colleagues invite you somewhere, agree too. While you are eating or erasing notes from the board together, the conversation starts by itself - and now you have already forgotten why it was awkward in the first place. Here we make a small reservation: choose neutral topics and do not rush to tell how bad it was at your last job. It's better to discuss something safe like movies or pets.

Ask and ask again

I'm constantly worried about how I look from the outside, and I'm afraid of seeming narrow-minded. When under stress, anxiety increases. Before asking any (even the most necessary) question, I doubt it, say it to myself and figure out whether it’s worth it. In the end, of course, I ask – and not just one question, but a whole bunch.

At first it’s hard for me to ask for help, but then, along with other difficulties, I accept this too. Google doesn't have anything about processes or traditions in a specific team, but I need this information to perform my tasks well. All that remains is to ask your colleagues. Once you flip this switch in your head, the embarrassment disappears.

What stands apart in this topic is the need to ask again. It can be difficult for me to admit that I didn’t understand the answer, but... this road also needs to be walked. If you are embarrassed to ask again, it is important to notice this feeling and come to an agreement with yourself. In the end, what would be better: to remain silent, not to seem stupid and not learn something important, or to ask again, even if it’s awkward for me? The second option always wins - both when I didn’t catch the name of a new colleague, and when I didn’t understand the technical details.

And then, if you ask a lot of questions, it means you care. Everyone will like your indifference.

Start preparing in advance

If, based on the results of the interview, you were hired, you should not immediately run away, showered with gratitude, and rush to celebrate your victory with friends and family. Take a deep breath, pull yourself together, and ask your manager some important questions. To make your first day on the job as easy as possible, please check the following information:

who you will meet, who will supervise your work and who you can turn to for help and advice;
specify the work schedule;
be sure to ask if the organization has a dress code;
make a list of documents that you need to have with you for registration;
find out what software products you will have to work with so that you can study them properly at home;
Be sure to write down all the information in a notebook so you don’t forget anything.

It never hurts to additionally browse the official website of the organization you are going to work for. There you can find additional information, as well as consolidate information already received in your memory.

How to adapt in the first month?

During the first month, you will have to work hard to create a new “image”. A good reputation among colleagues is an important factor in successful career growth. In one month, it is quite possible to get used to the new team and feel good in the office.

Tell us a little about yourself : where are you from, what is your path in your chosen field. This is a rule of good manners: co-workers have the right to know with whom they are now dealing. Don’t bore your listeners with biographical facts—a few general phrases spoken with a friendly intonation are enough.
Don't post your life story right away., no matter how nice your colleagues may seem. They still see you as a stranger, not a friend. Therefore, it is better to leave funny and unusual stories from life until better times.
ADVICE! It is necessary to show a sense of humor, but do not forget that you are at work, not at a corporate party.
Don't force yourself to do things that are not typical for you in everyday life. For example, if during lunch the whole office goes to the smoking room together, there is no need to go with the crowd. Firstly, it looks stupid, because you are long out of adolescence and should have your own opinion. Secondly, with such actions you show your inconsistency, your readiness to go along with everyone, so as not to be among the outcasts.
However, there is no need to pretend to be a rebel who came to start a revolution. As they say, they don’t interfere with someone else’s monastery with their own rules. Some local customs may seem strange or even stupid to you, but so what? You belong to this group of people, which means you need to adapt quickly. As a last resort, you can gently and politely refuse another traditional “ritual”.

When talking with colleagues, avoid inaccuracies and conventions. You are not close enough to understand each other perfectly. Any mistake at first can cause significant damage to your professional reputation.
Don't get involved in other people's conflicts. This should never be done at all, and even more so in the workplace. Have you not yet had time to thoroughly study the characters of your colleagues, and are you already trying to prove something to them? You shouldn't do that. Old acquaintances will make peace, but you will forever be labeled as a brawler.
Don't take on more work than you can handle. There will always be lazy people who want to shift part of their responsibilities to an intern until he gets used to it and understands what's what. As the Russian proverb says, “He who is lucky, rides on him.”
IMPORTANT! If you do not clearly know the scope of your tasks, you will have to do double the amount of work without monetary reward.
Follow the dress code. This shows that you respect the place of work and accept the “rules of the game.” If there is no uniform style of clothing in the office, do not rush to amaze employees with your talent for choosing extraordinary things. They should be classic, calm shades. You will have to demonstrate your individuality in the process of working and communicating with others.

Watch a funny video about adaptation in the workplace: