When starting your first job, there are a lot of things to think about beforehand. Read this blogpost on questions to ask yourself before accepting a job offer. Once you’ve done that, you’ll arrive at the point where it’s the day before your first day at work. Here are five essential things to check before making your way to the office on your first day of work.
5 Important Things to Check Before your First Day of Work
1. Time of Arrival
Check with the front desk or with your direct contact at what time you should arrive at the office on your first day. This can sometimes differ from the regular working hours as people need to settle in first before they can onboard you on your first day.
Whatever time they tell you, make sure to give yourself enough time for travel. Aim to arrive a little earlier just so that you don’t have to rush yourself. Being late on your first day also does not leave the best first impression.
2. Itinerary
Make sure to determine the route you’ll take to the office beforehand. Don’t try to figure it out on the day that is your first day at work. There are a lot of other things to take in, so it’s best if you don’t also have to worry about your itinerary. If you’re going by public transport, check the connections and if you’re going by car, don’t forget to check for potential traffic in advance.
3. Building Entry
Establish how you will get to where you need to be on your first day of work. The first hurdle will likely be building entry. Regular employees commonly have a chip card or key to enter the building. If you work in a large company, having an entry card made for you is usually one of the first things you’ll be asked to have done. Check in with your contact at the new employer to find out where you will be greeted on your first day of work and how you’ll get entry.
4. Dress Code
Certain jobs, especially in the corporate world, still require a certain dress code. The best case is that you will be informed of this in advance. However, most of the time, you will be expected to be aware of such formalities and figure it out yourself. A good rule to go by, is that being slightly overdressed on your first day is better than being underdressed. A good solution is to go by what you’ve seen during the job interviews. Try to match what you saw during the interviews or maybe even when visiting the office on your interview day.
5. First Day Agenda
The first day at work will be a lot to take in and that can be stressful. Try to limit as much stress factors in advance as possible. One of them is the uncertainty of what will happen on your first day at work. If your employer does not proactively provide you with an agenda for the day, ask for it. This will give you a sense of security and you’ll also be able to plan your day much more effectively.
There you have it, five important things you should check before your first day at work. If you have more to add to the list, leave a comment below!
If you’re interested in more work-related topics and want to find out how to improve your work life balance as a young professional, click here.
If you’re interested in more university-related content and want to find out what to expect from a job interview after graduation, click here.
See you soon,
Hannah
