What To Do When Preparing to Start a New Job

What To Do When Preparing to Start a New Job

Starting a new job can be daunting, you’ve most likely only been to the office once, you may not know your way around the systems you’ll be using, and you probably only know of one or two people you’ll be working with – there’s a lot to get to grips with. So, here are some top tips to prepare you for your first day, and to help you have a successful first day, week, and beyond!

Before your first day

• Sort out paperwork – make sure you have your P45, bank details, and right to work documents (E.g., Passport).
• Know the dress code and start time – Plan your outfits for the first week so they are ready to go in the mornings.
• Plan your commute – leave with plenty of time in the morning, maybe create a playlist or find a podcast to listen to on the way to ease your nerves. Make sure you get there early so you have some time to deal with any potential last-minute issues or stresses.
• Refresh yourself on the company and industry – look at the company history, who are your colleagues, look at what is going on in the industry and do some research on key industry terms if you haven’t worked in a similar role/industry before.
• Prepare your Introductions – Have a short introduction ready, who you are, what your role is, and what you’re looking forward to doing with the company.

On your first day/week

• Ask questions early – it’s better to be upfront than guess and stress.
• Make notes – there will be a lot to take in, so make some notes in case you don’t remember everything – most of us don’t!
• Ease into the culture – take your time to get a feel for how things are done, observe team communication, how meetings are run, what’s valued day to day.
• Build early relationships – learn names, say hello, don’t be afraid to ask someone to grab a coffee or have a small catch-up, small interactions go along way. Maybe request to connect with some of your teammates on LinkedIn.
• Be kind to yourself – it takes time to settle into a new job, you may feel a bit wobbly at first, you don’t have to prove everything in week one.

Dovetail Recruitment are an independent Recruitment Agency in Bournemouth. Follow us to keep up to date with The South’s Job Market Report, Recruitment in Hampshire & Dorset + HR news,  as well as our latest jobs, career tips + everything else related to your working world.

Written by Imogen Lines-Clarke