It’s been a year since I started my first full time job, and 4 weeks since I started my secondment. Both of which began with a first day at work, and I did things more differently on my secondment which helped me feel more comfortable in the new environment. This isn’t the only way to prepare for the first day, however, it might be helpful to have some ideas for anyone who is a novice to first days.
Clothing
The annoying thing about my education is that I had a uniform until I was 17. So, when I was 17, and needed to have “smart casual” I had no idea what I was doing. Some schools have uniforms all the way until 18, in quite a few jobs you have a uniform to follow as well. So, by the time you’re an adult, you might know how to dress on the first day.
I’d say go comfortable yet presentable.
The reason I say this, is because the first day is normally filled with walking, meeting new people and barely any work. This means, you’re on your feet a lot, bombarded with different personality types, and barely having time to actually settle and get to grips with your environment.
This can be incredibly overwhelming. I know for myself, I get really freaked out. And for my first day of my first place, I didn’t wear breathable clothing, so by the end of the day, I was not happy with the state of my clothes. Thankfully, I didn’t do a lot of walking, but I had friends who did, and they had no warning, and wore their office shoes. The company I work for is huge, and the mileage of the place is too big to walk on foot. So wearing your office shoes, is a bad idea on the first day.
Outfit idea
For the office smart casual look, go with your smart pants/dress/skirt, with a casual top. Then have a cardigan/jumper because you can’t guarantee your office isn’t blasting A/C all day. Also, have a raincoat or coat because you never know what the weather is like. And finish it with your trainers. It’s smart casual, so you don’t have to wear completely smart or completely casual. It’s a healthy balance.
Equipment
Always bring a notepad, if you’re not being given information about your day-to-day job, use it to note down names of people. You don’t have to remember them, but it saves you the embarrassment of coming to work 3-4 weeks later and forgetting someone’s name. I’ve noticed faces are better remember than names, and having a list of names, means you can at least take an educated guess.
Bring some snacks. Trust me, the first day is draining, and when you start at 8 am, by 10 am, you are begging for lunch. Regardless of how busy you are; take snacks. I also recommend bringing lunch. Some workplaces offer different things, so instead of worrying about what you might be able to eat, just bring what you like. Also, it gives you time to see how much food costs at work, and here opinions from regular employees, before you commit to it.
Things to remember
Don’t forget to breathe.
Be your office self – not keen but not hostile (it’s a natural balance of you)
No question is stupid question, and if someone makes you think otherwise, then you know who to avoid.
First days are pretty similar, so you will get better at it with practise 😉
Good luck!
Moral of my story
- It’s the same each time– Regardless of when in life it happens, first days are very similar. The more you do, the better you get at them.
- Breatheable clothes- You need them, if you aren’t sweating from stress, you will be sweating from doing other things in work
- Comfortable shoes- They are a must. You can get comfy, yet office smart shoes. They are a must investment
- Notepads are handy
- Snacks are a non-negotiable- Food is fuel, and you need it all day.
- Enjoy😊
