Joining a new company can be daunting. The first 90 days are also the most crucial in taking the next step in your career with your new employer. The most nerve-wracking is day one, but it will get easier if you do your best to interact with your boss and other members of staff in the right way. Remembering that first impressions last will help you to survive and begin to thrive.

Time makes most things easier in life, and the same applies to starting a new job. With the right attitude it can be exciting, rewarding and challenging. We’ve summarised the most important things you’ll need to create the right impression. Employing the following advise will help you to succeed:

1. Be bright and shine:

Make sure you arrive about 30 minutes before you’re expected to start work. This will allow you some time to freshen up, chat to your boss and other members of staff. In order to look your brightest it’s also important to arrive wide awake.

Plan ahead for the day you start work. Think about the time it takes to get to work and how much sleep you will need to feel on top, so you can shine the following morning. Turning up as if you have just got out of bed will not pay you any dividends. Thinking ahead is vital and means making sure you’ve got comfortable, smart shoes and clothes to wear for your big day. Dress to impress, but don’t go overboard.

2. Show enthusiasm

A firm handshake always leaves an impression of sincerity and warmth, providing you don’t squeeze everyone’s hand too tightly. Enthusiasm also begins with a smile too. Don’t wait for people to approach you to say “hello”, but show an interest in them and what their role is by asking if you could have a quick chat to find out more about them.

Focus the most on those you are going to work with; they are the people to influence whether you stay or not, so it is them that you need to turn into your greatest allies in your new workplace. Mind what you say and listen more than talk, however, do ask questions rather just answer them. Most importantly, remember that now is not the time to be controversial or argumentative. Keep discussions light, avoiding sensitive topics like politics or telling rude jokes.

Enthusiasm can also be shown by asking if you can help someone, taking notes when he or she is talking to you about your tasks or about the procedures you will need to follow in your job. A failure to take notes when someone is trying to teach you something could make that person think you are not really interested in your job.

3. Keep yourself busy

Unless you are told that you can relax, don’t! Show initiative and find things to do. You are unlikely to have much to do on your first day, but you should spend some time familiarising yourself with your employer’s IT systems and applications, by answering the phone or by helping someone else.

4. Be available

Avoiding lunch with a friend on your first day will allow you to accept any invitations from your new boss or colleagues. This is one way to break the ice and even though you might feel very tired and only want to go home to relax, it is also a good idea to be open to invitations for an after work drink. This will allow the people you work with to get to know you better in a less formal environment. However, still keep your guard up early on, you don’t want to get fired for saying the wrong thing on your first day!

5. Be confident, but not overly so

This is not an interview, but people will still be judging you. You can, however, show that you are a confident person with much to offer the firm. You got the job after all! Nevertheless it’s important to show a degree of humility, and that’s simply because being overly confident can give an impression of arrogance. No-one likes it when they think the new person in the office feels he or she knows better than anyone else.

6. Prepare yourself

You might also like to refresh your memory of some of the projects that your new company is involved in. This might aid your conversations with new colleagues. For now we wish you good luck! Reading some of our other insightful articles on Jobsite and the web will put you in the right frame of mind, and give you the tools to survive your first days in your new job.

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1. Thrive from the start: your first day in a new job How to combat first-day nerves and make a great impression...