Surviving the First Week

As you can tell from the past couple of posts on LBN, some of us are starting our first post-grad jobs. And while Rachel’s last post gave us a play by play of those first crucial days and how to expect the often overlooked (i.e. bus schedules and the tasks your boss will throw at you to “get your feet wet”), I thought I would take a look at some tips to help you manage the more typical aspects of your first week on the job.

We all know the advice for prepping pre-first day — do your research, dress appropriately, etc. But what about the specifics? Filling out tax forms and the countless stacks of paper work HR hands you that first day can be daunting, and if you’re anything like me, a little over your head (I’m still not entirely sure what a 401K is). Hopefully some of this advice that I’ve received from employers, friends and the blogging community will help ease some of those first-week jitters.

1. Listen at orientation.It can be tempting to zone out when the rep from HR covers your IRA plan for the fourth time, but it’s probably not a good idea. The information they’re covering is seriously important and it’s nice to have a better understanding of all the unfamiliar terms and policies. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. I had my rep triple check the forms I gave her just to make sure I comprehended exactly what I was signing.

2. Take notes. Every meeting you have, every tour you get, every random piece of advice your coworkers give you — jot it down. You don’t know what is what, so write down anything you hear. It’s better to have too much info than not enough.

3. Start building relationships with your coworkers.First impressions count. Try and meet everyone you can but make a genuine effort to get to know them. No doubt you’ll be introduced to the ones you’ll interact with on a more consistent basis, but go out of your way to set up a coffee date with the ones you necessarily won’t.

4. Soak it all in. Your first week is for you to have a chance to observe your work environment and let it really sink in. It will be filled with a ton of education and discovery about your position and the company, and it can be overwhelming, so try to take it one thing at a time.

As a first timer entering your first legit 40 hours per week, you’ll realize that your college degree does little to help prepare your for that first week. Since when was the last time you consulted your PR Design Guide for tips on how to operate the fax machine? But that is one of the good things about the new kid — most companies will take the time to train you appropriately so you’re not expected to run down the specs on a process simplification project right away. They get that you’re the new kid and you’re allowed time to figure things out for yourself. Be proactive in making that first week count and you’ll be well on your way to having a successful first two weeks.

-Marilyn