Congratulations, you’ve finished the application and interview process and have secured a new job! While these were important steps to get you the job, the first few days or weeks in the new role are equally as important. During the early stages, your manager will be looking for signs to determine if they made the right decision to hire you, so it’s important to put your best foot forward. In order to ensure you make a good first impression, be sure to avoid making the following mistakes:
- Not following directions – Your ability to take direction well will have a direct impact on how well you’re able to perform in your role. With most new jobs, there will be a learning curve and you will undoubtedly make mistakes within your first few weeks. However, making repeated mistakes or failing to follow directions carefully may start to raise some red flags about your attention to detail, so try to employ more active listening skills to ensure you can make better decisions.
- Repeatedly arriving late – New hires often make the mistake of getting comfortable too quickly. While it is important to make the effort to get acclimated to your new environment, try your best to avoid forming bad habits early. For example, arriving five minutes late once in a while might not be a big deal, however, consistently arriving late is something a manager will take notice of as it puts a spotlight on your lack of respect for the company’s time.
- Missing deadlines – Your inability to regularly meet deadlines may speak negatively to your time management and dependability as an employee. To ensure your department can run efficiently, it’s important to show your manager as well as your teammates that you can handle the responsibilities required of you in a timely fashion.
- Dressing inappropriately – As a new hire, you should be aware of what your attire says about you as a professional. Don’t allow the initial excitement of getting the job cloud your judgement when it comes to your professional appearance. Moving forward, make it a goal to maintain the same professional image you presented throughout the interview process on a regular basis.
- Communicating poorly – Communication is key in the workplace and essential to working collaboratively. Sending emails with numerous grammatical errors, for example, are the types of subtle lapses in communication that can affect how others choose to work with you in the future.
- Not taking constructive criticism – A large part of getting used to a new job is learning from your mistakes. However, responding negatively to receiving constructive criticism from your manager or team members can highlight a lack of accountability for the mistakes you make.
- Misusing the internet and social media – If your job requires you to sit at a desk for the majority of the day, it can be tempting to browse social media and various websites frequently. However, it may become a problem if your internet browsing impacts your productivity. For example, browsing social media sites while you eat or during a break is fine, but if you routinely post updates, browse websites, and use instant messaging platforms all day, this can surely affect your level of focus—leaving more room for errors.
- Not being personable enough – When establishing a connection with team members in a new environment, first impressions can go a long way. As a new hire, failing to build a rapport with the people you work with can affect your working relationships and impact your professional reputation moving forward.
- Not staying organized – While you’re still new and asking questions, make sure you fully understand what’s expected of you. Once you’re clear, stay organized and establish ambitious but manageable goals. You want to show your employer that you can manage a productive balance of quality and quantity.
