Success Through Confidence Series Part 24: Your First Day On The Job

You wake up all ready to begin your first day on the job. You’re excited! You’re motivated! You put on the one suit that you know makes you shine. If you feel confident, you'll look confident to others. Whether you're driving to work or using mass transit, be sure to leave plenty of time to get there early. Treat it like a job interview, and remember first impressions do count. Eat breakfast before you leave your house -- fresh breath and clean teeth (no poppy seed bagels, please) are a must. You don’t want to smile at someone and have them know what you had for breakfast.

Your work day begins when you leave your house. You never know when you'll come into contact with your co-workers or boss. So be decent to everyone you meet.

So you finally made it to your new workplace. Now take a deep breath and walk in with a smile on your face. Keep your head up and remember to make eye contact. Be polite and friendly to everyone you encounter, whether it's the receptionist or the mailroom clerk, your colleagues or your new boss. Introduce yourself to those you meet and remember that it's okay to ask questions. People generally like to help others and it usually makes them feel good about themselves. I remember a new co-worker who refused all offers of help. I guess she thought it would make her look incompetent to our boss. The result was that everyone thought she was a snob or a know-it-all and some people even vowed to refuse to help her in the future.

While it's okay to hold onto some of things you learned in your previous jobs and use that knowledge in your new job, remember that every workplace has it's own way of doing things. Your first few weeks or even months on a job is not the time to change the way things get done. Do not utter these words: "That's not how we did it at my old company." Your colleagues will just be thinking this: "Well, you're not at your old company and if you liked it so much why didn't you stay there."