10 Things You Need for Your First Day at Work

Congratulations! 

You sailed past the torrential waves of applicants and interviews to finally land your new job. Smooth sailing from here, right? Not quite…the initial impression you make with your team will have a far reaching and long lasting impact on your career at your new organization. Begin mapping out a successful career by preparing the following to navigate unexpected first day obstacles to a great first day start of a promising career.

•   Pen + Paper (preferably a notepad or portfolio with a pen clip): Odds are your work area will be stocked with basic office supplies, but most likely you will speak with several people before getting to your new space. Day 1 is a lot to take in, make it easier to remember by taking notes. 
• Cash: I know we live in an electronic world of credit/debit cards, mobile payments, even virtual currency! Cash?! Some companies have cafes that allow you to pay with your badge, but your badge is probably not active yet and the cafes may not accept these ‘new-fangled’ payment methods. Wait, isn’t my team or manager supposed to take me out to lunch? Not always, plus schedules are busy. Don’t rely on the expected and just bring a twenty just in case (emergency snacks!).
• Government-issued ID: You’re new; few people know who you are. Plus, there may be some remaining new hire needed and you don’t have your badge yet. Bring along the ID.
• Appropriate apparel: Remember, keep it professional. Call ahead and speak with the recruiter/hiring manager, ask them what you need to bring, what you need to wear, and when and where you need to arrive.
• Contact information of your manager: Get this before the unexpected happens. You never know if you’ll end up stuck in traffic for 3 hours (yes, me), sprain your ankle (yes, me), or lock yourself accidentally in the office stairwell (actually, not me). Trust me, it’s better to let your manager know instead of him or her wondering what happened to you.
• Contact information of the recruiter: Nothing is worse than finally getting to the building and realizing you don’t actually know where to go or who you are supposed to speak to. No worries, give your recruiter or the person that contacted you during the hiring process a call and ask.
• Breath freshener: Trust me, always have this on hand.
• Comfy shoes: You may be spending your entire first day on your feet: walking, touring the facilities, meeting your coworkers. Instead of awkwardly shifting feet every few seconds or longingly staring at chairs and benches, how about just wearing some comfortable shoes (office appropriate of course)?
• Timeliness: I’m sure you’ve heard this. Being on time is late. You probably get frustrated when your flight is delayed or someone is late to dinner; don’t be the delayed flight or late person at dinner. If you arrive early and others are there, it’s a chance to develop relationships. If it’s just you, then you have a little bit of breathing room to relax and prepare for the meeting.
• Excitement and enthusiasm: Your position is only available because there’s a need for you. Your team is most likely excited about you joining to help out the team, but even if they aren’t, excitement and enthusiasm for the work and your coworkers goes a long way.

These things may seem tiny and inconsequential, but first impressions are always sculpted by the subtle details. I remember one coworker sharing he knew I would be great to work with based on our first meeting due to my organization and enthusiasm (apparently I arrived at the meeting a couple minutes early with a pen and paper and seemed interested in the meeting topics – score for a favorable first impression!).

At the very least, now you have a quick checklist to run through when getting ready for your big day!

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the blogger and are not necessarily those of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas or the Federal Reserve System.