We are here to help present your Resume and Portfolio in a way that best describes who you are as a professional in the field, and to give you the best guides throughout the whole job application process. However, there is another aspect that is very important to do once you have landed that job by joining our Job+J1 Program or on your own. That is a little preparation before walking through the front door on your first day! So congratulations! If you are reading this it probably means that you have landed your dream job! So now with your first day of work right around the corner, we leave you with a list of the few things that you should prepare to-do’s before your first day at work:
1. Plan what you will wear
It is always better to be overdressed than under dressed. You want to make sure that you look the part, and coming in under dressed will probably leave you a little embarrassed and wishing that you had prepared. So take a look at what company’s profile and what the usual attire of the co-workers is. There are office settings that are a little more laid back, and others that are a lot more formal, so always do a little research. If you are not quite sure, we do recommend that for that first day you come well dressed, and once you have seen how everybody else around the office dresses, you can make a decision on what the best attire will be.
2. Investigate who your co-workers are (online of course)
We recommend that you do a little prep work before your first day as it will help you get incorporated with the team. On the first you are very likely to be overwhelmed with information and hear a lot of rules and regulations of the office. In addition, you will meet a lot of new people and several names will be dropped on you, so you can try to use LinkedIn as a helpful tool to get familiarized with some of the people working in your office and so that you can start writing down some names so that they are easier to familiarize.
3. Research the company
Familiarize yourself with some of their work. So go on the company website and look at their previous projects and works so that whenever they reference a previous project, you are aware of what they are talking about. It also helps you give you an idea of their type of work and style of execution. While you always want to add what you can bring in to a project or a company, you also need to be are of their vision.
4. Email your boss
Unless they gave you detailed instructions of what to bring for the first day, you can always ask what they expect from you in the first week prior to the first day. This can be by asking your boss, or anyone else in management who you’ve been in contact with. It can be as simple as this:
Hi [Boss’s Name],
I’m very excited to be joining [Company] in [Number of Weeks/Days] and can’t wait to start working with you and the team! Is there anything I can read or do ahead of time that would help me hit the ground running?
Have a great rest of the week and see you on the [Date]!
[Your Name]
5. Rest
Make sure you are well rested! It is very important that you look ready to go from the very first day and that you are ready for any challenges that they throw your way. Those first impressions are very important, and being rested will give you the energy and enthusiasm that you need!
6. Light conversations
Think about a few things that you can mention, small talk that might help you if you are usually a quiet person. Some of us are a little more introverted, and that is perfectly fine, so just think of a few things that may get some conversation running.
7. Commute
Make sure you know how to get to your office, you don’t want to be late on your first day! Don’t come in late with the excuse that you got lost or that you didn’t know which bus to take. You will probably have some time before going in the first time, so do the appropriate research on what the best commute will be, and try to do one or two practice runs. This will also help you figure out what your costs will be like and plan your monthly expenses for transportation.
8. Materials
Buy some materials for the first day. Bring some of the essentials that you know you will need for sure. Things like pens, markers, agenda, a small notebook, and a nice bag to carry your materials. Unless they already gave you a list with materials, bring at least the things that we mention before and wait to see what other essentials for your positions will be.
9. Enjoy
If you are someone who stresses out easily, the first week might be a little stressful and can possibly feel overwhelming. It’s okay to feel this way, but try to enjoy the process! That is why taking care of all the points that we mention to you above will be very helpful, as it will take a lot of the small worries out of your way and it will let you focus on the important things.
