
The first day at work can be overwhelming because many people don’t know what to do and how to behave. At the same time, you have an excellent opportunity. You have the opportunity to make a good start on which to build. If you make fun of your colleagues right from the start, it will be difficult for you.
Most of them will be neutral with you at the beginning and will therefore overlook mistakes and misunderstandings for a while. However, you should not take this for granted or exploit it. If you approach the new situation with the wrong attitude, hostility will soon strike.
These tips will make getting started easier:
Be punctual and sociable
Once you’ve found your way around the new situation, you’ll be able to learn from the others how punctuality, dress code and tone are held. On your first day, however, you should act like you did at the interview – make a good impression and not look like you’d rather be somewhere else.
Don’t overdo it
If you’re the more confident type, don’t try to impress your colleagues by approaching them too openly with your ideas – you’ll have plenty of time later. No one expects you to solve all the company’s problems immediately.
Ask questions
When you receive an order, try to execute it as well as possible and don’t be afraid to ask questions. It’s better to turn to colleagues if you don’t know what to do than to wait for the solution to fall from the sky.
Take notes
Write down everything that seems important to you – such as the names of your colleagues. It is uncomfortable if you have just spoken to someone and then need to ask another person for the name of the person you are talking to. Write down rules or procedures so that you don’t put your foot in it later.
Volunteer to do so
As you start a new job, your colleagues are all busy with their own work. Therefore, you may sometimes feel neglected or underutilized. It’s okay to ask someone to do a task or to help you. Your offer alone will make a good impression. Be positive and let your work speak for itself instead of pushing yourself to the fore. After a few weeks, you will have gained enough self-confidence to be as you are.

Become part of the team
Show your colleagues that you are happy to be part of the team. By actively approaching others, you signal that you are ready to do something for the team. On your first day, you will not immediately see how the group is structured or who holds which position. You will only know that after a while.
Dress appropriately
You should not be dressed too casually on your first day at work, as your colleagues may assume that you are not taking the new job seriously enough. Proper clothing stands for efficiency and reliability, while too casual outfits could convey that you are disorganized or sloppy. That doesn’t have to be true, but it’s the first impressions that count. That’s why you should look particularly well-groomed on your first day at work.
At the end of the first day
Note that there are unspoken rules everywhere about who stops working first and why. When everyone has to work overtime because of a time-consuming project, your colleagues have no choice but to stay longer. Make sure you support others until it’s time to go home. Just leaving at the end of your official working hours will not go down well with your colleagues in such a situation.
Last but not least
Try not to be too tense or anxious on your first day. You may feel intimidated and unconscious. Don’t worry too much – you will meet many unknown people, most of whom will help you because they know the situation is not easy for you. You don’t have to worry about the usual “office gossip” as a newcomer. While it’s unlikely that someone will face you with a negative remark about the company or a colleague, if it does happen, just don’t react.
Be grateful for any advice and do not express your opinion too openly. Do not make private phone calls and do not extend your lunch break too long. You will be inconspicuously busy the whole time.