First, congratulations! Let me say, I am proud of you for taking the chance, putting yourself out there, and getting a job! Whether this be your dream career or a seasonal job to get you by, this was a big step for you and I hope you celebrate it. Second, shake it out! Shake away the nerves and the doubt. Embarking on this new path can be stressful and intimidating, but trust me, they selected you for a reason. They see you and how you fit the position they were looking to fill. You got the job. You deserve it. You rock! Third, if you are looking for a little more encouragement and tips and tricks to get you through this transition, keep reading.
1. Buy a new outfit that makes you feel confident and powerful!
Now, I am not saying go crazy –make sure it fits the dress code you will have to abide by but go out and have fun. Find something that shouts confidence and competence. Remember you got yourself that job and now you get to go in there and rock it!
2. Prepare for your first day (or every day) the night before.
Pick out your outfit, meal prep, make sure your tank is full, whatever you have got to do so you can make it to your job on time feeling put together and ready to tackle whatever comes your way.
3. Be on time (early), be on time (early), be on time (early)!
Now I know some people do not have this problem, but I am always late for everything, so use tip #2 and do whatever else you can to get out of bed and ready so you can arrive early and be put together. Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier, leave 10 minutes earlier, both! Find a good system and never be late. Your bosses will thank you for it when they serve as a reference for your next job.
4. While training, take notes and study them.
So much information will fly at you those first couple of days or weeks, and you will be responsible for the information, so take good notes and ask as many questions as you want. Your trainer is there to help you, teach you, and then leave you to fulfill your duties. Make them, and yourself proud by creating a system of notes and studying so you can crush your job!
5. Take note of people’s names.
You will be working with these people, so do your best to remember who they are and what they do –you may need to ask them for help one day and you do not want to open by “Hey, you…” You will also make a great impression by remembering and calling people by their names.
6. Ask questions!
Yes, it is intimidating, but ask questions all the time. It is so much better to riddle your supervisor with questions than to assume something and make a mistake. Ask beforehand every time. They will thank you for it and you will be so much better at your job because of it.
7. Follow the dress code.
No one likes a dress code, but remember, you are not representing yourself while you are at work –you represent the entire company. They hired you, took a chance because they saw something in you, so pay them back by representing them well.
8. Leave the Imposter Syndrome at home!
Society tells us to believe that horrible voice in the back of our heads telling us nasty things, but adjusting to this new job will be so much easier for you if you really trust that you deserve the job. They chose you for a reason. You are perfect for the job.
9. Leave the work at work.
This job is not worth stealing your weekends or nights, so when you get home, relax and recoup –especially the first couple of weeks. If you forgot something, do it in the morning and learn from it so you remember next time. It is okay to make mistakes at the beginning, and it is necessary to enjoy your life outside of work.
10. It’s all about body language!
Work it with every step! Adjusting your body language to portray confidence and openness can be life-changing and can guide you to doors you might not have been about to walk through otherwise. Stand up straight, make direct eye contact, make them believe you are the right person for the job.
Again, congratulations for being selected for this position. You are going to kill it! Believe me, it is not as scary as you think it is, so please relax and just pay attention. Do that, and you have already won half the battle, the rest is just doing the job –the one they trust you to do. Trust yourself, take it easy, and enjoy making some money and developing new skills.