Congratulations, you’ve made a good enough impression on the hiring manager and just secured your dream job. The hard work does not stop there though – it’s just as important to make a good impression once you start role. Always remember; the first week of a new job is crucial in setting the tone for the rest of your time there.

Here are our top 5 useful tips to help you make a great first impression in your new job:

1. Be Punctual

Punctuality is not a courtesy; it is a must within the workplace. It doesn’t matter how smart, capable and competent you are. If you’re habitually late, be it to work or on deadlines, you run the risk of undermining your professional reputation.

A few minutes here and there may not seem like a lot but, if you’re doing this constantly, the time will add up, which can in turn, affect your work productivity, and cost your company money.

Making an extra effort to be on time can help to calm those new starter nerves and will show your employer that you respect other people’s time.

Your employers are human and understand that sometimes things happen. If you ever do find that you are running late, ensure you alert your workplace to the delay as soon as you can. Remember to always be apologetic and provide your employer with an estimated arrival time where possible.

2. Dress the Part

It is important to pay attention to the dress code at your job to ensure you look the part. This does not mean you have to spend a fortune on clothes, instead take a moment to ensure you are well put together. When picking out your next work outfit you should keep in mind these three things; make sure you are well groomed, your clothes are neat and unwrinkled, and that you are following your company’s dress code.

3. Ask for Help

Many people shy away from asking for help within a new job role because they feel they will look like they don’t know what they’re doing. If this is you, fear not! It’s ok to not know everything, after all you are the new hire.

Asking your colleagues questions can be a great way to show them that you’re a taking a keen interest in your new role. Taking the time to speak with them is likely to help you gain a better understanding of how things work within the company and could reduce the risk of you performing a task wrong, and possibly having to redo it later.

Remember to be a sponge –  Asking questions is great, but it is important to listen, and soak up the information that is being given to you; pay attention to the answers and write down anything important.

4. Be Receptive to Guidance

It is important to go into your new job role with an open mindset. Understandably you may be used to doing things in a certain way, however it is important to embrace change, and take the time to learn the way things are done within your new place of work.

Once you have given yourself time to get to know the new systems, you may even find that you end up preferring them. Allowing this learning period also means that if need be, you can make more informed decisions when providing constructive feedback to your employers on the current processes.

5. Be Willing to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

Starting a new job can mean more responsibility, a different working environment and a lot of new processes to learn; all of which can be very overwhelming. You may find yourself pushed to new limits that require you to perform tasks that are typically out of your comfort zone, and feel you’d much rather tackle the jobs that don’t require too much of you.

Rather than be tempted to play it safe, you should embrace the elements of your job role that push you to step outside of your box. Being able to take risks is seen by many business leaders as a skill critical to career success. Try starting off small; from pitching in on tasks you would usually shy away from, or sharing new company ideas with your colleagues, and allow the likelihood of your significant career success to increase. 

We hope you find these tips to be useful in your journey to becoming a future business leader.

We wish you every success in your new and current role and would love for you to share any tips you have for making that perfect first impression.