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You got the job! But now it’s time for your first day, and your butterflies are starting to turn into full-blown anxiety. Take a deep breath. We’ve got tips to help put your mind at ease and make navigating your first few weeks at the office a walk in the park.
Making a good first impression is one thing, but keeping it up long-term can make all the difference between being relegated to menial tasks and being put on projects with real potential to boost your career. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the 16 first job mistakes many people make—so you can avoid them and start strong. Knowing what not to do can be just as powerful as knowing the right steps to take.
1. Not Fostering Relationships
I can’t overstate how important it is to foster relationships with everybody you encounter in your first job. I’m not saying you should attempt to become best friends with every coworker you encounter, but having some semblance of a friendship is better than no relationship.
Always say hello to your colleagues and always be as inviting as possible. If you keep to yourself and display rude behavior, you’ll find yourself out of that job sooner than you thought was possible.
2. Being Rude
Your general attitude will say more about you than you know; if you’re not the most pleasant person to begin with, unleashing your sarcasm in an unsuspecting work environment is a recipe for disaster. Not everybody is blessed with a natural ability to be kind and cordial, but keeping your rude side under wraps is critical.
On the flip side, however, if you’re looking to be the least-liked person at your work, then being rude is the quickest way to accomplish that goal!
3. Being Tardy
When embarking on your first job, take advantage of the fact that nearly nothing will be expected of you except for one thing: you must show up on time. I’m not saying show up early (oh God, no); all I suggest is showing up to work when you are scheduled. It’s not rocket science!
Being habitually tardy puts an unneeded target on your back, and you will most likely open yourself up to increased scrutiny from your bosses and colleagues. (Spoiler: you don’t want that!)
4. Being Unprepared
Remember how terrifying it was in high school to walk into a classroom and realize you were horribly unprepared to take a scheduled exam you forgot was happening that day? That feeling is magnified by approximately one million percent at your first job. I can’t stress enough the importance of being prepared.
Always know what’s on your schedule that day, and never let curve balls ruin a productive day. Leave your unpreparedness in your past; it’s time to be responsible and ready to tackle whatever the day brings!
5. Being Too Timid
I’ve encountered far too many timid coworkers in the workplace. They’re shy, unassuming, and worst of all, they don’t ask the necessary questions to improve their jobs. When you’re granted an opportunity to make significant money (relative to not making any money at all, of course), it’s essentially to be proactive.
Nobody wants to be the worker who doesn’t ask questions, doesn’t participate in discussions, and generally keeps to themselves. Perhaps most importantly, nobody wants to talk to that kind of worker, either!
6. Gossiping
Spreading rumors is something best left in high school. I know the latest work gossip can be too good to pass up, but save the drama for your second or third job; focus on making the best impression possible in your first job. Focus on ways to keep your communications positive and relevant to the work at hand.
Gossip is like putting too much chocolate syrup on an ice cream sundae; it seems like a good idea at the time, but when you’re done, all you’re left with is a stomachache and a heavy dose of regret!
7. Oversharing
Gossiping is frowned upon in most workplaces, but nothing is more off-putting than a coworker needlessly oversharing every tiny detail of their life with unsuspecting colleagues! Nobody wants (or needs) to hear about your lack of romantic success, your latest doctor’s visit gone awry or waxing poetic about how cool your car is.
Oversharing is rarely welcomed in the workplace, especially in your first job. Don’t bombard your colleagues with needless information they never asked for in the first place.
8. Lying About Your Skills
It’s one thing to embellish your resume, but overtly lying about your job skills is one of the worst mistakes you can make in your first job. Lying about your skills is an easy way to get assigned tasks or work that you are woefully underqualified for, ultimately leading to you letting down your team.
Before you know it, your “culinary school degree” will earn you a one-way ticket out the door once the rest of the kitchen staff realizes you can’t cook at all. I’ve seen it happen!
9. Eating Lunch Alone
I get the appeal of eating lunch alone, far away from the coworkers you see more than your own family. However, in your first job, bite the bullet and be as friendly as possible during lunchtime. The only people who eat lunch alone are the men and women who have turned an entire company against them.
Eat lunch with your coworkers even if you can’t stand the sight of them. Trust me, in the long run, your work days will be smoother because of it.
10. Not Being Professional
Read the room, people! Professional, corporate jobs require a certain attitude. If you don’t fit in culturally in your first job, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb. I distinctly remember my first day of work in a (somewhat) corporate office and being taken aback by a foul-mouthed coworker who let curses slip into every work-related conversation.
He was the worst. Don’t be like that guy; that guy does not get invited to many company happy hours!
11. Being a “Tryhard”
Nobody likes a showoff. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first day being a bartender, an accountant, or a runway model. Exhibit a little bit of grace so you don’t incur the wrath of your new coworkers.
Don’t waltz into McDonald’s and announce that the best fast-food worker has finally arrived; the rest of your crew will ostracize you. Let your burger-preparing skills do the talking for you.
12. Taking Too Many Days Off
I’ve seen this happen far too many times in modern, tech-centric jobs that allow their employees to take an infinite amount of time off. Don’t be “that person” who abuses this system.
There’s a thin line between taking a mental health day and taking multiple month-long vacations annually! Don’t take too many days off, or your colleagues or boss will think you don’t want to be there.
13. Offering Suggestions Above Your Pay Grade
Despite what you may believe, you’re not the boss. Perhaps one day, you’ll climb the corporate ladder enough to be in charge, but when approaching your first job, you must accept that you’re the low person on the totem pole and act accordingly.
Avoid offering suggestions or advice to people above you; to them, you’re just the know-it-all who just got hired and has (most likely) no clue what you’re talking about.
14. Being Clingy to Specific Coworkers
If you’re being clingy in any relationship (outside of work or inter-office-style), you’re doing it all wrong. Nobody likes a clingy person, especially coworkers. Let me people have their space, and your first job will go much smoother than you could imagine.
You don’t want to be known as the new employee who latched on to one or more tenured workers; it’s not a good look. Use your coworkers as valuable resources, but don’t lean on them too much to the point where it makes them uncomfortable.
15. Not Asking Questions
By asking thoughtful and interesting questions at your first job, you’ll exhibit the qualities of a productive worker showing genuine interest in their new occupation. After all, one of the best ways to become more proficient in your work is by finding the answers to your questions about the assigned tasks. Remember, asking the right questions is always a good thing!
There is no such thing as a stupid question, only an inappropriate question.
16. Asking Inappropriate Questions
Avoid asking inappropriate questions in every aspect of your life, especially at your first job. In the spirit of The Office, I suggest using the strategy of “If an idiot would say it, do not say that thing.” It’s a tried-and-true strategy for not being labeled a weirdo (or worse).
Use first-date etiquette as your gauge of whether or not a question is appropriate or not. (God help you if you are unaware of first-date etiquette.)
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