Starting a new job can be a stressful experience. You’re understandably anxious to make a great first impression and show your new employer (and supervisor) they made the right decision hiring you.
But the first day of your new admin job doesn’t need to be scary. There’s a reason you applied for this role and hopefully, your first day will be the start of a long and happy relationship with your new organisation.
Here are some top tips to ease first-day nerves and ensure you make a successful start to your new admin job.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
You will receive a lot of new information on your first day and it’s natural – and expected – to ask questions. From where the stationary supplies live to how to answer the phone, it will take you a while to understand all the processes and systems of your new workplace. So don’t be afraid to clarify details and ask questions about your role and the wider organisation.
While your questions should be welcomed by your new supervisor, you can still show a proactive approach as well. You should already have a good idea of your new role and the organisation before your first day so avoid questions that suggest a lack of research or preparation. The answer might be on the company intranet or one of the new-starter documents you’re given on your first day.
Set Realistic Expectations
Try not to be too hard on yourself, especially while you’re learning the ropes. As we’ve already said, there’s a lot of information to absorb and your new employer is likely to have different ways of working from your previous one. Just try to remind yourself that you’re learning and it’s impossible to get everything right on the first day.
It’s a good idea to keep a notebook and pen handy so you can keep track of everything you’re learning and refer back to it when you need a refresher. This could be anything from team members’ names and phone extensions to key business clients. It will become a handy quick reference guide in the future!
Be Organised
Your first few days will likely follow a pretty structured schedule filled with company inductions, meeting new colleagues and orienting yourself. But don’t be surprised if things get busy pretty quickly once your official onboarding is completed.
Start as you mean to go on so prepare your calendar, desk and computer so you’re ready when the tasks start coming in. These simple preparation steps will help you feel organised and will show your employers you know what you’re doing.
Have Faith in Your Abilities
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or out of your depth on your first day so remind yourself you have the skills to do this job. You probably went through a competitive recruitment process to get the role and had to demonstrate you had the right skills and experience.
It’s natural that everyone takes a while to settle in, but if you start feeling overwhelmed or anxious you can repeat a reassuring or empowering mantra under your breath. Examples include “I am confident and capable”, “I have something valuable to offer” and “I am ready to take on whatever comes my way”.
Arrive on Time
There’s no better way to make a good first impression and showcase your reliability than to be on time for your first day. This might mean a bit of extra research into your commute or possibly even a test run.
Don’t assume because you’ve been to the workplace before that you’re guaranteed to arrive on time you might now be commuting during rush hour and you should allow extra time for traffic jams or public transport delays. And if you arrive too early, you can always grab a coffee nearby and steady your nerves before you walk into the building.
Need More New Job Advice?
At YourResourcing, we are your personal recruitment team. From our first conversation through to your post-placement aftercare, your happiness is our top priority.
We are specialists in admin recruitment, so if you’re looking for a new admin job in Australia or have some new job advice, get in touch with our friendly team today.