Congrats! All of your hard work has paid off and you landed a fulfilling new job. Although you impressed the company enough to hire you, remember that the impression you make on your first day is still important. Here is what you should do the day before starting a new job to ensure you are fully prepared to walk in with your best foot forward.
Figure out the best route to the office.
There is no excuse for being late to work on your first day. If for some reason you interviewed at a different location than where you will actually be working, make sure to drive to your new office before your first day. Not only will this eliminate the stress of potentially getting lost, but you can spot out where you are supposed to park beforehand as well. Check the maps on your smartphone to look for the quickest route and determine how bad traffic will be in advance. If you take public transportation to work, be sure to figure out all of the transfers you need to take and be extra mindful of time.
Brainstorm small talk topics/icebreakers.
Establishing relationships with your new co-workers is important. In order to avoid awkward silence on your first day, think of some non-work related topics you can bring up to keep the conversation moving. Remember to avoid all political or controversial topics.
Pick out your outfit.
Picking out your outfit the night before may sound tedious, but what if your shirt needs ironing and you didn’t realize it? Lay out your outfit the night before, including what shoes you want to wear. Even if the office dress code is casual, dress professionally at least for the first week. Wear an outfit that will give you confidence, but also something that you are comfortable in. The first day of work isn’t the time to try out those new heels you’ve been meaning to wear.
Prepare supplies.
Although the company will probably give you a pen and notebook, it never looks good to show up empty handed. It’s important to write things down while co-workers are teaching you new things, and it could start the second you walk in the door. Another thing to track down the night before is proper identification for new hire paperwork, or if they gave you paperwork to complete beforehand, make sure you know where it is and confirm that it’s complete.
Look over the company website.
If you prepared for your interview the right way, you’ve already researched the company and glanced over their website. It doesn’t hurt to refresh your memory or see if they posted any new updates the night before your first day.
Set alarms.
We cannot stress enough the importance of arriving not only on time, but early on your first day. Oversleeping is not an excuse, so set plenty of alarms to ensure you have time to get ready and get to work early. If you arrive too early, relax and listen to music in your car and walk in about 10 minutes before your start time.
Sleep!
First day jitters are expected, but try to get a good night’s sleep so you are alert and focused on your first day. Try to get yourself into a healthy sleep routine the week leading up to your new start.