The first day of a new job can be nerve-wracking. It’s the first time you meet many people and need to learn new processes and procedures. To help with this transition, we have some tips for getting ready for your first day at work:

Start prepping for your new job before you even start!

Compile your notes that you took during the interview process and anything else you gathered during your research about the company/role. Start brainstorming some ideas for:

• Improvements in your role or the org.
• Ideas on how to grow the business.
• Questions to ask your peers and bosses when you start that will help you better get setup.

Finally we recommend that you also start setting up whatever work organization tools that may come in handy. We highly recommend Trello boards which we personally use in our day-to-day lives at Tech Interview Coach.

• Goals for the first day.
• Goals for the first week.
• Goals for the first month.
• Goals for the first year, and beyond!

Network and research.

• Meet people in your new industry. When you start a new job, it’s important to meet people who are already working there and get a feel for what the company is like to work at and what their goals are. You’ll also learn how they prioritize certain tasks over others, which can be helpful when making decisions about how best to do your work.

• Get the lowdown on what your company does. Before starting work, it’s good practice to find out as much as possible about what kind of products or services your company offers—even if you don’t think that information will be relevant right away. This will help give context for anything else you discover later on in the hiring process or once starting at the job itself (ex: “Oh, so that’s why our office was so big!”).

• Research other companies in your industry and see how they operate compared with yours—and vice versa. There may not be any direct competitors between your current employer and theirs (if this happens often enough), but another organization offers similar services/products/etc., which means they could provide useful insight into some parts of their operations that might differ from yours’. For example: If one has several offices throughout various cities while another only has one location downtown; if one relies heavily upon technology while another relies heavily upon personal interaction; etc..

Clean up your social media accounts.

It’s always good to do a bit of social housekeeping now and then :)

• Make sure your profile is professional.
• Avoid posting anything that could be taken out of context.
• Remove any photos that could be embarrassing to you or the company.
• Make sure your profile is up to date and verified if necessary

Get a new wardrobe if needed.

If you need to wear a uniform (unlikely nowadays!) or suit, make sure that it fits before starting work :)

If your company has an official dress code (as many do), make sure that your clothes conform with those standards as soon as possible. It may be time to go shopping!

Research workplace culture and employee morale.

Researching the company culture, employee morale, and work-life balance is an important part of preparing for your new job. To begin, check out the company website and social media accounts to get a better idea of what it’s like to work there. You can also talk with people who currently work for the company or at other companies that operate under similar models. A helpful resource is Glassdoor Reviews, which allows employees and former employees to rate their working experience on a scale from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).

Finally, be sure to ask your recruiter or human resources department about these things when you’re interviewing for the position!

Prepare mentally by practicing in your mind what it will be like on the first day.

In order to prepare for your new job, it is important that you find a quiet place where you can think about the first day.

What will you do on the first day? Who will be there? What kind of environment will it be like? How will you feel once your shift ends at night and all the excitement dies down.

Allow yourself time to reflect on these questions so that when they happen in real life, they don’t come as such a surprise or shock to your system.

Practice your commute.

Before you head out for your first day, take some time to plan and research the best route. If you’re driving, avoid rush hour and get there early if possible. If you’re taking public transportation, make sure that you know exactly where it is located and how long it will take for you to get there. And if a cab is more convenient for your commute, make sure that the driver knows which address he or she needs to go before getting into the car with them.

Identify potential problems that might come up, like keeping to a schedule or taking care of a child while working. This way you can prepare in advance for the challenges ahead.

• Take note of any construction or traffic issues that could affect your commute time (this includes bad weather!).
• Check out some alternate routes if there are any delays on the road you normally take to work. You might find that there’s another route that takes less time and/or is less stressful than what you’re used to driving everyday!

Finally, relax!

This may or may not be an obvious, but take the last few days/weeks that you have prior to your new job to relax. If you’re finishing an old job, make sure you do so professionally and efficiently. No one likes someone who slacks off in their last few weeks. It may also come to haunt you later when you need a referral. If you are not employed right now, make yourself a list of things you want to do before you start your new job! Don’t be afraid to sneak in some touristy experiences or a spa day. You deserve it!

Conclusion

We hope that this guide has given you some insight into what to do before your first day at work. Remember: the best way to prepare for a new job is by getting ready beforehand, so that when it comes time to start, everything will be smooth sailing!

About the author: Hande Ormen

Chief Marketing Officer, entepreneur, founder, and mentor empowering businesses and individuals through strategy and coaching. Book time with them here.