Feature articles

• Recession-proof your career
• Dealing with redundancy
• How to get noticed at work
• Getting ahead at work quiz
• Troublesome co-workers: How to deal with difficult people
• How to ask for a pay rise
• How to cope with a bad boss
• Tips for coping with a bad boss
• How to cope with your first day at work
• Tips for surviving the first day in a new job
• How to get work experience with a magazine
  
• Office romance
  
• Office romance dos and don’ts
• Keeping the spark alive at work
  
• Tips for keeping the spark alive at work
• What women want
  
• Save the planet from your office
• Green tips

Get some zzzzzz

Have a good night’s sleep, get up nice and early and eat a proper breakfast. That’s the best preparation to kick-start your first day.

Turn up on time!

There’s nothing worse than being 15 minutes late on your first day, and blaming it on the traffic is not going to make a very good first impression. This will set a bad precedent for the rest of your time with the company.

Be in the right place

It’s important to find out where you need to go on your first day – there may be a particular office or location for orientation that you may be required to be at. Also, make sure you know how to get to work – which train should you catch or which route will you take?

Bring relevant documentation

You’ll need to bring your tax file number and bank account details so you can get paid for all your hard work.

Remember names

It may be difficult to remember everyone’s names and roles at the beginning, but try to take note of some of the key people in the office – you may have to call upon them for help later on!

Know your rights and responsibilities

It may have been discussed during the interview and subsequent conversations with the boss, but it is a good idea to be clear of what is expected of you on a daily basis.

Watch the clock

If you’re doing shiftwork, make sure you understand the correct procedures for signing on and off each day – you want to get paid correctly for all those hours you’ll be putting in.

Set realistic expectations

A lot of time may be spent filling out paperwork and familiarising yourself with office procedures and policies – don’t expect to be doing too much hard yakka on the first day.

Keep note

It’s a good idea to write everything down – there’s nothing worse than forgetting where things are or what you’re supposed to be doing.

Observe your colleagues and follow by example

Find out whether it’s acceptable to have a chat across the office or help yourself to the chocolate biscuits in the kitchen.

Don’t start with bad habits

If you slack off and take long lunch breaks on day one you’ll never get into a constructive work routine.


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