Careers Advice

The calm after the storm

After a busy morning when you were very much the centre of attention, you could well find that the afternoon is a calmer affair.  Your new boss will probably have run out of people to introduce you to and things to show to you and will hopefully just leave you in peace to settle in.

Seize the opportunity to start getting your workspace organised – throwing out those half-chewed biros that your predecessor left behind… – and start reading through the inevitable pile of company literature that will have been dumped on you.

You’ll probably find it a useful exercise to write up some notes covering all that you’ve had to learn and take on board so far today.  For example, if you’re anything like me – I have a very poor memory for names and faces – then you might well want to jot down the names of the people you’ve met along with brief descriptions.  You can also start preparing a list of gaps in your knowledge and questions you’ll be wanting answers for.

Your brain’s probably feeling a little scrambled and it’d be a good idea to ‘download’ as much information as possible onto paper for future reference.

This should all keep you pretty busy for the duration of the afternoon but you never know – you might even find some time to do some real work!  Even if you don’t feel you’re achieving very much, it’s not a great cause of concern; nobody is going to be expecting you to work miracles on your very first day.

Time for tea

It does of course vary from workplace to workplace but, pretty much everywhere I’ve ever worked, tea and coffee drinking have been important tasks!  If you’re feeling brave then getting up and offering to make or fetch a round of tea or coffee can make a really excellent impression.  It might not seem like much but it’s a personal gesture which others can hardly fail to appreciate.  If in doubt as to how the coffee machine, etc. works then don’t be afraid to ask a co-worker to show you the ropes.  Regardless of whether you’re on the bottom rung of the career ladder or at management level, you’re showing others that you’re one of the team and that you’re happy to muck in.

Final impressions count too

So, it’s time to go home.  You’re probably pretty tired by now but in just a few short minutes you’ll be out of the building and away.  But, before you do, make sure you politely bid everyone goodnight, smile and leave with your head held high.  First impressions are important – but so are final impressions.

There’s a chance you might get asked to join a colleague or two for an after-work drink.  If you’ve got enough energy left then a drink or two with colleagues might help you to further develop a budding new relationship – but you’d probably be wise to limit it to just a couple of drinks!  You’ve had a long, hard day with so much to absorb and assimilate and you’re probably not up to capping it off with a long night out.

When you finally get home, it’s entirely normal to spend most of the evening thinking back over your first day and, no doubt, pondering on things you could have said or done differently.  But don’t beat yourself up too much; there’s no doubt that you will be more sensitive to any possible slip-ups than anyone else was.  Try to get some rest, give yourself a pat on the back – and remember that tomorrow is another day!

Not putting your foot in it

A friend of mine – who shall remain unnamed – made the big mistake of casually confiding to a colleague that they thought their new boss was “a bit of a bulldog”.  It took less than 24 hours for that boss to find out that their new nickname was ‘The Bulldog’!

Whilst it’s obviously very important to come across as open and friendly with the people you meet, do keep your guard up.  You don’t know anything about these people; you don’t know their backgrounds, their opinions, their characters; you don’t know their relationships with each other.  So watch what comes out of your mouth!  Think before you speak.  Steer clear of saying anything too personal or anything which could be remotely controversial or which could potentially cause any offence to anyone.  Tact is the word.  Stick to small talk.  It can be all too easy to say something which you might later come to regret.  Remember: EBBOM…  Engage brain before opening mouth!

It is in any case far more important to listen to others than to talk yourself.  Do keep your ears open.  Start building up a picture of the various different characters you’ll be dealing with and how they interrelate with each other – listening to what they say and how they behave.  Getting to know the people you’ll be working with is one of the most important parts of starting a new job – and it’s something we’ll be talking about in some detail in Part 3.

It’s not just what you say that can count against you.  Surveys show that one of the most common errors a new starter can make is accidentally using someone else’s coffee cup!  People can be terribly territorial…

Bon appétit

Lunch might just be a quick sandwich at your desk or, if you’re a shift worker, lunch might not exist at all.  Then again, in many workplaces, staff often get together for lunch – and there’s probably even more chance of this happening if it’s your first day.  There will probably be at least one person keen to take the new boy or girl under their wing.  And that’s when you really have to watch what you say!  Lunchtime is prime time for gossip and ‘office politics’.  Don’t be antisocial but do play it carefully.

You could just turn down the invitation to have lunch together because you have to go down the gym or have some shopping to do or just want to get well away from everyone to clear your head!  But be very wary of snubbing anyone on your very first day; your first invitation might well turn out to be your last.

Of course, you might not feel much like eating (that’s your nerves getting the better of you) but you definitely want to avoid a long afternoon with an empty stomach.  Having lunch will:

• Boost your energy levels and help you to think straight.
• Settle any butterflies in your stomach/acid indigestion.
• Stop your stomach from gurgling embarrassingly!

But do watch your table manners!

First impressions count

First things first.  Before you get close to doing any actual work, the first thing you’ll be doing is ‘meeting and greeting’ – and first impressions are extremely important.  Everyone you meet today will be making initial judgments about you – and often on the basis of just a few minutes spent together.  Sounds scary?  It’s not really.  It’s what you do naturally every day when you meet new people – when you go to a party for example or out for dinner with friends of friends.  So don’t put yourself under too much pressure.  But do be conscious of the impression you’ll be making on others.

Make a poor first impression and you might not be able to recover from it.  How quickly do you sum up someone you’ve just met?  It’s probably just a couple of minutes.  Make sure that you make a powerful first impression on everyone you meet today – start your new relationships off on a positive foot.  Start as you mean to go on.

Remember: You never get a second chance to make a first impression!

Smile and the world smiles with you

I’m not about to suggest you traipse around all day grinning like a lunatic but…  Never underestimate the importance of smiling!

Smile at someone and the chances are that they will smile back.  Try it.  It’s a built-in reflex that we humans have, enabling us to immediately communicate our friendly and peaceful intentions – even at a distance.  It’s such an innate behaviour that even if you sit by yourself and smile, you’ll actually feel better for it!  Again, if you don’t believe me then try it!

Start with a big smile for your new boss (without looking too smarmy…) and then keep a small smile lingering around your lips the rest of the day.  It will definitely have a positive effect on the perception that others have of you (firmly proved by psychologists) and you will even feel more positive yourself.

Nerves and anxiety

Nerves can often be a useful tool for sharpening up your performance.  However, if your nerves take over to the extent that they interfere with your ability to function, then it’s clearly a problem.

Nerves are commonly caused by your having lots of negative thoughts rattling around your brain.  Try to relax, calm your anxious mind and think positive thoughts.  Remember: Everyone – and I do mean everyone – gets nervous about their first day in a new job.  It’s perfectly normal.

Of course, the better prepared you are, the less likely you are to feel panicky – but you’ll never completely eliminate nerves.  The secret is to channel your nervous energy and use it to your advantage.  Take a deep breath, focus, concentrate and don’t let nerves spoil your day.

You will always feel more nervous than you actually look.  Bear this in mind and it should help you to calm down.

This is it!  There’s no turning back now.  It’s time to bite the bullet!

Your very first day in a new job may not be the most difficult you ever face in that job – but you can be jolly sure that it will be packed full of challenges.  And what are you going to do?  Well, you’re going to rise to those challenges of course!  In this blog post, we’re going to deal with how to successfully get yourself through that all-important first day.

Setting off

On the morning of your first day, make sure that you allow yourself enough time to get ready (gather your thoughts, go to the lavatory, check your appearance in the mirror, double-check your appearance in the mirror, etc.)  And make sure you know where you’re going!

It may seem obvious but arriving late on your first day will reflect very badly on you indeed – and it happens all too often.  You’re most likely going to the same place you went for your interview but that could easily have been a month or two ago and your memory might be hazy.  You need to check precisely where it is that you are expected to go and then make doubly sure that you know exactly how to get there – and on time.

Into the spotlight

You are literally on show from the moment you arrive at your new employer’s premises – so try not to look like you’ve just arrived at the dentist for some root canal treatment!

Your first day is a lot like one big interview.  Yes, you’ve already got the job but people will nonetheless be keeping a very close eye on you until you’ve settled in a bit.  And you may well have an initial trial period to complete before you can really start to feel secure in your new job.  There’s undeniably a lot at stake but it’s definitely no cause for panic.

Depending on the size and type of the organisation, you may have to present yourself to reception on the morning of your first day – or your new boss might be there to greet you personally.  If the first person you see is the receptionist then do bear in mind that it’s always worth being as charming as possible with receptionists; they can have a surprising amount of influence in an organisation, principally because they know absolutely everyone.  When your new boss does turn up, try to look happy to see them and shake hands firmly – but not to the extent that they end up in plaster!  Seriously, shake someone’s hand too firmly and they might think you’re trying just a little bit too hard.  And if you deliver a weak handshake people often think that implies a lack of character.

Whether you feel confident or not, make sure you look it.  You might feel like you’re back to your first day at school – a little lost.  But be aware that confident people inspire confidence in others – if you appear confident that you are able to do the job, everyone around you is likely to be more inclined to believe that you can.  It’s human nature.

Whilst confidence is critical, it is naturally important not to go to the other extreme and appear over-confident or arrogant.  That won’t go down well at all with your new workmates.  Strike a happy balance.

I was recently interviewed for an article on CV writers and CV writing services.  I was asked half a dozen questions.  Here are those questions along with my answers:

- Why would someone choose to use a CV writing service?

A variety of people decide to come to professionals like us, and for a number of different reasons, from newly-qualified individuals looking to start promising careers to those wanting a change of career and individuals taking a step up in their careers.  There is no ‘typical’ client – but The CV Centre’s clients do all have one thing in common – a desire to progress, to advance and to gain a competitive edge when managing their career prospects.

- How / where does a CV writer add value?

CV writing is a specialist task.  It requires certain specific skills and a good deal of experience to write a really powerful CV.  A professional whose job it is to design and write CVs every day is clearly going to be able to produce a much more effective end product than someone would be able to achieve by writing their own CV.

- When you see CVs come in, what tend to be the biggest problems with the original versions?

We see a huge range of different problems with our clients’ original CVs; the range of problems is as diverse as the range of individuals we deal with.  Top of the list are of course weak and unconvincing use of English and poor, cluttered and confusing presentation and layout.  Besides this, most CVs make at least one easily avoided error, for example including numerous superfluous personal details.

- What makes a CV writer good at their job?

There are a number of different factors which make a good CV writer.  The two most important are (a) the ability to write good, strong, compelling copy and (b) a clear understanding of what it is that recruiters are looking for when vetting a CV – which is obviously the result of recruitment and HR experience.  Beyond this, it is also very important to have a strong sense of aesthetics so that the final design is attractive, eye-catching and maximises readability.

- What makes you stand out as a CV writer?

Besides the above essential requirements, my key talent is knowing exactly how to help people to sell their skills and experience to a prospective employer.  Most people sell themselves short.  My job is to make sure that they don’t.

- What are your fees?  And what does a client get for this?

The CV Centre’s fees for CV writing currently start at £32.50 and go up to £54.50, depending on the client’s level of experience.  Our fee covers complete re-writing and re-design of a client’s existing CV (or, if they don’t have an existing CV, then we ask them to complete an online questionnaire to provide us with the information we need).  Once we receive an order, it will be assigned to a professional CV writer, experienced within the relevant industry, sector or discipline.  They will then prepare a draft version of the new CV before contacting the client if necessary (by phone or by email) to clarify any minor points or to build up on any weaker areas – just to get it absolutely right before we send the draft out for approval.

We operate a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee so that if a client is not 100% happy with the first draft we prepare, we will revise it until they are.  Simple as that.  Customer service is our top priority – always has been and always will be.  We also operate a 100% Money-Back Guarantee.  If, at any time, for any reason whatsoever, a client feels that they deserve their money back, then we will immediately refund their money in full.  No questions asked.