34. "First Day Jitters"

Is starting a new job the adult equivalent of a first day at school/uni? It doesn't matter how many first days you have experienced, you always feel nervous on your first day. This is my guide to surviving, and nailing, your first day.

My Experience of The First Day At A New Job

As you may have been able to tell from the content of the blog the past few weeks/months, I have been actively searching for a new job and also a change in my career path. I wanted to take on a more managerial role, and take a step away from doing direct research. I will always love research, but I want to explore whether it is time to help propel the next generation of researchers forward to achieve their goals.

I hav some good news! About a month ago I nailed the job interview and this week I finally started! So my most recent first day was on Monday (Oct 19).

First days are full of anticipation, nerves, smiling, meeting many new people (simultaneously trying to remember their names and what they do) and figuring out how you now fit in with the organisation. I always feel a bit anxious as I don't know what to expect, have to navigate my way there for the first time and be switched 'on' to meet all these new people. You only get one shot at a first impression.

But you also want to make a good impression. And maybe more importantly, figure out what your role actually is ASAP to impress your new manager and show them why they hired you.

For this position, I have returned to a content area I know well, health research and data. It is such a relief not having to learn a completely new content area. I can just begin learning my role, and the specifics of my job relying on the knowledge I have sent years cultivating. Also, for the first time the person who did the job before me is still at the organisation so they are able to coach me in the role, give me the real talk of what to expect and be there to answer any questions I have in the future. Such a relief!

I am excited to start in this new role, and it also marks a change in my career trajectory as this is a project management, not research role. Wish me luck!!

The Lessons

• Be yourself

Like I said in all of my interview blogs, you need to be yourself. You can be the most professional, polished version of yourself, but don't try to put on a persona. They hired you, now you need to do the job.

• Don't be afraid to show your enthusiasm

I am enthusiastic about the things I care about, data being one of them. So when I get excited talking about data and new projects, I show it. In time your enthusiasm will likely dampen, but showing your excitement about the job can only win your brownie points on your first day. But again, only do it if that is you. Do not fake the excitement or enthusiasm.

• Find out the probation period

What is your probation period? It may be in your contract, but ask your manager as well. Ask them to provide you with the criteria you will be assessed by. (Having the criteria or not will tell you how organised the manager/company is on their induction process). What do they see as the key components for your role?

Depending on how you feel the relationship is developing with your manager, you can also ask them about their management style. What management style your prefer. Going forward, will you have weekly meetings? These questions can be asked on the first day or over the coming weeks.

Take note of their answers as they are the one you need to deliver to (and will performance manage you if you do not meet their expectations).

• Speak to anyone with experience in your position

Find out if anyone else at your organisation has ever done your role previously. In most cases, the person in your role has likely left the organisation, which is why there is a vacancy. But if someone has ever done even one aspect of your role before speak to them about their experience, what to expect day-to-day and anything to watch out for.

Also see if there is a manual for the job. If not, consider writing one as you go along and learn new skills. (Do this in your spare work time, do not make it a main deliverable for your position unless you are asked to do it). This will help the next person in the role, show your manager your initiative and will be a good reference to demonstrate what you do and how valuable you are to the company. (This will come in handy for pay negotiations in the future). It will also help you be more efficient and serve as a record to tell you how to do tasks that you do rarely.

• Get your admin sorted out

Whenever you start a new job, there will be a period of time where you need to get permissions to access documents/folders, be registered on the system, complete the organisation's induction process and really just wander around trying to figure out where to sit and who to talk to etc. Give yourself a couple of days to complete all of this. If you are still struggling after a couple of days ask your manager if this is normal and if they can make any suggestions for it to go quicker.

Of course, if you work at a start-up this will likely sound like gibberish to you. In my experience, they simply hand you a laptop with all the software, passwords and permissions granted in order for you to get started straight away.

• This is a new opportunity, treat it like one

Regardless of the reasons for leaving your previous job, or your past work experiences, a first day is a fresh slate to start again. Treat this job as a new opportunity. Remind yourself of the reasons why you applied for the job, and what skills you want to develop. Focus on these goals and look for opportunities to do projects that include these skills.

What have been your tricks for nailing your first day? Do you have one coming up soon that you are preparing for? Let me know your experience by leaving a comment below or emailing me at AuthenticResearchExperiences@gmail.com

BB

Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash

Related posts

"Career Interview Tips"

"How Do I Build Rapport?"

"Knock knock"

I will write a new post every Friday about another aspect of the research world. Please email me to subscribe to my blog. AuthenticResearchExperiences@gmail.com

I am also an avid reader of pretty much anything. I review all the non-fiction books, and some amazingly researched fiction books that I read. So click here if you want some new book recommendations. Let me know if you have any book suggestions for me.

"Start Up Book Reviews"

"Book Review: Personal Stories"

"The Authentic Research Experience: All Book Reviews"