Last night I was watching the match between Arsenal and Barcelona with some hardcore fans of both clubs. We were enjoying the game when suddenly one of my friends gave us something to ponder upon; both team have quite a number of players aged around 19 and 22 and earned hunders of thousands of dollars per week, I say this again, per week. That sparks a big conversation until we did not pay attention to the game until it was half time.
During the break, while my friend are still debating arguing and questioning about it, my brain was working hard to think how did they started their career until they are able to earn sooo much; how was their first day as a footballer? Is it the same with us who went to the office, or they just go to the field, play, rest and train all the way until the next game kick off. Did they feel the same nervousness we felt that runs through each and every single of our cell on our first day of work, or they just enjoy kicking and dribbling the ball? Urrgghhhh, I wouldn't know it unless I pursue the road of footballers (which will never happened at this age).
Walking back into the reality, I whispered to my innerself, “c'mon dude, every working human sure have their first day at work, it's just that different 'world' will treat them differently”. Eventhough I know it is just me trying to comfort myself, but the truth is that working in the air-conditioned office is much challenging than being a footballer sweating yourself on the field.
Okay enough cr**ing about this football stuff. If you are reading this that means you have read the earlier part of my writing about the tips to survive your first day of work. And I have promised to post on the later part of the tips. Here we go....
Most of newbies in office will either given the most easiest task for their first assignment or something that is totally new and they have no idea at all how to do it. But mine is the easiest I guess. My first task is to search for CVs, a lot of it,( FYI my company is in HR industry, so searching for CVs is not weird). I accept the task with a smile on my face. Eventhough it is pretty simple, but searching for CV sometimes can annoy you; try it and you will know why. Without prior knowledge on CV search, simple task can turn ugly. But I manage to avoid that by asking for help from my collegues. You know what, people actually like to help others. If you thought that they won't help you, then you thought wrong. Helping others will make them feel good about themselves. I remember what my boss told me this morning about not being a snob. Because once you be one, people will start thinking of you as a know-it-all person and they will stop helping you => you future is dark.
Note 5: Play safe; ask questions. You're new and it's better to do something right the first time around with help than have to do it over and over again without any help. You might ended up drying your brain out. AND don't be a snob. Ask for help with a smile on top of it.
Working first time in new environment, I have no idea on the company work style and pace. What I do know is that each organization have their own and in each firm, they will have their own shops politics i.e. gossips. Yes everybody loves gossip. And I do know enough to stay out of this because it is not wise to join in on my first day. The only thing that I have to do now is doing my job at the same pace as my colleagues did.
Note 6: Pace your work to that of fellow employees. And stay away from the shops politics.
After a few hours on the laptop looking for CVs, buying my boss his triple shot of espresso and doing few other task, it was break time. Owh owh owh my stomach's shouting to me...”please feed me please feed me”... now, this is the hard; where in the world am I going to have my lunch..sigh.. I'd never been here before except during the interview. Ok don't insult me for not knowing the area well even though I had wrote about checking everything before leaving for office. It is my first day at work and I didn't have someone nice enough to tell me all the tips I need for my first day... ;p
But I have to eat no matter what and in order to do that I have to join my new colleagues. Honestly, this is the crucial part in surviving the first day of work. You have to mingle around and get to know each other. Do not separate yourself from the people in the office during the break because this is the time for you to do the observation, an important observation indeed.
Note 7: Use your break wisely. Observe; who hangs out with who? Where do they eat? Who smokes, who doesn’t.
Finally, after 10 long hour, it's quitting time. Call it a day. Its over for today. It has been a tiresome day but I truly enjoying every seconds of it (no scolding from boss or no colleagues piss on me) and I made it through the day without any major gaffe. My manager ask me to join her for a drink; she's buying. I know that I should not refuse but something tells me that I am still being assessed. I refused her nicely and clock out.
That's all from my experience. There are few more tips that I have not yet mention because I did not need it in my first day. But it does not mean that it won't do any good for you. So for my next entry, I will tell you the rest of the tips; the do's and don'ts on your first day at work
During the break, while my friend are still debating arguing and questioning about it, my brain was working hard to think how did they started their career until they are able to earn sooo much; how was their first day as a footballer? Is it the same with us who went to the office, or they just go to the field, play, rest and train all the way until the next game kick off. Did they feel the same nervousness we felt that runs through each and every single of our cell on our first day of work, or they just enjoy kicking and dribbling the ball? Urrgghhhh, I wouldn't know it unless I pursue the road of footballers (which will never happened at this age).
Walking back into the reality, I whispered to my innerself, “c'mon dude, every working human sure have their first day at work, it's just that different 'world' will treat them differently”. Eventhough I know it is just me trying to comfort myself, but the truth is that working in the air-conditioned office is much challenging than being a footballer sweating yourself on the field.
Okay enough cr**ing about this football stuff. If you are reading this that means you have read the earlier part of my writing about the tips to survive your first day of work. And I have promised to post on the later part of the tips. Here we go....
Most of newbies in office will either given the most easiest task for their first assignment or something that is totally new and they have no idea at all how to do it. But mine is the easiest I guess. My first task is to search for CVs, a lot of it,( FYI my company is in HR industry, so searching for CVs is not weird). I accept the task with a smile on my face. Eventhough it is pretty simple, but searching for CV sometimes can annoy you; try it and you will know why. Without prior knowledge on CV search, simple task can turn ugly. But I manage to avoid that by asking for help from my collegues. You know what, people actually like to help others. If you thought that they won't help you, then you thought wrong. Helping others will make them feel good about themselves. I remember what my boss told me this morning about not being a snob. Because once you be one, people will start thinking of you as a know-it-all person and they will stop helping you => you future is dark.
Note 5: Play safe; ask questions. You're new and it's better to do something right the first time around with help than have to do it over and over again without any help. You might ended up drying your brain out. AND don't be a snob. Ask for help with a smile on top of it.
Working first time in new environment, I have no idea on the company work style and pace. What I do know is that each organization have their own and in each firm, they will have their own shops politics i.e. gossips. Yes everybody loves gossip. And I do know enough to stay out of this because it is not wise to join in on my first day. The only thing that I have to do now is doing my job at the same pace as my colleagues did.
Note 6: Pace your work to that of fellow employees. And stay away from the shops politics.
After a few hours on the laptop looking for CVs, buying my boss his triple shot of espresso and doing few other task, it was break time. Owh owh owh my stomach's shouting to me...”please feed me please feed me”... now, this is the hard; where in the world am I going to have my lunch..sigh.. I'd never been here before except during the interview. Ok don't insult me for not knowing the area well even though I had wrote about checking everything before leaving for office. It is my first day at work and I didn't have someone nice enough to tell me all the tips I need for my first day... ;p
But I have to eat no matter what and in order to do that I have to join my new colleagues. Honestly, this is the crucial part in surviving the first day of work. You have to mingle around and get to know each other. Do not separate yourself from the people in the office during the break because this is the time for you to do the observation, an important observation indeed.
Note 7: Use your break wisely. Observe; who hangs out with who? Where do they eat? Who smokes, who doesn’t.
Finally, after 10 long hour, it's quitting time. Call it a day. Its over for today. It has been a tiresome day but I truly enjoying every seconds of it (no scolding from boss or no colleagues piss on me) and I made it through the day without any major gaffe. My manager ask me to join her for a drink; she's buying. I know that I should not refuse but something tells me that I am still being assessed. I refused her nicely and clock out.
That's all from my experience. There are few more tips that I have not yet mention because I did not need it in my first day. But it does not mean that it won't do any good for you. So for my next entry, I will tell you the rest of the tips; the do's and don'ts on your first day at work
