As much as it is exciting for everyone to start a new job, there is also a certain nervousness that surrounds you. Your boss and trainer will ensure that you’ll do the job properly anyway but there are few things that no one tells you about the workplace etiquette. You should be worried about knowing what to do to be in the good books of your boss and a good employee. And this is even more important when you are about to start a new job.
The job is different from your full-time internship. The first job is an entry to your professional world and it is this job that may direct your career in future. A first job is a memorable one either in a good way or bad way. The journey of transcending from the college life to real life is a hard one and one finds it difficult to cope up with the changes. So now you know the first job is really important and setting a good impression is even more important.
Here are a few rules about the office that no one tells you but you must know about:
Separate Your Personal Life From Your Professional Life
Getting your personal life mixed with professional life is really not a great idea and this is where we find difficulty considering that this is your first job. Dating someone from the workplace also comes in this because sometimes it might be against the office policy to do so. Also, it might distract you from your job which is very important for you to concentrate. Keeping it separate also means establishing boundaries and keeping your work needs aside while you are at home. Maintaining a balance is utmost necessary.
Acquaint With The Company Culture And Follow It
Every company follows its own culture and it is very important. Say, for example, dress code, if your company has a formal dress code rule then make sure you abide by it. Showing up just in casuals while everyone else is in formals won’t make a good impression. The same goes for punctuality, work breaks, addressing people etc. Even though there is no such solid rule written anywhere you still need to follow certain things. These things need to be followed even in the outer world wherever you are representing your company.
Gossip Does No Good, Only Harm
Gossip is never a good idea. If you really want to keep your professional life sorted then keep away from the gossip mongers. The juicy details about your boss and supervisors might surely lure you in but you need to stay put. As this is your first job you might barely know anyone so trusting them not to spill the beans in front of others is not good. It is a situation you really not want to face. Above all, it is completely waste of your time as the gossip is going to do you no good what-so-ever.
Be Cordial But Never Clingy And Nosey!
Having a good acquaintance with everyone at the workplace is needed but at the same time, it is really not the place to socialize. You must understand that your colleagues are not your new best friends. Prying into their personal life is really none of your business. Be cordial with them but don’t try to be overfriendly with your colleagues and boss. Be pleasant and maintain a normal relationship with people you work with. Genuinely saying, no one likes clingy people and even run away from them.
Always Acknowledge A Message/ Email That Comes In
Yes, many times we forget to reply to emails and due to this ignorance, we come off rude and unprofessional. Even if it means replying a single line of acknowledgment, so be it. Just let the sender of the email about the receipt of the email and your awareness of it. Until and unless a mail specifically states that it is auto generated email or says ‘Do not reply’, reply to each and every mail.
Don’t Take A Long Vacation In The First 3 Months
Surely, you’ve passed an interview and went through the training but that really doesn’t mean that you know the company’s environment totally. There are a lot of things you’ll miss out on which you’ll learn in the initial days. Not only that you’ll also be deemed as unprofessional. Taking a break just when you have joined the job might make you lose focus and make you lazy as well. If you really can postpone your vacation then try it but if it is unavoidable then request your HR to postpone your joining date.
Never Assume Yourself To Be ‘Too Good’ For The Job
In short, don’t be over confident. It is not going to do you any good when you fail to do something. Many of us reject the jobs because we think we are better deserving than that. You’ll never know how good you are until and unless you actually do it. Moreover, if it is the first job then you must know that academics is different than the actual job. There is so much to learn from every job that you’ll never know. So if you are starting a new job then do not assume anything, just give it a go!
Don’t Miss The Meetings Even If They Are Not Mandatory
Attending the meetings and grasping as much as you can from your first job is really necessary. Be it meetings or be it talk show or be it personality development lectures they are all meant for development. So don’t go on bunking the meetings just like you did in colleges. Doesn’t matter if they are not related to your company, just try to soak in the things as long as you can. They give you knowledge of how to work and behave and sometimes might help you find the right direction of your career.
Disappearing In The Mid Of Office Hours
Every company has strict office hours that you need to be present and disappearing in the mid of office hours might have a negative impact on your job. Even if you might have finished your work going MIA in between office hours might seem really unprofessional. If you really have something for which you need to leave the office premises then the better option is to intimate about this to your senior or boss.
Don’t Go On Revealing Your Embarrassing Stories About Yourself.
Yes, few things that happen in life are super funny but disclosing them in the office is just end up embarrassing you. You may do this just to gain some acquaintances and to get along with the people in the office but it may not do so. You might not even know when you reveal your vulnerabilities to people you barely know.
There is every such possibility that your first job might be challenging. But you don’t need to worry that much because you’ll learn it soon.
