You may have six months for your probationary period to prove your worth and advance to regularization, but you can make a great impression on your first day at work if you know what to do. Your first day at your new job is your chance to create a lasting effect on the way your employer and colleagues perceive you which is very important throughout your tenure in the organization.


First day at a new job: What to aim…

Eight working hours might just be a breeze, but even at this early, the first day at the job is when you should:

• find your way around the place;
• start building rapport with colleagues;
• observe the organization's environment (including the dominating culture and office politics);
• keep your eyes and ears open, and your mouth relatively zipped on your first day at new job and the few succeeding days;
• remember all the names of the colleagues whom you will have been introduced to and come in contact with regularly;
• learn the basics, such as whom to approach for certain issues on your first day at job.

First day at work advice: How to Act…

• Tread carefully. No matter how disgusting your first day is because you've quickly become the target of prying eyes, your only answer to "How's it going?" should be "Wonderful!" or "Great!"
• Be friendly, professional, and polite at all times to everyone, and consider making changes only when you are secure in your position.
• Internal gossip is a natural occurrence in an office environment but do not be all too showy as to give ammunition to the gossipers on your first day at work that will backfire against you later.
• Do not alienate the cautious ones who will still be observing you at the beginning by being overly friendly with staff who want to quickly make friends with you.
• In your first day at a job, help people in any way you can and as what you are expected to do so as not to appear over zealous or pretentious.

One last "first day at work advice" is to simply be yourself because you don't want people to think you've changed and all the first day demeanor was just for show.