First day at anything is overwhelming, isnt it? It’s hard to adjust, especially if you’re used to a certain kind of lifestyle and if you will have to change that, it gets even more difficult.
I recently had a job change and I decided to jot down my experiences so it could help some of you who may also feel similarly…
If you are stressing about how your first day at your new job (whether you’re a fresher or not) is going to be… Here are the things you must NOT expect:
1. To escape the mundane activities of induction and formalities:
You wish you can escape the boring induction or the bank formalities etc. It’s painful and a drag. Getting operated instead may be something of a fair comparison. But atleast you can numb yourself while being operated. Here you can’t do that. Face it and get through it.
2. Everyone to be smart or smarter than you
Expecting everyone to be smarter than you is not only going to put you on the back foot and make you defensive, it will also disappoint you. Maybe you will go in with an assumption that there would be multitude of things you will get to learn from the new friends you make. But maybe there won’t and you will have to don the hat of a teacher instead. You can however tune yourself to learn mostly from the experiences you have with people, rather than what they themselves can teach you. A handy thing to know here is, “No one has enough time to spare for you”.
3. People to be dumber than you
If you think you are the smartest in the room… Then honestly no one is dumber than you. Lose the ego. There are people better than you everywhere. Of course they may not know all the things you do. But they are surely experts at something that you don’t know.
4. To be treated like royalty
“Hey! buddy! You are finally here. We were waiting for you to join us. Where had you been all this time?” If this is the kind of response you are expecting as soon as you enter your new office, then forget it! Not happening. You may as well get disappointed and quit before you even begin. No matter which department you join, there will be people like you. You’re not the only one. Unless of course, you’re joining in as the ceo of the company.
5. To immediately find new friends
Unless you’re extremely charming or gregarious, completely remove the idea from your mind that you will find yourself many friends immediately. Do not event think about it. Be cool in your own company to begin with. Stay alone, look around, observe, note and use the information for your analysis.
6. That you will not miss your old company or life
If you have switched companies, and say you have been working for quite some time in your old company, you are surely going to miss it. Like crazy. You will miss your desk, your coffee mug, the office vibes, the comfort etc. But then always remember, you were comfortable there. And as I keep stressing again and again… nothing grows in comfort zone. It’s also my very personal experience.
7. That you will not miss your old friends
You will miss your old friends…. Like crazy. But bury yourself in work and you will find things getting simpler. Find new friends. They may not necessarily fill the void created by your missing friends, but they will surely provide some warmth and comfort.
8. That it will be interesting
The initial few days are all going to be learning and learning and a lot of learning. It will be taxing for your brain but then stick it out. Never know what you may find. The boring activity of learning something mundane can lead you into applying it in the most unique situation. Life is all about application of everything that you learn. So eventually things will get interesting when you see results and when you start getting productive.
9. First day means less pressure
Far from it. First day, especially means a lot of anxiety and stress. As you climb higher up the ladder, the greater is the intensity of the stress. The growing expectations from you, the impostor syndrome you need to deal with, the peer pressure… it can all be overwhelming. The onus is on you to prove and perform and the initial few days can get a bit more stressful than you anticipate.
10. Don’t expect to be accepted
A new entity entering anything is initially rejected. A foreign particle entering your eye is instantly removed by tears, so you can just imagine. Hence be ready to be rejected or not being accepted completely. But then, that’s where the challenge is. Prove yourself worthy and you will see the acceptance and the respect come your way without even having to ask for it.
Also Read: 10 things you learn when you are in HR
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