First weeks at work

5 tips for the first weeks of your first real job
(source: monsterboard) 

It is time! The day you are going to your very first real job. You may already know some colleagues from the job interviews, but now it is really going to start. The coming weeks will be fun, exciting and also tiring. You want to make a good impression, but you still don't know how everything works. We will help you on your way with these five tips!

1. Observe
   Every company has its own working culture, the unwritten rules, a hierarchy.  Of course you already know a lot about the company, but you really get to know the people when you work closely with them. Don't try to be judgmental and speak up right away, but first observe. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't participate in conversations, but it does mean that you have to look around a little more consciously at who is acting and saying what before you start speaking up yourself.
    
2. Get to know your colleagues
   Of course your new colleagues would like to get to know you better! And you are curious to know who they all really are. In the end, you will be working together for a lot of hours, so it is good to know exactly who you are working with. But do realize that it's all new for you and not for them. You will probably be welcomed and shown around by your manager. But afterwards, take the initiative yourself to get to know everyone better, for example by having a cup of coffee with some of them. Some colleagues just want a business relationship, others share more on a personal level. You don't need to become best friends, but social contacts are part of it! Depending on the company's culture, the atmosphere and mutual contact can be very informal and personal or more businesslike.
   
   In the beginning it might dazzle you from all the names and positions of colleagues and maybe also customers and suppliers. Make sure you memorize this carefully (often helps to write it down) or ask for an organisation chart, because nothing comes across as more uninterested than not knowing someone's name or introducing yourself again to the same colleague.
    
3. Ask questions
   The biggest misunderstanding is that you should already know everything. By asking questions, you show that you're interested. That you really want to understand it, that you want to get to know the company and that you want to do the work well. Sometimes certain things are very logical for those who work there and are therefore not well explained to newcomers. Is something always done in a certain way, but do you think it can be done differently? Don't be too headstrong in this, but certainly don't take everything for granted.
    
4. Stick to the basic rules
   Be aware of working hours, dress codes, lunch habits, whether or not to make private phone calls, etc. By arriving on time you automatically show interest. By dressing well, you do not fall out of tune. These are little things that are often very much appreciated by your colleagues and your employer.
    
5. Go for it!
   Of all the other applicants, they have chosen you. They see you do the job. So go for it too! Have confidence in yourself, in what you can do and who you are. But also be reliable, so keep your promises and let them know in time if something doesn't work out. In addition, such a full working week requires a lot of energy, so don't plan too much - especially in the beginning. A weekend filled with parties and starting your second week on Monday feeling tired is probably not the best idea.