New job in COVID time

6 tips for starting a new job in corona time
(source: Monsterboard) 

It is possible that before corona entered our country, you had already applied for a job and managed to get this job. Or you recently lost your job and are now starting a new one. In spite of the corona crisis, there are still a lot of people starting a new job every week. And also their first job!

And now that the advice is still to work from home as much as possible, you will probably start your new job from home as well. Of course quite a bit weird! But also in this situation you can make a good impression in your first weeks. 

Tips and tricks:

Start on time
One of the first tips we give for your first day at work is not to be late. Now that you don't have to go to an office, you can largely decide for yourself what time you will start. But it's also useful to start on time when you're working from home. Let your colleagues and your manager know that you are ready and looking forward to your first day at work!
 
Introduce yourself
Find out in advance who is on your team and who your supervisor is. Normally you will meet a lot of colleagues on your first day and see a lot of new faces. Now you will probably only speak to your immediate colleagues by phone or video conference. Take the initiative and, for example, send your colleagues an email to introduce yourself. This way they will know immediately who you are, even if they haven't seen you yet!
 
Be representative
You will probably have Skype, Zoom or other video meetings. Ask well in advance what the dress code is at the office. Formal or informal? Make sure you adhere to this dress code when working from home. Sure, your jogging pants and sweatshirt are very comfortable, but if you're normally dressed nicely on the work floor, it's professional to dress like this during video meetings.  
 
Look up your colleagues
The chats at the coffee machine, the drinks on Fridays or the short team meetings, you have to miss it all now. Especially important to look up your colleagues online now! Call them, Whatsapp them, or organize a virtual drink. When you finally see them in real life at the office in a while, it is useful to have already built up an online relationship with them.
 
Ask questions
Rather ask too many questions than too few! Ask your colleagues if you can interrupt them from time to time, and in which way they would prefer that. For example via Whatsapp, e-mail or a short telephone call. Don't be afraid to ask questions. A lot of contact with your colleagues is good for the relationship you still have to build with them.
 
Be proactive
Maybe someone will walk with you all day to answer your questions and give you tasks. Now you will have to find out for yourself at home. Don't you have anything to do? Let them know! Don't wait until a colleague or manager gives you a task, because they can't always see if you still have enough to do. Go there yourself, and show that you are proactive and enthusiastic.