How to make an impact before you start a new role

Nervous?

Don’t be. Starting a new job will always be daunting: if it isn’t, you’ve lost your passion. Then again, familiarising yourself with a whole new set of rules and responsibilities while learning the names of your colleagues and settling into the culture makes for an incredibly full-on first week.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do ahead of your start date to ensure you hit the ground running from day one.

Do your homework

Just like exams, many candidates have a bad habit of only researching potential employers prior to an interview before subsequently forgetting what they learned straight after. If successful, their first week will still be spent getting up to speed instead of making an impact Time is money, after all, so the sooner you can get started, the better.

Of course, employers don’t expect their new recruits to arrive with in-depth knowledge of how the company operates. However, if you can arrive on day one with a fundamental understanding of what they do and their history in the field, your employer will take this as a sign of your dedication in getting the job done.

Ask your boss

Your boss-to-be may have answered many of your questions in the interview, but since being offered the job, it’s likely you have a few follow up queries. It’s a good idea to ask prior to your start date exactly what’s expected from you, for example, in your first week.

Is there anything you should bring from home? What kind of attire should you wear? The last thing you want is to turn up unprepared and have to give yourself a pep-talk in front of the mirror later that night to convince yourself that first impressions don’t count. Unsurprisingly, they do: you should aim to leave your new boss feeling satisfied with their choice and excited to see what you can do. With this in mind, there’s really no harm in being over-prepared.

Offer your input

Having been selected for the role, there’s a good chance your new employer values your expertise. Yes, you may feel like a teacher’s pet asking your boss if you can be of assistance before you’ve taken your first steps in your new workplace, but if they are dealing with a particular problem that could benefit from your perspective, why wait?

If there are any tasks that you can take on in the days or weeks running up to your start date that will make your first week that little bit easier, don’t hesitate to ask. If anything, your future boss will appreciate you taking initiative and be impressed by your commitment.

Meet the team

Within their first week, most new recruits will undergo an induction as part of their onboarding. During this time, they will usually meet with new team members and other staff to learn more about their role in the company and how both parties can work together.

If you’re looking to make an impact before you even start, why not reach out to your future colleagues to see if they might be free for a quick coffee or bite to eat? Not only will this make your first day less intimidating, you’ll likely be able to gain valuable insight into the company culture and get a clearer picture of what to expect.

Familiar with your future team and the work you will be doing, you can look forward to your first day without fear of the unknown.

Over the last 20 years, we have grown as a business to become one of the leading independent Recruitment agencies in Oxfordshire, and in 2018 have opened our first London office, to service Clients in the capital.

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