We are all new job starters - here's how we got through the first few days

We are all new job starters - here's how we got through the first few days

Starting a new job is difficult, and once you’ve landed one, you want to do well. Settling into a new role is always nerve-racking, particularly if it’s a position you’ve been aiming for a long time.

Here, four recent starters share the advice that helped them make a smooth transition and get through those first few days.

**Sarisha Ganesan, 22, landed her first grad role in marketing**

Sarisha Ganesan, 22, graduated from Loughborough University in June and began a graduate marketing role last month.

Because her job is fully remote, she prepared for day one by emailing colleagues beforehand to ask what to expect.

"I got to meet everyone virtually in the morning meeting, we went around and did mini introductions," she says.

At first, Sarisha was taken aback by how collaborative the role was.

"Coming from university, I was used to a more independent style of work.

"There's loads of meetings throughout the day and regular call check-ups," she says.

Her advice for getting through the first few weeks is to tell your manager and wider team if you get stuck on tasks or if the workload starts to feel too heavy.

"Let everyone know where you are with tasks to avoid them having to chase you up.

"They don't expect you to know everything so make sure to communicate with them if things become unfamiliar or if you feel like you have too much on your plate and need a hand," she says.

**Oliver Walker, 23, says you should focus on developing in your role**

Oliver Walker graduated from the University of Liverpool in May and, just one week later, started a graduate role working on social media campaigns for a marketing agency.

"I didn't have much time to prepare and went into it very unknown. There was very little time to do research on the responsibilities that came with my role," he says.

He did some "company stalking" to find out more about the organisation so he didn’t go in "completely blind".

His main advice is to concentrate on learning and growing in the role.

On his first day, he asked his manager whether they could have check-ins every six months to make sure he was meeting his goals.

"For me, being a valuable member of my company is important.

"I've been able to interact with incredibly helpful people in my company because I was asking to attend company events and saying yes when the opportunities appeared," he says.

**Chinaza Eke, 20, worked with the civil service as an intern**

Chinaza Eke, a third-year student at the University of Warwick, has just finished an eight-week summer internship with the civil service.

During the internship, she was assigned five main tasks and had to use new software systems and platforms she had not used before.

"I didn't want to ask for help because it felt like I'd be admitting I didn't have the skills to be there," says Chinaza, who's 20.

But after her first few days, she realised that asking for guidance was expected and that pretending to understand the tasks would only hurt her later on.

"Having my line manager encourage me to slow down was an adjustment from the intense environment of university," she says.

Chinaza’s advice to others is to ask for help when you need it, and the sooner the better.

"You can make so many valuable connections by admitting you need help. There is nothing wrong with being unable to do it straight away," she says.

**Elijah Amoako, 26, recently changed jobs and started with a new employer**

Elijah Amoako recently began a new role managing industry relations.

Before his first day, he researched the organisation to get a better understanding of the team he was joining.

"I think it's important to arrive curious and open-minded, rather than feeling like you need to know everything from day one," he says.

After moving from another company, Elijah, 26, took time to watch how things worked in his new role and not assume the same methods applied.

His advice to others is to build relationships beyond your immediate team, as that is the best way to open yourself up to more opportunities.

"Your reputation starts being built from day one, through how reliable, curious and collaborative you are.

"Building relationships and understanding how an organisation operates is equally important," he says.

Lizzie Crowley, senior policy adviser at the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, says it's important to "get many of the basics in place" ahead of your first day: