Your first day in a new job can be a little daunting. Like your first day at school, there are lots of new faces, new places and new rules to get to grips with. What is important to remember is that out of all of the people interviewed, you were chosen. You are the best candidate for the job and so you should try not to be too nervous. Try and enjoy the change and learn as much as you can from your first few days to ensure you fit in seamlessly. Here are some top tips to get you started:

 

Punctuality

Get a good night's sleep and wake up early. Ensure you are prepared, have a good breakfast and choose an outfit that you feel comfortable in. Make sure you allow plenty of time for your journey and ensure you arrive a few minutes early to make a good impression. You may have received a welcome pack and you might have some forms to bring in, so ensure you have everything you need before leaving the house.

 

Get your Bearings

There is a lot to take in on your first day, but don't worry, no-one will expect you to remember everyone's names or know where you are going at all times. Try to take in as much of your new surroundings as possible, and ensure you know the basics; where do you exit/enter the building and where is your office/desk in relation to this. Finding out where the nearest bathroom is, where the tea room is and where the post room is would be a good start.

 

Make a Good Impression

You will spend the best part of every day with your colleagues so it is important to get off on the right footing. Be friendly, polite and respectful to everyone you meet, on your first day it is hard to know the extent of people in your new organisation that you will be working closely with, so ensure that you are not rude or unfriendly to anyone.

 

Take Instruction Well

You will inevitably have to receive training from a colleague or your line manager in tasks for your new job. Be respectful of the time that your trainer is giving up to teach you and ensure you thank them for all the work that has gone into putting your training notes together and for being on hand to answer your questions. Even if you may know more about a piece of software or system than your trainer, which may happen, ensure that you listen to all instruction carefully, do not interrupt or correct them; if you threaten or challenge their knowledge at this early stage, you may lose a key ally.

 

Get to Know your Boss

Getting to know how your boss works is invaluable. Observe his approach in the office; does he take a hands off approach with your colleagues or is he very vocal? Is the office a very focused, quiet environment or is there a relaxed, fun atmosphere? Does your boss enjoy a laugh and a joke, or does he maintain a professional distance from others? Finding out about the dynamics of the office and will help to ensure you take the right approach when forging relationships and will enable you to strike the right balance between friendliness and professionalism.

 

Your actions in this time will determine how others see you and how you are going to approach the role, so make sure you think about the impression you are creating for others. Remember also to relax and enjoy your first week, and congratulations on your new job!

1. Plan your journey.

Work out how you will be travelling to the interview. If you are going by car, find out if there is on site parking, or where the nearest car park is. If you are travelling by public transport, find out how long the journey should take and allow yourself plenty of time for traffic delays. Ensure you know the route, and are aware which building/reception area you need to sign in at and who you should ask for.

2. Make a good impression.

Think carefully about what you are going to wear to the interview; first impressions are crucial, and it is important to dress smartly and appropriately for the interview. For men, you should decide whether to wear a full suit, or a pair of smart trousers with shirt- which should be ironed. For women, ensure that you are not wearing anything too revealing, a smart skirt or trousers and a smart top should be sufficient, avoid wearing extremes of accessories and make up.

3. Decide what you need to take.

You may have been asked to bring your passport, or some documentation with you for the interview, so ensure you have them to hand. It may be useful to take a small notepad and a copy of your CV. Ensure you have directions if needed, and the address of the office in case you forget or need clarification.

4. Research the company.

A favoured interview question is to ask the candidate what they know about the company/job role. Often job advertisements can be quite vague so it is worth looking online and seeing what you can find. Ensure you go over the company website with a fine tooth comb to ensure you impress your interviewer with your research.

5. Prepare questions.

There comes a point in every interview where the interviewer will give you the opportunity to ask questions. It is important that you use this opportunity as a way to confirm your interest in the position by asking thoughtful questions. Prepare some questions before the interview, but be prepared to think on your feet if your questions get answered in the interview. They could be regarding the job role, the company or a specific technical question about equipment or software used.

6. Get a good night's sleep.

To feel at your best in the interview it is important to get a good night's rest and to try and relax. You could take a relaxing bath in the evening and ensure that you get to bed at a reasonable time to feel well rested. Allow yourself plenty of time in the morning to have breakfast and feel fully awake and alert for the day ahead.

Relax; be confident and well prepared to ensure you make the most of your interview.

Image: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

1. Control your nerves

If you are going for an interview it is only natural that you will feel nervous. Being scrutinised by a potential new employer can be daunting, but what is important to remember is that nerves can act as a barrier to your success.

Nerves can manifest in a variety of ways but one of the main things to overcome is the nervous silence. Candidates that become withdrawn and quiet, answering the bare minimum and leaving uncomfortable silences will be regarded as unenthusiastic and an employer may mistake your nerves for disinterest in the role.

 

2. Know what you are applying for and where

This is an extremely common early stumbling block for an applicant. Employers often ask questions regarding why you want to work at the company, or they may ask what you think the job role involves, and it is these questions that require you to have done your homework.

Studying the job ad often doesn't give much away. You must remember that there are other tools at your disposal. The company website; you can find out what projects they have recently undertaken, learn what goals are important to the business, see if they have any recruitment videos or press material. Google is your friend, and you can often find a wealth of information if you care to look.

I recently sat in on an interview where a candidate had done the leg work, and it was impressive. They had researched the company, researched the project, researched the industry and this candidate shone out of all of the others. Those who could only recite the jargon in the job ad paled in comparison and really let themselves down.

 

3. Always ask a question

When an interviewer asks if you have any questions the worst thing you can possibly do is say 'No.' This is a candidate's opportunity to show enthusiasm and understanding for the role, and those that ask insightful questions can really steal the show at interview.

Prepare questions in advance. Even a question as simple as asking what facilities are available for parking will show an interviewer that you can see yourself working there, and this is one of the most positive impressions a candidate can hope to leave. A lack of questioning will make a candidate seem less engaged.

 

4. Make yourself heard

No matter what style or approach your interviewer takes, the one thing they want is to hear what you have to say. Try to avoid giving short answers, elaborate fully and use all opportunities you have to express interest and enthusiasm for the role. Give examples and make reference to aspects of your CV to show where your previous experience would help you advance in this job.

I have sat in on interviews where the interviewer did most of the talking and while that can throw a candidate off, there is always an opportunity to sell yourself. Even in the closing moments when you are thanking the interviewer for their time, you can still add a few closing remarks to convince them of your passion for the job and company.

 

5. Dress appropriately for the job

It is important when going for an interview to dress appropriately. Candidates often range from the very smart- full suit and tie, to the oddly causal- jeans and trainers, but the casual dressers are always going to be compared to those who are more suitably attired. Often a happy medium can be found by aiming for a shirt/blouse and smart trousers/skirt (not too short).

There may be exceptions to the rule of smart, and it is also key to remember the company when choosing your outfit. One of my colleagues once ran a high street retail company and she would be the first to reject those who hadn't embraced the fashionable nature of the role at hand.

The idea of negotiating a higher salary is something that scares the living daylights out of most people. It doesn't seem likely that walking up to your boss and demanding a pay increase is going to come to fruition. However, you'd be surprised. Salary negotiation is a normal part of business and if it is conducted in the right way, you could be singing all the way to the bank.

Whether you are starting a new job or have been employed for a long time, there is always an opportunity to negotiate your salary. Today my blog will focus on negotiating salary for a new job, but I will also be providing advice for those currently in employment at the start of next week, so check back soon!

And remember "If you don't ask, you don't get!"


Negotiating your salary for a new job

1) The most fundamentally important tip when negotiating your salary in a new job is that you don't discuss salary until you have a job offer. Remember, the job market is currently an even more competitive place than in the last few years, so if you go into the interview all guns blazing about your need for a high salary- the interviewer will automatically write you off. Wait until you have a job offer on the table before you even begin to discuss salary, and make sure to approach this in a realistic and sensible manner.

2) Do your research. A key factor in establishing your price when asking for a pay rise has to come from some old fashioned research. Use jobs websites and whatever information you can get your hands on to see what other companies are offering candidates with your job title and skill set. If other businesses are offering much higher, then fantastic, you have a case for negotiation, but if you are after a sum that is just not paid in your current role, then don't shoot yourself in the foot by asking for an unrealistic number. Remember, salary is not the only thing that may be up for negotiation, there are also perks and benefits that you could discuss to make the job offer more favourable to you.

3) Before even going for an interview it is important to work out your minimum. This is the figure that your interviewer absolutely must meet at all costs. You should take into account previous earnings, any travel costs you would incur in the new job, and how much you need to live comfortably and pay all of your usual bills. You need to be aware of this figure so that you can negotiate successfully, as it is no use taking a job offer that will mean you are unable to pay all of your bills.

4) You may be asked at interview what you previously earned. Now it may seem like a good idea to lie here, because you may think it gives you more chance of receiving a higher salary. DON'T- this is a big mistake. You should never lie about your previous salary as this is easy for an employer to find out. Your P45 will tell your new employer exactly what you were worth in your last employment, so however tempting it is to boost your numbers, it won't be worth it in the long run.

5) Know your circumstances. When you go to an interview you already know how important the outcome is to you. You may have already got another job offer, and if this is the case it allows you to turn down any offer you are made that you aren't happy with. Alternatively if this is a job that is most likely to be your only current option, then be more careful, as you don't want to talk your way out of the job.

6) If you are unsuccessful in your salary negotiation, remember not to panic. 'No' now doesn't necessarily mean 'no' forever. If you are offered less than you were hoping for, dust yourself down and find out about the review structure of the company. Ask about how salary rises are assessed and whether there is a chance in the future for further negotiations. Just because your employer is saying no now, doesn't mean it will be a no in a few months time.

7) Your interviewer is probably going to ask you some question about what you think your role is worth or ask what is your desired salary. Remember if you haven't got a job offer on the table then this discussion should be approached with restraint. Instead of reeling off some fantastical number, why not turn the question around to the employer, so that you can get an idea of what they may offer you. You could ask the employer "What kind of salary range do you have in mind for the position?" or to avoid being forthright you could just answer by saying that you "hoped to make as much as other employees with your skills and qualifications". This puts the ball firmly back in the employer's court, which will enable them to give you an indication of the type of salary on offer.


Remember, you might be lucky enough not to need to negotiate salary at all. You may be perfectly happy with the salary on offer, and if this is the case, great! Even if you don't get the salary you want right off the bat, your employer will not think badly of you for asking. With the right approach, it shows that you are confident and not afraid to go after what you want. One unsuccessful negotiation should not put you off asking in the future- In the words of Only Fools and Horses... "he who dares wins, Rodney..."

Don’t...

Express negativity about old employers. You may have some relatively fresh wounds from your old workplace. Perhaps you didn’t leave on the best of terms; perhaps you are completely glad to get shot of your old boss, who frankly, you didn’t get along with. But this kind of thing is better left in the past- it certainly won’t impress an interviewer. There may be a question asked about why you left your last job, but don’t fall into the trap of vocalising negative opinions of old colleagues, see my blog on interview answers for advice on how best to answer this question.

Use a lot of pause words, slang or swear words. An interview where you stumble along with a lot of ‘ums’, ‘errs’ and colloquialisms, just won’t be one that goes well. To avoid stumbling and pausing over your answers, it is best to do a lot of preparation. The more you practice and prepare, the less you will be caught off guard by the questions in the interview. At all costs avoid any kind of swearing, and slang phrases. Make sure you are coherent, clear and professional when communicating with your potential new employer.

Be Cocky. Ok so an interview is your chance to sell yourself to an interviewer, but there is a big difference between asserting confidence and coming across as cocky and arrogant. Reel in the self assuredness to ensure that the interviewer doesn’t mistake confidence for arrogance, as this will put them off quicker than you can say, ‘I’m exactly what you’re looking for, me.’

Give the bare minimum. When it comes to answering questions at an interview, you should never just give the bare minimum. Always elaborate on your answers, give examples of your skills, show times when you have excelled, and really back up your suitability for the role with the right examples. Be careful not to do the opposite and talk too much, just watch for the interviewer’s cues as to whether you have answered the question enough.

Fidget and slouch. What would your grandma say- sit up with your back straight! No interviewer wants to see you sprawled across their office chair whilst conducting an interview. Equally it can be very distracting seeing the interviewee constantly fidgeting, fiddling with clothes or hair, fanning themselves with their CV or any other nervous habit you may have the urge to indulge in. Try and control your nerves and keep fidgeting to a minimum.

Flirt; chew gum; or clock watch. In an interview all eyes are on you so whenever you do something, however slight- they will notice. So fight the urge to look at your watch, this will just tell the interviewer that you are bored and therefore not that interested in the position. Don’t chew gum during the interview because this will inhibit your ability to talk coherently and is also pretty rude. And under no circumstances should you flirt with or try and charm your interviewer. This, worryingly, does occur in interview scenarios, but it is absolutely, 100%, a bad idea.

Bring up salary before it is broached by the employer. You should try and avoid bringing up the topic of salary as this may serve to overemphasise your valuation of salary over the actual job role. And whilst this might be true, you want to assure the employer that you are there because you like the sound of the job, not because of the size of the pay packet attached.  Employers will most likely bring up salary at interview and then this is something that can be discussed, but try and avoid mentioning it before the interviewer has had a chance. If by the end of the interview salary has not been mentioned, it would not hurt to then ask, but ensure this is approached in the correct way.

So try and avoid these nasty interview habits to get the best out of your interview situation. Happy Job Hunting, and if you find yourself at a loose end over the bank holiday, why not check out my earlier blog posts. There’s lots of good stuff on here, don’t you know!!