Let’s be real, when it comes to a new job it’s like the first day at a new school. The uneasy feeling sets in as you try to figure out what to wear; are you trying too hard to look the part? Or are you underdressed for the role? What do you bring—should you pack a lunch or see what they have to offer? What supplies should you bring with you? These are all things that are running through your head as you try to anticipate what the day might bring. Who knows? There are probably more things running through your mind as you brace yourself for a place that will either have coffee, tea or maybe both.
I don’t think you can really expect a new job to go the way you thought it would in your mind. It’s unexpected but it’s welcomed. We don’t shy away from this new opportunity that is being presented to us. At least, I don’t and I wouldn’t. Why would you shy away from an opportunity that you took upon yourself to accept? Exactly, you shouldn’t because the job is already your’s. You impressed the team when you came in and the team chose you but then again that was only an hour or so meeting, they don’t really know you or your quirks.
As a fresh face in the work scene – I’ve only been out of college for fourteen months and it feels like forever yet I still feel like a child – you set expectations for yourself and goals. There’s the five-year plan and this job falls into that plan as you design your career path. I’ll admit that first days make me very nervous. Sure, I interviewed for two hours but that was just two hours and five people talking to me – they don’t really know me or how I work. I guess in a way one would feel special because, in this instant, you’re being judged by the prologue to your book and not the whole story. This is my second job since I’ve been out of college, I don’t really count my Marketing Assistant stint. My second job is a pretty bomb gig and I enjoy it a lot. I can’t help but wonder though all these blazing questions on what they think of me or what set me apart from the rest or how I’m going to do – a new job will do that to ya.
The Four Mind Boggling Things I Thought About…
Would you call yourself a job hopper?
I feel like as recent graduates and millennials, we are faced with the term of job hopper and not being able to settle. Am I going to be labeled as a job hopper when companies view my resume? Or are they going to assume I wanted to grow and be presented with new opportunities? It’s an unnerving feeling because I don’t want a company to think I can’t commit but I don’t want to settle for ordinary. Never settle if it doesn’t feel right, I refuse to settle when it comes to my career. If there’s no way to grow why would you stick with that job? Yes, you may love your coworkers and the company culture but you’re stuck and there’s no moving unless someone else decides to grow.
Will you like the culture?
This is a question I always ask when I go to interviews – I want to know the culture and mentality of the place I’m possibly going to work at. It might not be a big deal to some people but I feel like I should be able to communicate with my peers and laugh about things we find funny. If they tell you it’s a work hard, play hard culture, that’s something to expect on the first day and it was true in my case. We work in social media, we’re going to see some wacky things on a day to day basis. Luckily for me, we have email threads of funny Buzzfeed stories and stand-ups three times a week where we might get off track and laugh about something we saw pop up. This is a good culture, there are no vultures in this culture or toxicity – just people that want to work and have a good laugh or two.
Is there the opportunity to grow?
This is another question I manage to squeeze in when I have the time to ask questions. The purpose of starting at the bottom is having the hope that you’ll move up within the company and many companies have that. My manager has consistently expressed to me that there is leverage to grow and roles to move into. This is important in the workforce if you get to feeling stagnant. I didn’t expect there to be opportunities presented so early at my time here but they are appearing. That’s a reassuring factor at a new job to see people moving up and the team believing in them when it comes to the new role.
What does the first day look like?
This was the day I studied my surroundings and figured out what was acceptable at my place of work. Honestly, I studied everyone’s office to see what it looked like and how bomb I could make my own. I see Ryan Gosling’s face every day due to one of my co-workers and I can’t complain. We all decorate to our own taste, we have our own boundaries and no worries or being in an area of pods with people looking over your shoulders. The lunch room makes you want to indulge in the chicken tenders or theme of the day food bar – I’ve brought my lunch twice and passed on it to eat at the Breakfast Bar and Asian Bar. It’s colorful in here and we have a room that is referred to as the Candy Room. Honestly, it doesn’t get better than the agency life right at this moment. From corporate to an agency, I can say that wearing jeans every day is a blessing. Take the first day and go with it, it might not be perfect and it might be overwhelming but it’s going to shape the rest of your days with your new place and your new people.
Currently
Currently, I’m sitting at my desk and I’m learning. Pictures of my family and Kelsea are staring back at me as I work on my computer… soon there will be pictures of Rocko because I have to show off my dog child. I’m taking in so much from a job that I’ve only held for three weeks and it’s exciting. There’s so much to learn when there are so many surrounding opportunities. I’m excited and I’m embracing change.
Leave a Reply