It’s Sunday night. I’m starting my new job tomorrow. Not only that, but I’m moving into a totally different industry and I’m giving up the luxury of “Working From Home.” (Remind me again why I’m doing this?)
Obvious questions are running through my head. What am I going to wear? WHAT ON EARTH AM I GOING TO WEAR?! Dress code is “something your mother would approve of.” That’s not particularly helpful, given my Mother is partial to a pair of jogging bottoms (my particular favourite being her Limited Edition Missy Elliot X Reebok bad-boys).
I settle on smart black jeans and high cut jumper, with a leopard print jacket. I know, leopard print is controversial…but I don’t want to look too conservative? And at least I can take it off? Right?!
Nail polish is neutral…with no chips (nothing worse than chipped nail polish).
I prepare a packed lunch. Don’t want to assume I’m going out for lunch on my first day. I make sure I’ve enough cash in my purse to buy myself something (at least 4 coffees to get me through my first office-based day in forever). I Google the nearest car park to the office. I ask Google how long it should take me to get there. I add fifteen minutes and then I set 8 alarms, so I absolutely don’t oversleep on my first day.
Then I stumble across this GEM and realise that it’s not just me and that everyone has these initial fears when starting a new job…and that as long as I perfect the art of making a mediocre cup of coffee and remember at least 3 names of new colleagues, I’ll probably be ok.
Beginning a new job in an office can be particularly anxiety-inducing as they’re work environments with important social systems and dynamics. So, being the new person you don’t want to come in and mess anything up, be that with your peers, or more importantly in your work.
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