New Hire Etiquette: The First Month on the Job

You’ve made it past the interview, accepted the offer, and are now preparing for your first month as a new employee. It’s exiting and overwhelming. Besides meeting new people, you’ll be learning the ins and outs of a new company and a new position. To make the whole process run more smoothly, there are a few etiquette rules you should follow to make sure you start out on the right foot:

1. Don’t be late.
You’ll soon learn whether it’s OK to leave an hour early on Fridays or come in 15 minutes late when the traffic is bad, but for now, err on the safe side. Observe what other employees do but ask your boss for the run down on what’s expected of you.

2. Be professional.
You’ll be meeting a lot of people and they’ll have a lot of questions for you. Don’t feel obligated to divulge too much personal information or dish out your life story. If you’re not comfortable being put on the spot, repeat the same question back to your inquisitor after you give a short answer.

3. Keep it PG.
Swearing may be acceptable at your workplace or on your team, but don’t count on it. Again, stay professional and wait for cues from others before cracking jokes or using risky language. If your boss doesn’t use it, it’s a good sign that you shouldn’t.

4. Work hard.
Save the personal calls, lunchtime errands, and doctors appointments for down the road. Right now is the time to focus on learning the job and asking thoughtful questions. That means you should also unglue your smartphone from your hand and stay off Facebook and Twitter.

Image by Steven Meyer-Rassow.