Make a strong first impression on day one. Covers arrival timing, required documents, introductions, tech setup, note-taking habits, and questions to ask your manager.
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Before You Arrive
Confirm your start time, location, and who to ask for at the front desk
Email your hiring manager or HR contact 2-3 days before your start date to confirm logistics. Ask: 'What time should I arrive, where do I go, and who will meet me?' Getting lost or arriving at the wrong building on day one is avoidable stress.
Confirm the dress code by asking HR or checking employee social media
When in doubt, dress one level above the expected code for your first day. Business casual is the safest default in most industries. Showing up in a suit to a t-shirt office is less awkward than showing up in jeans to a business formal environment.
Gather required documents: government ID, banking info, and tax forms
Most employers need a valid photo ID, Social Security number, bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit, and a completed tax withholding form. Have these ready in a folder the night before. Missing documents can delay your first paycheck by 1-2 pay periods.
Plan your commute and add 15 minutes of buffer
Do a practice run of your commute at the same time of day if possible. Traffic and transit patterns vary dramatically by time. Arriving 10-15 minutes early shows punctuality without making you awkwardly early. Being late on day one sets a tone that is hard to reverse.
First Impressions
Prepare a 15-second introduction: name, role, and one personal detail
You will introduce yourself 10-20 times on day one. Have a consistent version ready: 'Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm joining the marketing team as a content strategist. I just moved here from Portland.' Keep it short, warm, and easy to remember.
Write down the names of everyone you meet
You will meet more people than you can remember. After each introduction, jot down their name, role, and one distinguishing detail in your phone or notebook. Review these notes at the end of the day. Remembering someone's name on day two makes a strong impression.
Smile, make eye contact, and listen more than you talk
Your goal on day one is to observe and absorb, not to prove yourself. Ask questions about how things work rather than suggesting changes. People form 80% of their impression of a new colleague in the first week. Being approachable matters more than being impressive.
Technology and Access Setup
Set up your computer, email, and all required software
IT setup can take 1-3 hours depending on the company. Bring a personal charger and your phone as backup if your laptop is not ready immediately. Make your email signature professional: full name, title, phone number, and company name. Skip quotes and graphics.
Request access to all team tools: chat, project management, shared drives
Ask your manager or onboarding buddy for a list of every tool the team uses daily. If access requires IT tickets, submit them all on day one — approval can take 1-3 days. Being locked out of tools in your first week slows your ramp-up significantly.
Set up your calendar with recurring team meetings and your manager's 1:1
Ask for the team meeting schedule and add everything to your calendar immediately. Block time for your manager's regular 1:1 if one is not already set. Having your calendar populated from day one helps you understand the team's rhythm and shows you are organized.
Learning and Note-Taking
Bring a notebook and write down everything — processes, names, acronyms
You will hear company-specific terminology, abbreviations, and references to projects you do not know yet. Write them all down and look them up later. After 2 weeks, your notes become your personal reference guide. Digital or paper both work — use whatever you will actually refer back to.
Ask your manager for recommended reading: team docs, wikis, and past projects
Every team has key documents that explain how things work. Ask: 'What should I read in my first week to get up to speed?' This saves time compared to discovering documents randomly over 3 months. Read actively and note any questions for your next 1:1.
Identify who the go-to people are for different types of questions
Every team has informal experts: one person who knows the codebase, another who handles client escalations, another who manages the budget. Ask your manager or onboarding buddy: 'Who should I go to for questions about X, Y, and Z?' This prevents you from bothering the wrong people.
Lunch and Social
Bring lunch or confirm where to eat nearby
Your first day is not the time to stress about finding food. Pack lunch or research nearby options the night before. If a colleague invites you to join them, say yes — lunch conversations reveal more about team dynamics than any onboarding presentation.
Accept every social invitation in your first week
Coffee chats, team lunches, happy hours, and casual hallway conversations build relationships faster than meetings do. Say yes to everything in week one, even if socializing is not your default. You can be more selective once you have established connections.
End of Day One
Prepare a list of 5-10 questions for your next meeting with your manager
Good first-week questions include: 'What does success look like in 30 days?', 'What are the team's current priorities?', and 'Are there any quick wins I can focus on this week?' Having specific questions shows initiative and keeps your onboarding on track.
Send a short thank-you email to your manager and anyone who helped you today
A 2-sentence email — 'Thanks for making my first day so smooth. I'm looking forward to diving in this week.' — goes a long way. It takes 30 seconds and makes you memorable in a positive way. Also thank the IT person and your onboarding buddy.
Review your notes and organize them before tomorrow
Spend 15 minutes at the end of day one reviewing and organizing what you learned. Highlight your top 3 questions and any follow-up items. Day two is when the real work starts, and fresh notes will keep you focused instead of scrambling to remember details.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear on my first day at a new job?
Dress one level above the company's daily dress code for your first week — if the office is business casual, wear business professional. Ask your hiring manager or HR contact about the dress code before day one. Tech companies and startups trend casual (jeans and clean sneakers are standard), while finance, law, and consulting expect business professional through the first month.
Should I bring anything to my first day of work?
Bring a notepad and pen (you will receive more information than you can memorize), your government-issued ID and Social Security card or passport for I-9 verification, any requested documents (voided check for direct deposit, benefits enrollment forms), and your lunch for the first day. A small, non-perishable snack is wise — first-day orientations frequently run through normal lunch times.
How early should I arrive on my first day?
Arrive 10-15 minutes early to allow time for security check-in, parking navigation, and finding the right building entrance. Arriving more than 15 minutes early can create awkwardness if your manager or onboarding contact is not ready. For remote first days, log into all provided platforms 30 minutes early to troubleshoot any technical issues with VPN, email, or video conferencing.
What questions should I ask on my first day?
Focus on logistics and expectations: 'What does a typical day look like on this team?', 'Who are the key people I should meet in my first two weeks?', 'What tools and systems should I prioritize learning?', and 'What does success look like in my first 90 days?' Avoid questions about promotions, raises, or time off during your first week — these signal misplaced priorities.
How do I handle first-day anxiety at a new job?
Preparation is the most effective anxiety reducer: lay out your clothes the night before, drive the commute route once during rush hour, and prepare a 30-second self-introduction covering your name, role, and one personal detail. Everyone expects new employees to ask questions and not know things — a study by BambooHR found that 72% of employees rate the first week as the most stressful, confirming this feeling is universal and temporary.