We've all been there. That dreaded first day at the office. Of course, everyone gets nervous on their first day at any job, but offices in particular can appear to be extremely ‘grown-up’ and scary (or perhaps that’s just us?). As a newbie, it can be difficult to know what to expect, and although everyone else appreciates that you’re new and might take a while to get into the swing of things, nobody wants to be the one who messes up on the very first day. And we’re not just talking about the job itself, we’re talking about first appearances, office small talk and making friends. We’re here to answer some of the questions office newbies find themselves asking in the middle of the night before that dreaded first day… Of course, no two office environments are the same, but there are some common factors that apply to every new office job. That’s why we present you with the office newbie’s survival guide, which gives you all the necessary information for successfully surviving your first day (just remember not to take it too seriously!).

1. TOP TIP
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NOTEBOOK
& PEN
LUNCH BOTTLE OF
WATER
USB STICK CASH (VENDING
MACHINE)
Surviving Day ONE
The Office Newbie’s
SURVIVAL GUIDE:
Wake up nice and early, eat
breakfast, wash and put on your
smartest work clothes.
Check the weather reports
to avoid weather-related
clothes disasters.
Aim to arrive at least 10 minutes early, but
no earlier than 20 (You donʼt want to look
TOO eager - play it cool).
You should be at your desk by now
and have had the down-low on what youʼll
be doing by now. Make notes and say hello
to everyone, smile, and use this time
to ask questions.
Be prepared to be thrown into the
deep end. Most employers give their
newbies a work task on day one -
youʼve been hired to work after all!
You might be invited to an office meeting (lucky you) - just take notes and wait
it out. It may be wise to pop to the toilet beforehand and grab a drink on the way
in - you donʼt know how long youʼll be there!
top tips to remember...
Make a bad cup of tea/coffee, you
will be forever remembered for it.
Make an awesome one, and youʼll
forever be called upon for your
cuppa-making skills.
AVOID AWKWARD SMALL TALK:
Have some discussion topics at the
ready. Know whatʼs happening in the
soaps, read the news and have a
personal anecdote prepared.
DONʼT be the first person to ask about
lunch, play it cool and wait to see what
everyone else does. If youʼre offered to
go have lunch with your new boss and
co-workers - GO!
Twitter: @ChairOffice
Facebook.com/ChairOffice
Pick your outfit
the night before!
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6:30amWAHTYOUWILLNEED8:50am10:30am11:00am13:00pm15:00pm17:00pm
12:00pm
You should be at work by now
WHY ARENʼT YOU AT WORK BY NOW?!
Step
on it!
If you forget someoneʼs name on the first day, make a joke of it. For example:
“Sorry if I forget your name, Iʼve met about a hundred people today!”
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Ask questions if youʼre unsure, but try figuring out the problem yourself
before you ask (Google search is a lifesaver!)
Excuse
me?
Offer to make a drink for
everyone else in the office but
make sure to aim for an averagely
good cup of the sweet stuff.
Ok ,lets
do this!
You might be asked out to drinks
after your first day. The answer
should always be “Yes”.
Donʼt think that staying a bit late will
impress your boss. Go home and reflect
on what youʼve learnt today.
The “reply-all”
email feature can
ruin your life.
Re-start your
computer before
declaring it as broken.
DONʼT bring tuna
or egg salad for lunch.
Just donʼt.
www.chairoffice.co.uk