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First impressions are significant in business, leaving your employer with an impactful mark of your persona. However, the phrase “first impression” is slightly misleading, as it does not necessarily refer to the first encounter between you and your employer. Instead, how you present yourself, act, and respond to situations throughout the first week or two makes up a first impression. Even then, however, you need to keep up with the behavior you presented yourself with to leave an even more powerful effect on the workplace. Here are different ways to leave an excellent first impression on your next internship or job.
Dress for Success
Your wardrobe will give people an idea of the kind of person you are before you even get a chance to speak. Therefore, you want to let people know you are professional, trustworthy, reliable, and dedicated to your career. As such, you want to dress up consistently in business casual attire to show your employers you are determined and taking this position seriously. Also, you’ll look great every day you walk into the office, so that’s a great plus. Check out our Dress for Success Guide for ideas!
Be on Time
Although an obvious point to make, it’s still an important one. Being on time will take you places, as it’s a quality that will let people know you are a prompt and reliable person. Therefore, it’s important to consistently show up on time for work, meetings, and other encounters to extend this quality from being a first impression into normality for you.
Befriend Coworkers
There is a misconception in the workplace that every kind of conversation somehow has to tie back to the workload. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Whenever you find yourself in your free time or are around other coworkers, try engaging in chitchats with them or start conversations with them. They will appreciate getting to know you better outside of work, and you can pass the time quicker. Something else you can do for good measure is connect with them on LinkedIn once you’ve established a close relationship with them. Expand your network!
Ask Questions
Your employer hired a human, not a robot. It’s excellent to ask questions and listen to different ideas when getting used to a new position. It shows interest in doing a good job, and the more questions you ask, the better grip you’ll get on your responsibilities at a faster pace. And yes, the questions can be simple or more complex. Just don’t be afraid to ask away when you’re in doubt!
