Got a new job? Here's your day-one survival guide

There are few things more exhausting than the first day in a new job.

All that excitement and tension throughout the day wrings out every last bit of energy, leaving you spent, but hopefully feeling good about the move.

Between remembering new people's names to figuring out where the tea room is and all the while making a good impression, new starters need every bit of help they can get.

There are simple strategies to ensure your day is a success — while also going easy on yourself. I asked LinkedIn members to contribute to this day-one survival guide, and their tips have me nodding an agreement. As Natalia Rachel says, “Our nervous system works extra hard when we are taking in new information and can cause us to be overwhelmed.

“Take regular moments to pause. It can help the nervous system to settle."

Read on for the tips and if you have your own piece of advice, share it in the comments.

Timing matters

Lorraine (Alford) Bastian: “Show up early but enter the building on time."

Fuel yourself

Ken Barlow: “Bring along something to eat. It is not always a given that you can pop out and grab something. Bringing along something to eat for yourself on that first day removes another small stress.”

Plan ahead

Sarah Burgess: “Try to be as prepared as possible in advance — use LinkedIn company pages to get some information about the company and look at your new colleagues. Follow or connect with them before you start so people get to know a bit about you and you them.”

Make a good impression

Dominic Joyce: “Baked goods always go down a treat and make a great first impression. If they’re homemade, extra brownie points (pun intended).”?

Get the outfit sorted

Sarah Kelly: “If there has been little direction on what to wear, look at the company's website and socials first and gauge what their attire is."

Show up authentically

Sue Ellson: “Be yourself. Wearing a mask is exhausting. But always be polite and respectful to others because you don't know what is going on in their life.”

If you’re remote, be patient with the tech

Elisabeth Pichler: “Don't panic if not everything works. I have started at lots of firms and none got me in all the systems on the first day. So take it as it comes."

Give your memory a helping hand

Daniel Martin: “Draw a floorplan of the office, and note everyone's names and roles. People are more than what they do.

"Record personal details people tell you about their kids, their pets, and their passions.”

Be curious

Melissa Vaarzon Morel: “Ask questions shamelessly. This is exactly the time.”

Stay positive

Donna Ferguson: “Don't try to offer new ways of doing something even if you think it's better, and do not engage in gossip even if it's with the person who is showing you around.”?

End the day when your team does

Rohan Mukherjee: “If your colleagues invite you out for after hours drinking / dinner, it might be a good idea to go along for now. (Don't feel pressed to do it though!)”

Back yourself

Cyndi Day: “Remember, you got the job so you’ve been chosen because they believe in you, so, believe in yourself, too.”

What have been your experiences of starting new jobs? Me? Well, I forgot my lunch on day one of my first office job, and soon after got found out for having drawn rough caricatures of my team mates in order to remember their names. I still remember driving home (the wrong way, but I figured that out eventually) feeling as though I'd run a marathon. And day two? Well it was much better!

LinkedIn is offering?free access to learning paths?for in-demand jobs. Here’s the?learning path to?become a?graphic designer,?including this course on typography.

We’ll share a free LinkedIn Learning course each week.?Be sure to sign up.

Are pay rises bad for the economy? Millions of low-paid workers are expected to get a pay rise in Australia come July 1, but it could cause inflation shock for the economy. Read more here.

New Zealand's unskilled worker shortages are driving casual pay rates up. Just look at the going rate for a day picking and pruning kiwifruit, which is currently attracting NZ$600 a day. Read more here.