Thoughts on My First Week at TriStarr

I recently started working fulltime at TriStarr Staffing. It was a whirlwind, I called in on a Tuesday when I was laid off from my previous position, interviewed on Wednesday, was offered the position on Thursday and began my new role as a Recruiter on Monday (this past Monday to be exact). I don’t know about you but when I start a new job, my nerves start wreaking havoc on me. The interview is one bundle of nerves but actually accepting a position and starting one brings all those nerves to a completely new playing field.

My mind starts to race and questions start to bombard me. Are they going to like me? Will I be good at my new role? Will I like it? What happens if they don’t like me? What if I make a huge mistake and I need to find a new job after my first day? What happens if I break my computer? What happens if it takes me a long time to learn the expectations and the tasks of my new role? What happens if my boss is difficult to please? All of these questions bang inside my head and sometimes it can be not only overwhelming but it can seem insurmountable, these questions corn popping in your brain. Wouldn’t it be easier to stay where I am and not take the risk of a new position or collect unemployment and go back to school (I know I’m good at learning, maybe I should get my Master’s).

My resounding answer is NO. Don’t be complacent; don’t let these questions that flit through your mind sidetrack you from the amazing opportunities that this new position will bring.  When I start to feel myself getting overwhelmed after accepting a new position, I take a deep breath and start to psych myself up. I remind myself that these questions shouldn’t be allowed to rob me of the joy of starting a new position. I use these questions and possibly my apprehensions as a way to hit the ground running. I don’t dismiss them but I process through them and then let them go (I don’t continue to rehash them in my mind).

I tell myself that I am qualified for this position, that my colleagues will like, accept me, and see my value and that I will be an asset to the company. Sometimes if I am feeling especially overwhelmed, I will look in the mirror and tell myself I am a wonderful employee and that I will be completely valued in my new role. I feel that when you talk to yourself in the mirror, you can let go of all the fears and apprehensions and you start to believe that you are the best employee for them; you can believe in yourself and not let your negative self, thwart you from doing an amazing job at your new position.

Sometimes even after talking to myself in the mirror I still have this niggling doubt in my head and when that doubt just won’t subside it helps me to process through my worst case scenarios. My worst case scenarios include burning down the office because I microwaved my lunch too long, I destroyed the business in one day, I lost my cool and yelled at my new boss and then was justly fired for my egregious disrespect. I know that my worst imaginings will most likely not happen and my first day, first week, and first month will be better than I expect. Also I always have to remind myself that it will take time to learn all the nuances of my new role and that I need to be patient with myself (and my teacher) and don’t expect to know everything about the company or the role in the first week. Remember that everyone had a first day and your day is today.

Listed below are my top five tips for surviving your first week on the job:

1. Ask questions (if you don’t understand something, speak up).
2. Write everything down (don’t make someone have to tell you something more than once).
3. Be confident (you may be nervous but remember that they saw the potential in you and out of all the candidates, this organization choose you).
4. You will make mistakes…learn from them and don’t hide them.
5. Remember that you can’t learn everything in one-day…remember that you will have a learning curve (so be patient with yourself).

Asher

You may ask yourself whether I am still having doubts about my new role as Recruiter now that my first week is drawing to a close, I can honestly tell you that I love it here. I’ve been welcomed with open arms. My bosses are easy to get along with and they make their expectations known (for me this is one of my wants in every boss…tell me what you want and I will do my best to meet and exceed your expectations). My colleagues like to joke around and bring fun to a sometimes stressful field of employment. It is amazing to feel so welcomed when you have only been with them for a week. I can’t wait to learn everything I can about TriStarr Staffing and continue developing friendships with my colleagues and bonus, our office has its very own mascot, a dog named Asher. What job could be better than this one? Great bosses, amazing colleagues and a dog; I am in job nirvana.

Until next time,
Anna