The first day at a new job is pretty much like going on a blind date. You’re filled with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. You’ve heard so many good things about your potential suitor you’re keen to go out there and make a good impression. At the same time, you worry about whether they’ll like you, what to wear and whether you’ll press something on your computer and break the whole company.
When it came to my first day at PlentyOfFish, I was nervous as expected. But I found, as I have with dating, the best approach is to get on your best outfit, remind yourself to “Be cool” and just go for it. Like those one-a-thousand great first dates, my first week at POF was a breeze.
Reasons My First Week Was Awesome:
1. I Was Welcomed By Everyone
POF is a big company; not just in terms of staff numbers but also the sheer magnitude of their brand. Starting in a junior role you assume everyone else’s job is more important and they’ll be too busy to even greet you. Luckily for me, everyone was really nice and welcoming. Yes, they have important jobs and yes, they are busy but no one made me feel as if my position was any less important. In fact, a large majority of people even went out of their way to introduce themselves to me which made me feel warm and fuzzy and special inside.
2. There Was An Orientation
In previous jobs, I would arrive and be expected to know about the new company and its practices. In some cases there weren’t any, and others I was left to figure out on my own. When you’re already overwhelmed in a new environment this can be cause for panic. On my first day, I was given several hours of orientation. Although this sounds hard-core, to me this was heaven. I like to know as much as possible about any situation so this was my happy time and it helped a lot. I was able to find out many things about the company, I was able to ask questions and I didn’t have to run around in a crazy panic wondering where the bathrooms were.
3. I Was Trained Well
Hitting the ground running is a great way to start your new job. You find out how resourceful you can be, your skills in a crisis and should there ever be a zombie apocalypse you know you have a fighting chance. Saying that, getting trained beforehand helps a lot. Sure I knew what my duties and responsibilities would be when I arrived and I knew I was capable of doing them but learning from someone else in the role made the transition so much easier. I had an entire week of hands-on training which meant I wasn’t scared and crying “What must I do?” when left to my own devices.
4. The Company Culture
I’m a strong believer in staff welfare and morale. When you spend so much of your time at work, you want to spend it with people you like and you want to be happy. PlentyOfFish and I believe in the same things. Apart from hiring great people, they take staff perks to the next level. Staff are treated to gourmet coffee and tea stations, a well-stocked snack bar that will no doubt result in weight gain, a lunch area with a view and a fun, vibrant office environment. No stiff corporate-types or rules here; people can laugh and joke and be themselves which is a big draw.
5. Staff Events
Sure it’s enough to treat staff well while they work but when you actively go out of your way to make sure your staff have a good time; you get major snaps. So even though my week was pretty awesome I still had Friday to look forward to. Every Friday, late afternoon, staff down tools and have a few drinks. There’s music, there’s a bar and people get to just relax and have fun. Always a winning recipe. I happened to join when it was Halloween. And it seemed like no average drinking session would suffice. Apart from the entire company dressing up, we were also treated to a team-building exercise and drinks and snacks at another location. For someone new this was the perfect way to socialise with new colleagues and it couldn’t have come at a better time. If I had any fears about fitting in or whether people were really that nice, they disappeared. Thanks to this great social event, I could really be myself and actually look forward to coming back on the following Monday.
