3 Easy Ways to Fix a Bad First Impression at Work
Author: Shivani Vyas Source: Work It Daily
You’re anxiously awaiting your first day after nailing the interview and landing your ideal job. Skip to your start date at 7 a.m. and coffee spills on your white shirt, now pushing you one hour behind to your first team meeting. Or even worse, you’ve completely missed your first day because of a flight malfunction.
There can be so many variations of this story but regardless of your circumstance, you now come off as unreliable and unprofessional. What do you do next?
We understand certain situations can arise that are truly out of your control. In other cases, however, it probably wouldn’t hurt to take a step back and ask yourself: Was I at fault? Were there preventable measures I could have taken?
It’s important to analyze your particular situation with an open perspective apart from shame, guilt, or self-judgment, with a positive mindset that can serve you better in the future.
For any unfavorable work situation, we’ve come up with three easy ways to ensure your negative impression in the workplace won’t be permanent.
1. Communicate Your Circumstances ASAP
The sooner your boss knows about your delay or inability to show up to work, the better. Be effective and, when possible, send written communication so you have a paper trail of your attempt to fix your first impression. You also risk hurting your reputation if you forget to notify your manager or team in a timely manner.
Whenever possible, be willing and organized enough to send your notification quickly, so you can highlight your positive traits like respectfulness and diligence.
2. Be Sincere And Honest
Make the communication concise and clear. If it’s via a phone call, practice what you’re going to say a few minutes before you call. Be confident in your words and clearly state your situation with reason. Try to not rely heavily on emotion when telling your manager details and how this will affect your attendance.
Also, apologize and explain that you are truly sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused, but look forward to being a part of the team and catching up on what you missed as soon as possible.
3. Consistency Is Key
The impression your colleagues have of you after your first day can be just as important as the initial one. Make it a priority to show your commitment and enthusiasm in the days ahead. If you’re able to consistently show up and prioritize the work as needed, your teammates will not assume that your unreliability is habitual.
Workplace Culture Plays A Role, Too
But, wait! There is a key element that can shine through in situations like these that has absolutely nothing to do with employee performance. It’s workplace culture.
Yes, in moments like these, your workplace culture will show its true colors. This is so important to look out for, because it can determine your future success at the company. How, you ask?