1) Dress the part
It’s the inside that counts. Sure. Tell that to all your new colleagues who know little of you except that you look like you’re wearing oversized hand-me-downs. Your choice of clothes might not be able to show your expertise with Math or Photoshop, but looking presentable says that you’re glad to have this job, and you have respect for the office environment. In which, in turn, should make it easier for the people you’ll be working with to acknowledge that you’re one of them.
2) Remember the name
Respect is never earned in a day no matter how snazzy your clothes are. But here’s a step in the right direction: remember the names of your colleagues. Never allow yourself to indulge in the thought that you’re really just bad with names, because really, you aren’t; you just need to pay attention more, and to make an effort to know who you’re working with as well, on how their job position and work relates to yours. You don’t want to be that guy who keeps bugging co-staffers with the question “Pre, sino nga ba yun at ano siya?”
3) Learn the ropes
Goes without saying that you should already have an idea of what your new job will be before stepping foot in the office as an employee. But reading your job description off a sheet of paper and actually doing them are different things. So we say, have a healthy curiosity for your job, and don’t be shy to ask your superior about how things should be.
Learn the expectations for the job, and find out what qualifies as “success” so that you may know what's best way to channel your efforts towards a meaningful work. However, you should also be aware when your inquiry is still fruitful and when it has merely become annoying - you don't want to be an "office baby" afterall.
4) Break the ice
These are the people you’ll be hanging with for majority of your waking hours. These are the people you’ll be, in essence, sharing an eco-sphere with for at least 5 days in a week. So, be friendly, and get to know them.
The sooner you can figure out who you like and who you don’t get along with, the sooner you can create an environment that suits you, thereby making your stay in the office a whole lot more bearable. Life’s better with friends, you know
5) Be heard, but not too loud
Knowing your role is one thing, but getting yourself heard is another. Don’t be afraid to contribute when the opportunity presents itself – donate a few working ideas, utter your share of suggestions on meetings, but not to the point of being pabibo. It sure is a good way to break off the intimidation factor and be confident, but you don’t want to go overboard. Folks don’t want you to be impressive, at least not on the first day.
6) Be a Yes Man
Be it you’re entering an established circle of employees with an existing work tradition to boot. It’ll be your first day obligation to penetrate and adapt to the ways of the office – lunch outs, coffee or yosi breaks, and even a few beer nights along the way. It’ll be an opportunity for them to get to know you, and that’s their obligation in return. So learn this one word: pakikisama.
7) Know your way around
Being new is challenging enough, so save yourself the hassle of being dumbfounded and make an effort to figure the office premises from the get-go. Be aware of how certain machineries work – the office microwave, the photocopying machine, where all papers are stored, and know who to ask – the treasury, the human resources department, or even the head of security.
8) Observe and collect
Watching and understanding what goes on in the environment you are in can be vital to your first day efficiency – which officemate is most approachable, how loud people can get, the unspoken ways of the room you will have to learn by yourself, as opposed to the standard instructions you will get from your supervisor. At the same time, don’t be too self-aware.
