Over the years I have had many jobs (pizza delivery driver, screen pool enclosure repair man, dug trees in a tree nursery, Wendy’s burger making guy) and most of my adult life I have worked in the hospitality industry.  I have always expressed to my team to make people feel at home the first day – we are in the hospitality business after all!

Now, I have never realized how scary the first day can be for some people.  This came to light about two weeks ago when I was working a tempshifts shift and my college, whom I have known and worked with for 3 years, told me that she almost didn’t come to the shift because she was very nervous and did not know what to expect.

Starting a new job is exciting, but you may also feel nervous ahead of your first day. Getting new job nerves is completely normal and something that most people experience. However, it can still feel challenging to face a new job when feeling anxious

To this point I realized that many of you must be feeling the same way about starting on tempshifts.com so I thought I would provide some first shift jitter recommendations.

1. Talk about how you are feeling with someone you trust
2. Think about applying for a shift with a coworker
3. Take time to prepare as much as possible for your new job
4. Control your expectations
5. Ask questions
6. Make a good first impression
7. Approach the new position with a positive attitude
8. Consider journaling about your feelings

1. Talk about how you are feeling with someone you trust

Speaking a trusted friend or family member about your new job nerves and any worries you have can help calm your anxiety. Talking about them to someone you trust can help to unburden your mind and ease some of your nerves. Explaining why you feel nervous allows you to identify specific areas to focus your positivity on. The person you speak with may also be able to offer helpful insight to handle your first day and cope with any nervousness.

2. Think about applying for a shift with a coworker

While most jobs don’t allow you to bring a friend, at tempshifts.com we encourage it!  Applying for a shift with a friend can reduce anxiety for all the reasons listed.  Additionally, you can ride together.  Best of all, if you do it right you can get the referral bonus for recommending your friend!

3. Take time to prepare as much as possible

Feeling prepared when starting a new job can help to ease tension and anxiety and increase your confidence. Choose what you plan to wear the first day in advance, research your new organization and test the best routes to get to the shift. You can also reach out to your new manager and inquire about anything you could do to prepare before you start. You can also review their menu online, read their reviews and email the contact through tempshifts.com and ask any questions you would like.

4. Control your expectations

It’s important to remind yourself that starting something new means you’ll have to learn new things and get familiar with a new culture and method of working.  Keep reasonable expectations by remembering that you have experience in this line of work and that while the menu is different its still serving people – we aren’t saving lives.

5. Ask questions

Asking questions helps you learn as much as possible. If you need clarification about a certain point during your shift, make sure to ask it at the right time. Keep a list of questions and the answers you receive so you can reference them anytime. When you have a thorough understanding of your duties and how you can contribute to the shift, you will feel more confident about your role.

6. Make a good first impression

While it’s important to make a good first impression, don’t try too hard to impress your coworkers. Instead, take the time to get to know your team members by asking plenty of questions and offer to help however you can. Showing enthusiasm for learning about your coworkers and the business makes a positive first impression and helps build excellent working relationships.

7. Approach the new position with a positive attitude

Your new shift is a positive experience and an opportunity to learn and grow. If you make mistakes, learn how to fix them and ask how to avoid them in the future. Acknowledging the possibility of making mistakes can improve your mood and give you a more productive mindset when starting your new job.

8. Consider journaling about your feelings

Journaling is a great way to address your nerves and any anxiety you feel before beginning a new job. Spend a few minutes writing about how you feel the night before you start a new job. Similar to speaking with a trusted friend, journaling can help relieve your nerves and identify areas where you can focus your energy to stay positive.