As most anyone will tell you, first impressions are the most lasting. If someone’s first impression of us is a negative one, that perception can be tough to shake.
On your first day, not only will the company as a whole be forming opinions of your work ethic, but you will be making dozens of first impressions on everyone you meet – people you could be working with every day for the foreseeable future. Here are 8 things NOT to do while you have temporary status at your company (and every day thereafter)!
- Act like you do not want to do something – I don’t care whether you were hired to be a custodian or the vice-President of Operations, if your supervisor hands you a mop and a bucket, ask what needs mopping, then promptly and cheerfully get to work. I you indicate that you are not a team player, you likely will not make it to the end of day one.
- Whine and complain – NOBODY likes to work with a whiner, much less one they do not know. If want to get kicked to the curb faster than you can say “this job is so boooooring” then go ahead and say “this job is so boooooring….”
- Talk about your former employer – Unless they specifically ask, employers do not want to hear how the place you worked at before did things sooo much better. This works the other way too. Nobody want to hear how bad your other workplace was, because it make you look like a whiner (see #2).
- Violate a safety rule – Safety is not just in your best interest. There are multiple ways employers get penalized for accidents and injuries on the work site. Of all the quick ways to get released, acting uninterested during safety meetings and/or violating safety rules is the fastest.
- Have attendance issues – Go ahead, call out entirely anytime you need to take your uncle’s cousin’s niece to her doctor’s appointment. Bad attendance is one of the worst things you can do.
- Ask about full time status – If you are interested in full-time status, ask your staffing company, NOT YOUR SUPERVISOR. Let your actions do the talking and opportunity will come in due time.
- TALK ON YOUR PHONE – OK, we completely understand that your girlfriend had to take your cat to the vet today and she really wants to let you know how it all went tight in the middle of your shift. But if you take that call, please be advised that the next call that comes out of that plant will probably be your supervisor calling us to end your assignment.
- Take excessive breaks – self explanatory
