Best Foot Forward

Here's how you can have a great first week at work and make every day count at your new job

So, you’ve landed your dream job and now the big day has arrived. You want it all to work out perfectly and you are all set to impress your employer about what a great hire you are. But have you done your homework? Your first week at work needs the same kind of attention that you’ve been paying to for landing the job in the first place. If anything, this is the time to quicken the pace and put your best foot forward.

"The first three months of any new job are an extension of the interview process," says Amanda Augustine, career expert at TheLadders, an online job-matching service for professionals. "From the first day, you need to be on your game."

Here are a few tricks that you should have up your sleeve to have a rocking first week at work: First impressions = best impressions: Have a word with your HR to find out the dress code. Stay on the side of being a little extra conservative if you aren’t sure. Be sure to introduce yourself to all and sundry. Have a firm handshake, make eye contact and be sure to show them your pearly-whites. This is not the time to feel shy or haughty. But then again don’t overdo it either. Try to learn as many names as possible and give your memory a run for its money.