You have just landed your first job. Feeling excited, apprehensive or both?

Shweta Beri, 29, a freelance public relations consultant, recalls her first day on the job with Enterprise PR, a division of Enterprise Nexus. She was introduced to her colleagues and made to feel comfortable by everyone. Soon, she picked up the firm's style of functioning and protocol; today, she has fond memories of those early days.

Not everyone is so fortunate. 

How do you prevent goof-ups from happening during your stint at your first job?

Here are a few must-knows before you set foot into the real world.

• How to be a star performer

~ You might feel some level of negativity emanating from some of your colleagues. This could happen for any reason. For example, you may have been brought in instead of them being promoted, or someone they know could have been rejected at the interview stage, or it could be some other reason.

Under these circumstances, you need to concentrate on doing your job well. Give them time to get to know you. Do not go on the offensive or become defensive; it will simply compound a difficult issue. Let time overcome this phase; after all, time heals all wounds.

~ Steer clear of office politics. Do not take sides, at least not until you get to know everyone better. In any case, it is usually better to remain neutral.

• Tackle troublesome colleagues

~ The big guy. The head honcho. The boss. A rose by any other name smells just as sweet, so call your boss what you want; the fact remains that he is the boss. Handling him/ her can be a toughie.

Within a week of starting work, Ayesha Sinha*, 23, a call centre agent, realised her boss was fond of pretty faces and liked 'yes' people around him. She was excited as she thought she had found a way to ensure her position in the company. Initially, pretending to be a 'yes' person worked out fine, but she was someone with a strong thought process of her own. As time passed, she found it increasingly difficult to continue this charade. When she reverted to her normal self, she lost all the ground she had gained and had to live with her colleagues' sneers till she proved herself.

It is important to try and find a balance between your comfort level (what you are comfortable doing) and your conformation level (what you are willing to do even if you are not convinced about it). Do not go out of your way to impress your seniors; you will not be able to keep up a charade for long. Instead, work hard and let your work speak for you right from the start.

~ Don't share personal information freely. Anything that is not work related is personal. It is okay to share really good or bad news -- babies, demise, divorce, but don't go into the details with everyone, just your group of friends is fine.

• Boost your confidence and career

Do not share details of extramarital affairs, etc, with anyone at work, especially if you are involved with someone in the office.
It is understandable that you may want to build a rapport; let your work and professionalism do the talking. It is a bad idea to mix work and home. Don't ask for personal information and don't offer any.
 
Nita Zaveri*, 22, a counter sales person, remembers her first job. She was working at a consumer exhibition stall hosted by a manufacturer of domestic appliances. Her boss was happy with her progress on day one. On the second day, she spoke about her boyfriend with the other sales girl and invited him to visit the stall. The boss considered this unprofessional and did not offer her a permanent position in his company. When Nita got to know about this, she wished she hadn't mixed the two -- but it was too late.

• 3 rules to impress your client

~ As the genie said in Alladin, 'Beeeee yourself!' Get comfortable. The first few days, be a sponge -- absorb as much as you can while filtering out what is not required. Slowly, you will know what is expected of you. 
 
I worked for a brief while in the US as a trainee. Having seen too many Hollywood movies, I wore a suit on the first day. When I reached work, my boss was in shorts, and the rest of the staff wore jeans or capris. That was fun -- the entire setup was very democratic and informal. I was most astonished when my boss wiped his own table clean; that kind of set the tone for my entire stint with them.
 
~ Always be prepared for meetings and briefings. Have a note pad, pens and pencils ready. If you think you may need a dictaphone, ensure you have spare batteries too. Nothing can be more embarrassing than to hold up proceedings, just so you can get fresh batteries, or a pen that works.

• Test your ambition quotient

~ There may be a period of memory overload in the beginning -- what with so many new names, faces and designations to remember. Write things down, so you don't forget.

You could also draw a rough map of who sits where and write their intercom numbers against it, till you get the hang of things.
 
~ Find out the telephone rules. Are personal calls allowed (to make and to receive)? What's the mobile phone policy? You'll get an idea from the way colleagues who have been around much longer than you behave.
 
~ Your desk is just that -- not a shelf for photographs or accessories. Look around to see how the other workstations are. You will get a fair idea as to the company stance on this issue.

• Is your resume perfect?

~ You may need to visit the HR department for completing formalities -- make sure you carry all the relevant papers. Carry extra photographs as well, just in case.
 
~ Just like the telephone policy, find out the company policy on work-related expenses. Whether or not the vouchers need to be supported with evidence, how often do you need to submit the vouchers -- monthly, weekly, to which department, who needs to sign on the voucher to okay it, etc.

All these are questions you need answers to.

A tip: It is very easy to lose tickets and bills and without these, reimbursement may not be possible. Which is why I have a separate slot in my wallet for bills, tickets, etc. For expenses like cab fare or non-billed expenses, I make a note in my planner on the day the expense occurs. This way, I tend not to forget any expense.

~ Learn how to use equipment like the printer, fax machine, intercom, shredder, etc. There are always people willing to help you and ease your entry into the company. Be gracious and grateful to them.
 
All the best, and as they say in theatre language, 'Break a leg!'

*Name changed on request.

Yati Doshi is a corporate trainer based in Mumbai. She has eight years of experience in the corporate arena and two years of experience in training.

DON'T MISS!