10 Things To Take With You On Your First Day In A New Job

Picture the scene. You submitted a great application for your dream role, you wowed the employer at the interview stage and you’ve been offered the role. Congratulations! Now it’s time for your first day.

First days are nerve-wracking for pretty much everyone. You really want to impress and convince the employer they’ve made the right decision in hiring you – but you also want to get on with your new colleagues and start to make your mark on the role.

That said, it’s no wonder the majority of people start their first day in a bit of a panic and end up forgetting everything they know and pretty much everything they need.

With that in mind, I thought I’d come up with a list of the top 10 things it’s worth bringing on your first day in a new job. Why? Because chances are, HR will need the following things – or you’ll need them in order to get through your first day unscathed – and without a list like this, it’s highly likely you’ll end up forgetting a few things… or everything!

Now, forgetting some of these things might not be a major issue – but it can be annoying for your new employer and could suggest you’re not very organised and/or prepared – not the impression you want to portray!

1. Bank Details:

Your employer will need your bank account details so they know where to send your wages each month – so you need to think about which is the best account for this – and bring the account number and sort code with you on your first day.

2: P45:

On your first day, it’s always a good idea to bring in the P45 you received when you left your last role – this way the employer can send it straight off to HMRC. Don’t have your P45 yet? Don’t panic – you can just fill in a P46 on your first day in the new job…

3. ID:

Depending on the size of the organisation, you may need to bring ID with you to prove who you are. A driving licence or passport should be acceptable – but you need to ensure they’re in date!

4. Proof Of Address:

Again, depending on the size of the organisation, you may need to take proof of address with you in order to prove you live where you say you live. A recent phone bill or utility bill should do the job – but again, you need to make sure they’re fairly recent – preferably issued with the last three months.

5. National Insurance Number:

Your new employer will need your national insurance number to ensure your tax and national insurance contributions are recorded against your name – so it’s important you get it right. You should have a card with it on somewhere, but if not, it should be on your last payslip.

6. Lunch:

It might sound silly but it’s always a good idea to bring your lunch on your first day for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it means you’re not going to starve if your first day is a bit manic and you don’t have time to nip out – and secondly, it shows you’re prepared. OK, so you might end up going out with your new colleagues or employer in the end – but at least this way you’ll be covered if not.

7. Notepad:

It’s pretty likely that your new employer will give you a notepad and pen on your first day – but there’s no harm in bringing your own anyway. Bringing in personal items like your own notepad can help you to feel more at home – and your notepad could contain info which might come in handy on your first day anyway – which leads me nicely onto my next point…

8. Strategy Ideas:

Before you start your new job, it’s a good idea to think about the role you’ve been given and the type of work you’re going to be involved in – and come up with a few tasks/ideas you can implement straight away. Be sure to note these down and bring them with you on your first day. This shows you’ve got initiative and it means you’re not just going to be sitting there on your first day waiting for someone to give you something to do.

9. Log-ins:

If you’re planning on using professional tools you’ve got personal accounts on eg. link discovery tools or LinkedIn, don’t forget to bring the log-in details with you. There’s nothing worse than forgetting them and being left a bit stuck on your very first day…

10. A Positive Attitude:

OK, so this one might sound cheesy but it’s important to bring a positive, can-do attitude with you on your first day. Yes, you might have had a terrible night’s sleep and it might have taken you two hours to get to work because of traffic – but you need to keep that negativity away from the office. Remember, the employer wants to see enthusiasm and positivity on your first day – not negativity and a bad attitude!

So there you go; 10 things it’s probably worth bringing with you on your first day, regardless of the company or the role. Disagree with any of my points or think I’ve missed anything out? Leave me a comment below.

10 Things To Take With You On Your First Day In A New Job