You Got the Job! Now What?
Congratulations! You got the job.
Now comes the part nobody really talks about.
You accepted the offer, told everyone the good news, and then suddenly you're sitting there wondering, “Okay... what happens now?”
Getting the job is only the beginning. Before you actually start working, there are usually a few things you need to complete, and depending on the employer and the position, there may be quite a bit of paperwork involved.
Finish the Hiring Requirements
Getting a job offer doesn't always mean you're officially finished with the hiring process.
Many employers have additional requirements that have to be completed before your first day. This can include a background check, drug screening, fingerprinting, employment verification, or other checks required for the position.
Some jobs have more requirements than others. Jobs involving children, healthcare, financial information, government programs, or other sensitive areas may require additional screening. They may even require additional interviews, depending on the type of position.
You may also receive paperwork asking for information such as your Social Security number, tax withholding information, or documentation showing that you're legally allowed to work in the United States.
Pay attention to deadlines.
If your employer sends you something that needs to be completed by Friday, don't wait until Thursday night to deal with it. Some of these requirements have to be processed by another company or government agency, so delaying your portion can delay your start date.
Orientation
Most jobs will have some form of orientation, although what that actually looks like can vary quite a bit.
For some companies, orientation is a few hours of paperwork, watching training videos, and learning basic policies. For others, it may be several days of training before you're actually expected to perform the job.
The orientation usually occurs either on the first working day, or prior to your first actual working day. More often than not, you're first day or first even couple of shifts will be geared towards learning more than doing. Some may do half the day or a few hours with trainings then put you into the actual work, others may do multiple days of learning before letting you loose.
Orientation is usually where you'll learn things like:
Company policies and procedures
Attendance and scheduling rules
Workplace safety
How to access company systems
Who you report to
Where to find important resources
How payroll works
How to request time off
What is expected during your first few weeks
Don't be afraid to take notes. You're going to be given a ridiculous amount of information in a very short period of time, and nobody realistically remembers all of it. Write down important names, websites, phone numbers, procedures, and anything you think you'll need later. You can always ask questions again.
Preparing for Your First Day
Your first day is probably going to feel awkward.
You don't know where anything is. You don't know everyone's (or anyone's) name. You may not even know where you're supposed to park, where to eat lunch, or which bathroom you're allowed to use.
And that's okay.
Before your first day, make sure you know:
Where you're going
What time you're expected to arrive
Where you're supposed to park or enter the building
Who you're supposed to report to
What you need to bring
If it is a secure building requiring a badge, make sure to ask your point of contact where you can get this prior to your first day. Additionally, jobs with uniforms may require you to purchase one beforehand from an approved vendor, or a specific set of clothes. Some may also provide it or order on your first day, so make sure to ask the dress code requirements.
Preparing the night before is also important.
Pick out your clothes the night before
Figure out your transportation
Set your alarm
Give yourself more time than you think you'll need
Bring a snack (those nerves need it)
You don't want your first impression to be, “Sorry I'm late. I got lost.”
If you're unsure about something, ask before your first day instead of guessing.
If you're working remotely, the steps for the first day might be a little different. You may end up being on camera at some point so still have a decent shirt set out for first impressions. Additionally:
Make sure your computer is updated
Verify your internet connection is working
Have a note with your login information
Make sure all required equipment is set up and connected
Unmute your headset
Make sure your background is not distracting
Keep a quiet workspace
Your Benefits
Once you're hired, you may also be given information about employee benefits.
This can be one of the more confusing parts of starting a new job because you're suddenly being handed a bunch of choices and abbreviations you've probably never heard before.
Depending on the employer, you may have access to things such as:
Health insurance
Dental and vision insurance
Life insurance
Disability insurance
A 401(k) or other retirement plan
Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
Health savings accounts (HSA)
Paid time off
Other employer-sponsored benefits
Some benefits are automatically provided by the employer, while others require you to enroll. There may also be deadlines for enrollment.
Missing one can mean you have to wait until the next open enrollment period, unless you experience a qualifying life event. Enrollment is usually once a year, and what you select more often than not will begin January 1st of the following year.
Don't feel like you need to understand everything immediately. Your benefits information should explain what is available, what it costs, and when you need to make your selections. You can also reach out to HR later, to ask questions about what each benefit covers, and how it applies to you.
We'll go into these benefits in much more detail throughout the Financial Literacy and Insurance sections.
Your First Few Weeks
Once you've made it through orientation and actually start doing the job, you're going to have a lot to learn. You may have experience in the field, but every company has its own systems, procedures, terminology, and expectations.
It is entirely expected for you to be nervous, slow, and unable to keep up.
You're new, don't let it discourage you.
Watch how your coworkers are doing tasks, and follow training provided by your employer. Also expect guidance and feedback, and don't take it personally.
If you have questions, don't be afraid to ask. It's better to ask now, than mess up and have to make a correction later. Employers are expecting you to have a learning curve, its built into the expectations of training.
Even if it is a field you have worked before, a new employer may operate entirely different. Try to avoid fixating on past experience, and instead be open minded to this company's way of doing things.
Learn How This Workplace Operates
During your first few weeks, pay attention to more than just the actual responsibilities of your job. Learn how people communicate, where you're supposed to go when you need help, what systems you use, and who handles different types of problems.
Every workplace also has its own unwritten rules. Maybe everyone communicates through Slack instead of email. Maybe your supervisor expects you to let them know when you've finished something. Maybe there's a specific person you're supposed to contact when something goes wrong.
These things aren't always covered during orientation because they're simply how the workplace operates.
Pay attention to how things are done, and keep notes. You're going to be given a lot of information, and something that seems unimportant during your first week may suddenly become very important three weeks later.
Pay Attention to Your First Paycheck
Your first paycheck is a good opportunity to make sure everything was set up correctly.
Check your:
Pay rate
Hours worked
Overtime, if applicable
Taxes withheld
Insurance deductions
Retirement contributions
Other deductions
Your first check may look different from future paychecks depending on when you started and where you fell within the company's pay period.
If something doesn't look right, ask payroll or HR about it. Don't just assume the next paycheck will fix itself.
The first few weeks are when you're learning the job, but you're also learning how the company actually operates. Pay attention to both.
Final Thoughts
Getting the job offer is exciting, but there's still a little work to do before you settle into your new role. Background checks, paperwork, orientation, benefits, and learning the actual workplace all come with the territory.
Give yourself some time to adjust. You don't need to know everything on your first day, or even your first week. Pay attention, ask questions, keep track of the important details, and give yourself the opportunity to actually learn the job before expecting yourself to be great at it.
Up Next: Starting a new job comes with a lot more than learning your actual responsibilities. From understanding your paycheck to learning workplace expectations, the next articles will help you navigate some of the things nobody thinks to explain until you're already dealing with them. In the next article we will go into How to Talk to Coworkers a very important part of your job.
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