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What I write about on Cubicle Chic is very often a direct reflection of what’s going on in my life. On that note, I am happy to report that, after 4 months of funemployment and blogging full time, I’m going back to working full time this week! As I prepare for my first day of work on Monday the 23^rd, I have been thinking about all the different aspects of how to make the best impressions on the first day.

The first day of work is often nerve wracking because it has a lot of unpredictable elements.

You don’t always know if the day is going to be filled with meetings, or cranking out trainings and signing agreement alone at your desk. You don’t know if you’re going to have a lot of tasks already or have a lot of time to soak up more knowledge.

One element you can control on the first day of work, however, is the way you dress.

Remember what you wore to your interview? Wear something similar on your first day of work.

To your employer, the first day is a bit of a “moment of truth”. They get to learn more about you, know what you’re like being in the new office, and watch how you adapt to the new office environment. Wear something that people would expect you to wear, i.e. what you wore to your interview. It puts your employer at ease, that makes them feel like you’re the same person that they decided to hire.

Be a team player and blend in on your first day.

In most corporate office settings, being a team player is crucial trait. On your first day, hopefully you’ve taken some time to research the proper dress code. Be more like others,blend in with what you wear, and play up the team player image. When in doubt, pick neutrals over colors, formal over casual, and structured & fitted over loose.

Go easy on accessories and jewelries. Remember that bib necklaces are 2012 (thanks for making this declaration, Angie!), and dainty/understated jewelries are not only more current now, but perfect for your first day ensemble.

P.S. Gramceri is my favorite dainty jewelry designer and they are VERY affordable (under $50 most of the time) and VERY well made. I’ve worn a lot of pieces from them for over a year now and the colors do not fade!

Get ready for your badge/ID photo.

More often than not, your company badge photo will be taken on the first day of your job. Wear something that you’d like to have showing in your company ID. Some rules of thumb: wear low neckline (appropriately so, obvi), clean up your hair, wear minimal jewelries (i.e. either just earrings or just necklace, not both), wear the MLBB kind of lipstick, and remember to smile!

Wear your “comfort item”.

This is a personal mantra of mine. Perhaps it’s a less superstitious version of carrying a lucky charm. It works toward any part of your outfit – shoes, blazer, pants, or how to wear your hair. For your first day of work, wear something you always wear. Wear something that makes you feel like yourself (unless you’re talking about wearing PJ….then don’t be yourself LOL). For me, this gray structured blazer (I take a size small), chic and breathable, is my go-to piece of workwear. If you’re unsure of what to wear (heels or flats, beige or black, dress or pants), default to your comfort level.

As you are reading this, I am going to be kick-starting my first day of the new position. I, for one, will be applying these tips on how to dress for my first day of work. I hope they’re useful for you too! They say dress for the job you want and not the one you have. But I say dress for the job you got for your first day of a new role, and leave the aspiration and future goals for when you have a strong foothold later!

All photography by Natalie Alverado @ Stylenfuse

The post What to Wear on Your First Day of Work appeared first on Cubicle Chic.

I recently received and accepted an offer from a  new company. I will be starting a new job in a few weeks! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably heard about this news. But on Cubicle Chic today I want to share with you what I’m doing now that I am between two jobs, and how I am preparing myself for the next phase of my career.

This is how it goes: after many sleepless nights, numerous interviews, the final negotiations, the constant anticipation, finally, came the phone call. THE phone call that changes everything! 

Celebrate, give yourself a pat on the shoulder, and go out and get something nice for yourself because you deserve the reward. And after the adrenaline rush subsides, take a moment to think about what your next steps are. 

Leave your current employer on a good note

Do your best to leave a good transition plan for your replacement, and close all the gaps you can foresee. Be honest in your exit interview, provide constructive feedback if there are things you think your current employer could improve on. Lastly, write a heartfelt but concise farewell email to all that you’ve worked with; include your email in there, and a link to your LinkedIn profile so people can stay in touch with you. This is the last chance for you to make an impression on this professional network, make it count. 

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta 215

Mentally separate yourself from the old, and be ready to embrace the new

This is more of a philosophical note than a practical one. I’ve seen in the past people that join my team, and cannot stop themselves from using the lingo of “this is how XYZ used to do it” or “the way that we did it before was…” Let’s just conclude once and for all that there is no good end to this kind of lingo. If you have good recommendations, don’t position it as “the way that XYZ did it”; make it yours! If you don’t have good recommendations, well, you shouldn’t be making them in the first place. But by associating it with your old company, you come across as still attached and not able to adapt. For example, try to say “it’s better to ask why do WE do it this way”, and not “why do YOU do it this way” as a tactic to show you are ready to embrace the new culture and environment (Career Girl Daily). 

Be strategic in the way you build your new brand

The same way you prepared for all those interviews, you should be thinking about how to rock your first day of work, the first week of work, and the first month, and the first quarter, and so on. Read up on the 30-60-90 Day Plan (Business Insider) and think about the personal goals you’d like to reach on Day 30, Day 60, and Day 90. Think about what you want to be known for, because that is going to be your professional brand.

Also, fine-tune your elevator pitch (MyDomain.com). As part of your introduction to the new teams and new people, one of the first things they will ask you is “where did you come from” and “what did you do before”.  Be ready to have a concise but to-the-point summary that will effectively summarize your past experiences, and even impress your new co-workers just a little bit. 

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB Heels: Kenneth Cole; similar here Sunglasses: Oscar de la Renta 215

Use common sense

Listen more than you speak, turn off your personal phone, curb your (hyper)enthusiasm, and observe the culture and blend in. These are all more common sense than actual tactics, but the trick is to remember these things while you are under the pressure of adjusting to a new environment, constantly meeting new people, and wrapping your head around how to hit the ground running with the new employer. 

You should also be ready to throw the work-life balance out the window for a while (The Every Girl) and be ready to log in some extra hours just to get up to speed.  These extra hours spent in the beginning will pave the way for your success later on, and also leave a good impression on people around you that you are committed and dedicated to success.

 Romper: NastyGal Stripe Her Down Romper  Bag: Louis Vuitton Empreinte Montaigne BB

Re-think your strengths and weaknesses

Take stock of the work history with your last employer and think of all your successes and failures. Think about how they made you feel, how they changed you, and what you did to make sure you can replicate the success, and avoid making the same mistakes. It may help to write these things down so you can visualize them more clearly. Take the highlights from this list of historic success and failure, and make sure that’s your starting point for your next job. Lean on your strengths, and find ways to develop things you are weaker in. 

What were the things you did right, or wrong, when you first started your job? 

All photography by Natalie Alvarado @ STYLENFUSE.COM

The post How to Prepare for a New Job || The Work That Comes After the Job Offer appeared first on Cubicle Chic.