Got a new job? Then you're at an exciting time in your life – no matter what your age or situation when undertaking it. There will be plenty of things you must prepare, such as what you’ll wear on your first day, how you’ll schedule your day, and how you’ll get there, but what about once you’re in your new work environment?
While you’ll find countless articles and tutorials offering advice on the application and interviewing processes, these tips seem to dry up once you actually get your foot in the door. You’ll obviously want to make a good impression, and this will take up the majority of your focus, but what else should you look for?
Your actions in your new workplace are important, there’s no doubt about that. However, your employer has just as many things to think about. Creating a safe and comfortable work environment is one of them. If things aren’t up to standard, then you’re entitled to bring their attention to this fact – whether it’s your first day or not.
No one should be expected to work somewhere that is not safe or comfortable. Here is a brief guide of five things to look for in a new work environment to make sure you get the most out of your job (and it gets the most out of you!):
1. Health And Safety Protocols
When arriving in your new workplace, you should be informed of the location of certain things. You should also go through the basic procedures and protocols at your place of work. Health and safety should be a major part of this, so it is important that you are sufficiently briefed on what to do in certain situations.
From learning the correct procedures needed to lift heavy items to being shown where health and safety equipment is stored and knowing how to use it correctly, there are plenty of things that should be covered.
If these things aren’t covered, then you’re entitled to ask for more information or training. Any accident or injury you sustain as a result of lack of information or training can be classified as negligence.
2. Equipment And Uniforms
Following on from the above, if you work in a hazardous industry then it is important that your employer provides you with the necessary equipment, tools, or uniform. Where heavy objects and hazards are involved, protective equipment is a vital addition. This equipment should include items such as hard hats and steel toe-capped boots.
Your employer is responsible for providing certain safety equipment supplies and ensuring that these supplies are kept topped up is also within their remit. Some firms may charge you for replacements if you damage or lose your equipment or uniform, but it is important that you’re given everything you need to get on with the task at hand.
3. Fire Wardens And Training
Another important aspect to consider when entering a new workplace is the fire safety protocols that are in place. You should be given training on how to evacuate the building during a fire and be notified of who the designated fire wardens are within the building. This is vital information that can prove invaluable if a fire does break out, so it is important that you ask questions about this if it is missed from your induction.
4. First Aid Book
Accidents do happen (unfortunately) and, when they do, you need to be able to record them formally. All places of work should be equipped with a first aid or accident book. This gives employees a place to record any injuries they sustain. Even if the injury is small it is important that you record the details immediately as this information may need to be used later and employers cannot give you the help or support you need if they’re unaware that an accident took place.
5. Temperature Controls
This may seem like a strange idea to end with, but your working environment is just that – an environment. This means that it needs to be kept at a comfortable temperature that is conducive to work and your health.
Offices or workplaces that are too hot or too cold can lead to a number of health issues including headaches, fatigue, drowsiness, and even faintness.
Always look for signs that your new environment has taken measures to control the environment where you’ll be working. These include air conditioning and heating systems.
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Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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