Photo credit: idiva.com
So here it is, it’s day 1 at the new job, and as nervous as you may be, the one question that is making you even more nervous, is around your schedule. You couldn’t exactly ask about it during the interview. You tried alluding to it while finalizing the employment terms with your recruiter, but did not want to come off as uninterested and un-committed. Now that you’ve started and are getting your professional feet wet, is it OK to ask about the hours at the job?
My $0.05: Subtlety is KEY on your first day. Perception matters, and most of your colleagues and managers will get their first (and maybe last) impression of you from your behavior and appearance on your first day. Is it fair? No, but it’s just the reality. Unless the conversation turns around scheduling, or you are expressly asked about your preferences, I would not deliberately bring it up on your first day.
Take some cues from your manager’s and colleagues’ working style, their hours, and how they structure their work, before coming out and asking the question. If you feel comfortable enough to pick some of your colleagues’ brains about the typical schedule, you may. However, always proceed with caution on your first day. The rule here is: Listen and ask questions, subtle questions that is!
What do you think? Can you really talk about your scheduling preferences on your first day at work?
The Corporate Sis.
