Career expert shares three tips every employee should follow on their first day in office

First impressions always have a lasting impact. That is why the way employees go about the initial challenges thrown at them shapes the rest of their time in the establishment. Individuals must nail their first day with the right tone to ensure a good relationship with the company. Erin McGoff—who goes by @erinmcgoff on TikTok—put forward three suggestions to help employees start everything by putting their best foot forward. These suggestions will aid the employees in extracting the best of their experience in the establishment and also put down the much-needed boundaries with others. The suggestions quickly attracted the attention of the internet, going viral in no time.

McGoff's first tip was to "set your tone." She suggests people show their authentic personalities to coworkers. Sometimes, people pretend to be something they are not to seem appealing to others. They go out of their way to be helpful and chatty, showcasing attributes that may not be an element of their real personality. However, it is impossible to maintain this act for a long time. Once people go back to their real persona, it will be difficult for people around them to accept that change. "They're gonna think you're mad or you're mean because you set that first impression with a different personality with an excited personality. So make sure especially for my ladies out there to set your tone," McGoff explained.

The next tip was to "start a folder." McGoff suggests individuals create a "Dropbox folder" or a "Google Drive folder" to store electronic evidence. This folder should be a storehouse of screenshots containing compliments or any accomplishment or award the employee has received during their time in the company. When employees decide to move on from the company, "all those little accomplishments" will help them to get their next job.

The last tip put forward by McGoff was, "You gotta set your standards and you gotta set your boundaries." Coworkers must know that they cannot push you along. Even if you are naturally helpful, you might not want to put in extra hours every day for the work. This stand should be clear from the get-go. The first tip was related to personal dynamics and this one is linked to professional pursuits. Coworkers must know what can and cannot be expected from an employee. "People will take what they can get from you. Make it politely clear what you can do and what you can not do," McGoff added.

The comment section was in agreement with these tips. @kiyaminx stressed how crucial the first tip was and wrote, "The first one is so important, oh my God, lmao." @rasi.gupta extended the first tip a bit more and commented, "Number 1 for fashion too! If your style is loud, show up as that person on the first day itself so they don't get shocked at you having style!" @diana.h56 loved the folder idea, "The folder is good for performance review too! You have receipts about stuff you've done well or how you respond to others."

You can follow Erin McGoff (@erinmcgoff) on TikTok and Instagram for content based on career and life advice.