First Day of Work, Ever

Welcome back to “Am I Doing This Right?” where I share all my cringe-worthy moments on the Internet for your benefit. You’re welcome. Today, we’re talking about the first day of work at my very first job and the lesson I carry with me all thanks to an angry customer in a taco fusion restaurant.

Let me set the scene for you: I was a poor, 19-year old, college student slingin’ burritos and tacos in the dead heat of a Philadelphia summer. I had only a day’s training under my belt when the restaurant got hit with a rush. Did I forget to mention my manager had a mental lapse and forgot it was Cinco de Mayo? My bad.

My manager was forced to assign me to a second register in an attempt to expedite the accumulating line. Hindsight 20/20, it would have been best if I voiced my apprehensiveness. Instead, I tried to stick it out.

With each customer my anxiety grew, knowing full well I was entering these orders completely wrong. It was only a matter of time until customers came back with incorrect orders, doubling the work for all my coworkers.

Finally, I met my demise. A customer became exasperated when I asked her to repeat her laundry list of an order. Of course, I entered it incorrectly. When she received her order, she furiously returned to the counter exclaiming (in front of my manager) how air-headed I must be to get such a simple order wrong. Panicking, I calmly tried to explain I thought that’s what she said. Enraged, she threw her partially eaten burrito at me and hit me in the chest. Had there been a target painted on me, she would have thrown a bulls-eye.

So, this is the lesson. Don’t be like me, too embarrassed to ask for help. I was disappointed I let a manageable situation spiral out of control. Since the burrito incident, I made a pact with myself to become the question-master. Don’t know where the supply closet is? Ask. Not sure where to refill your water bottle? Ask. Still can’t find that conference room? Ask. Need help with a big picture project? Ask.

The first week of work is scary. It’s like visiting a foreign country where you’re taking in all you can and still trying to get the lay of the land. But hopefully, the following stories and advice will ease the pain.

The Stories

Introductions

It’s important to try and remember your coworkers’ names; however, spare yourself and don’t try and guess. My colleague, we’ll call him Dave, was so worried about remembering everyone’s names, he blindly started guessing random names – and got most of them wrong. Now that he’s friendly with everyone, they occasionally bring up this cringeworthy day. He’s earned the nickname, Name Assassin.

What he learned: No one expects you to remember their name on your first day of work. It’s expected you’re going to meet plenty of people, so don’t be afraid to ask for a reminder during your next encounter.

Pro Tip: Request your department Organizational Chart from your manager so you have everyone’s names in front of you. This way, you will familiarize yourself with the people you will work directly with, and it’s more likely you’ll commit their names to memory.

Lunch

The first day of work, my colleague, we’ll call her Sam, awkwardly spent her lunch hour in the local Subway restaurant. Had she felt comfortable and asked her colleagues for lunch advice, she would have discovered the cafeteria across the street sooner!

What she learned: If you bring your lunch to work, it’s not as weird as you may think to simply sit at your desk and enjoy your sandwich. Put in a pair of headphones and zone out to something mindless for the hour. Alternatively, if your office is in a safe location, take a fifteen-minute walk outside for some fresh air.

Socializing

During my first few months, I didn’t make an effort to socialize with my colleagues. I passed on social events, lunch outings and even the Christmas party because I was shy.

What I learned: I definitely didn’t do that right. It’s important to get to know your colleagues. Introduce yourself in the hallway, go to the Christmas parties and chat about your weekends in the kitchen. Work becomes much more enjoyable when you have people to talk to and become friendly with. Additionally, attending company social events presents the opportunity of chatting with upper-management in a relaxed setting. Not only is this a great networking opportunity, but also shows management you want to be part of the big picture!

Conclusion

Everyone is going to make mistakes but hopefully these stories help you avoid the same ones! Are there any first day/week of work topics you want us to discuss? Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time I ask, “Am I Doing This Right?”.

Click here to read about technical difficulties young engineers experience. Bonus: there are Game of Thrones references!