The Best Questions to Ask on Your First Day at a New Job

The first day at a new job can be a lot like the interviews you went through to get this job. You are still nervous, excited, and desperate to make a strong first impression. Only now you also want to orient yourself and understand exactly how you fit into this new place.

So how do you play your cards right to make sense of this new workplace? With a little planning, you can ask the perfect questions to tactfully get the information you need. Here are the questions you should ask on the first day of a new job to set yourself up for success and make a good impression while you’re at it.

“How can my work make your work easier?”

The main purpose of this question, of course, is to suck up to your boss. Tactfully! In addition to being fawning, you will also be asking for valuable information on how you can make yourself a real asset. The answer here can also reveal exactly what your manager expects from you. Hearing directly from your boss why your role is important will be more meaningful than a bunch of bullet points from the original job description.

“What are my main goals for the first week?”

It takes some time to get used to the new mode of operation. Some jobs take care to make your job easier; others will throw you right into the deep end. Make sure you evaluate expectations for what you will be doing in the first week. A good side question here would be to ask what you should be working on in the gray area between onboarding and formal job responsibilities.

“What is the best way to contact you with a question?”

A good working relationship with your supervisor is based on communication . Of course, you could directly ask: “ What are your communication preferences? But such wording can lead to abstract answers, such as: “ My door is always open! This more specific question can get a more specific answer. For example, ” I never check Slack, come talk to me ” or ” Never talk to me, I only use Slack “.

More importantly, when you ask this question, how your boss answers can tell you more than what he says. How do you communicate now? It’s a video call and they seem distracted? Or is it instant messaging and do they really respond instantly? Read the room to better understand how they work.

“How can I share my ideas?”

So, you’ve figured out your manager’s communication preferences. Here, your ulterior motive is to demonstrate that you are driven and willing to contribute to the team. However, you don’t want to clog up the channels or act too presumptuous in front of new colleagues. Asking when, where, and how you should share ideas is a good way to prove that you are going to be a valuable asset in this workplace.

“When will I have grades and informal checks?”

It is important to understand the feedback process in your workplace from the very beginning so that you are not caught off guard in the future. The key here is getting an answer about the informal performance reviews, i.e. the more random checks you need to make sure you’re meeting expectations at work. This question should also start a conversation about how best you can get recommendations and constructive criticism when you’re at work.

“What should I know about corporate culture?”

For many of us, this question sounds like “ How can I not be an asshole? Under the “company culture” umbrella, you’ll want to learn about work-life balance, relationships with co-workers, and how you can balance teamwork without possibly attending every office meeting.