The first day with a new project or consulting engagement can be nerve racking. It is the time when you are least in your element, not to mention it is also when your new colleagues are scrutinizing you the most. Research suggests that even while their rational minds forgive you for first-day snafus, in their subconscious they are making lasting judgments. Fortunately, with a little foresight you can turn a potentially awkward “day one” into a killer first impression.

Be At Your Best

On the first day it is better to overdress than underdress, show up early rather than late, and send formal memos rather than inappropriately casual ones. In other words, if you’re going to stand out, make it for being over-eager. You can always relax a little once you know each other more. Think of day one like a first date.

Make Friends

Don’t just build rapport with your direct colleagues, but also the security guards, receptionists, IT people and everyone else you’ll be encountering regularly in the building. They have names and real lives behind the badges and keyboards, so find them out! You’ll find being “on the inside” with the staff will pay off next time you need a new keyboard or the thermostat adjusted.

Remember Names

Unfortunately, anxiety or preoccupation makes it difficult to remember names, so try these strategies to memorize names on the fly:

1. Make the name a priority in a first conversation, and don’t be so distracted with other things that you miss it.
2. Repeat the name back immediately after you hear it, and try to say it again during the conversation.
3. Use a mnemonic device (Arthur = King Arthur of Camelot, Toby seems a “little bit country”) or a phonetic association (Jack sounds like Yak, and he has curly brown hair)
4. Write it down with notes.
5. If you have to ask again, do it before it’s awkward. And say something like, “Help me with your name…?”

Learn The Office Etiquette

Don’t wait for your first gaff to realize that seemingly mundane workplace codes can vary between offices in small – yet crucial – ways. While you’re learning names and work expectations, find the answers to these little questions:

• Are your neighbors fine being interrupted at their desks, or should you stick to email?
• Do people take a full hour for lunch, or is that considered indulgent?
• Do people show up exactly on time for meetings, or a little early? (If they happen to be habitually late, that’s still not okay for you.)
• Should you bring coffee or food into a meeting?
• Is it OK to include that Dilbert cartoon in your presentation?
• Are there special rules for the coffee maker and the break room fridge?
• Is food left out up for grabs?

General Survival Tips:

• Make a deliberate effort to steer get-to-know-you conversations toward the other person. It will remove some of the pressure to impress, and people love talking about themselves. Try the “FORM” method: learn about their Family, Occupation and Recreation before delivering your Message.
• Your first week or so may involve a lot of waiting, so find ways to be productive. Learn more about the company and the key people within it.
• Don’t complain about traffic, weather, location, etc. You don’t want to make a first impression as a whiner.
• Carry business cards or give people another way to contact you before you’re in the company directory.
• Always accept hospitality like coffee, water, and the candy jar. Even if you don’t care for it at the moment, it can be a good positive connection.
• Bring a pack of mints or gum, just in case.
• Pack your own lunch, just in case.

Learn more on how to improve your consulting skills through a unique scenario-based process that will prepare you to handle tough situations and giving you the skills for the real world of consulting.