1st day at new job...came home & cried

[cazinge]

It was the first day of my new job today, same type of job but totally new sector & quite a bit more £.

The team were lovely & explained what each of them do but nothing had been sorted out for me (access pass, email, software, etc) so couldn't really do much today. Tomorrow, I have to drive 1hr+ each way to another office but I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to do when I'm there.

I didn't get home till after 6pm (when DW leaves for a night shift) despite leaving before 8am and only commuting 15mins so didn't see DW at all.

So I got home and sobbed. I feel so out of my depth, I don't even know what hours I'm supposed to work (I know how many pw but not if they are fixed e.g. 9-5 or flexible) or whether I am supposed to do a timesheet or how to claim expenses, etc.

Keep thinking 'what have I done' & having some regrets

The first day is never great. And the IT /pass stuff is often a pain. In my current job it was 2 weeks after I started till my PC arrived! Don't take all that as indicative of how it will be long term.

Tomorrow, go and ask lots of questions and say you want to get to know lots about what they do. Then ask 'is there anything specific you want to discuss?' Also ask with your manager before you go, if possible, 'as well as a general overview what are the key things you want me to cover at X office?'

When you get a chance ring HR and ask about hours, timesheet and expenses. In fact they should give you some sort of induction covering this. Is it a small organisation?

Don't panic and don't judge it on Day 1.

I second what Snazzy said. it takes time to get used to new systems etc. The best thing you can do now is make a list of questions / stuff which you need to know and if they don't give you anything to do then use the time to try to find these things out.

Give it at least a month before you make up your mind. Good luck.

It is a bit rubbish your company did not sort out your access pass and technology ahead of you starting. Not everything has to be in place, but I would expect you should at least have a pass and email account. They should also tell you what your working hours are (!!), where is the washroom, pantry etc.

Do they have an HR department? Who is your manager - did he/she at least say hello? Was someone assigned to show you around? Is there an induction programme?

It is no wonder you are feeling lost

I agree with other posters about making a list of questions. Hope you get more guidance soon.

Agreed. Induction should cover all this but it isn't always arranged for day one. I've had one guy turn up a month earlier than expected, so had to wing it, and had to do the induction for someone else because his boss forgot his was arriving and so went on leave on his first day. God only knows what both made of the organisation at the end of day 1!

Starting on the first working day after the hols may have added to the chaos a bit - if everyone had a bunch of emails to catch up on and generally remember what their job was they may have been hoping you'd more or less keep yourself amused for the day. It is very usual for no-one to have got a pass or anything sort out - it's actually the only area where my firm is surprisingly well-organised - it feels horribly unwelcoming but isn't intended that way.

Sounds like you need a sit down with your line manager to go through the basics. Was he/she in today?

Tribpot, I would say that it is the line manager's responsibility to liaise with HR and Training to get all this sorted or at least tell the OP on her first day what to expect over the next few days, even if not everything could be sorted right away.

I agree that we can expect some balls to be dropped over the hols. If the line manager was not there, he/she should have delegated that responsibility. It just sounds shambolic and not very professional. Hopefully this is just a blip in an otherwise smooth running organisation.

Yes, I totally agree, blueshoes. I wasn't pleased to be caught on the hop myself but at least there was a genuine balls-up of communication to account for it. OP seems to have just been dumped in it.

Lazy managers will often regard this new starter stuff as more optional than it actually is. Hopefully OP can get a better sense of the place soon.

I'd say they have massively cocked up your induction, but I wouldn't walk out over it. It's enormously stressful, but the first few weeks in a new job just are - even if things go well you will be on information overload.

I'd definitely request a meeting with your line manager and ask what the plans are for your induction, as you should definitely have one. And meanwhile, be kind to yourself and keep telling yourself that it's not you, it's them.

Sorry to sound a bit harsh but leaving before 8am and getting home after 6pm isn't that bad.

You cried? Why? Because you were out from 8am to 6pm or because they hadn't set up your computer access? Sorry, slightly puzzled. Have contracted a lot and this sounds fairly standard!!!

Take control of the situation. Find out who is organising your IT stuff and ring them. Ask them when you will have access as you can't do anything until you do. If they say Monday then leave it until about 2pm, ring them and ask them how they are getting on. Likewise, the meeting at the other office. Find out who you are meeting and what you are supposed to be doing. Nothing wrong in that, it makes you look interested and as if you have initiative.

Sorry if I sound like a bitch but you need to man up a bit!!!

Ahh that lost feeling when everything is new and different and no one gives a sh#t...Civil Service per chance??

@ LucieLucie

I've been there countless times too. In fact 9 years on I still don't know what I'm supposed to do when I get to work [sigh]. It will get better but I do agree that your hours sound not that bad and your IT stuff will be sorted within days. Give it some time!