Your daughter is starting her first real job after college. Or maybe it’s you, the parent, starting a new job. No matter the age of a new full-time employee, bringing these three things on the first day of a new job makes a strong positive impression, and sets an employee up for maximum future success.
1. Bring a clean, blank notebook and a pen to the first day of a new job.
You’re going to be learning a lot the first day, week, and month, right?
Pull out your notebook and take notes on what you’re learning. Write down passwords and assigned tasks, and note the names and titles of people you meet so that you can greet them by name when you see them, and later, connect to them on LinkedIN.
In the back of the notebook, make a list of tasks and projects you see at your new job that you might be able to take on at some point. There’ll be many times in the future when you’ll be able to say to those who supervise you, “I noticed that this needs to be done. How about if I take that on?”
When the first day of your new job is behind you, continue to take notes on what you’re learning each day, always including the day’s date at the top of each page. Review your notes each night. You’ll be viewed as a careful person who can be trusted with details—because you’ll actually be a careful person who can be trusted with details.
“Can’t I just enter the things I need to know about my new job into my phone?”
No, don’t do that.
You don’t want to be constantly opening up your phone and tapping necessary info into your yellow notes app, because people may wonder if you’re just monkeying around on Instagram.
Take notes in an actual physical notebook, and you’ll communicate to those around you, “I am a careful, detail-oriented person who can be trusted to keep track of things.”
2. Bring all necessary I.D. documentation and paperwork to the first day of a new job.
You’ll need it to get set up on the security and payroll systems. Plan to bring both your passport or driver’s license, and your social security card.
3. Bring a healthy packed lunch that contains protein to the first day of a new job.
You’ve got enough to process on your first day without figuring out where you’re going to buy lunch.
Pack yourself a lunch that includes protein, so you’ll be able to think straight and maintain high energy all day.
To keep your lunch fresh and cold all day, use my very favorite lunch bag: the PackIt. The PackIt has lightweight freezable gel permanently built into the sides of a good looking cloth bag, (with many colors to choose from), so you’ll never have to cope with a heavy, wet ice block again. To use, simply fold the PackIt lunch bag flat and store it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, the walls of the lunch bag will be completely frozen and ready to chill food and drinks for hours.
If your teen or 20-something doesn’t yet know what he wants to do with his life, you’ll find specific immediate help in chapter 13 in my book:
Important—> It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.
You can see hundreds of reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:
You can see why financial advising professionals love LAUNCH, here.
You can see the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCH, here.
Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.
And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start it—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.
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Who is Jeannie Burlowski?
Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News & World Report, and on CBS News.
Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Bluesky @jburlowski.bsky.social.
No part of this article was written using AI.