Dhe first day at a new job is very similar to the first day at school. New place, new colleagues, new tasks. Only one thing is different: not all, but only one person is new and burdened with the associated uncertainties. Ms. H. was confronted with the same situation, which was exacerbated by the fact that she was starting out as an intern and felt double the pressure to make a good first impression.
During several months of preparation, Ms. H. was particularly concerned with the question of clothing: It quickly became clear that jeans, T-shirts and baggy sneakers would not be part of the dress code. Ms. H. had to find out the rest by researching on the internet and questioning former employees of the future company. Mrs. H. made lists of acceptable outfits and invested in a new pair of white sneakers.
Screened and evaluated
Their purchase was preceded by a separate decision-making process that lasted several weeks. Ms. H. would regularly show friends and family seven different open tabs on her laptop, showing seven different pairs of white sneakers. Because a white sneaker is not just a white sneaker, and white is not just white. Ms. H. examined fashion blogs and the contributions of well-known influencers. She evaluated color accents and shoe widths before making a decision.
If you’re new, don’t be shy. And so, immediately after the first conference, Ms. H. was remembered as the intern who had planned her first impression for months, as she frankly told a large group. “Oh, and what kind of shoe brand is that now?” asked the older colleague, slightly uncomprehending. For him, the sneakers were simple: “Just white sneakers.”
In the “Nine to five” column, different authors write about curiosities from everyday life in the office and university.
