Podcast — My First Week at Bright Coffee

Hi, my name is Emma, and this is the story of my first week

at Bright Coffee.

Bright Coffee is a small company that sells coffee machines

to offices.

I started two months ago as an office assistant.

Was I nervous on day one?

Oh, yes, very nervous.

Monday morning, I arrived 30 minutes early

because I wanted to make a good impression.

The building was big, and of course, I got lost.

I walked into the wrong office twice.

In the end, a kind woman from the front desk

took me to the right floor.

My manager, Priya, greeted me with a big smile.

First, I had to fill in some forms for a new starter,

my address, my bank details, the usual things.

Then Priya showed me around, the meeting rooms, the printers,

and the break room where the coffee is free.

Well, of course, it is free.

We sell coffee machines.

That first morning, I met maybe 15 co-workers, 15 names.

After one hour, I remembered three.

So at lunch, I did something simple.

I took my notebook and wrote the names down.

Marco, tall, works with the big clients.

Jenny, glasses, knows everything about the computers.

It helped a lot.

On Tuesday, I made my first mistake.

I sent a meeting invitation for the wrong day.

I wanted to disappear.

But my co-worker Marco laughed and said, relax.

Everyone does this in their first week.

He helped me fix it in two minutes.

By Wednesday, I started to get used to the office.

I knew where the printer was.

I knew that people take a break at half past 10 all together.

Small things, but small things matter.

On Friday afternoon, Priya asked me, how was your first week?

And I answered, honestly.

I got lost.

I forgot names.

And I made a mistake with a meeting.

But every single person helped me.

And that is the moment I knew, I am going to feel at home here.

So if you are starting a new job, here is my advice.

Arrive early, write things down, ask questions

because nobody thinks your questions are stupid,

and find the break room fast.

That is where a new starter becomes part of the team.

Thanks for listening.