The first week in a new job, and how to pass probation

6 minute read · Updated 2026-09-01

You have the job. The next four weeks decide whether it becomes a career or a short entry on your CV, and most of what is being judged has nothing to do with your technical ability, which they already believe in or they would not have hired you.

What is actually being assessed

Reliability. Early, every day, for the first month. Nothing else you do in week one carries as much weight.
Whether you listen. New people who explain how it was done at their last place in week one are remembered for it. Ask why the current way exists before suggesting a better one.
Whether you say when you are stuck. Managers forgive not knowing. They do not forgive an hour of silent guessing that turns into a problem.
How you treat everybody. The person on the gate, the cleaner, the agency staff. Managers ask them, and they remember.

Five questions for day one

"What does good look like in this role after three months?"
"What is the thing that goes wrong most often here?"
"Who should I go to when you are not available?"
"How do you prefer to be updated: message, email, or a word at the end of the day?"
"Is there anything the last person did that you would want done differently?"

They are useful and they make you look like somebody who has done this before.

What probation means in law

A probation period is a contractual arrangement, not a legal status. Two things follow from that. Your employer usually sets a shorter notice period during probation, but it cannot be shorter than the statutory minimum of one week once you have been there a month. And protection from unfair dismissal generally needs two years' service, so passing probation is less of a cliff edge than it feels: the practical difference is confidence and notice, not your rights.

Your rights from day one are real and worth knowing: the national minimum wage, paid holiday accruing from the first day, statutory sick pay if you qualify, protection from discrimination, and a written statement of your terms on or before day one. Our holiday and sick pay guide covers the detail.

The fortnightly conversation that gets you through

Ask for ten minutes with your manager at the end of week two and week four. "Is there anything you would like me to do differently?" Most people never ask, so the answer arrives at the end of probation when it is too late to act on. Asking early turns a small irritation into something you fixed rather than something that accumulated.

The mistakes that cost people the job

Lateness in the first month, even once, without a message before the start time.
Phone use on the floor, in trades where it is a safety matter.
Taking a shortcut on a safety procedure to look quick.
Being drawn into complaining in week one. Listen, stay out of it, decide later.
Booking holiday you did not mention at interview. Raise it before you start, not after.

If it does not work out, that happens, and it is not the end of anything. Read how to explain a short stay and go again.