Beginning of a career or a new step in your existing work life is a very exciting time, especially if you’ve been out of work for a while and can’t wait to start a new job. People who are about to start working in a new company often try to plan everything ahead, but what a lot of future workers forget about is that starting a new job will likely require some spending from you. If you don’t want to be frustrated by unexpected costs of new employment, check out our guide and be prepared!
Transportation
Only a small part of people are lucky enough to live within a walking distance from their new job. If you’re not among these lucky ones, and if moving closer to the new workplace doesn’t seem possible at the moment, you’ll have to account for travel costs and plan your transportation beforehand. Do you own a car? Then you need to account for fuel, repairs, and parking fees. If you’re planning to travel by public transportation, your costs will not be as big, but you’re likely to come to work annoyed. The best option is to carpool to work with some of your co-workers – in this case your costs will include splitting the fuel costs with the car owner.
New gadgets
One of the main requirements for being successful at your new job is being as productive as possible, which can only be done if you’re focused and have all the right gear. Since it’s 2016, doing business and being productive is easier when you have a couple of modern gadgets at hand. A brand new mobile phone and tablet will help you organize your day, collect your thoughts and notes, plan events and include them into the calendar, and always stay in touch with your colleagues and your boss, even while you’re away from work.
Wardrobe
If you haven’t been working for quite some time, there is a good chance that your work clothes are outdated or lost their original look. However, presenting yourself as a professional and highly trained individual is impossible if your clothes speak against your professional image. The solution here is to get a new work wardrobe. You don’t need too many items at first: usually a smart suit, a couple of shirts, formal shoes, and a high quality bag work very well. Nevertheless, you need to make sure your new work clothes fit you perfectly – otherwise they can work against your image, which is why it’s a good idea to have everything tailored specifically for your body.
Food
Not many companies in Nigeria provide their employees with lunch and snacks, so you’ll need to account for food costs as well. Eating lunch at a cafe can be too expensive, especially if your job does not pay too well. You’ll be better off taking lunch from home in a special container. It’s also important to take some snacks with you to work, so that you don’t feel distracted by hunger between meals. Great and work-friendly snack ideas are fruits, individually packed yoghurts, homemade sandwiches, and, when you need that extra sugar, your favourite candy – but don’t overdo it on sweets, because too much sugar leads to serious health issues.
Training
It’s a common thing for employers to hire workers that don’t have enough knowledge and skills to occupy the position under the condition that the employee will undergo the necessary training. Most of the times the training is paid for by the employee, but if your employee hasn’t promised to cover the costs of training, you’ll need to pay for it from your own pocket. Here you’ll need to decide whether the new job is worth those extra costs, or you can find another offer that doesn’t require you to spend money on studying.
Child care
If you and your spouse are both planning to work, and you have small children at home, accommodating them during your work day should be your top priority. If you’re lucky enough to have a diligent relative that is happy to watch over your kids while you’re both at work, then extended child care won’t cost you a thing, but if there is no one to help you in this situation, you’ll have to spend money on day care, where your children will be taken care of for an extra cost. Those extra costs are something you and your spouse should consider: if it turns out that day care costs nearly as much as one of you makes in a day’s work, one of the parents becoming a stay-at-home parent can be a much smarter decision both financially and in terms of parenting.
