How to handle your first job offer and your first 90 days

Getting your first offer is a big moment, and it is easy to say yes without reading. A few careful checks now save a lot of trouble later. After you join, the first three months set how people see you. This guide covers both.

What to read in the offer letter

• Role and team: the job title and what you will do.
• Location and joining date: and whether work is on-site, hybrid or remote.
• Pay structure: the fixed part, any variable part, and what is deducted. Ask what the take-home amount will be.
• Probation or training period: how long, and what happens at the end.
• Service agreement or bond: if there is one, what it says about notice and money.
• Conditions: document checks and background verification.

If anything is unclear, ask the recruiter to explain it in writing.

Spot a fake offer

A genuine employer does not ask you to pay for a job, a laptop, a training seat or a visa. Offers sent only from free email addresses, with no interview and a rushed deadline, are warning signs. Check the company's official website and contact details yourself, and ask your placement cell or a senior if you are not sure.

Accepting, asking and declining

Reply within the time given. If you need a few days, ask politely.

Dear Ms Rao,

Thank you for the offer. I am very happy to receive it. Before I accept, could you please confirm the notice terms under the service agreement and the expected project location? 

Thank you,
Rahul

Freshers often have little room to negotiate pay, but you can ask questions about the role and the learning plan. If you decline, do it quickly, politely and in writing. Companies appreciate an early, honest no more than silence. Check your college's rules about multiple offers before you decline or accept.

Before you join

Collect your documents early: certificates, ID proofs and mark sheets. Keep refreshing your basics, especially SQL and one programming language, because the first weeks go faster if you are fluent. Ask the recruiter if there is anything you should read before day one.

The first 30 days: listen and learn

• Learn who is who and who to ask for what.
• Learn the data and the tools in use. Ask for a short walk-through of how data flows in the team.
• Take notes. Keep a document of what you learn, with commands and questions.
• Ask early, but try for a short time first. Say what you tried when you ask.
• Do small tasks fully, and tell your manager when you are done.

Days 30 to 90: deliver and ask for feedback

• Take a small task from start to finish, with checks and a short note about it.
• Ask your manager what good work looks like on your team, and how you are doing against it.
• Fix small problems you notice, such as a missing check or a confusing document.
• Write a weekly note of what you did and learned. After three months you will have a list of real results for your next resume.
• Keep learning: one new tool or topic a month is a steady pace.

Common first-job mistakes

• Staying silent when stuck for hours. Ask after a reasonable try.
• Saying yes to everything and missing deadlines. Say what you can do and by when.
• Not checking your work. Count rows, check for NULLs and duplicates, and read your output before you share it.
• Comparing your salary and role with friends. Different companies differ a lot.

Where to start today

If you have an offer, list every question you still have about it and send them in one clear email. If not, save this guide for later and write a one-line plan for your first week.