Once you have received the job offer, you are ready to start your career. Before you get too excited, you need to do your new job preparation. Certain aspects of the new job preparation such as drug testing can be scary, and other details such as writing a letter to inform your referrer that you have been appointed, may not seem important, but they are all necessary.

Finalizing agreements as part of your new job preparation task. A verbal offer can be retracted too easily. To prevent this and possible changes in the benefits and conditions, you should make sure that you get a formal written job offer. Get the following information on paper:

• Terms and conditions of employment
• Basic benefits outline
• Salary structure
• Commencement of employment date
• Reporting manager

Financial preparations

Open a bank account and submit your account details to the employer. Make sure they have your contact details and postal address at the human resources division. It will save you the frustration of not being paid on time due to incorrect bank details. Prepare a budget for one month's transport, lunches, clothing and mobile calls.

Complying with employment conditions
Part of the new job preparation process is to make sure that you comply with all the employment conditions. The conditions include:

• Credit record checks
• Criminal record checks
• Verification of your qualifications, references, and employment history
• Medical checkups
• Drug screening
• Driver's license and social security number or identification number checks

Although these conditions of employment terms may seem trivial and an invasion of your privacy, most companies consider it as part of the normal hiring procedure and it is legal. Get all necessary documentation in order and provide your assistance where required. With the above checks in mind, you should never lie or hide something on your application. It may cost you the job.

Drug screening as part of employment conditions
It is the most feared part of the pre-job screening process for some. If you have never used drugs, these tests should not be a threat at all. Since drugs take a long time to get worked from your system, it is advisable to stop using any substances at least three months before screening. You can use the table below as a guide to the length it takes to clear from your system.

It is therefore advisable not to use any type of drugs or alcohol. Even being in the company of dagga or marijuana smokers can provide a positive test since several companies test your hair strains, which may be filled from the smoke of other users.

If you fail the drug screening, request a follow up test for confirmation. If the employer refuses to pay for the second test, offer to do so and make use of another testing institute to make sure that there is no compromise in the results. If the company doesn't agree to it, you should get a lawyer to assist you.

Letters to written as part of the new job preparation process
Once you have passed the tests, and start employment, you should write and email all your contacts to inform them of your new position. Send a thank you note to each one for their support and offer to be assistance to them. You should also send a small token of your appreciation to the persons on your reference list and to the person who referred you.