What NOT to do to make a good impression at work -

What NOT to do to make a good impression at work - Dont underestimate the importance of a  first impression. You want to start off on the right foot so your colleagues will like and respect you. So, what  shouldnt  you do at work? 1. Dont emulate your worst-dressed colleague Just because you saw someone in accounting wearing flip-flops, doesnt mean you should dress like youre going to the beach. Many organizations encourage comfortable attire, but be careful not to be too quick to try to win the worst dressed team member award. 2. Dont give off a dont talk to me vibe Maybe you dont really like people, but if you dont want to be considered a  problem employee, you need to appear approachable. If you walk around with a sour expression, arms crossed in front of you and fail to make eye contact with your colleagues, it may just mean youre having a bad day or youre very shy. However, youll quickly earn a negative reputation that will be difficult to overcome. Smile, even if you dont feel like it or if you are having a bad day. 3. Dont be a slob At home, if you want to challenge yourself to see how high your piles of junk can get before toppling over, thats up to you. At work, especially in shared work spaces, its important to maintain a neat workspace. If you appear sloppy, people may assume you arent organized and cant handle important responsibilities and youll find yourself in a  dead-end job. 4. Dont be a bully Maybe you were one of the cool kids and have a tendency to make fun of people, either to their faces or behind their backs. In the workplace, that can be considered bullying, and can be grounds for being fired in some cases. Regardless of the laws in your state or expectations at your workplace, you arent likely to win many friends when people worry they may be your next target. 5. Dont spill your guts Do you tend to overshare? At work, its best to keep yourself in check and find other people to tell the long, drawn out story of your bad breakup, sex life or wild, partying ways. Keep conversations friendly and professional and keep your personal drama to yourself. 6. Dont talk about how busy or tired you are No one cares how busy you are. Everyone is busy, and your job is to get the work done. If you are exceptionally overwhelmed, its a good idea to have a conversation with your  boss  and to ask for some help, but most of your colleagues will quickly tire of hearing about how busy and overwhelmed you are at work. 7. Do not spend your day on personal calls, texting or posting to social media When youre at work, phone calls should be work related. At most offices, its acceptable to have some personal interactions on the phone, but if your friend/child/mother calls you five times a day, its up to you to table those calls to after hours. The same goes for texting and updating personal social media sites. 8. Dont be the first one to leave Everyone will judge your work ethic based on when you run for the exit. Do not close up shop at the earliest opportunity if you want to make a good impression. Face time is more important at some companies than others, but if you work in an office, make sure youre doing everything you can to help out and to be available to help others before you bolt for the door. More from Miriam Salpeter 9 reasons youre not getting hired How to break out of your job search rut Four steps to finding the perfect job Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.