Getting your certification is only your first step to working as a flagger. Once you’ve been hired for a job, the next step is to mentally and physically prepare for your first day. Just like any new job, it’s normal to feel nervous, but there is plenty you can do to help yourself feel calm and confident.

“Your first day is just awkward!”

After years in the construction industry, Dawn McKole pivoted to flagging about three years ago. And while she has grown to love it, she emphasizes that there was a learning curve, even for someone with experience in the trades. “All of it was new,” she says. “All the lingo, what’s normal, what’s not normal…Someone hands you a radio and you’re standing on a street going, ‘What button do I press?’” 

“The first day is just awkward!” says Vicki Hebert, owner of Smuggler’s Cove Flagging. “But it’s okay. Flagging is a hands-on job that takes time to learn. Be patient with yourself.” Both Hebert and McKole tell flaggers that the best way to get started is by asking the right questions, so you know how to be as prepared as possible for your first day in the work zone.

Questions to ask before the job  

As a new flagger, you might feel shy about asking questions, but it’s important to speak up. Ask your hiring manager or supervisor in advance for details about the job. Here are some things you’ll want to know:

• Where is the job site or meeting point?
• What time do you need to be there, and when is the crew expected to show up? (It’s normal for flaggers to be the first ones on site, because they set up the work zone.)
• Will flaggers be setting up signs?
• Does the company provide PPE (such as a hard hat and vest), a STOP/SLOW paddle, or radios? (It’s common for flaggers to bring these items themselves.)
• Who will be supervising or leading the flaggers on site? Will there be someone to mentor you?
• What should you expect as far as breaks?

Once you know where you’ll be heading, look up the location of the job site and plan ahead for your commute. Figure out what time you need to leave in order to be on site at least 15-20 minutes early. Leave plenty of extra time in case there is traffic, and additional time to find parking. 

As a new flagger, it’s also a good idea to review the basic concepts from your certification class. “Know what a flagger taper is. Know what the hand signals are. You’ll get more comfortable with them,” says Hebert.

Prepping your gear

Flaggers have to be self-sufficient for long periods of time. “It can be hard to get a break!” says Hebert. It’s common for the crew to take a lunch break, but it isn’t always possible to change the work zone in a way that relieves the flagger – so you may have to go without one. Hebert recommends “pocket food” like granola bars and bite-sized protein (like nuts or cured meats), and getting a vest with pockets that seal so that your snacks don’t fall in the road.

You’ll also need to be prepared for varying weather conditions and long hours outside. Layering your clothing is recommended. “It’s harder to add clothes than subtract them while you’re out there,” says McKole.

Here is a short checklist of items you may need:

• Boots 
• MUTCD-compliant hard hat and vest (see our Flagger apparel guide)
• MUTCD-compliant STOP/SLOW paddle
• Layered clothing
• Snacks
• Water, coffee, or other drinks (but plan for limited bathroom breaks)
• Radios (make sure they’re charged)
• Sunscreen
• Your flagger card and ID 

McKole also reminds flaggers to make sure their phone is fully charged, even if they can’t use it on the job. It might become necessary in an emergency.

When you arrive

Park safely, get your gear on, gather your supplies, and walk over to the site. When you arrive in the work zone, find the foreman, Traffic Control Supervisor, or other designated lead, and check in with them about the day’s work. Find out where you will meet your flagger partner, where you will be standing, and which traffic you’ll be stopping. McKole reminds flaggers that there is supposed to be an approved plan for every job. So if you’re in a place with a lot of traffic or a complex work zone, you can ask to see the Traffic Control Plan. Hebert also tells flaggers to ask the crew, “How can we be of service to you today?” Communicating with them can help you work together smoothly, and will make their jobs easier.

Professional and polite communication is important, but McKole also encourages flaggers to be assertive and willing to speak up with supervisors and other crew members. “You have to find your inner confidence and talk to them plainly, and make sure you get a straight answer. That takes some guts sometimes,” she says.

One of the most important things to find out is where the bathroom is, and how you will get a break. Ask if there is someone to relieve you, how often, and where you should go. Bathroom breaks will likely be limited, so you’ll want to pace your liquid intake accordingly.

“But no one is here!”

Hebert says that one of the top causes of anxiety for new flaggers is getting to a job site or meeting point, and not finding the crew there. “The question of, ‘Are we late? Are they late?’ causes so much anxiety and can get you flustered,” she says. However, it’s normal for crews to run late, so you shouldn’t panic. Flaggers get paid by the hour, so you’ll be paid whether the crew is on time or not. Just make sure that you are there and ready to go, and wait until they arrive.

Doing the job and building your confidence

On your first day, signaling to traffic and using your radio will feel like a challenge. If you have a good supervisor, they’ll expect you to be nervous and make mistakes. The most important thing to remember is how to keep yourself safe: “Keep your toes to the line and keep your heels to the curb (or ditch),” says Hebert. “Never turn your back on traffic, and have an escape route.”

Hebert tells flaggers that getting through the first day is a milestone. “On your second day, you can breathe! You know who you’re working with, where you’re supposed to be, and then you can start having more confidence in where you’re standing, how to use the hand signals, and being more assertive with traffic.”

Once she acclimated to the job, McKole grew to love it. She gets to wear jeans and boots, be outside and not behind a desk, and she values the variety and challenge. “There’s some comfort in knowing where you’re going once a job has lasted a week or two,” she says, “but there’s excitement in starting over at a new place too.”

When she’s nervous, McKole has a mental trick she uses to calm her anxiety: “I take a deep breath and say ‘It’s gonna be fun!’”