Six Tips for Effective Onboarding: Becoming Confident in Your New Job

This post was written by our resident Career Coach, Elissa Harris. To sign up for a free 30-minute career consultation with Elissa, please click here.

With MBA graduations right around the corner, many people will be starting new jobs soon. Getting off on the right foot is critical for job satisfaction and long-term success within an organization.

Some companies offer substantial onboarding and training programs, while others (often start-ups) will expect you to take the reins as you forge ahead in your new role. Either way, these six tips can set you up for success:

1. Gain clarity on your responsibilities. Ask your manager about the metrics of success for your new position and how your work fits into the larger team’s/department’s work. Learn about the company’s culture and any unspoken norms; listen carefully to your manager’s directions, and ask colleagues for guidance.
2. Be communicative. Keep your manager up to date on the status of your projects, based on their preferred working style. Ask for support using language like “I am not clear on next steps, but here’s what I am thinking. Am I on the right track?” or “I am thinking about doing X next but wanted to confirm it with you first.”
3. Get to know your team. Participate in office activities and consider joining affinity groups. Gather information on team working styles; ask questions like “What do you need from me to do our best work?” Be appreciative of your team’s support and guidance.
4. Ask for feedback. Get specifics using language like “This week, X happened. I’d love your thoughts on how I could have handled it better. Can we discuss it more?” Pay attention to nonverbal feedback; notice the changes/edits made to your work product and ask why they were made. If you are struggling, request templates or samples of strong work product or connect with internal experts.
5. Maintain a positive mindset. Feeling overwhelmed (or even underqualified) when you start a new job is common, so do not worry. If you were an expert at your new job on Day 1, you would be bored by Day 30. Each day is a new opportunity to learn. And remember, as the new person, your fresh eyes could offer a welcome perspective on the business issues your team has been tackling for months.
6. Share your new job with your network. Add your new role to the experience section in your LinkedIn profile, and then post an announcement of it along with a note of appreciation to those who helped you. Send personalized thank-you emails to people who assisted you during the search.

Finally, you worked hard to land your new position, so enjoy the onboarding journey! Be curious. Have fun. Build relationships. Learn new things. Find ways to make an impact.

Some companies offer substantial onboarding and training programs, while others (often start-ups) will expect you to take the reins as you forge ahead in your new role. Either way, these six tips can set you up for success:

1. Gain clarity on your responsibilities. Ask your manager about the metrics of success for your new position and how your work fits into the larger team’s/department’s work. Learn about the company’s culture and any unspoken norms; listen carefully to your manager’s directions, and ask colleagues for guidance.
2. Be communicative. Keep your manager up-to-date with the status of your projects, based on their preferred working style. Ask for support with language like “I am not clear on next steps, but here’s what I am thinking. Am I on the right track?” or “I am thinking about doing X next but wanted to confirm it with you first.”
3. Get to know your team. Participate in office activities and consider joining affinity groups. Learn about team working styles; ask questions like “When and how do we give each other feedback?” and “What do you need from me to do our best work?” Be appreciative of your team’s support and guidance.
4. Ask for specific feedback. Try asking something like “This week, X happened. Can we discuss it more?” Pay attention to nonverbal feedback; notice the changes/edits made to your work product and ask why they were made. If you are struggling, request templates or samples of strong work product or connect with internal experts.
5. Maintain a positive mind-set. Feeling overwhelmed (or even underqualified) when you start a new job is common, so do not worry. If you were an expert at your new job on Day 1, you would be bored by Day 30. Look at each day as a new opportunity to learn. And remember, as the new person, your fresh eyes on the business issues your team has been tackling for months could offer a welcome perspective.
6. Share your exciting news with your network. Update your LinkedIn profile by adding your new role to the experience section and posting an announcement of it with a note of appreciation to those who helped you secure the role or who have supported you in the past. Send personalized thank you emails to people who assisted you during the search.

Finally, you worked hard to land your new position, so enjoy the onboarding process. Be curious. Have fun. Build relationships, and learn new things. Make an impact.