Depending on your company, onboarding can be incredibly fun or horribly tedious. But either way, it’s your introduction to your new job, so you might at well make the most of it. Here are some tips.
Learn All You Can
Onboarding generally covers a lot of topics, from overall rules and policies to benefits and opportunities. Make it a goal to learn everything you possibly can. You never know what you might want to pursue later on, and you may also get an idea of the overall company culture and what to expect.
Ask Lots of Questions
Onboarding materials tend to provide a cursory overview of many different things, so don’t be afraid to dig deeper. Asking questions shows that you take your new job seriously. It also helps you learn the ropes more quickly and start feeling more confident.
Build Your Network
Strong work relationships are extremely important to your job success, and onboarding is a great time to start building them. You’ll likely be in a group with others who are also new to the company, and you may be introduced to everyone from your direct supervisor to senior executives. Take the opportunity to get to know as many people as possible and set the stage for future relationships.
Just Say Yes
Your onboarding day will likely be packed with offers—perhaps coworkers wanting to take you to lunch or managers asking you to join the company softball team. As much as possible, consider saying yes to these opportunities. The more face time you can get with your coworkers and supervisors outside of the workplace, the faster you will start to feel like you fit in. It also shows that you’re a team player and eager to get started.
Onboarding is wildly different from company to company. Some organizations are excellent at providing a top-notch onboarding experience, while others have an outdated and often boring process. But like so many other things in life, onboarding is largely what you make of it. So seize the opportunity to start your new job off on the right foot.
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