When Liz was offered a job as a product manager at a growing biotech firm, she was ecstatic. She had spent considerable time on her job search, found a company and a position that felt like a perfect fit, nailed her interviews, and negotiated smartly. But once Liz had both feet in the door and began onboarding in her first month on the job, she suddenly felt less confident. She sensed that she wasn’t fitting in with the culture, was unsure who she should build relationships with, and felt unclear about what her actual role was. Liz began to wonder if she was even qualified for this job that she had worked so hard to land.
Starting a New Job? Take Control of Your Onboarding
It can set you up to succeed later on.
August 08, 2018
Summary.
If you want to excel in your new job, you can’t rely on your company’s onboarding process to prepare you. You need to take control of your integration. Start by cultivating connections up, down, and across. Spending time early on to figure out who the influencers are in relation to your role, and getting to know them face-to-face, can pay big dividends down the road. Ask your boss questions to better understand how you will be evaluated and to identify early wins. Look for projects that will motivate the team, can be achieved quickly, and deliver operational or financial results. It’s also important to build trust. Be honest about the challenges you see.
New!
HBR Learning
Career Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Career Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What's your next career move? Learn how to set yourself up for success.
Learn More & See All Courses
New!
HBR Learning
Career Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Career Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
What's your next career move? Learn how to set yourself up for success.