The new work from home ‘normal’ in this COVID19 world has changed how we interview for and take new jobs. Onboarding is challenging. How can a new hire get the information they need, build relationships, and understand a department’s culture? I’m going to share a technique I have found worked well both in person and virtually.

Every company and department has specific onboarding checklists (or not). These include orientations, security access, and general expectations. In the physical office, you may be assigned a team member to ‘show you the ropes,’ walk you around the facility and introduce you to others. This type of relationship-building is not possible in a virtual environment. You MUST be more assertive in getting integrated into the team. Here is what you do.

Meet each person on your new team by scheduling a 30-minute Zoom meeting at their convenience.

1:1 Meetings

You have two goals; build a relationship and gain information. Get to know each other casually while staying on task. In some cases, you may need the first meeting to be a casual get-to-know-you coffee session with a follow-up Q&A session. Be flexible; if you pepper questions at someone who is still trying to get to know and trust you, you may not make progress in either goal.

You have to learn the ins and outs of your new group, so you must come prepared. Let them know your taking notes, so you don’t forget any useful information they share. Being new to a team has perks, such as you can ask just about anything!

What is their role?

• What are they responsible for on the team?
• Why? You’re building an operational map in your mind of who does what and where you fit in.

What are the specialties of the other people on the team?

• Why? Personal impressions can be very informative and provide you with some questions to ask the other team members.

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