EMPOWERED

CHAPTER 31Onboarding

Congratulations, you have now landed a competent person of character who is ready to start contributing as a member of one of your product teams.

Unfortunately for you, your work as a hiring manager is just getting started.

The first three months for a new member of the team are absolutely critical and will very likely set the tone for the new employee's tenure at your company.

Some helpful checkpoints along the way:

• At the end of her first day. Has she made at least one hopefully future friend on the team? Does she know what is expected of her?
• At the end of her first week. How was her first week? Has she had a chance to get to know personally every member of her product team?
• After she receives her first paycheck. It's normal for the new employee to do a subconscious assessment of the choice she made in joining your company.
• After her first month. At this point, the new employee has a fairly good idea of the company and her potential in it.
• After her first 60 days. Has she scored a public “win” that helps establish her value to the company?

Realize that many first impressions will be made—especially by senior leaders from across the company—and for many executives, there may be few opportunities to correct those first impressions if they are not positive.

No matter how competent the new employee is, there is always a ramp‐up. Learning about the customers, the people, and workings of the company, the culture, the technology, and the industry are all ...