What is "onboarding yourself?" and why this Lifehacker article isn't.

I generally like Lifehacker's articles. The ones I read. I skip a lot of entire subject areas, but when I read them, they're decent snippets of either useful or fun info. Snack blog.

This article on "onboarding yourself" isn't one of those.

Now, normally, I'd just pass on by. But it's actually a good topic. And it deserves more attention than just (basically), "Start learning things during your interview, research your CEO and jaw with your colleagues if you can't get answers from HR."

Seriously. That's it. And while none of that is bad advice, none of it addresses the issue of starting to work somewhere and not getting the training, advice and input needed to succeed... which is what onboarding is about.

I've worked at some very different places, and some have had good onboarding procceses to take care of the basics... some have had nothing. In almost every case, though, the actual "stuff" I needed to know in order to start doing my job well was, well

1. Mostly known by the person I was replacing
2. Known by my new boss, who was swamped, becaue they'd just been without the position I was hired to fill for [X] weeks, months, etc.
3. Some combination of random info socketed away in the brains of the team members I was managing and/or my new peers. Or;
4. Nowhere.

Now, I know that "onboarding" doesn't cover everything that you need to learn to get you from "Day One Useless Newb" to "Necessary to Everyone Ninja." But if you don't get what you need to get cooking pretty quickly, just doing the stuff noted in that article ain't gonna help a lot. So... In addition to those things (I guess), here's what I'd suggest you do if you're starting a new job and get the minimum, "There's the bathrooms, here's the company handbook, welcome to your cube," onboarding minimum.

Seek connections, ask questions

Get an org chart for your manager and all the people on their team. Starting with everybody at your level -- other people who report to your boss -- schedule 1 hour interviews with them to occur during your first two weeks. Don't put them off longer than that, even if it means you need to work a little extra that first month. Tip: working a little extra your first couple months is not a bad look.

BUT! Do NOT just set up an hour in a conference room and shoot the shiz. Include an introduction of yourself, a copy of your resume/CV, and a list of questions you'd like to go over during the meeting. These can be a few that are the same for everybody -- what's your role here, describe some of the situations where we'll be working together, what internal resources do you find helpful, what projects have you just finished, what are you working on now -- but there should be a few that are crafted to their department or role. You can also scope them on LinkedIn to get some ideas about their work history, and see if there are connections or questions that come from that.

And in that intro email, also ask them to bring some questions for you. Trust me on that one. It will yield more good intel than any questions you'll ask...

Next, your team

If you manage people, I'd suggest doing these meetings after you meet your peers. Obviously, you'll be meeting with your team stating on Day One for work stuff. You know... Why you were hired. But you will be a burden to them until you aren't, and that can take weeks. Even if you were a superstar in your past job and will be again, at the onset, a new boss is nothing but more work for the team. Because they're training you (as much as they can) to not suck as a boss.

If you do the "deep dive interviews" with them first, you'll probably sound like an idiot. You'll say things that are ignorant and make observations that you'll need to take back. Your team -- your direct reports -- are the most important resource you will have during your tenure at this gig. Take the time to get a little familiar with the joint by meeting your peers first -- you've got more leeway there. Then do the team interviews.

For those, I suggest you do NOT treat them as formally. It can be scary having a new boss anyways, and getting an email for an interview with a lot of questions can feel a lot like, "Am I being sized up to be house-cleaned?"

Instead, just have the questions you want to ask them ahead of time. Make sure you write them down and ask, when you're talking, if it's OK if you take notes, because -- and this is important, say these words to them -- "We're here today for my benefit. I have a lot to learn, and I'm hoping you can get me up that curve as quickly as possible so I make fewer mistakes that I'll then need your help cleaning up."

Or words to that effect.

Again, in your intial email, ask them to bring questions they'd like you to ask.

But also make sure you ask your team about who they'd include in a list of...

Your internal suppliers

These are the people who "give you the stuff you need to do your job." Ask your team, "Who do we go to for XYZ?" Where that could be anything from administrative help to copywriting to product information to the guy who fills out form A2 and hands it to you so that you can fill out form B9. Anybody you'll need to "get something from."

Go talk to them. Keep this one less formal and just ask them to describe what they do and what they love about their job (or don't) and about the culture and their hobbies and kids and pets, etc.

The one big question you need to hide in the sandwich of getting these people to recognize you and like you is this:

"What can I do to make your job easier? Becaue I know I'm going to rely on you for XYZ, and I want that to go both ways."

Sometimes that's just not possible. Sometimes it's literally, "I fill out form A2 and hand it to you." That's it. But even then, it's good to ask.

Usually, though, there's a really good answer. Like, "Never ask for XYZ on a Friday. The team takes 2 work days for that request, and if you ask on Friday, it will have to get finished on Monday, and with the weekend inbetween... it always ends up needing another half day at least. Other stuff, sure. Friday's fine. But XYZ? Please only Monday through Thursday."

Take notes. There's usually a ton of stuff like that where your internal suppliers are super glad to get you what you need, but if you know how/when/where to ask for it correctly, you can make their job (of making your job) easier (easier).

Which brings us to...

Your internal customers

Again, as with your team, you'll probably be working with them on actual "stuff" starting pretty soon. But I wouldn't advise you to set up formal meetings until you've done all the other ones. Why?

Because these are the people you give XYZ to. They're the ones who will determine your fate in your new job. Your work product will be judged by them. Their productivity will depend on you.

And you are a new variable in their equation. A cipher. Until you show them that you providing them with XYZ is a better deal than them getting it from somewhere else or doing it themselves, you're a liability. Remember: they've probably been doing pretty well without you, since you're filling a hole. And you can be in a tough place, because they may be comparing you to either:

The complete idiot who had the job before you and who got canned and, yes, in fact it is easier for me to do without XYZ or do it myself, because that last fool was a nightmare.

Or...

The complete hero who left for greener pastures, and they've been suffering that loss and now here you come and you'll never fill that gap.

So please: take all the other meetings first. Learn what you can from your peers about the people you'll be serving. Ask your team about who-needs-what and how can we really knock their socks off? Keep in mind that your internal suppliers also probably work with your customers in some sense. At the very least, your customers will know their role in the process-chain and will be glad you took the time to get to know what inputs you needed to make your outputs (which are their inputs) more... outputty. (?)

That's actual self-onboarding

I've worked places where they formalize some/all of that kind of process, and it really helps. And I've worked places where I've had to do it on my own... and it also really helped.

Anyway. Go meet people and learn stuff. But do it with a plan. Because just being seen as "That new person with a plan on how to get up to speed" is worth the time.