This is the fourth in a series of posts about my most recent educational experiment. The quickest way to get the full story is to go read the other three posts, which also have the number ‘44’ in their titles.
Application submitted. Interview complete. Offer extended. Negotiations. Offer accepted. Welcome to your first day.
I’ll never forget my first day as a professor. It was a Monday. One week later I’d be meeting my students in Lecture 1 for each of the three courses I’d be teachng. I arrived at 8 and went to my boss’s office. Last time I was here I was negotiating my salary. Today I was picking up my office keys.
He welcomed me aboard, escorted me to my office, and then left for the next thing on his agenda. I walked into my office, which had been previously occupied, and surveyed the furniture. As the door closed behind me I remember a strange loneliness – just me and this office in a new building, filled with new people, in a new city, filled with new opportunities.
I didn’t see another person that day. I just sat down and started imagining what my classes would be like as I completed HR training videos. No one dropped in, and I didn’t know who to approach to say hi. Faculty can be reclusive, especially when school is out of session.
“Now What?”
One of the strangest times in a person’s life is when they’re “new here.”
Fast-forward a year and I was holding a kickoff meeting for the my TA team (army may be a better description, there would be 44 of them by the end of the year). I’d worked with some of them previously, and they knew each other. Others I’d only met during our phone interviews – hiring students over the summer doesn’t make it easy to meet in person. We sat around a large table in a student lounge, I fired up the Live Stream on our Facebook Group, and
“Now What?”
The vision. Start with the vision. Ok. They get it. List the things that need done. Hope for volunteers. Two people, who I knew previously, end up with most of the load. This is different. Who does what?
Actually, it’s very simple:
When someone is “new here” they’re looking for two things, in priority order:
- To feel that they’re part of the community.
- To know what they actually do at work.
“I’m a stranger here, myself.”
The importance of good work relationships can’t be overstated. If you’re bringing someone new in, realize that they’re likely lonely and intimidated- you’ve known each other for a while and this person is surrounded by new faces. Be ready to help that person join the group: schedule a light day for their peers. Hold an all-hands brainstorming session. Go out for lunch as a group, and appetizers at the end of the day.
If you’ve just been hired, spend your time getting to know people. Don’t pass on invitations, even outside of work hours. Go to lunch. Wander around. Take too long getting coffee to see who you bump into. Introduce yourself. Take an interest in what other people contribute. Realize that they’re busy and be patient – you’ll be “in” soon enough. Interns: experience is secondary to the relationships you’ll form during this time. Invest there. New hires: form professional friendships with your peers and the people who’ve been there a while (higher than you, but not your boss).
“What would you say I do here?”
I get it. HR requires us to go through training videos on drugs, harassment, safety. These are very important things. But imagine an entire day of that – do you really want your new, enthusiastic hires spending their first day focused on everything that can go wrong at work? And I know you have big plans for your people. But on day one, they’re just looking for a way to contribute. Be ready for that with something they can sink their teeth into. Give them a project or a task. Bring them to a meeting as your shadow and then ask their thoughts one-on-one afterwards.
If you’ve just started – spend the time you’re not getting to know people trying to make a contribution. Figure out who needs help and offer. Someone is overwhelmed and would love a hand. Someone is stuck and could be helped just by you asking them to explain their work. Someone has a big presentation coming up and would appreciate a chance to practice.
The biggest thing I learned:
Interns/New Hires – Don’t be intimidated: New isn’t the same as under-qualified or not fitting in. You’ll get there.
Supervisors – If you’ll let them, people will exceed your expectations. The TA team took my idea for their job and iterated, expanded, eliminated, and mashed up. They redefined their roles and the result was something far grander (and more effective) than what I’d imagined. I’m just glad I got out of the way.
