Taking on a new job role, or perhaps the same role within a different organisation, is a transitional period that can last around 90 days. It can mean tackling new job responsibilities, working in a different environment, and reporting to a new boss.

Whether you are someone who finds change difficult or are incredibly adaptable, the first 90 days of your new job is a crucial time. You should start your role as you mean to go on, so if you’re looking to impress your new boss and have a successful career, now is the time to build a positive first impression.  

To prepare you for this transitional period we’ve outlined what you can expect from your onboarding experience: 

Days 0-30:

Welcome to the team 

Many organisations begin by giving you a warm welcome. As important as your technical skills are, a positive work environment depends on how well everybody gets along. Take the time to introduce yourself and be friendly toward your new colleagues. A positive attitude and the ability to work well in a team will go a long way. 

Defining purpose 

In your first 30 days expect to be filled in on the company’s culture, long-term goals, and what they expect from you. You may be provided with a vision statement that briefly defines the issues you were hired to resolve, and the objectives you’re expected to accomplish. It will be specific to you and the company’s vision for you.

In conjunction with this, you may also receive a summary of responsibilities encompassed by your role and this will demonstrate how you will be expected to address the tasks you have been set to complete. It is essential for modern organisations to use quantifiable data to enable them to measure their performance, and trends and plan for future growth. You will most likely be given KPIs (key performance indicators) which will outline the numbers you are expected to hit each quarter and annually.

Make a document of all these expectations so you can refer to them throughout your first 90 days and make sure you’re on track. 

Days 30-60:

Deeper connections 

After your first month, you should be familiar with your surroundings and develop an understanding of your place within the organisation. At this point, your employers may begin to ramp things up to make sure you are becoming a fully productive member of the team. You may be given more deliberate introductions to fellow members of your team and provided with names, pictures, and job titles – the aim is to deepen your understanding of everyone’s role in the company and develop deeper connections.  

Broadened learning 

You may also be set new tasks that test your skill set and allow you to stretch your knowledge. It will also become obvious at this point if there are any knowledge and skill deficiencies that you can work on. Training, coaching, and one-on-ones may be given in these areas in order to accelerate your learning and broaden your perspective.  

Days 60-90:

After a month of targeted training, your employers will be keen to work on this solid foundation and build a normalised routine and set of responsibilities. The focus will begin to shift from settling you into the organisation to your future there.  

Collaboration 

Up to this point, the focus will be mainly on you as an individual, but this will shift to how your individual efforts contribute to the company’s overarching mission and goals. There may be an increase in team meetings which will encourage a greater amount of collaboration and strengthen engagement.  

Strategy 

You may be asked to produce a presentation or written report which summarises everything you’ve learned so far. The purpose will be for you to take the foundation you’ve been building and begin to envisage what you will accomplish in the future. After investing time and money into you, your employers will want to know how you are going to convert this into value for them. Being this far into the onboarding process means you should now be aware of the company’s pain points and should be familiar enough with the organisation to be able to plan and strategize ways to overcome these issues.  

90 days:

Evaluate 

After 90 days you will be at the end of your onboarding journey and should now be thoroughly integrated into the company. There will always be new challenges to overcome and lessons to learn, but by this time you will be capable of working more independently and on longer-term projects. Your employers will evaluate your progress so far and you may be asked to complete a self-assessment, together these will create a well-rounded perspective of your performance.