7 Tips For the First Days of Your New Gig

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You’ve landed a new job, congratulations -- the hardest part is over! While surviving the interview process is something to celebrate, it’s important to keep up your A-game as you start your new role. Whether it’s applicants exaggerating on their resumes or employers overselling a role, it’s estimated that 20% of employee turnover happens in the first 90 days. 

But - no stress. They hired you for your abilities, and you should have everything you need to be successful! To ensure the best trajectory, read these simple ways to make sure that you make the most out of your first few days on the job. 

#1: Map out your commute so you can arrive early.

Arriving on time to work is expected, but arriving early shows your boss and colleagues that you’re serious about getting the job done. Make sure you map out the best route, account for traffic, and leave earlier than you think necessary to ensure you’re not left scrambling. Basically, live by the phrase “on time is late” until you get the hang of the new commute. 

#2: Dress to impress. 

Even if your workplace has a casual atmosphere, dressing nicer on the first day helps to make you feel like you’re fit for the job. The last thing you would want is to under-dress and stand out in that negative way. Wear something that you feel comfortable in and shows off a little bit of your personality, while still looking professional and polished. 

#3: Learn your coworkers’ names. 

The people you’ll be working with are going to be key for getting the lay of the land. They can help answer questions when needed and build your sense of morale for your time at the company. It’s important to learn their names and let them know you’re interested in getting to know them. After all, you’ll be spending quite a bit of time together from here on out. 

#4: Skip the sack lunch and go out to eat with your new team. 

Take learning the names of your coworkers a step further and invite them out to lunch on day one. This will help establish those key relationships from the very beginning and help you down the line. Ask your new coworkers about the culture, any tricks of the trade, or what they wish they had known on their first days. 

#5: Ask questions and take notes.

Your first day is going to be a whirlwind. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and write down anything that you think will be important in the future. Preparing questions as simple as, “What will be expected from me in my first 30 days here?” will help clear up any confusion with your responsibilities. You’ll be happy you asked for clarity, and your new supervisor will be impressed with your initiative. 

#6: Be courteous and grateful to everyone who helps you throughout the day. 

There will be a lot of established staff members taking time out of their days to help you learn the ropes. Make sure you are courteous of their time and thank them for helping you out. Sending a thank you email or, even better, writing a handwritten note to anyone who helps you out your first week is a simple gesture that can go a long way with making first impressions in your new role. 

#7: Smile and be yourself!

Being yourself is the most important aspect of starting a new career - you want to make sure that you’re the same person on day 1 as day 100. It’s important to not let the stress of a new job get to you -- they hired you for a reason! Taking the time to smile and let your personality come through on the first day is the easiest way to make a good first impression and smoothly transition into your new role.  

To make the transition even easier, Blue Signal goes beyond placements to provide new hire support, including offer negotiation, resignation preparation, company transition coaching, and further support throughout our candidate’s entire first year on the job. If you are looking for more support in that next step of your career, contact Blue Signal today to get a friend in the game, and make your next new role the best yet.

Blue Signal Welcomes 11 New Team Members to Keep Up with Growing Demand

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In order to keep up with growing demand for Blue Signal's recruiting services, we recently welcomed 11 new additions to the Blue Signal staff. With these experienced and diverse extensions of our team, Blue Signal is on track to make more placements in 2020 than ever before. We're excited to introduce the newest members of our staff!

Your 4-Step Guide to Adopting New Hires into Company Culture

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As a hiring manager, you’ve done the hard part, going through endless levels of interviews to find the perfect candidate and now, it’s the start date. For a new hire, starting a new job can be exciting, overwhelming, and nerve wracking. Some people approach their new career with elation and confidence, ready to take on their responsibilities. However, some employees dread the first day - worried about the people they’ll meet, their supervisors’ management style and even where they will sit at lunch. Successfully integrating new hires into company culture is one of the most important hiring processes and can be a determining factor in your new hire’s career-span within the company.

Your new employee has already had a great first impression with their candidate hiring experience, now, it’s more crucial than ever to continue to impress  them with your company culture and keep that excitement and momentum going. Here’s a 4-step guide to the process of making new employees feel comfortable and part of the team from day 1.

New Employee Onboarding

 

1. Begin Onboarding Before the Official Start Date 

One way companies can introduce company culture to new hires is to start the process before they even arrive. When sending out materials to introduce them to the job, include internal materials that gives your new employee an inside look into the personality of the company. Take advantage of what is typically a to-the-point welcome letter to prepare your new hire for what they can expect on the first day in a fun and creative way. Providing them with a FAQ sheet, recommendations around the area, and a set first-day agenda can eliminate some of the worries and questions they may have upon arrival.

2. Create Fun Opportunities to Meet Fellow Coworkers

We’ve all played getting-to-know-you games as kids in school, and whether we liked them or not, they were undeniably effective at breaking the ice and encouraging interaction. Icebreakers and team facilitation activities are a great way to ease some of the tension your new hire may be feeling. Social media is also becoming a new and innovative way to create connections between employees. Help your employees merge into the company by encouraging them to follow company social media accounts, along with adding them to a private social network for your company. A private social network, such as a private Facebook group, allows employees to participate and feel active in conversations in a less formal setting. Ultimately, it comes down to implementing interactive opportunities to create a strong dynamic for your company culture.

3. Put Yourself in Their Shoes

Regardless of the amount of time your company has been established, company culture is something that is present from the very beginning. Unless you are the CEO or have been with the company from the ground up, chances are that you have had to go through the onboarding process as well once upon a time. It’s easy to forget the impressions and questions you had on your first day, but it’s critical to put yourself into their shoes and make them feel as comfortable and supported as possible. Remember, as a new employee, questions will be asked and mistakes will be made; these are expected and should be looked upon as a learning experience for both the new employee and manager. Putting in effort to realize that you were in the same position at some point in time allows a certain level of respect and rapport to be built.

4. Follow up

The number one place where companies fall short in the onboarding process is following up with your new hire to ensure they are understanding and enjoying their work. One of the easiest ways to guarantee long-term employment is to onboard them correctly and not let employees fall off your radar. According to the 2018 Recruiter Nation Survey from Jobvite, 39% of talent professionals dedicate between 1-3 business days to onboarding. Although it may involve increased efforts from larger companies, onboarding should be a priority and last weeks or even months as necessary. In addition to habitually checking up on your new hire, a simple follow up email is a valuable way to gain feedback and opens up an honest communication forum between all levels of authority.

Some of the biggest onboarding challenges are inconsistent applications, manager accountability and competing priorities. Adapting a new employee to the company culture and ensuring their success needs to be a priority to guarantee a positive experience. Keep in mind, helping your new hire fit into company culture can be simplified with these 4 easy steps: begin onboarding before the start date, create fun opportunities to meet coworkers, put yourself in their shoes, and follow up. 

We Are Here to Help

Are you a hiring manager or talent acquisition professional looking to expand your team? Ask us how we can help coach your onboarding process as needed! Blue Signal’s search process continues to impress our clients and our recruiters are dedicated to finding top talent within any industry.

 

Ready for a free hiring consultation?

Contact us today on ways we can help your organization.

(480) 939-3200

The Importance of Candidate Experience

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With the job market being at an all-time high, and unemployment at record lows, companies are in dire need for top talent. This is creating more competition among employers and as a result it is fostering a more particular candidate pool. Candidate experience plays a huge factor for a company’s hiring processes with more than 82% of job seekers saying that it is an important factor in their decision.

So, why is candidate experience so important to job seekers? Well, not only is it a reflection of employers, it also affects their brand and the culture that they have built. Recently, CareerBuilder conducted research on candidate experience and it revealed that “68% of candidates think the way they are treated in the hiring process reflects how the company treats its employees.”

There are many ways that employers can improve candidate experience, but the most important way is by setting clear expectations, having a clear and responsive process, maintaining a good impression, and simplifying the hiring process.

 1. Set Clear Expectations

Candidates need to be intrigued by a job description and the company in order to apply. It sounds simple, but it comes down to how you market the job. It’s important for employers to set clear guidelines on what type of candidate they’re looking for, and what background they need to have. The Namely Blog stated that “an HRDive report found that 73% of hiring managers say they provide clear job descriptions, while only 36% of candidates agree.” Having a clear and accurate explanation of the overall job responsibilities, requirements, benefits, perks or incentives, and even compensation details are important. Although some employers may not disclose compensation during the hiring process, be sure to discuss that at some point - particularly early on.

2. Have a Clear and Responsive Process

Throughout the hiring process it is important to keep candidates in the loop on what is going on. Interested in taking next steps? Let them know! Not interested in speaking further with them? Let them know! According to Workable, “75% of candidates never hear back from a company after sending in an application and 60% of candidates say they’ve gone for interviews and never heard back from the company.” This eventually leads to a bad reputation considering that “22% of candidates will tell others not to apply to the company.” So, it’s crucial to be transparent and responsive to not only maintain a good reputation, but to improve the overall candidate experience.

Candidate Experience Stats

3. Simplify and Speed Up the Hiring Process

Some hiring processes can be tedious and take a lot of time. Candidates are usually unsure of what to expect so a simple, fast and clear approach is the way to go. Hiring new talent can be time consuming and costly for companies. The Society for Human Resource Management states that, “companies reported spending nearly $4,500 per hire–not including the cost of lost time and productivity while the position sits open.” It’s important to be efficient and simplify the process - not only for the company, but for the candidate. The hiring process is ultimately a candidate’s first impression, so be sure to stand out.

4. Maintain a Good Reputation 

We’re in a social media driven era and people can find positive or negative reviews on a company with a simple click. A candidate’s experience is especially crucial for the people companies don’t end up hiring. According to a LinkedIn survey, “83% of candidates said a negative interview experience can change their mind about a role or company they once liked.” Providing a good experience can maintain a good impression and it is important for organizations to consistently build a positive reputation as a great place to work. Candidate experience goes hand in hand with company culture, and research states that 95% of recruiters say that it has an impact on employer branding. Recruiters connect with candidates daily, so they have a full understanding of companies hiring processes and have dealt with both good and bad experiences. It is crucial to listen to what people are saying, and most importantly take their feedback into consideration in order to maintain a good reputation.

recruiter graphic

There are many ways employers can enhance candidate experience and improve the current processes in place. Learn what needs to be improved on and listen to what candidates have to say - whether it’s positive or negative. Feedback is important and can be a great resource. Even doing a simple Google search or browsing Glassdoor can give employers clarity on what people really think about them. Remember that setting clear expectations, having a clear and responsive process, maintaining a good impression, and simplifying the hiring process is a great way to improve a candidate’s experience.

We Are Here to Help

Are you a hiring manager or talent acquisition professional looking to expand your team? Ask us how we can help coach your hiring process as needed! Blue Signal’s search process continues to impress our clients and our recruiters are dedicated to finding top talent within any industry. Contact us today on ways we can help your organization. (480) 939-3200

Blue Signal Expands to Meet Growing Demand

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In response to our recent successes, and increased demand for Blue Signal’s recruiting services, we have recently expanded our internal teams. We have nearly doubled in size with the addition of 15 incredible team members. With three new classes of recruiters in the first half of 2019, Blue Signal is poised to multiply our placements in the upcoming quarters. We are proud to announce this expansion of our team, and are excited to see what change and development we can shake up next!

We look forward to working together with our new team members to deliver the best available talent to our clients. Meet the rest of the Blue Signal team here.If you are interested in getting in on the fun, you can also check our jobs page as we are constantly looking for talent to help us expand our own internal capabilities as well.

Building an Effective Employee Onboarding Program

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Closing the deal on a new hire can be a relief, but a signed job offer is not the end of the hiring process. New employees need a strong onboarding program to become truly effective. When a hiring manager invests time in a new employee in their first few months, the employee becomes a net contributor much faster.

Changing jobs is stressful. During the transition to a new job, small gestures make a big difference. Send the new employee a handwritten note or small gift to welcome them to the team. Ease difficult family transitions—such as selling and buying a house and relocating—wherever possible. This is especially appropriate if the employee is making a big relocation. Provide helpful materials so that the employee knows exactly what to expect on day one:

 

Helpful details include:

  • A map to the building that shows where to park and where to report
  • Instructions for who to report to
  • What time to arrive and the team’s typical workday hours
  • Any instructions or keycards needed to get into the office
  • Dress code, if necessary
  • Employee handbook

 

Make the new employee feel like part of the team before they even arrive for their first day. It will make the transition easier and faster. It is natural to feel nervous and even doubtful when starting a new job, so create an environment that welcomes them.

On their first day, make sure everything in the office is ready for them. They should have a fully furnished work area—do not make a new employee sit around on day one with no computer! They will need strong guidance for the first few days as they get their bearings, so give them a clear agenda to guide their activities through the day.

Onboarding new employee - workspace

Providing a organized workplace set-up makes a big difference in welcoming a new employee.

 

Meet regularly (ideally, daily) in the first week or so to follow-up on tasks, training, and daily activities. This will give them a structured time to bring up questions and challenges and solve them quickly. Get the employee’s input and feedback on their progress and monitor their work with a positive approach, providing resources where possible.

Provide all necessary office supplies, and a few branded company gifts, like a t-shirt in their size. The rest of the team should know the person’s name and a little bit about them. Send a welcome email to the new employee and CC the rest of the office. Take the whole team out to lunch on the first day, or even better, several times within their first few weeks. Where possible, help the new employee create relationships outside of their formal reporting structure, which will give them a sense of belonging and security, and also enable them to learn from many colleagues instead of relying solely on their direct supervisor.

Investing time and money in the employee onboarding process pays off. It helps new hires to build momentum towards being a net contributor. Laying a strong foundation during the onboarding process will result in happier and more productive employees.

Blue Signal Welcomes Aboard Art Reed!

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Blue Signal welcomes aboard Art Reed, our newest senior executive recruiter.

Art Reed has over 20 years of experience in the business world.  He has held senior-level management positions with companies ranging from Fortune 100 firms to start-up businesses across many industries. He holds an MBA in finance from Benedictine University and pursued finance for his undergraduate degree.

In 2012, Art transitioned into the recruiting business. Art has always had a passion for building relationships. He is dedicated to watching, encouraging, and helping people who are eager to succeed in their careers.

Art enjoys spending time with his wife and two teenage daughters.  He also loves sports and good conversation with friends. Find Art on LinkedIn here or contact him directly at [email protected].

Don’t Let New Hires Fend for Themselves

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Remember the last time you started a new job? I do. I was immediately transported to middle school P.E. class where I had been deemed hopelessly un-athletic by a crowd of my peers. There I was at my new job, left to fend for myself. Left to figure out what the internet password was. Left to learn where the coffee grounds were stored. This is the story of many new hires.

The onboarding process at your company shouldn’t resemble any type of embarrassing preteen feelings for your new hires. So why do so many first days begin like this? Your new employees proved themselves to you during the hiring process – we can help you prove yourself to them once they get started.

First impressions are everything. BambooHR surveyed 1,000 new hires and found that nearly one-third of them had quit their job within 6 months of starting it. In plain English, that means that no one got them up to speed within their position or company culture, so they left.

The goal is to create a mutually beneficial relationship between your company and the new hires.

 

1. Be prepared

Have your new hires’ desk set up with their computer and phone. Have paperwork and payroll set up. This gives the new hire a great welcome and shows them how organized, professional and important they are to your organization.

 

Chart - onboarding new hires

Source: shrm.org

2. Make sure they get to know the team

As human beings we focus on making immediate connections with our boss, direct reports, etc. But having weak relationships with the rest of the staff can breed alienation and cause conflict down the line. Encourage the whole team to get to know the new hire right away. Invite the entire staff to a game night or have a company lunch. This allows the team to connect as human beings rather than just coworkers in a more comfortable setting.

 

3. Create a proactive onboarding process

Throughout the entire hiring process you’re creating a company reputation. How you call, onboard, greet, and portray yourself reflects how your company does business. In this short window of time new hires decide if the position will be a good fit long term. Building a trusting relationship with your new hires and demonstrating you have good relationships with all current employees will make a new hire feel welcomed and want to stay.  If there is disconnect between the way you work and how you portrayed yourself during the interview process, you’re likely to lose your new hire to a company which stands by its core values.

 

4. Communication is key

Make your new hires feel like there’s more communication happening than they can handle. If you’ve ever worked for a company that didn’t communicate, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Poor communication and lack of transparency in your organization creates uncertainty, rumors and poor teamwork which can ultimately lead to company morale deterioration. Make sure your new hires know that questions are welcome at all times.

 

5. Check in with them

Don’t make them feel isolated like an awkward last pick in middle school P.E. class. Schedule regular check-ins with appropriate staff to ensure the company and the new hires are giving and receiving valuable feedback. The more often you meet, the more you’re able to gauge their happiness and make improvements on what could be changed. Having an open dialogue is proven to improve retention rates.

 

6. Wanna join my team?

A great onboarding process conveys organization, pride in company culture, and accountability to new hires. The most expert, talented and innovative workers can get paid well anywhere. What’s going to distinguish your company from the competition? Hopefully not leaving them standing alone, waiting to be asked to join your team.

 

Want more onboarding advice? Contact us at [email protected].