Team discussion

The onboarding process can hold great importance for new graduate employees and for organisations who want to see their new hire hit the ground running as soon as possible. Traditionally, most companies see it as a one-way process, where the primary focus is getting the new recruit up-to-speed so they can fulfil their role as quickly as possible.

Whilst this is important, it should not be the only factor in a well-rounded and thorough onboarding process, which should not only introduce the position but also highlight the office culture, standards and be the starting point for a number of working relationships.

If done right, a new hire should have a smooth transition to life within the organisation and come to terms with their office environment quickly. But what can graduates do to ensure onboarding is a two-way process and a collaboration between employee and employer?

Engage with the process

Whilst going through the onboarding process as a graduate, it can be easy to be daunted by the whole idea of starting your first role, but it is important to engage with the process. Rather than having a line manager talking at you about your role, ask questions, take notes and start building relationships with those in the office.

Office environments will all have different atmospheres – some may be a little louder and more relaxed whilst others may adopt a more formal approach – and coming to terms with this will ensure you start feeling comfortable and do not seem out of place. The more you engage with the whole process and start building relationships, the easier you should find it to fit in.

Speak up

In order to make onboarding a two-way process it is vital that you speak up and raise any doubts or issues you have. Organisations will usually assign graduate employees with a mentor or line manager with whom they can liaise with, so do not feel uncomfortable about speaking up for yourself if needs be.

Ultimately, the company’s job is to ensure you are in the right environment to work well, so if you are struggling with a certain task or do not feel comfortable, make sure you raise it with the relevant person.

If you’re a graduate looking to kick-start your career, have a chat with Discovery Graduates and see how they can help get you started…