Getting Started in a New Role

Introduce yourself to your new coworkers and start off on the right foot.

- Jake Reynolds

First day jitters

There are few things that invoke more anxiety than the first day on a new job. Who are you going to sit with at lunch? What does your desk look like? Does the office allow dogs? Jumping into the big unknown of a new company and new personalities takes a lot of courage, but it doesn't have to be scary.

Having a README about yourself gives you a headstart on your first day:

  1. You're the exciting, new person, with all the cool hobbies listed in their README
  2. Those who have something in common with you can skip the small talk and immediately make a connection
  3. No more "that's the new person", it's now "Oh that's Jenny, she hiked the PCT last fall"

So how do you get started?

Writing a kick-ass README

Here are 5 suggestions on writing your README and important sections to include:

1) Be authentic

This is the chance to introspect and represent your truest self. These people will spend 40 hours with you a week, they'll soon find out who you are and notice differences from what you write if they exist.

2) Talk about your success metrics

Let others know what environment you succeed most in. Do you prefer slack or email, or do you want a phone call? Do you enjoy being put in high pressure scenarios?

3) Be a human

Even though you're sharing your README with coworkers, you exist outside of work! Highlight things about your life, where you grew up, important parts of your background, and what your aspirations are in life. A well rounded README includes everything you, not just 9-5.

4) Discuss failure

Being candid is one of the greatest tools you can use in your README. Discuss a failure you have experienced in life and how you recovered from it. Managers aren't afraid of people failing, they're afraid of people that don't learn from failure.

Want to level up from failures? Discuss your flaws! We all have them, but being aware of them and working to improve them are what make a well-rounded human being.

5) Share it!

If a README falls in the woods, does anyone hear it? Don't hesitate to share your README in introductory emails or slack messages with coworkers! README is meant to increase accessibility in the workplace by allowing everyone access to the same information about you, decreasing "cliques", and increaasing transparency.

Ready to get started? Create an account and starting writing your README today!

Before you know it, you'll be on your second day. Don't forget to reach out on twitter @teamreadme and let us know how it went.

- Jake Reynolds, Founder @ README