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Taro

The Complete Onboarding Guide For Software Engineers

via Taro

Overview

Onboarding is the critical period when you first join a new team or company. The impression you create in the initial months has an outsized impact on your future opportunities. The best engineers leverage this time to put their careers on the fast track, while poor engineers miss expectations and end up [PIP'ed](https://www.jointaro.com/course/the-ultimate-performance-improvement-plan-pip-guide/) or terminated. There's a lot to do as you ramp up: learn the codebase, build relationships, and start working on impactful projects. So it's no surprise that joining a new company can be overwhelming and stressful. **This course presents a roadmap to ensure your success while onboarding**. We cover the importance of onboarding as the foundation for your job and career, why companies generally suck at it, and the correct mindset to adopt when you're new. We'll then share tactics around three key pillars for Software Engineering onboarding: - 🧠 Asking for help - 💻 Learning the codebase - 🙋🏽 Building relationships Most importantly, this course will share the **principles** behind the advice so you can navigate any situation you're in. We'll also cover specific tips for success in common situations: - Junior engineers - Senior engineers - Joining a small company (whether VC-backed or indie business) - Joining a large company Here's what you'll gain by the end of the course: - **✊🏽 Build serious respect** with your manager + team - ⌛️ Quickly become **productive in a new codebase** - **👨🏽‍💻 Learn from coworkers** (even if they’re not helpful) - ❌ Understand **failure modes** (+ prevention) If your anxiety is coming from **looking** for a job instead of **onboarding** into a job, you're in luck! Take this course and come back when you're gainfully employed: [**\[Course\] Ace Your Tech Interview And Get A Job As A Software Engineer**](https://www.jointaro.com/course/ace-your-tech-interview-and-get-a-job-as-a-software-engineer/) Watch the full course or go through the parts that are most relevant for you. **The Complete Onboarding Guide For Software Engineers: Succeeding When You're New** is designed to give technical employees to increase your impact and reduce your anxiety.

Syllabus

  • Overview
    • How This Course Works
    • Why Onboarding Matters
    • Why Most Companies Suck At Onboarding
    • Being New Is A Superpower
  • Proper Onboarding Mentality
    • The Talk & Observe Framework
    • Create An Onboarding Doc
    • Have The "Meta Conversation"
  • Asking For Help
    • The Common Misconception With Help
    • Your Onboarding Buddy
    • Ask Questions Well
    • Get Maximum Value Per Answer
    • Case Study: Setting Up Your Environment
    • Failure Mode: Excessive Handholding
  • Learning The Codebase
    • How To NOT Learn A Codebase
    • Figuring Out What Matters In A Codebase
    • Rack Up Small Wins
    • Failure Mode: Fake Learning
  • Building Relationships
    • Working With Your Manager
    • Meet The Team
    • Uplevel Your 1:1s
    • Ask For Specific Feedback
    • Thank People (A Lot!)
  • Contextual Onboarding Tips
    • How To Know If You’re Doing Well
    • Onboarding Tips Within Smaller Companies
    • Onboarding Tips Within Larger Companies
    • Onboarding Tips For Junior Engineers
    • Onboarding Tips For Senior+ Engineers
    • Onboarding With A Probation Period
  • Conclusion
    • Pass On Your Onboarding Knowledge
    • What Happens After Onboarding Success?

Taught by

Rahul Pandey

Reviews

5 rating at Taro based on 20 ratings

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