Onboarding Process

Goal: New team member productive and comfortable within first month

Overview

A structured onboarding process accelerates time-to-productivity, improves retention, and creates a welcoming team culture. Even solo developers benefit from documented onboarding—you'll thank yourself when bringing on your first hire.

Files in This Directory

• onboarding_checklist.md - Day 1 → Month 3 checklist
• buddy_system.md - Mentoring structure
• first_tasks.md - Good first issues for new members
• cultural_guide.md - Team values and norms

Quick Start

For Hiring Managers

1. Use onboarding checklist to prepare
2. Assign buddy from team
3. Prepare good first tasks
4. Schedule check-ins (Day 1, Week 1, Month 1)

For Buddies

1. Read buddy system guide
2. Prepare welcome message
3. Plan first week (code walkthrough, pair programming)
4. Be available and responsive

For New Members

1. Follow onboarding checklist
2. Ask questions freely
3. Read cultural guide
4. Ship first PR within Week 1

Success Metrics

• Day 1: Development environment set up, can build and run tests
• Week 1: First PR merged
• Month 1: Shipping features independently
• Month 3: Fully productive team member

Related Documentation

• Communication Setup
• Review Workflows
• Knowledge Sharing