July 20, 2023
Incredible First Look!
Last week, I posted our first ever sneak peek at what's actually inside New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! and I just can't get enough of it! In case you missed it, take a moment to watch it now:
What Did You See & What Does It Mean?
Wasn't that 🔥🔥🔥? The video is a mere twenty four seconds (0:24) long but it was jam packed with all the information you need to know about how this notebook was thoughtfully developed. The first four seconds present a question, "Got a new job?" along with the answer, "Get a New Job Notebook!" Viewers are then bombarded with rapid-fire glimpses into the notebook for the first time!
Here's one particularly interesting shot that may have caught your eye:
The I-OTRA Model
I came up with this model as I was doing research about employee onboarding and reflecting on my own experiences over the years, both personally and as a facilitator of the onboarding process for thousands of others. There are plenty of models and explanations for the phases and checklists of what to add during onboarding. But there wasn't anything that visually represented the best flow for organizing all the information new hires are bombarded with during this crucial time. I felt there was a gap here so I developed my own model!
I-OTRA is an acronym that stands for INDIVIDUAL - ORGANIZATION, TEAM, ROLE, AMBITION. This is an individual-centered onboarding model that provides an organized and holistic approach for employees starting a new job.
This model recognizes that the new hire (the INDIVIDUAL) is an active participant in the onboarding process and that the information they are receiving during this time must resonate with them on an individual level.
The order of ORGANIZATION, TEAM, ROLE and AMBITION is purposeful as this is the most logical flow for employees to build their knowledge base at a new company. It provides an opportunity for a new hire to start learning about the company at a high level (ORGANIZATION) and then more specifically about their immediate co-workers and hiring manager (TEAM) before drilling down to learning about the actual job they were hired to do (ROLE). Finally, after getting a bit more acclimated, new employees can circle back to reflect on their overall career goals with the company (AMBITION). Visually, these four categories can be set up as a quadrant where ORGANIZATION and TEAM are employer focused (see below) while ROLE and AMBITION are employee focused. It also works out that ORGANIZATION and AMBITION are future focused while TEAM and ROLE are more immediate focused.
The I-OTRA Model for Individual-Centered Onboarding is the heart of what makes New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! a better way to start your new job! It is the keystone to the layout and flow for the notebook.
The Flow of New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards!
Equipped with a structured flow for onboarding, I was able to logically organize the contents of New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! Because the notebook is owned and filled out by an individual, all information and responses to the prompts will be specifically tailored and explored through the lens of how they uniquely relate to that person.
The first section, ORGANIZATION, is employer/future focused, meaning this is longer term information that you need to know overall about this new company you've joined. In this section of the notebook, you'll jot down key information about your new organization and its culture.
The second section, TEAM, is employer/immediate focused, where you'll get to know your coworkers and your new manager. This category is considered immediate focused as building relationships is important to establish as soon as possible.
The third section, ROLE, is employee/immediate focused, as this is where you clarify your expectations and how you'll perform in your new position. This is typically where your technical training happens and you learn the ins and outs of your actual job.
And the final section, AMBITION, is employee/future focused, as it prompts you to reflect on where you see this new job fitting into your overall career journey. You may have just started this job, but it doesn't mean you can't start planning for what lies ahead!
Other Glimpses Inside New Job Notebook
If you go back and rewatch the video, you'll see that the page previews that flash across the screen are a sampling of the guided and reflective prompts found in each of the four focus areas of the I-OTRA Model! There is a to-do list for ORGANIZATION, prompts for working together under TEAM, a place to list and describe the duties and responsibilities for your ROLE, and a section to reflect on your career development under AMBITION. From there you get a few more glimpses of what's inside including short term and long term goal setting, extra blank dot-grid pages for your freestyle note taking needs, and a cool layout to capture key information about your new company. And this is just the tip of the iceberg!
What If My Company Doesn't Follow This Flow?
No matter what process your company has in place, you can use New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! and the I-OTRA Model to have a positive and effective onboarding experience for yourself.
Some organizations do a really great job of onboarding their new hires and setting them up for success, with really comprehensive programs that take a holistic view of the onboarding journey (considering immersion into the company culture, getting to know the team, and performing in your specific role). Others don't focus any further than providing the bare basics (mostly administrative tasks like signing up for your benefits and completing any required compliance training). And many others are somewhere in between, providing a mix of information and resources to help get new joiners started.
No matter what process your company has in place, you can use New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! and the I-OTRA Model to have a positive and effective onboarding experience for yourself. The table of contents at the beginning of the notebook offers a simple and structured way to find each of the sections of the I-OTRA Model to write down your relevant and related notes. There is also a convenient colored edge index to make flipping to each section in the notebook much faster!
A best practice will be to familiarize yourself with the layout of this notebook prior to your first day on the new job so you have a good sense of what information you should be learning and gathering as you start out. If your new company doesn't provide all the information during your onboarding process, then the prompts provided in New Job Notebook are a great guide for questions you should ask about.
A Better Way to Start Your New Job
The I-OTRA Model for Individual-Centered Onboarding is the heart of what makes New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! a better way to start your new job! It is the keystone to the layout and flow of the notebook. It is a logical way to organize all the information a new hire receives in their first days, weeks and months in an office/professional setting. Instead of using a blank journal which can get disorganized and challenging to keep track of important information, New Job Notebook provides the structure and layout you need when starting a new job!
Want a copy for yourself or to give as a gift for someone you know starting a new job soon?
New Job Notebook: Onboarding & Onwards! will be available on Amazon on July 25, 2023!
Are you a business that wants to level up your resources for your new employees?
Fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page for business pricing.
Who Am I?
Jessica Rivera is the Founder and CEO of New Job Notebook LLC. She is a workplace Learning & Development professional with over 20 years of employee onboarding experience across multiple industries for companies including AdventHealth, Baylor Scott & White Health and Disney Cruise Line. She is currently the People & Organization Development Lead at Wise overseeing their global onboarding program. To learn more about Jessica, click here.
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