Getting Started
Getting started at 37signals involves a lot of little details, a number of big tasks, learning the details of your new job, meeting new coworkers, all while working remotely. Your teammates, your manager, your 37signals buddy, your Ops buddy, and our People team are all here to help as you navigate your first few days and weeks.
Your First Few Days
Before you start, the People team will order you a new Apple laptop with the specs you request and any accessories you need like an external keyboard, mouse, or display. Get what you need, while keeping in mind the demands of your work when choosing specs.
A day or two before you start, your manager will email you instructions for your first day. Your manager will be your point of contact for your early projects and activities. You’ll also work with a member of our Ops team who will help you as you set up all the accounts you need to work at 37signals.
On your first day, you’ll log into Basecamp to see a project dedicated to your onboarding called “Welcome, [your name]!”. Your welcome project will contain a few to-do lists, tailored to your role and linking to accounts or services that you need to set up. You’ll also see to-do lists that your Ops buddy and manager will be working through. Your Ops buddy and your manager will be in contact with you as you set up your environment, should you have questions or get stuck.
To keep everyone’s devices safe and secure, we manage all our Mac devices using Kandji as well as our in-house tool Shipshape 🔒.
Your training schedules and onboarding expectations will be in your welcome project. You’ll also find docs with helpful links to technical documentation, walkthrough videos, important Basecamp projects, and more.
Your welcome project will also contain a list of people to meet over the course of your first few weeks.
- Your manager. You and your manager will meet on your first day to sort out a recurring 1:1 schedule and to review your specific onboarding expectations.
- Your team. Most teams have a weekly call which you’ll join your first week.
- Your 37signals buddy. Your buddy will be someone who’s not on your immediate team, who’s worked at 37signals for a while, and who can point you in the right direction when you have a question and don’t quite know where to turn. They’ll introduce themselves during your first week, to say hi and offer their help. They’ll check in with you periodically throughout your first couple months to see how you’re settling in.
- People Ops. You’ll meet with Andrea to review 37signals policies, benefits, and compensation.
After your environment has been set up, expectations are clear, and you’ve met who you need to meet, you’ll get to work! You’ll begin working on real projects, with plenty of support and guidance, within your first week. Your responsibilities and impact will increase as you learn and gain confidence over the next few months, and most people are up to speed and feeling fully part of the team in about 3 months.