MightyRecruiterAn informational interview is not just a tool jobseekers can use to make in-roads with key contacts; it’s also a valuable outreach tactic for hiring leaders and recruiters.
1. It informs employees that you’ve made a new hire and gives them some simple insight into who this person is, what they’ll be doing, and how they fit into the great organization.
2. It helps the new hire feel less anxious and overwhelmed, and it’s part of a larger attempt to make them feel at home, confident about their decision to join the team, and reassured that they’re appreciated.
This second objective is critical, and it should be just one tactic in a larger ongoing strategy to immerse a new hire in your company culture and help them gain the confidence they need to do their best work.
In this light, you’ll want to align your letter’s tone and style with your own organizational culture. For example, if you’re a small establishment that considers employees part of the family, you may want to introduce your new hire over a big lunch before you send out a more detailed letter.
Once you do get ready to put pen to paper, be sure to include these basics in your letter:
• New hire’s full name
• New hire’s contact info
• New hire’s official job Title • New hire’s department or team – and who they’ll be reporting to
• New hire’s basic responsibilities
• Optional: any information about the new hire’s past experience, education, interests, hobbies, etc.
For more guidance, use the sample below to better prepare to write your own document.
Introduction Letter for a New Employee Sample
Dear Colleagues,
Please join me in warmly and officially welcoming James Taylor to the Altitude team as our newest all-star Customer Representative!
James will report directly to Ellen Johnson as part of the Customer Success department, where he’ll work alongside June and Delilah to deliver the superior and effective customer service that has come to define our brand.
We’re incredibly excited to add James and his outstanding communication skills and formidable past experience to this already high-performing group. Prior to accepting the position, James was a member of the Amazon Customer Success team and, before that, the Ultra Customer Success team.
Those of you who are former Vikings may also want to ask James about his alma mater, Diablo Valley College, where he graduated with a concentration in communication studies.
We’re confident that James will be a fantastic addition to Altitude, and we urge each and every one of you to personally introduce yourself to him in the coming days. You can find James in Building A on Floor 5, and he can be reached at 415-415-4154 ext. 120 or via email at jamest@altitude.com.
Thanks again!
Best,
Johnny Walker
Want to use this letter?
Your letter, like the above introduction letter for a new employee sample, should adopt the kind of warm and welcoming tone that both makes the new hire feel immediately accepted and indicates to other employees that they should accept him as part of the team.
Additionally, as the introduction letter for a new employee sample did, you’ll want to bring the letter to a close with a clear call-to-action that encourages team members to make their own personal introductions to the new hire. You may even want to consider attaching a headshot of the new hire’s choosing with the letter so that they’re easily identifiable – this can also allow some of the newbie’s personality to shine through.
Finally, and most importantly, make sure the new hire gives the letter their two thumbs up before it gets sent out. After all, there’s nothing worse than misrepresenting someone’s past experience and starting the relationship off on the wrong foot.
Then, once you have sent your document, keep moving forward with a larger more comprehensive plan to make your onboarding experience the best and most welcoming it can be!