Changed to another team, … back to the starting line?
Get the most out of your team change (with the least suffering)
So you were comfortable in your previous team, you knew the people, the dynamics, the tech stack. You switched to another team… and now you have totally lost sight of your comfort zone.
The feeling can easily be that you are back to the starting line…
you know nothing, Jon Snow
Your powerful assets
You are going to need to adjust your learning curves, sure… but this does not mean starting from scratch. Some of your most powerful skills are blind to the tech stack! Problem-solving abilities and understanding of software development principles remain valuable assets, regardless of the specific domain or technology used by your new team. You take with you your experience from previous projects as important insights and perspectives that can benefit the new team. Keep this in mind to apply all your experience, you are not a newbie!
Ok, so it’s not back to the past, but why even consider passing through this?
There are some really interesting benefits for you
- Expand your work skill set: you are going to acquire new knowledge, and you can leverage your existing skills with the new tools and frameworks used by the team.
- Get in touch with new people: you keep your previous network of teammates, and now you have the chance to establish connections with a wider range of individuals who may offer unique insights, mentorship, or future collaboration opportunities!
- Personal growth: you are going to explore different environments, team dynamics, and project domains. Adaptability and the ability to thrive in diverse contexts are top skills in the tech industry!
- Overcoming career plateaus: Switching teams is the ultimate push to expose yourself to new challenges, responsibilities, leadership roles, demonstrate new abilities, get new skills, and push forward your career.
Ok, it sounds interesting, let’s jump to a new team!
This challenging process requires careful planning, effective communication, and a willingness to adapt to new people, dynamics, and processes. The best strategy would be to use it as a springboard, not as a cortisol-free buffet!
Take your time to prepare yourself for the change
Research the new team and project: team’s size, structure, goals, and working style. What’s their main project? Their team processes? Coding standards, testing practices, project management methods…
→ Your goal: to understand the team’s dynamics and how you can best contribute to the project.
Set expectations: talk to your new manager about their expectations for your role and responsibilities.
→ Your goal: to understand what is expected from you, what you need to focus on, and importantly: when to ask for help! (you are not alone in the change, they also want you to succeed in integrating as a new member!)
Level up your skills: take the time to refresh your knowledge and skills in areas that are relevant to your new situation: review documentation, take courses…
→ Your goal: identify if there are gaps in your knowledge, and create a plan to work on them.
New colleagues! let’s integrate into the team
Listen and learn: take the time to listen to your new colleagues and learn about their roles, responsibilities, and working styles.
Be proactive: do not hesitate in volunteering for tasks or suggesting ideas for improving processes and workflows (you are learning, yes! but if you are wrong or lacking knowledge, your teammates will help you to correct it).
Seek feedback: understand how you are performing and where you can improve.
Everything sounds cool! It’s time to show performance.
Getting up to speed
To start your process of delivery soon, you need to go deeper into the techie side:
Know the project: explore the code, patterns, conventions. Learn the project structure, code organization, and any relevant libraries or frameworks.
Ask questions. Really, ask questions. Better to ask (even if you think it is so basic info) than later try to untangle misunderstandings.
Pair programming! It is a 2x1: a great way to learn from your new colleagues and get a sense of how they approach coding.
Start small: make quick wins, build up your knowledge and confidence, and ultimately start feeling yourself as a valuable member of the team.
Stay organized: keep track of your progress, questions, and learnings in a centralized location (a shared document, a management tool...). This is another great 2x1: you are documenting your process to re-check later when new doubts appear (spoiler alert: they will), plus it is a way to detect any lack in the onboarding process. If you find it, this is a really productive thing you could do for your team, to make it easier for any new one to come.
Last, but not least…
Trust (and enjoy) the process! Take your time to celebrate achievements :)
About me
Recently I became part of the Marketplace tribe at CoverWallet, and decided to write this for anyone else in the same situation. You know, changing teams is our favorite sport at CW! We truly benefit a lot from this knowledge sharing, but even more from the network building!
