Onboarding & Probation
New Hire First Impressions Interview
A new hire first impressions interview captures what a newcomer notices before they become used to the way things are done. Their outside perspective is valuable: they compare with their previous employers, see friction that long-standing staff no longer sees, and can tell you if what was promised during recruitment matches reality. It is a source of improvement for the company, more than an evaluation of the person.
17 questions
When to use this template
- Between the third and the sixth week, when the person has seen enough to have opinions but still sees things with fresh eyes.
- When you want to improve processes, tools or onboarding with the view of someone who has just arrived.
- In teams that hire regularly, to build a picture of the experience of newcomers over time.
Questions to ask
First impressions of the company
- 01What was your first impression of the company on day one?
- 02What has surprised you, positively or negatively?
- 03How does the reality compare with what you imagined during the recruitment process?
Culture and ways of working
- 04How would you describe the way people work together here?
- 05What unwritten rules have you noticed?
- 06Which habits of the team would you keep, and which would you question?
- 07How are decisions made, from what you have seen?
Processes and tools
- 08Which process has been the most confusing to you?
- 09Where did you lose the most time at the beginning?
- 10How do our tools compare with those you used before?
- 11What would you simplify first if it was up to you?
The onboarding experience
- 12Which part of your onboarding helped you the most?
- 13What was missing that you needed?
- 14Who made a difference in your first weeks?
Ideas and suggestions
- 15What did your previous employer do better that we could learn from?
- 16Which idea would you like to share with the management?
- 17Is there anything we should know about how you feel here that I have not asked?
Tips for a useful conversation
- Make clear that this is about the organisation, not about assessing the person.
- Encourage comparisons with previous experiences: that is where the most useful insights are.
- Take notes on the suggestions and show later which ones were acted on.
- Let someone other than the direct manager lead the conversation if you want more candid answers.
- Combine answers from several new hires before drawing conclusions on a process.
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting several months, when the newcomer has already adapted and no longer sees the problems.
- Defending the current processes instead of listening.
- Collecting ideas and never giving feedback on what happened to them.
- Using remarks on the organisation to judge the employee.
Let Passisto People hold these conversations
The AI agent holds structured voice conversations with your employees and gives managers a clear report. People decide what happens next.