New employee receives 0 training during first weeks of new job, is left scrambling to figure out what to do: 'Most days we don’t communicate at all'

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JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jan 7, 2026 10:00 AM EST

Everyone needs a little guidance, no matter how experienced they are.

It's impossible to know exactly what to do at a new job without a little bit of guidance. Even if you're an expert in the field, you still need a little bit of info. Every workplace operates differently, with its own internal systems and programs. It would be strange if you knew all of that off the bat. Plus, starting a new job can be stressful. You want as much support as possible, especially in the beginning. You want to know that your boss is thinking of you and has your best interests at heart. This might have some bearing on what they can do for you in the future, and you probably want to know that as soon as possible. If they're going to leave you high and dry, you would probably want to catch onto that and nip it in the bud. 

On the other hand, a lot of jobs these days require more independence. With workplaces stretched thin, some workers are being left to their own devices, and probably need to be okay with that. But everyone deserves support, and there should be a limit to that independence. Ultimately, it makes the work better. If everyone has to figure everything out on their own, the likelihood of mistakes goes up, and the room for miscommunication grows. All of this can be prevented by simple training, something that should be expected at every workplace. 

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  • Overwhelmed employee looks frustrated at her desk
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • But that's not what this employee encountered as they started a new position. They were left completely out to sea by their employers and needed some clarity about what their position entailed. When they realized that was probably never going to come, they wondered what they should do about it. They also wondered if this was becoming the norm for those starting new jobs. They weren't sure how they should go about rectifying the situation and what they could do to improve their working life. Read on for all the details of this story of workplace communication, or lack thereof, and see what commenters added to it. 

  • Is it normal to not be trained on a new job?

    I stated a new job recently and have received zero training. On my first day my boss just sat me at a desk and said to check in with a staff from IT to get a computer set up. She paired me to "shadow" a coworker then didn't do any check-ins or training at all. When I asked the coworker questions he gave really general answers. I rarely see my boss and when I do its for team meetings. Most days we don't communicate at all.
    via u/8phasesofthemoon
  • There are no SOP's or training manuals or training videos. No scheduled meetings to review aspects of the role. I do have a good amount of experience in this field but this job has its own database, reporting requirements, and documentation requirements and deadlines that she never trained me on.
    via u/8phasesofthemoon
  • Sometimes the way I'd find out a report even exists is the day it's due someone is asking where it is and I'd scramble figuring out how to get it done. A little bit of time simply sitting down and going over these would have gone a long way. Is this normal?
    via u/8phasesofthemoon

  • Commenters gave their own stories and offered advice.

    Spiritual_Being5845 I'd say it's more common than not unfortunately.
    via u/Spiritual_Being5845
  • Southern-Capital6... That's not good. I have started a job recently and received pretty decent training working in hospitality with sops etc. So maybe ask for a different approach.
    via u/Southern-Capital6353
  • SonoranRoadRunner Some companies you absolutely have to be a self- starter because no one is going to help. sink or swim. These are not jobs for beginners.
    via u/SonoranRoadRunner
  • A woman looks unhappy working at her desk
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Mira_DFalco Ah, the "here's your work station, good luck on your quest" version. You're not likely to get much support, with the track record so far, so you're going to need to take tons of notes.
    via u/Mira_DFalco
  • For anything that's a recurring item, every time you find one, create a document for yourself laying out how often it's needed, what gets included, and who needs to receive it. Attach this to a recurring calendar reminder.
    via u/Mira_DFalco
  • This is going to suck for a while. I'd recommend regular written communication with your assigned mentor, with your boss copied, checking to see what's due for the following week. Just list out what you already know about, and ask if there's anything else.
    via u/Mira_DFalco
  • Going to assume that you have the everyday stuff down by now, but this should help you build your list of things. that are less frequent.
    via u/Mira_DFalco
  • Feeling-Hawk-2677 It's super common where I work and it's been an extreme struggle to get teams to understand why it's important to actually write SOPs.
    via u/Feeling-Hawk-2677
  • orc... Many people have this experience, so although it might be normal, it is not appropriate. Two big problems a) you really wont fully understand what you're supposed to be doing and how it's supposed to be done and b) your manager won't be able to adequately evaluate you, if she's just turning you loose and never meeting with you.
    via u/orcateeth
  • Your manager is supposed to be training you. If she wants someone else to train you, then she's supposed to communicate that to that person. It often happens that employees are told to work with or "shadow" someone, but that employee doesn't have the time, interest or desire to give a thorough and complete training.
    via u/orcateeth
  • Also, who's to say that that guy that you asked was properly trained himself? You said he gave you general answers but what if those answers were not accurate? Or not complete? You need to create a paper trail communicating with your boss: What you have been trained on, what you were taught, what your understanding of the deadline. to for whatever reports, etc.
    via u/orcateeth
  • You also need to establish, in writing, who you're supposed to take requests from. Like you said that you scrambled to get a report together, but was that your job? Were you trained well enough to do that? At the end of the day, you need to establish that you did
    via u/orcateeth
  • all you could to try to get proper training. If by some chance you get let go for not meeting expectations, you might have to file for unemployment. Perhaps having a paper trail would make you get eligible for it when maybe you normally would not be (if you get fired). You might have to prove that you weren't at fault for not meeting unexplained expectations.
    via u/orcateeth
  • You also need to email your manager asking what is the meeting plan - when will she meet with you to give you supervision and feedback? It should be at least monthly, probably more in the beginning. Again it's likely that she won't reply, or won't agree to it, or will be vague. But at least you will have in writing that you asked for for ongoing supervision.
    via u/orcateeth
  • newuser2111 Some bosses don't train you and neither does anyone else. They except you to hit the ground running on Day 1. And some places don't have any documentation, as you mentioned. You would have to pick things up as you go. That may not have been their intent, but people get busy and don't have time for training.
    via u/newuser2111
  • Rekltpzyxm It's how you learn you work for a flaming dumpster of a company. Better companies do provide training. The best companies makes sure the training you get is actually effective
    via u/Rekltpzyxm
  • SoftRogue17 Dude, that's totally not normal! Sounds like you're in a real sink or swim sitch. Employers should at least go over the basics, especially if they've got their own specific systems in place. I'd def bring that up with them. You've got mad skills and experience, but they're setting you up to fail by not giving you all the info. It ain't you, bro - it's them! Don't second guess urself.
    via u/SoftRogue17
  • Go_Big_Resumes Haha, sadly, yes, way more. often than it should be. Some companies just throw you in and hope you float, especially if they assume experience = instant competence. It's brutal, especially when systems and deadlines are unique. If you stick around, document everything yourself and make mini guides as you go, it's the only way to survive without getting eaten alive by surprises.
    via u/Go_Big_Resumes
  • jerry111165 Depends on what field and what you told them you already had experience in.
    via u/jerry111165
  • TealKitten11 Training at most jobs for me have been monkey see monkey do, I'm lucky if I get a crash course. I wouldn't learn something was wrong until I'd get scolded for it & I stand there like "well you refused to train me so what did you expect to happen?" & never sign anything that says you're trained, nor write ups that put you down as responsible for an issue you weren't trained on to begin with.
    via u/TealKitten11
  • PsychologicalCell9... It's not that unusual and it's a great opportunity. Open a document and write down everything they've told you so far and what you've learned.
    via u/PsychologicalCell928
  • One section should be a calendar where you write down when things are due. Make sure you ask the periodicity of the report & make a note how long it takes to prepare, review, and get sign off. Continue doing this for every new thing you do and/or learn about.
    via u/PsychologicalCell928
  • Set up a shared calendar and add all of the deadlines with a date preceding it reflecting how long it takes to prepare. What you are doing is bringing order and predictability to the job.
    via u/PsychologicalCell928

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