Where have you seen the most friction when starting a new role, and what advice would you have for making a more seamless transition in the future?

One of the biggest sources of friction when starting a new role is dealing with unclear expectations and a lack of proper support, especially when stepping into a position that’s never existed before. This can quickly turn initial excitement into frustration. My advice for a smoother transition: prioritize open communication early on to clarify your responsibilities, seek out key stakeholders to build relationships, and don’t hesitate to ask for the resources or guidance you need. Setting clear goals together from the start helps align everyone and makes the transition much more manageable.

There are many frictions where a "bright new future" and "dream job" can turn to be a nightmare. 

If you are arriving a "green field" role, which was not existed earlier, the unclear expectations and the not appropriate internal communication about the role can lead to a confusion and misinterpretation of the tasks need to be delivered by you. 

If you are taking over an existing role, and your predecessor built a great team and was a hero - or the opposite: that guy built an awful reputation to the department you had been joined - you can find yourself in a really difficult situation.

I agree with the former comments - be proactive, do some research in your network about the job before accepting it. 

Based on your research, if you accept the challenge and the job: build your connections first, understand their perception about your role and their needs expecting to solve by your role - and build your plans accordingly. Do not spend time to tell them, you are not the same guy, you are different. Show them. 

It is a time recurring activity, you have to put a lots of effort into it. However it will be paid back quickly and makes your life easier and your job remains as you expected - a "dream job" for you.

The biggest friction often comes from unclear expectations and unwritten team norms. You’re handed tasks, but not the context or "how we really do things here" playbook. My advice: proactively ask about success metrics, shadow teammates early, and over-communicate. It builds clarity fast.

A common friction is that existing people don’t trust the “new guy” and think he/she does not understand the problems or their reality.
Best advice is to spend time knowing the people before asking about the work. When people break down the “trust” barrier, and know you then they will be more open to discuss work details.

The biggest friction I’ve consistently seen when starting a new IT role comes from unclear expectations and lack of organizational context. New hires are often dropped into complex environments without a clear understanding of what success looks like in the first 3-6 months, and critical knowledge is trapped in the heads of senior staff. This leads to inefficiencies, rework, and frustration. To make transitions smoother, organizations should invest in structured onboarding that goes beyond HR basics — it should include technical training, business context, and clear priorities. A “First 90 Days” roadmap helps define expectations, while pairing new hires with a mentor or buddy accelerates integration and knowledge transfer. Finally, providing opportunities to build relationships across teams fosters a collaborative mindset, which is critical in IT work. The goal is to transform onboarding from a passive experience to an intentional, empowering launchpad for new talent.