July 24, 2020, by Leah Sharpe

Starting a new job virtually

By Ash Watts, Professional Services Projects Officer

Firstly, I want to say to the graduating class of 2020: while I do not know the levels of uncertainty upon taking your first steps into your career during a global pandemic, I do understand the simply bizarre world of starting a new job virtually.

When accepting a job to join the Careers team, never did I expect that my first day would develop quite the way it did. The arrival of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown led to the inevitable world of virtual beginnings.

The first day

The first day consisted of grabbing my IT equipment in what can only be described as a ‘click and collect’ service, not too dissimilar to the food shop. A time slot, a quick browse to ensure login was good (luckily no substitutes on this occasion), and I was back off on the way home to set up. The home office aka the dining room, an array of my cookbooks, doing the best to disguise themselves as a stand-up desk where the new laptop was precariously balanced, meant I was ready to start the new job virtually.

Induction meetings

As with any new job there is normally the walk around the offices meeting new people within the various teams. Not being able to step foot in the offices meant that induction meetings were different to say the least. They involved an upper body attire of shirt and lower half of my favourite rugby shorts. Different and not the normal outfit to be sporting on a first day when trying to make a good first impression. The induction meetings took place over a period of three weeks and being quite the extrovert, it was nice to meet the sea of floating heads in meetings. Everyone was very understanding of how difficult it must be to start a new job virtually.

Ultimately, the inductions led to a lot of ‘whatever you need don’t hesitate to get in touch’ and ‘drop me a message on teams’, which was very comforting and I began to feel more relaxed. You must remember that these people employed you because they saw something in you that they wanted as part of the team. They want to be accommodating and ensure that you settle in as quickly as possible and feel comfortable in your surroundings.

The new norm

Over the past few weeks, I have settled into the new role. Although starting virtually may have caused me to be apprehensive, it’s amazing how quickly the virtual working from home has become the norm. As opposed to asking somebody a question across the office, you message on teams. Basically, in a time when everything is new in the current climate, what I had failed to realise before starting was that this is new for everyone.

While you may be either looking forward to graduating with endless possibilities in front of you, or somewhat scared at the thought of entering the working world. One thing you shouldn’t let worry you, is the prospect of starting a new job virtually. After the pandemic, working from home and working virtually may become the future. If it is, there are so many positives. No commute, no fighting for a parking spot, never forgetting your lunch and more time spent with loved ones to name just a few.

To those graduating this year and possibly starting a job virtually, yes, it’s different to what you may have imagined, but different isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination.

Here’s a few top tips from my own experience to help you settle into a job virtually:

1. Take some time to fully familiarise yourself with the technology and platforms your employer uses. Maybe even have a practice run with a friend first.

2. Make use of chat platforms or forums to start or join in with more casual conversations.

3. Log in to any virtual meetings early and chat to whoever else is there before things get started.

4. Read and contribute to any staff blogs, forums or newsletters so you know what’s going on beyond your formal workload.

We want to reassure you that we are here and ready to help with any aspect of your career. Whether that’s the impact of COVID-19 on your plans, preparing for online recruitment activities or developing your career skills while at home. Login to MyCareer to book an appointment to speak to us via Microsoft Teams, Skype or by phone. 

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