After landing my dream job at one of the big 4 accounting firms, completing my probationary period has become my very first challenge. Since I quit my previous job before I was confirmed by my ex employer, I had no experience in becoming a permanent staff in any firm. I was looking forward to be confirmed in my current role in order to enjoy the staff benefits and claim reimbursements for professional accountancy body's membership fees, which cost me a fortune.
Probationary period serves as a trial period in both ways: me getting to know my employer and they getting to know me. This "get-to-know" process became tougher due to work-from-home arrangement. Besides getting my laptop on my first day, I have not been to my office, not to mention meeting and working with my colleagues physically. Although working from home has become less uncommon and it's the safest method during the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, it still comes with challenges, especially for new joiners who are unfamiliar with the new job scope and work culture.
Thankfully, my similar remote working experience when I was in a student organization had contributed to a smooth transition to my new job. It just felt like joining another organization where I had to explore new office tools and technology solutions, and the significant difference is, I'm getting paid! Kudos to my team which is digitally capable to leverage on work from home technology which I believe had minimized communication breakdown. I love the culture which encourages the usage of work messaging app to draw a clearer boundary between work and personal life. The most frequent messages I received from my one and only work related Whatsapp group are birthday wishes. It might sound like a sign of being left out, but I would rather not suffer the anxiety of bombarded with whatsapp notification outside work hours.
My first project was an entirely new experience, memorable yet daunting to a new joiner. Unlike my previous work experience, I wasn't paired with any seniors! Despite adequate guidance from my superior who is approachable, I would definitely prefer to have someone to rely upon. Working without senior has trained me to stand on my own feet and work independently, which I believe it's an important trait in the virtual work environment.
The most demanding part for my first project was pitching session with potential client. As a junior, I didn't expect to participate in such important session. My nervousness had negatively affected my performance. I was prepared to be condemned by my superior, but surprisingly he didn't. Instead, he pointed out areas of improvement and encouraged me to learn from mistakes.
Looking back, my first project was indeed a steep learning curve, which prepared me better for my subsequent projects. There are few upcoming demo sessions with potential client within these few weeks, yet I'm not as nervous as before. Instead of over worrying on my performance, I concentrate on my work to prepare myself better for the demo session. I have also understood that our service is not regarded as essential like audit or tax filing, hence the process of looking out and selling to potential client is never ending. This would definitely involves countless rejection and failure but it does not mean the end of the road. Their rejection is a necessary path for us to learn and refine our solution.
After completing my first project, I'm slowly assigned to more new projects. Although it indicates increased workload, I'm happy to have more things on my plate as I could gain new learning experience and provide valuable contribution to my team. What makes me more excited is I'm paired with senior associates now! They're very humble and willing to guide, but sadly, remote working arrangement has limited my opportunities to learn by watching others do. Hence, I try my best to catch on any opportunity to assist my senior, and also join discussion session to observe how they complete their deliverables.
In short, I'm satisfied and grateful with my current role. There might be better opportunities in other firms, but I would prefer to settle down, gain more fruitful experience and build my technical capabilities. Although I enjoy working from home a lot, it's undeniable that such arrangement brings along some pitfalls. My work experience is constrained by sitting in front of the laptop and facing the screen. I missed out annual dinner, CNY house opening session, company trip and hangout session with colleagues. Learning experience is important for work, but having a well-rounded life should be our priority.
Looking forward to work in a world without COVID-19, at the same time enjoying the perks of working from home!
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