You did it! You landed that new dream job that comes with the perk of working remotely. Now, how do you make a good impression that lasts? Read on for our tips on keeping the remote job you love by starting strong.
Be proactive in your communication
With the joys of work autonomy comes the responsibility of being your own advocate. There are a few things you’ll need to speak up about from the get-go: Asking about any learning that needs to be done to bring you up to speed, requesting anything (like apps or folder access) that you need to be able to do your job, and asking about the team’s timeline and priorities. You also need to be proactive about voicing what you’re working on now and a list of things for the future. Your manager or project manager can then help you streamline your work better while you’ll receive everything you need to be successful in your new job.
Prioritize your own training
Another byproduct of working remotely is that you’re now your own manager in the physical and mental sense, at least. Whereas the benefit of working in-person allows you to receive hands-on training, remote work, unfortunately, means that you’ll have to be your own champion for successful onboarding. Be compassionate toward yourself in remembering this disadvantage and take your time to really learn what’s necessary. Remember tip number one and be vocal about anything you don’t understand. Ask questions and even hold quick voice or virtual meetings with your manager until you’re feeling secure in your training. By taking initiative you’ll display honesty, the courage to be vulnerable, and the eagerness to be the best you possibly can on the job.
Be honest about your tasks
This goes hand-in-hand with our first tip about being proactive in your communication. You are not superhuman and learning a new job is overwhelming in the beginning. Be totally honest about which projects can be finished and which ones need more time, which ones you’re having issues with, and which ones can be done the quickest. If you try to tackle everything that’s thrown at you, you’re likely to get burnt out in your first quarter. People want you to stick around, so do yourself and everyone a favor—be honest about what’s possible, always.
Get comfortable with the camera
When you’re starting out, it can be really intimidating to show up on camera in a room full of strangers. But resist that urge to go off-camera! If you’re not sick or currently eating (hey, we all have to eat), you should approach every meeting alert and camera-ready. No, we’re not saying you need to get glammed up every time, but you should be presentable. Wear your favorite clothing, jewelry, and makeup if you want. Style your hair or wear your favorite hat or scarf. Show up as your authentic self and you’re sure to boost your confidence. Besides, we’re humans, wired for connecting through facial expressions and body language. People need to see you comfortable and engaged and they’ll naturally reciprocate.
Be approachable while holding your personal boundaries
Do your best to meet every one of your new colleagues. Your goal here is to get to know how the team functions and where you and your methods of working fit best on this team. If your manager doesn’t already set up a time for a virtual meet-and-greet, go ahead and either request one or set time aside to do it yourself. There’s a caveat, though—you don’t want to be overbearing or worse, divulge unnecessary stories that don’t pertain to getting to know you. You must hold up personal boundaries to both help you make a great first impression and protect your personal life. Save any griping, complaining, or deep convos for your personal therapy sessions or with super close friends and family.
TLDR; perhaps the biggest takeaway here is within our first tip—be clear with your communication always. Getting started in a new remote job is tough, but if you’re proactive, honest, and clear with people, you’ll be setting yourself up for your own long-term success. Speaking of new jobs, we have a lot of open positions looking for the right talent. Could it be you? Reach out to talk with our recruiters today.
