The new meaning of “Job”

Happy New Year everyone!

As I sat back and reflected on the past year I couldn’t help but think of what a roller coaster 2020 was and how life has been altered across the board. I’ll be the first to say that it really put things in perspective and made me realize that I had neglected some important aspects of my life. Through some self-reflecting and reading Jay Shetty’s book “Think like a Monk” I quickly realized that I had gotten away from taking a values-based approach to life and finding purpose.

It also got me thinking about how much the world changed in the past year and what that meant now for the term “Job/Career”. Companies and employees had to pivot quickly or risk being left behind. Out of this change came a new way of thinking and working that is somewhat uncharted for most companies.

There has always been a strong argument about remote work vs in-office work, and questions about what would happen to productivity, how to maintain a great culture, and whether employees can be effective when working remotely. What this past year has shown us is that it is possible to have a productive workforce working remotely anywhere in the world and that the most important things that employers can provide their employees is empathy, flexibility and trust. Things that should be table-stakes had taken a back-seat over the years as “hustle culture” took over.

At the same time I recognize that remote work might not be for everyone as it is industry-specific and does have its own share of challenges such as not having the infrastructure to support remote work, individuals wanting to separate work from home, and — the most important in my opinion — actual human interaction.

As a job seeker what does this mean for you? Here are a few items that you should consider when looking for your next opportunity:

Empathy

If the past year has shown us anything is that we need more kindness, understanding and love in the world! This is a core company value that should be considered when choosing your next employer. Questions to ask:

• How did the company you’re applying to/interviewing with take care of their employees and customers during the pandemic? This doesn’t necessarily have to be monetary. It can be more tangible — did they place an importance on employee mental health and well-being, provide flexibility to accommodate different work situations, offer transparency and a solid game plan to handle tough situations. For example,if they unfortunately had to do layoffs, how did they handle it? Look at Airbnb as a model of excellence and empathy on how they handled a tough situation.

Flexibility

As mentioned earlier, the way that we work has changed and will continue to change as we come out of the pandemic. The days of being in the office five days a week could change depending on the industry and company you choose to be employed by. Have early chats with the hiring manager and team to get a sense of their work environment to see if it aligns with your expectations.

• Flexibility is one of the most crucial things to consider in your job search. If you live far from the office and must be in five days a week ask yourself, is this something that you are willing to do everyday? If not, then it might not be the right fit for you. Alternatively if you’re looking to work remotely 100% of the time are you comfortable not having in-person interactions with your colleagues? Make a list of pros and cons and align with what works well for you and your family.
• From an employer perspective this is an item that has been thrust to the forefront of employee experience. Providing your employees with the flexibility and trust to work from anywhere and on a schedule that allows them to handle personal matters while also delivering results, will make the difference in bringing on top talent!

Learning never stops

This shouldn’t be a surprise but learning doesn’t stop once you’re done with academia. Take it upon yourself to stay connected and place an emphasis on taking a more data-driven/ data-informed approach to your work.

The job market has shifted in such a way that using data to tell stories and driving insights is not just for Analytics or Data Science teams anymore. No matter what your role is — HR, Talent Acquisition or Marketing — knowing how to leverage data will help you secure your next role and allow you to drive impact while making your life easier.

Data literacy will only continue to be more important, so when choosing your next role make sure it aligns with a company that can provide you the tools and mindset to grow in this area. I’m grateful to work at a company like Xero that really understands this and has done a great job of helping employees work towards improving these skills. Here is an excellent blog written by our Executive GM of Data, ML & AL Kendra Vant on why increasing your data literacy is a great way to future proof your career:

To end off, to my job seekers out there, do your research, don’t be afraid to ask questions, never stop learning, and lead with empathy, love and kindness as the world needs more of this! I leave you with this quote:

“Without empathy it is not possible to get the best from your team, so for this reason it is the key to everything” -Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft”

Happy Job Hunting Friends!