As I walked across the stage in December 2020, I hadn’t imagined I would be looking for a job after college in the middle of a pandemic. Throughout my last semester, applying for jobs was challenging. I was overwhelmed, not knowing what I wanted to do or where I wanted to end up. Scrolling through LinkedIn one day, I found a job I thought would be a good fit in a new city. The idea of packing everything up and moving to a city where everything was new to me piqued my interest. I applied for a handful of jobs and patiently waited to get an offer from one. I received an offer and took it as my sign to go for it. After graduation, I packed all my belongings into my SUV and got on the road to start my new life.
I walked into the office for the first time. I was so excited, my first job after college! Getting to know my team was a great experience. I came into the job prepared to work nine-to-five and spend my time outside the office exploring a new city. A few weeks passed and I realized – all I knew about Richmond was my job! I hadn’t had the chance to experience anything new. This was disappointing. A big reason I wanted to move was to explore the culture of a different city. When I wasn’t working, I was waiting by my phone. I had my laptop right by my side, ready to fix any work problem that arose. I collected more tasks that changed this job into a chore for me. Spending an extra hour on commute time after a long workday was starting to wear on me. This wasn’t what I wanted at all. I was unhappy with my job. I knew I had to start looking for something else.
I spent days scrolling LinkedIn and other job sites trying to find something that stood out to me. I had a list of non-negotiables my job needed to have. I wanted to work in marketing. My previous job was in management, and it just wasn’t for me. I was intrigued by the idea of working remotely. With a new addition to my small family (a Corgi puppy named Motley), I wanted the flexibility to spend time with him and raise him properly. Working remotely became a deal-breaker for me. I went back to the job search. A company called Overture System Solutions seemed to meet all my criteria. I applied on a whim, hoping for the best. Everything this company offered intrigued me.
I was eagerly waiting for a call back from OSS. When I started my interview process, I knew immediately I wanted the job. They were fully remote, had a great marketing position, and seemed like a team full of intellectual people. I felt I’d found my home. I went through the rigorous process and was ecstatic to hear they wanted me to join the team. Starting the transition process was exciting for me. I knew I didn’t have to worry about rush hour traffic anymore. I was getting to spend time with Motley again.
Working from home full-time is something I could not imagine pre-covid. COVID-19 caused many employers to rethink the working environment. I was a senior in college when the pandemic put a halt to everyday life. My last semester and a half was online. I knew I was able fully handle a remote environment, so I was excited to pursue my career in one. One of the challenges that comes with working fully remote is you are in charge of managing time. You don’t have someone telling you to get to work. I was able to adjust really well to managing my time. I don’t think this would have been the case if my last months in University hadn’t prepared me. All I knew before COVID-19 was in-office work. Remote work is the future. Employees have proven to be just as productive. Employees value and love remote work. While I’m not happy with why we went remote in the first place, I think it opened up a new world of opportunities for companies and employees.
I am sitting here writing a blog from my couch with my now nine-month-old Corgi puppy snuggled at my feet. At this time, I would have been sitting in five o’clock traffic for an hour. Working remotely is freeing. I feel relieved from the burdens of commuting to an office environment. Feeling satisfied with my progress, I shut my computer and turn on my favorite TV show. I have taken back an insane amount of personal time that used to belong to my work, and I’m excited to continue growing my remote career with OSS.
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