Stage fright is an anxiety caused by someone’s need to perform in front of a crowd. It’s the chills and nervous energy you get before you step out onto the stage, or in the build up to your time to speak on a presentation.
I’d also associate stage fright to starting a new role, in a new business, in a new career. You’re an additional character joining in the third season of a popular show. Dynamics are set, relationships are established and your character is coming in to either be a fan favourite, or a forgettable cameo.
This anxious time is unavoidable, and it’s not until you step out on stage (and don’t initially muck it up) that it ever starts to go away. That is, I thought it was.
From the moment I accepted an offer with the team, I was in communication with members of &us. Whether it was congratulations on Linkedin from those in the interview process, to Alex the Hiring Manager checking in every few days. I was involved behind the curtain on Slack, able to observe and find my footing, without a pressure to interact. The performance almost started before my scene came up, calming those nerves and fears.
The ‘buy-in’ for me, happened nine-days prior to my first day. In the post, from a lovely DHL worker, came a box. The contents of this box, I will call nothing but emotional bribery with an enthusiastic hype man’s energy. Stationary, snacks, incense diffusers and work mentality books, all with little notes of inspirational praise and a card from my new line manager with a final congratulation and welcome. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. People had actually taken the time to put this together.. For me?
I’ve worked at &us for a week, but I’ve been a team member for just over a month now, and that speaks volumes to how they honour their hiring and onboarding process. They are so ready to invest in you and demonstrate exactly why you were selected to work alongside them, that you feel powerful.
My First Day
Like the opening joke at a comedy night, it can really set the tone for what you are getting into. There’s a lot of pressure on these first days; For the employee and employer. Both parties want to make the best first impression, to hit the ground running and show you were worth the investment.
If there was any doubt left alight inside me about making this career pivot, they were completely put out within this first day.
From welcome chats with my line manager, 30/60/90 day guides, onboarding with another new starter and a wrap up with my assigned buddy, it was filled with positivity, excitement and structure. I know straight away what I can be doing to cement myself further in, what I’m expected to accomplish over the next few months and most importantly, the walls between myself and colleagues have been broken down which was incredibly impressive within a hybrid workplace such as this.
Everyone is on the same page, and everyone welcomes collaboration and support. It’s awesome!
First Week
The onboarding process is arguably one of the most important moments in an individual’s career within your company. Your overall culture, events calendar or workplace benefits come secondary, always.
A crap onboarding loses momentum. It takes that exciting energy that a new starter brings to the role, and cuts it short. That momentum is then hard to rebuild, and you may never get that same energy back again.
&us have done a fantastic job at not just maintaining that excitement, but growing it, building the momentum during their onboarding process so that now, at the end of my first week, I am involved in multiple aspects of their community and work.
The most inspiring part of it all comes down to the people. Each with their own style, their own joys, passions and approaches. There aren’t manuals on how to be a Strategist, a Coach or a Designer; Simply guides on what it means to be part of &us and how you can play your part. It is a business filled with individuals. A collection of people who define themselves as a company, not a company that defines them as people.
I’m stoked and cannot wait to see where both myself, and the people here at &us go.
Final thoughts…
Culture: The team at &us made sure to break down the barriers fast. They invest in you from moment one and give you the agency to carve your own path within a supported structure of some of the most intelligent people I’ve come across.
Progression: Goals are set right away. I know where I am heading, what I have to do to get there and given the controls over my own career.
Talent: The hiring process is well thought out and investment heavy. They put serious time and energy into making sure you are a good fit for one another, so it’s smooth sailing from day one.
How about you &us? Check out our latest vacancies here.