My first official full-time job at SourceCode has been fulfilling and has presented me with both challenges and successes. Contrary to the popular belief that the communications field isn’t easy, it’s probably the most rewarding job one could ever have. I have the opportunity to work with some of the most brilliant minds (coworkers and clients alike) to try and influence positive change in the world which is why the decision to pursue a role in public relations has felt like the right decision every day.
If you told me in January 2019, when I first began interning, that I would be working full-time, from home, every day in 2022, I would think that that was absurd. I consider myself a traditional introvert but I definitely thrive around people- this is probably due to the fact that I moved a fair amount throughout my childhood and had to constantly adapt to new environments and people.
It can sometimes be hard to foster connections with remote teammates but in my experience at SourceCode, I’ve been surrounded by a team of rockstar mentors that care about seeing me grow both professionally and personally. While a large volume of my day-to-day work is focused on account management and communications with the client – it’s imperative that I know what’s going on so that I can adeptly communicate status to all of my teammates at a moment’s notice.
Weekly meetings with your teams or managers may seem futile but in a remote environment, taking the time to personally connect with a colleague and decompress together can make an incredible impact on everyone’s mental health. For example, if I have a question for a team member that could be explained in a few minutes, rather than going back and forth on Slack or email, I ask them to hop on a quick call to avoid any drop off in messaging or direction and to truly connect with them further as a human.
Not only does taking this moment ensure you have your ducks in a row but it also solidifies that you and your team are on the same page and will in turn, keep your account leads and the client happy. Further, as long as you act with diligence, respect and transparency, your company leadership and peers will be satisfied and seek new opportunities to collaborate with you and find innovative ways to help you grow and develop.
Working remotely at SourceCode has truly surpassed my expectations. This ‘way of life’ has provided me with a much-desired balance in these often uncertain times; many people are promised but not truly given this gift. I’ve been able to travel and see most, if not all, of my extended family and friends since June all while improving my PR skills and progressing in the first chapter of my professional/post-college life. This is a testament to the awesome remote work environment I am privileged to be in every single day thanks to the leadership and peer-mentorship I have experienced at SourceCode.
