Ever since I started at Your Clear Next Step, I have experienced nothing but amazing workdays. Though I work remotely, I find that I have a lot to be grateful for in my place of business.
As my final semester of college was wrapping up, I, like so many of my peers, was desperately browsing the job market. My father ended up meeting Sinikka Waugh, our amazing founder and CEO here at YCNS, and they hit it off! My father is a people person, to put it mildly, and he knows when he’s talking to someone with a good heart. He suggested that I was a suitable candidate for hire when Sinikka expressed a need for writers. That conversation put me on Sinikka’s radar, which eventually led me here! I cannot express my gratitude enough for that encounter.
But I know that not everyone has such luck.
My positive experiences so far at Your Clear Next Step have provided insight on what’s gone well since the beginning. So, I wanted to share some things that employers and employees can do that may be helpful in the interviewing and onboarding process, as well as the day-to-day.
Interviews and Onboarding
When I interviewed at Your Clear Next Step, everything was designed to be as interviewee friendly as possible. During the interview and onboarding process, I…
- Was given the opportunity to ask any and all clarifying questions I had, and these questions were answered to the best of the interviewer’s ability.
- They were comfortable admitting they didn’t have an answer, but that I would receive one via email later; and I did!
- They actively listened and made sure that everything I said was taken seriously.
- Was given an open invitation to remain in contact with my new supervisors and managers during onboarding.
- Was given specific dates and times for training and was given access to relevant tutorials.
- Was given a training schedule, letting me know what I would be learning and when.
- Was ensured that lines of communication would be open to me from day zero. Not one, zero.
- If I had a question, I needn’t worry about asking for help, it was expected, and they were happy to provide what I needed! That included before I even began working here, if I needed help, I could get it!
- Any extra questions they needed answered, I was able to give and vice versa.
- Documents I needed to fill out were supplied with instructions.
The atmosphere of the interview was very welcoming and friendly, and the call was not all business. I was given the opportunity to build an authentic, genuine human connection with my interviewer, who went on to be my boss! We chatted, asked questions, and filled in the images we had of one another. That rapport helped our dynamic a lot - it’s one of the core teachings of YCNS’s Changemakers Program for a reason!
Workdays
Working at Your Clear Next Step has given me a great deal of amazing experiences so far. Here are just a few of the ones that have been particularly great that I recommend continuing:
Being courteous.
- Being kind and open will create a welcoming culture that employees are comfortable staying in for a long time. We’re all human, we all have emotions, and those emotions don’t go away when we sit down at our desks.
- I’ve made plenty of mistakes, but I've managed to avoid wallowing in despair or continuing to pursue incorrect avenues that lead to dead ends thanks to the kindness and guidance of my supervisors.
Being constructive.
- Sometimes when we turn in work, it isn’t perfect. That makes sense - nobody is perfect - but when we give feedback, it’s important that it comes in the form of suggestions and points for revision. This demonstrates care and consideration, which employees are often fond of (I speak from personal experience)!
- Blunt criticism or a “Redo it” with no other context can hurt a relationship and stunt personal growth. A mistake is only a failure if we don’t manage to learn from it, after all.
- What worked? What didn’t? Help them draw their own conclusions from the feedback given, rather than leaving them with no roads to follow.
Being available.
- My coworkers are often available for a quick call where we can discuss work or personal life, just getting to know one another and building that personal, human connection that helps us understand each other.
Being driven.
- Whether from an employee or employer standpoint, being present will help ensure steady communication and a strong, consistent relationship between peers.
- Communication is the backbone of business, in my opinion!
- A good work ethic from a supervisor also serves as a good example to their team and can inspire similar efforts from them!
I have been taught by my friends here at Your Clear Next Step that one of the responsibilities we have as team members is to make sure that our peers are being taken care of. Making sure that our workplace is a positive environment is a team effort, and the methods I have discussed are not the only ways to ensure that. But like I said, they have made my days even better…so why not give them a shot?
