As I approach graduation and interview for jobs, my friends and I have been discussing more and more what our start of our career would look like during the pandemic. I have interviewed at a couple of companies all over the US and came up with a couple of patterns.
1. Training will be remote
Training is by far one of the most important periods at the start of working with a company. This training period will most likely be remote as most of us will be starting in the summer of 2021. Most companies have altered the training sessions to make it easier for incoming employees to follow without a training director or manager for the full 8-10 hours a day.
2. Employees will have to apply to work in the office
For those of you who prefer to be in the office, you will most likely have to apply for it. Most offices have a limit on number of employees in the office and priority goes to those who are needed in the office. This means, it is highly likely that you will not be given the opportunity to be in the office until further notice, but if the company has a couple of extra seats, you may be chosen!
3. Free food/snacks will be on hold
Many companies offer free food and snacks for employees as a part of their perks. However, this will most likely be on hold for a while. I know, this sucks, but for the safety of you and other employees, this is necessary.
4. Masks are required (if in office) during the whole day
This is an obvious one, but if your hours are 8-10 hours a day, you will need to wear masks for the full 8-10 hours. Due to this, those with health issues that prevent you from wearing masks for extended amounts of time, cannot be in the office until further notice.
5. Work may be remote for a while
While many companies want to have everyone back in offices as soon as possible, it is just impossible. Some companies want employees back by the end of summer, some further in the year or even next year. However, this all depends on what the regulations will look like at the time. This may be good news for some people, though!
I wish the best of luck for all of you who are currently looking for full time jobs or even co-ops. This is a difficult and weird time for everyone, so everything is still in the unknown. Hopefully, everything goes back to normal in the near future!
