How to Thrive in the Virtual Workplace
Alumna Meena Kaushik shared her tips for onboarding, and thriving, in a remote work environment
As we embark on yet another virtual summer, at least we can say we’re more prepared than this time last year — and so are companies. As our students begin their virtual internships and full-time onboarding, Career Services at the UC Berkeley School of Information hosted alum Meena Kaushik (Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) graduate, 2020), and asked her to share her best advice for thriving in a virtual workplace. Meena started her role as an Interaction Designer at Google during the pandemic and continues to work remotely.
Read on for some of our key takeaways from the event!
It can be harder to speak up in a virtual setting, but push yourself to stay interested and ask questions
Meena likened onboarding to starting at a new school where everyone already knows each other — learning to navigate can take time and be daunting! When you first start your internship, lean on your manager or mentor and talk to them about things you’re interested in, the skills you’re hoping to develop, and let them help you connect the dots and make recommendations about people you should be talking to and meetings you should be joining. Don’t be afraid to ask to sit in on meetings you find interesting, or that could help you understand your own projects better, and remember: don’t discount your value-add as an intern. Often, people do things a certain way because that’s the way it’s “always been done”. Challenge the status quo, ask questions, and don’t forget you were hired because you bring valuable skills to the table.
Don’t forget you were hired because you bring valuable skills to the table.
As Meena said, “your “newness” is a strength…it’s your superpower. It gives you a fresh perspective, which can reframe the problems your team is solving, inspire a different approach for solving those problems, or identify entirely new opportunities… all of which can be incredibly valuable.”
Virtual coffees might sound awkward — but schedule them anyway!
Even in a virtual setting, it’s so important to network and get to know the people around you and outside your immediate project scope. If you find out about a project that seems cool, reach out to the people working on it to learn more! People are often excited to talk to you about their experiences and current work. You never know what opportunities you might uncover. If you’re hoping for a full-time offer from your internship, the more teams and people you know, the better you’re setting yourself up for success.
Prioritize personal growth
Sometimes the goals of an internship seem conflicting since you want to prioritize your own personal growth while also proving yourself as a worthwhile employee. Meena stressed the importance of prioritizing your own skill development, and not sacrificing that by holding back questions or not admitting when you need support. Meena remembers being candid with the design team she was working with, asking what it took to be a successful, full-time product designer so she could bridge any skill gaps.
No one is going to set boundaries for you
When you’re working remotely, it’s really easy to blur the distinction between working and…not working. Your computer is so close, there’s no commuting time, and with the pandemic, we aren’t able to go out and do as much as we used to. So don’t forget to set your own boundaries, and be intentional about your work. Meena emphasized taking the time to reflect on what you hope to learn from your internship experience, and not being afraid to be candid with your manager to organize and solidify those thoughts and ideas. Don’t forget that frequent communication with your manager is an important key to success — don’t make them guess how to successfully manage you! Let them know often what you’re working on, and when you realistically feel like you can deliver projects.
Don’t make your manager guess how to successfully manage you.
And finally, don’t forget to take the time to have fun, enjoy the experience, and appreciate all the skills and perspectives you bring to the table!
Meena first started at Google as a UX Design intern during the summer after her first year in the MIMS program. Read more about that experience: MIMS Summer Internships: Meena Kaushik, Google.
