What it’s like starting at JET as a fresh graduate
Hi, I’m Cecile and I joined the Just Eat Takeaway.com (JET) team as a Junior UX Writer in late April 2024. I thought it would be a good time to share my first impressions of not only starting at JET but also at my first graduate job. In this blog, I’ll briefly talk about my feelings about the transition to working life from university, my onboarding experience and some advice on how to approach applications and interviews. I hope to come back with more positive updates and advice in the weeks to come so watch this space!
Moving into tech from university
I’m interested in understanding how people react to technology, how it fits into our daily lives, and its impact and limitations.
I never imagined getting into tech and had little knowledge of the variety of roles that support any digital product before it even goes into development. I actually studied Modern Languages at the University of Bristol. I enjoyed studying languages but more so for the reason that it allowed me to study a breadth of subjects, ranging from grammar and literature to history and politics. At that point, I could see myself going down a more generalist career path that allowed me to grow my skills in various aspects like research or psychology (subjects I hadn’t necessarily directly studied). It was only after my sister introduced me to UX that I started seriously considering a career in tech; an ever-evolving field where upskilling and learning is encouraged and rewarded.
After watching endless Youtube videos, completing short courses on Udemy and chatting to different UXers, I eventually enrolled in General Assembly’s UX Design Immersive course. The 12-week bootcamp enabled me to find out about the methodologies, softwares and design thinking that comprise UX. However, I was always intrigued at how the critical thinking and broader knowledge I developed at university underpinned my UX decisions. For instance, at university, I studied a module which researched how prominent philosophers used various platforms to spread their thoughts to the masses. This gave me more confidence to predict people’s reaction to different mediums. Similarly, another module explored how different influential figures used tech to share political commentary. I found it fascinating how those people were really self-aware of the technology they used. Every time we watch a film or Google something, it might feel immaterial, but it has real environmental consequences and influence on our way of thinking. I’m very interested in understanding how people react to technology, how it fits into our daily lives, and its impact and limitations.
Tech may seem like an unattainable career path for the average graduate, but just like most fields, we create digital platforms for people. Any experience that is therefore related to creating, designing or writing to or for people is highly valued. The company is a melting pot of experiences and so far I’ve met colleagues from all walks of life who studied music, drama, geography and more.
My interest in JET
Since the company is also expanding into non-food related markets, the challenges are only growing and becoming more interesting.
I knew I had a strong fascination with seeing and participating in the processes that support every companies’ decisions (even what may be perceived as minor). Specifically, working for such a massive global company as JET, even perfecting these minor details can result in impactful outcomes. The company also operates a number of different platforms that cater to couriers, restaurant and grocery partners, JET employees, and of course, customers. I’m particularly excited about how my role as a Junior UX Writer allows me to work across all these different platforms and alongside colleagues working in each dedicated pillar (Customer care, Partners, etc).
On my first day, I casually asked if perhaps I was the second or third person to be starting that week. To my great surprise, I was told that there had been approximately 10–15 new starters! It’s hard to take in the amount of people involved in this giant beehive but it makes the challenge of coordinating projects, meetings, and learning from each other all the more exciting.
In relation to JET’s mission, however, I find the context of food delivery strangely fascinating. Food is something that is so ingrained in our lives for vastly different reasons. Some order food because they are busy and don’t have time to cook, whereas others want to try out a new cuisine or eat with their friends. How do you cater to all these different people and contexts whilst simultaneously enabling couriers and businesses to deliver a seamless experience and achieve their own objectives? Since the company is also expanding into non-food related markets, the challenges are only growing and becoming more interesting.
The recruitment process
As I was applying to a junior role, there was little expectation that I’d get everything correct or even do things in ‘the JET way’.
As a recent graduate, the transition from university to the corporate world has not been a seamless process, but it’s one that has strengthened my ambitions and raised my expectations. When I saw the job open up at Just Eat, I knew I had an immediate interest in the company and the role but my experience with a prompt recruitment process only confirmed my interest. At each step of the process, I was informed within a couple of hours of my progression to the next stage. As I’m writing this, the job market (especially for UX) is highly competitive and discouraging so I was pleasantly surprised by the efficiency and competence of the hiring process.
The first interview was pretty standard and I spoke with a hiring manager about my CV and had the chance to explain, at a high level, what skills I could bring to the role. For the second interview, I got the opportunity to travel to JET’s Bristol office. I knew that the offices were fairly central but the lovely harbourside view was the cherry on top! Finally, for my last interview, I was tasked with finding UX solutions for JET’s partner portal. I really enjoyed the challenge of trying to empathise with potential users whilst also keeping the company objectives and limitations in mind. As I was applying to a junior role, there was little expectation that I’d get everything correct or even do things in ‘the JET way’. This made me feel reassured that the company would help me grow into my role progressively and that they were open to new ideas.
My recommendation to anyone going through a similar interview task, at JET or elsewhere, is to always share and explain your thought processes to allow the interviewer to get an insight into your way of working. It’s more important for juniors to be thorough, creative and open-minded than it is to get everything right.
The first week
It’s hard to take in how massive the company is, both in the UK and globally…
I started off my first day by heading into the office and being given an abundance of JET merch — as expected there was the usual work laptop but also some branded items like “Jetpods”. Like most onboardings, I started off by working through all the legal and compliance admin. I will say that these never felt dull as they were broken up into different interactive videos, quizzes and games. I even had the chance to learn more about other departments’ responsibilities and methodologies.
In-between setting me up with all the various programs and working through onboarding documents, I had the opportunity to meet my colleagues. These ranged from the people I’d be working with directly, but also influential people in different departments. For instance, I met with Theresa, a member of the localisation team and we had a nice chat envisioning a potential future collaboration to make use of my language skills. It’s been very comforting to find out about the amount of flexibility and variety involved in this role as it is something I heavily prioritise for my career.
Finally, I had the chance to listen in to team meetings that gave an insight into the company’s wider objectives and how each department was progressing in their own tasks. There were a lot of fascinating features and updates either in the works or newly launched. It’s hard to take in how massive the company is, both in the UK and globally, so I really enjoyed attending these meetings to gain a better understanding of my colleagues’ work and the company’s wider objectives.
As I’m writing this, I’m currently in my second week of working at JET and I’m very excited about all the new people, projects, programs and ways of working I’m yet to discover.
Just Eat Takeaway.com is hiring! Want to come work with us? Apply today.
