While lockdown 2.0 has thrown a spanner or two in the works, at SprintHQ, we have seen that businesses are still confidently hiring and onboarding new employees from home. Which is pretty darn fantastic if you ask us.

But starting a new job in lockdown, while working from home, is quite a bit different (and very daunting) to what most of us have done ever before. How do you make an impact if people can’t see you every day? How do you learn when you can’t shadow someone? How do you build relationships with colleagues and become part of the team?

With a lot of candidates nervous about jumping into a new role remotely, we wanted to put together some handy tips from our very own Sprint candidates, who have had first-hand experience starting fabulous new roles while working from home during the Sydney lockdown.

Sprint Candidates Top Tips for Starting a New Job Remotely:

– IT is your best friend. Reach out to your IT department and thank them for getting you all set up with your equipment and ready to work from home. You will need their help eventually so the faster you get to know them, the more willing they are to help. – Amy

– Try and screen record if you are learning a process or task, or request that you are the one driving the mouse whilst getting instructions from the person you’re on the call with. It is much easier to remember by doing, rather than trying to follow their mouse on the screen. Not being able to sit with someone physically for training can be a big challenge, so come up with ways to make it more interactive. – Michael

– Routine is key! Try to get out of bed at the time you would if you were still commuting – it’s easy to feel tired and drained when you’re rolling out of bed 15 minutes before you start. Wake up and use the extra time to go for a walk or read or even just sit and drink your coffee. – Lucy

– Ask lots of questions. Not being able to pop into your boss’s office can be difficult, so use whatever tools you have available, such as your work’s internal messenger chat or a text message. – Amy

– Be social and involved in Friday night virtual drinks and games. Within the first week of starting your new role, put your hand up to host the team trivia. Push yourself out of your comfort zone, it will give the team a chance to get to know you, and it will really help with building a connection and feeling a part of the team. – Grace

– Any time a new name is introduced, copy them into an email/chat/meeting, or schedule a quick 5 minutes in their calendar to say a quick ‘hello’. Introduce yourself and find out about them and their role. Quick introductions are super useful, particularly with big companies. 30 minute 1:1’s can be unrealistic (and exhausting) with everyone so keep it brief and memorable. – Katie

– Add a regular lunch break in your calendar, it really helps you take a moment for yourself and check in to see how you are doing throughout the day. – Grace

– Remember that this is not a normal environment to start a new role in – so don’t be too hard on yourself with distractions …Just make sure you work more than you get distracted, and complete all your required tasks. – Jack

And last but not least….

– Love your workspace from home! Set a space up outside of your bedroom to work (refrain from working in bed, although it is very tempting, especially on a rainy day). The flexibility of a ‘sit and stand’ desk, allows you to love your space and use more of it – find something that makes you want to work at your desk! You shouldn’t have your desk or workspace in your bedroom because you want to be able to clock off once work is done, close your laptop and get ready to wind down, the bedroom is a place where people usually wind down and chill out. Keep them separate. And while you are at it, remember that a clean space, creates a clean mind – refrain from having clutter and mess around you, as it may affect your clear thinking! – Chloe

A huge thank you to each and every one of you brilliant humans for taking the time to help us out with putting this together. And best of luck to all of you who are about to embark on a new role, while working from home!