Orientation and First Weeks
My first few weeks with ECCC were slow, which was nice as it allowed me to ease in and become more comfortable in my role. There were quite a few online training modules to complete, which could be considered the “orientation”. These modules were more generalized and mostly did not pertain to the work I would be doing, but were more about creating a safe, open, and inviting workspace. They ranged from what to do in case of an emergency, to the benefits of a diverse workforce, to understanding how to use the pay and leave applications. These modules filled my first week at ECCC, as well as a few team meetings where I was able to meet the team and learn about their current projects. I will admit, I was lost for the first few team meetings. They were filled with acronyms I didn’t know, projects I was unaware of, and a lot of information! What helped me through was making notes of the things that confused me so I could research them. I also wrote down acronyms on Post-it notes and stuck them to the edge of my monitor so that I could refer to them in future meetings. I had plenty of opportunities to ask questions, and my supervisor (as well as the rest of the team) was great at reaching out to see if I needed help, which made my first few weeks less daunting than I anticipated.
Learning and Adaptation
Learning and adapting in this role included reviewing past work, seeking feedback, and a bit of trial-and-error. Since the training modules were more generalized, it was not clear to me exactly how to excel in my role going into this work term. Luckily, the previous co-op student, whose role I filled, stayed with our team as a “casual” part-time employee. They were extremely helpful, able to point me in the right direction for information and resources and were always there to answer questions when I had them. On my own, I spent time exploring the shared drives to find where important documents were housed and filed. I also reviewed the work of previous co-op students, including emails sent, templates created, etc. to gain a better understanding of my tasks and how I can succeed. I definitely made a few mistakes, but from these, I was able to create a set of steps for that task for myself to ensure that I did not make these mistakes again. For example, I created a checklist-style set of steps for sending emails after making a mistake on the first important email I was tasked with sending. Now, before I send any emails from the team inbox, I go through this list. The most important thing I’ve learned is that learning is a process, and making mistakes is part of that process - it helps you grow and adapt.
Accomplishments and Challenges
The biggest challenges to me so far were becoming confident in my ability to communicate effectively (whether that be in emails, meetings, or phone calls), and dealing with distractions while working from home. Being able to confidently handle phone and video calls has always been a struggle of mine, and I knew this going into my work term, so I decided to make it one of my learning objectives. I focused on reviewing previous communications that were sent through our team inbox, observing the communication skills of my colleagues, and managing my time so that I could prioritize important communications. I had to handle quite a few “big send” emails during my term (to 500+ recipients), which was very daunting. After making a mistake on my first big send, I was even more nervous. With time and practice, I developed a system to ensure that I don’t do it again, so I have gotten much more confident with this task. I also developed a system to help me manage distractions: I set a timer for 30 minutes of distraction-free work time, and then take a 5-minute break where I can check my phone, grab a quick snack, etc.
Other than overcoming these challenges, my biggest accomplishment during my term so far was my contribution to a virtual workshop held by my team. I took on the responsibility of creating the slide presentation and managing these slides, as well as the Zoom meeting. I ensured that the workshop went smoothly and my supervisors were very happy with my work.
