How to do remote work well while joining a new company

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Erin Orstrom and Roja Budati both in the Product Management field to discuss their experience with fully remote working. Erin’s expertise focuses on her experience in transitioning from a normal work environment to a fully remote work environment due to COVID-19, while Roja provides expertise mainly in onboarding at a new company completely remote. They also discuss where they want the future work environment to look like once we return to what experts are saying is a new normal. 

QUOTES

• “[When it comes to video interviews] really just be prepared, at least when I went to interviews in person, I would get to the place 30 minutes before, kind of go through the same rule, like try to join in the [virtual] meeting at least 15-20 minutes before, make sure everything around you, like you’re comfortable where you’re at, there’s no distractions.” - Roja Budati [21:49]
• “[When it comes to onboarding at a new company effectively] I would say probably, ask questions all the time, have 1 person that you can definitely go to as like your mentor or like a friend, that you can always talk to.” - Roja Budati [29:09]
• “I don’t even want to call [work from home] a perk anymore, but it’s going to be a thing that people and candidates are going to be looking for going forward and in order for companies to remain competitive, it’s something that they will highly need to think about offering [to new hires].” - Erin Orstrom [41:28]

TIMESTAMPS

• [0:55] Meet Erin and Roja
• [5:52] Erin describing her experience from moving from a normal work environment to going fully remote because of COVID-19
• [14:24] Erin describing what it’s like working from home for an extended period of time and her thoughts on it moving forward
• [16:45] How work from home flexibility will be a big factor in attracting talent to a company in the future when things go back to what experts are saying to a new normal
• [20:02] Roja’s experience going through a fully virtual interview process at her new company and advice on preparing for video interviews for first-timers 
• [24:15] Roja’s experience onboarding at her new company fully remotely
• [29:04] Roja’s advice for professionals starting a new job fully remote and how to ramp up quickly
• [31:16] How Roja integrated herself into the company on a social level when working fully remote
• [33:12] Erin’s recommendations on team building in a hybrid work environment in the future
• [36:54] Tools that Erin and Roja recommend for effective remote work
• [38:55] Discussing whether there was any embarrassment people faced working from home when it came to family interruptions during phone or video calls
• [40:14] What Erin and Roja’s ideal model of work flexibility is going to be in the future once we enter a new normal
• [43:51] Erin and Roja’s COVID-19 predictions in terms of when we will be going back to living a normal life
• [46:14] How Erin and Roja’s families initially handled the pandemic and how they are coping now 
• [49:02] Contacting Erin and Roja
• [50:01] Outro

RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

• Erin Orstrom on LinkedIn
• Erin Orstrom on Instagram
• Erin Orstrom's Personal Website
• Roja Budati on LinkedIn
• Roja Budati on Instagram
• Roja Budati on Twitter
• Chan With A Plan
• Max Chan On LinkedIn