My name is Tiana and I have been a Customer Support Specialist at Recollective since June 2021. In my role, I provide online support to our customers across the globe ranging from independent researchers to multi-market research agencies. In most cases, I offer platform knowledge and guidance to ensure the platform is used most effectively by researchers to achieve their goals, and I troubleshoot potential technical issues on customer sites.
When I first came across Recollective, I was at a very stressful point in my life. The COVID-19 lockdowns in my province caused me to lose my job; my senior-aged mother was still waiting to be vaccinated and she could not work. To top it all off, I had student loans looming in the distance.
The financial strain was worrisome and as someone fresh out of university, I had steep competition in the job market. Recent graduates like me will know the struggle of finding employment in general, let alone during a pandemic when unemployment rates have doubled. It seemed like every entry-level job required at least a year of relevant work experience, which sounds a little oxymoronic if you think about it!
I prepared myself as best as I could for the interviews, but I was still jittery with nerves. How was I supposed to compete against people with years of qualifying work experience? Nonetheless, I went in with the intention of learning more about the software and the research industry. I told myself, "Even if I don't make it in, I can at least use this as a learning experience."
From the very first interview onwards, I was pleasantly surprised at how casual and welcoming my interviewers were. What struck me the most was their focus on personal growth within the company. It was refreshing to see a business that actually concerned itself with future career development. I really appreciated being treated like a person and not some expendable resource. Rather than feeling nervous and doubtful of myself after the interviews, I left each one feeling confident and empowered.
Of course, actually starting the job was another challenge entirely. I might have made a good impression, but now I had to deliver against their expectations.
"New job anxiety" is probably a very familiar term for many people and for me, it was cranked up to 110%. Sure, I had customer service experience, but I was never employed by a tech company with a global reach before. Even the idea of having health and dental benefits and a pension plan was foreign to me. Imposter syndrome was the little cartoon devil on my shoulder, constantly whispering in my ear that I was probably too unqualified to be here.
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