How To Get Ready For Life After Working Remotely

by
Thalie Charles-Cazeau

Going from your normal day-to-day activities to the entire world being paused can be more than a little jarring. As students, it’s only natural for us to worry. How will we finish our classes? When will we be able to go back to school? And for many of us, how will we find jobs?

Social Distancing

A blog post by Thalie Charles-Cazeau

The fashion industry, like many others, has been hit hard by Coronavirus. Businesses are cutting back, some are closing. It can be hard to envision how you will be able to find your place. As hard as things are, there’s still hope. One good thing about being stuck at home is that we now have the luxury of time. How can we use it to prepare ourselves for the future? I’ve got five tips to help you do just that.

1. Stay up-to-date with industry news

Stay current with what’s happening in the industry. It’s important to be aware of how the fashion world is being affected by our current situation. You can keep track of what companies are doing to take care of their employees as well as help their communities. Be sure to pay close attention to companies that you’re interested in working for—chances are they’ll ask a few questions about it if you get the chance to speak to them. We’re lucky enough to get free access to some amazing resources through the Adrian Marcuse Library:

2. Network

Ideally, we’d network face to face; however, seeing that group gatherings aren’t an option, we’ll have to get a little more creative. Send out emails, watch webinars, join an online community—there are so many different ways to connect with people. Be proactive, too. It may take some time, but the effort will be worth it. We all know LinkedIn is a great resource, and now is the perfect time to spruce up your page.

3. Learn something new

Think about what you’ve always wanted to learn but never had the time to commit to. Adobe is giving students 30 days of access to all of Creative Cloud for free. Apple is offering 90-day trials for apps like Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X. Now is the perfect time to learn a new skill that you can use to set yourself apart. When things go back to normal, companies will be looking for self-starters, and it will give you something interesting to talk about when discussing how you spent your time remotely.

4. Get comfortable with Zoom

Working remotely is going to become the norm. There’s no saying how long we may be required to stay home, so it’s important to work toward becoming comfortable with working virtually. You’ll need to be familiar with resources like Zoom, FaceTime, TeamViewer, Splashtop. Even if the world opens back up again soon, all industries are going to incorporate more remote work into their day-to-days.

5. Try to stay calm

We’re going through a difficult situation, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed. But don’t forget to take time to enjoy yourself—exercise, binge Netflix, or start a new project. Don’t let the chaos around you suffocate you. It’s a great time to take a minute to appreciate the small things: spring flowers, family time, fresh baked cookies, not having to rush to get ready, not having to deal with rush hour subway delays.

Remember that you aren’t dealing with this alone.

A blog post by Thalie Charles-Cazeau