Orla’s First Month in HERO- From Student to Professional

I am a recent graduate of NUIG, with a degree in General Commerce (HR stream). I started my first role since college with HERO in July as Marketing and Recruitment Administrator. As many graduates know it’s not always easy transitioning from a student to a professional. Moving to this new environment can be overwhelming. It can involve some obstacles and can be a massive learning curve but ultimately it is an extremely exciting opportunity and start to your career path.

On the infamous first day (dreaded by all) I was delighted to receive a warm welcome from everyone in the office which kept me at ease. Small things like getting introduced to everyone, shown around your office and going out for lunch can make someone’s induction process much easier and much less intimidating.

I was told that on Tuesdays there is a weekly meeting where everyone gets a chance to come together to catch up. This gave me a good insight of the positive atmosphere and open communication in the office. Not all teams allocate time to gather and discuss various topics even though it is very beneficial and valuable.

When I received my training plan; it was a welcome bit of structure that also gave me some autonomy. It helped me to stay on track for the week and understand what my role/function would look like on the team. It also gave me a good guide on who to go to depending on what I needed or the question I was asking (which is absolutely key when starting a new role- graduate or not). As a new starter you are filled with uncertainties and questions, you must feel welcomed to ask but also push yourself to reach out- people are happy to help and would much rather give you the right advice now to help you learn for the future.

There is a weekly yoga class that runs on a Tuesday which I joined in on. Activities like this are common but you may need to look out or ask around for them- it may be a Tag Rugby team or a 5 aside that’s run outside of business hours. It was great to see that there is a high importance placed on exercise and movement in the office, which showed even more the culture of the company was something that I would enjoy. Another activity that adds even more to the fun and modern atmosphere is the ‘plank-a-day’ challenge, where people in the office join in to take time away from their desk to do a small bit of exercise and contribute to that energetic and uniting feeling in the office.

I had a meeting with one of the company’s directors where I got an introduction to the company, the dynamics of the team, the culture and the company’s values. These are all crucial things to know when you start off somewhere new- getting this off a website is not always enough to get an accurate view. It’s more helpful when you get this information from someone senior who has been with the business from the beginning, they know where the company has come from and where it is going.

From my first week I have been given a sense of independence and plenty of opportunities to learn in regards to projects and tasks, whilst also having an open line of communication for any support or guidance I should need. Obviously every graduate/new starter is different but it is important to offer this support whilst also not undermining the employee’s knowledge and capabilities.

I have really enjoyed my first month in HERO, I have learned a massive amount and I know that this will only increase as my time here continues. There is a real sense of teamwork and ownership I have found in the company that has massively supported me in my first few weeks but also enabled me to learn as much as possible. I look forward to the future I have in HERO and what is to come as I progress in my career.