Starting somewhere new is always scary, but starting at Veran was a completely new, unknown experience. I remember my first worry was ‘what if I don’t fit in? I’m so much younger!’. Being an intern, I initially felt out of my depth. I had just finished my first year at university, where I’m studying history, and HR transformation was completely new to me.
Being 20, I was concerned about the age difference being significant and not being accepted or treated as an adult because I am younger. I have previously been spoken down to and told that I’m ‘too young’ to be friends with people 10 years my senior. That was the first thing I loved about Veran, it’s such a young team and everyone is accepting, friendly and welcoming. It put my mind at ease immediately, and within the first week I went out for drinks and met a lot of other colleagues which helped even more! They often take new starters to lunch as well, which is another great part of their welcoming process. Veran make an active effort to make sure everyone joining is comfortable, and although starting a new job is daunting, Veran have made it ten times less scary than it usually would be.
As an intern, I wasn’t quite certain of what jobs I would be doing and another worry of mine was that they would be mediocre and boring. The onboarding process put my mind at ease, as they have so many different projects and events happening throughout the year – wine tasting and end of month drinks being only two of many. I was also lucky to be invited to the FSHRC event, which was on my second day, and had the opportunity to learn and gain a real understanding of what I was helping with. I found this incredibly important, as in the past I have struggled to understand what companies do, but with Veran I know exactly what they do, what my role is and why they need my help.
I had previously worked in other offices, mainly on my gap year and that’s where I worked out that I enjoyed office work. It is unconventional to state, as a student, that once I’ve graduated, I want to work in an office (preferably a role involving HR), and quite often my friends are shocked at my mundane response. I have realised that I have been told nothing about the working world during my education experience, and that is something that I resent as there is this world that you are expected to enter but you know nothing about it. It’s hard not knowing what area to go into, being confused between HR and BD, and just settling for anything you are offered because you have ultimately no information on any of it. I was lucky enough to start working once I turned 18, which has helped me a lot in knowing what I want to do once I graduate, hence why I’m such an advocate for taking a year out to explore career options. It’s so important to explore different options to gain an understanding of what you want to do, and what’s available to you. Working at Veran has given me this clarity, and I feel ready to follow a career path that I understand and want. There is satisfaction behind helping other companies improve and develop a better HR system, whilst also advising people within the financial sector.
The management at Veran is probably the best I have ever experienced through all the jobs I’ve had. I didn’t realise the importance of having a good boss until I started at Veran, and now I know what I need from someone who manages me. A manager should guide you, make you comfortable whilst also maintaining a level of professionalism. They shouldn’t belittle you and should remain considerate of any potential personal challenges you have. Emotional intelligence is a valuable trait to have, especially as work can get stressful and sometimes you do need a helping hand or someone to listen. I have been lucky at Veran, as my manager has been all these things and again, has made me realise that these are valuable and important when being managed. It improves your quality of life, and I look forward to work which is a first in a long time!
My final word of advice is that be vocal about potential health problems, whether that’s mental health or physical health. People will understand, and it’s their job to make sure you are okay in your role. Everyone at Veran has been good at understanding anything I’ve been going through and have never made me feel guilty or invalidated for things out of my control. Be honest, as it will help you in the long run.
I have grown as a person whilst working at Veran, I have experienced the trials and tribulations of commuting in London everyday (which I have actually realised helps prepare me for my day) and I have gained experience in Salesforce, Wix and event planning. Veran has made me excited for my next job, and I’m so lucky to have been given the opportunity of an internship here. I now have priceless skills that a lot of people my age don’t have yet, which will only benefit me in the long run. I can only thank Veran for helping me develop as a person and feel happy in the role I’ve had here.
To find out more about internship opportunities at Veran Performance, contact careers@veranperformance.com