Starting a Job During a Global Pandemic

When my senior year of college during the spring of 2020 went from in-person class to online class, I knew that classes were not going to be the only thing that would change.

I knew that looking for a job, post-graduation, would include many, if not all jobs being worked remotely or a hybrid between working from home and working in the office. With a crazy summer of lockdowns, shelter-in-place and quarantines, I was ready for whatever work arrangements came my way. My home office was all set up and ready to go.

Getting a Job at Mahoney

I started working alongside the Real Estate Solutions Team at Mahoney in September of 2020 and to be honest, I was worried about working in an office during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were still so many uncertainties, so many questions about the virus and the vaccine was not yet available.

I was relieved to find out that Mahoney had an excellent flexible work plan that allowed me to work where I was most comfortable. Because I was new to Mahoney, I wanted to get a better sense of their company culture and meet most of my team face-to-face (with masks on, of course) all while still being safe and responsible. I decided that a hybrid plan would work best for my schedule and my comfort level. I started by going into the office two days a week, and working from home three days. To this day, just over a year later, I am still working with pretty much the same schedule.

For me, the hardest part of starting a new job during COVID was that there were so many people working fully remotely, and it was hard to meet people. I’ve always heard that work friends can be some of the best friends you have, but it was hard to get to know them well over video calls and emails. There were a couple of people on my team that I worked closely with, but we didn’t meet in person until many months later. There are even a few employees in other departments who I’m still just meeting, now.

Company Culture

One thing that has been helpful during this time is the effort Mahoney has put in to maintaining the company culture. They organize outdoor events to help staff get to know each other in a safe setting. We have had food trucks in the parking lot, which has helped us get together, mingle and catch up. While not everyone has been able to, or felt comfortable attending, it has been a great way to put names to faces.

While this past year has been a whirlwind of emotions – being stuck inside and starting a new job, I’m grateful for Mahoney. They have been flexible, accommodating and considerate of my work preferences throughout these hectic times.

Want to find out more about working at Mahoney? Ask Megan Brownell, Associate, or learn more about our company and view current openings on our Careers page.