“It’s like fuel for us”: Geneve Estrada and Emily Ho on creating meaningful connections through the Early-in-Career Program
For graduates Geneve Estrada and Emily Ho, the transition to full-time roles at Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Aspire Experience in January 2020 should have been a breeze.
Geneve, who was starting a role at Microsoft as a Cloud Solution Architect, and Emily, a Customer Success Account Manager, had both previously interned at Microsoft, working with the teams they were now joining. With a strong support network to help them settle in and a calendar of exciting networking events and learning and development opportunities to look forward to, the future seemed bright.
Fast forward two months and everything changed. For Emily and Geneve, the outbreak of COVID-19 put a spanner in the works in more ways than one.
But the really incredible part is what they did next.
Adapting to a new way of working
Like many employees , Emily and Geneve found themselves suddenly compelled to work remotely when the Australian government issued stay-at-home orders in March 2020.
The lockdowns impacted many of the global Aspire events they’d been scheduled to attend. Some were cancelled, while others pivoted to become virtual. Team and client meetings also shifted online as people sought new ways to create meaningful connections. Opportunities for impromptu learning and casual social interactions disappeared.
While adapting to remote working was difficult for many people, it was particularly challenging for early-in-career (EIC) team members. Without years of experience or established professional networks, they had fewer resources to call on for support.
“I struggled a lot with balance in the early stages of working from home,” recalls Emily. “Once I was given my own customers, the biggest thing for me was working out how to manage and build relationships with no in person interaction.”
Although initially happy to work from home, Geneve found the lack of social interaction and development opportunities difficult as the lockdown continued. “Because of the pandemic, we didn't get to experience the trips and training events that usually came with being an Aspire Graduate," she says. “I definitely felt pressure to ramp up into the role more quickly because of that lack of social interaction and local touchpoints.”
Though the global Aspire events went ahead virtually , Geneve admits she found it hard to engage with them passively behind her computer screen.
“When you’re early in your career, meeting new people and forming relationships – both internally and with customers or partners, is pretty important. Even something as simple as putting a face to a name really solidifies your position with the people you work with. I feel like that’s something we really missed out on.”
Emily also found that not being able to interact with colleagues in person and learn from them during the pandemic felt like a missed opportunity.
Creating connections out of adversity
Feeling disconnected and recognising that many other new starters were feeling the same way, Emily and Geneve made a decision. Instead of simply accepting their lot, they embarked on a journey to build out a local community that would connect and support other EIC team members in Australia.
“It was clear to us there was a gap in the support and programs available to EIC employees, which the pandemic really brought to light,” says Emily. “Once we’d talked through the challenges with HR, they empowered us to address them.”
Informed by the challenges Geneve and Emily have faced since joining Microsoft, the Early-in-Career Program aims to improve the employee experience for EICs at Microsoft.
The program’s activities include monthly virtual Lunch & Learn sessions on various topics , from mental health to career progression, as well as social meet-ups to connect early starters. EICs can also get involved with activities such as Codess and Protégé, which help university students learn more about the tech industry and discover exciting career pathways.
“Once we’d talked through the challenges with HR, they empowered us to address them”
Recent initiatives include co-hosting a trivia night with Atlassian to foster industry collaboration and gain different perspectives and ideas from EICs working outside Microsoft. Emily and Geneve also organised a Games Night fundraiser to support the youth homelessness charity For Change Co.
“The games night was born out of wanting to provide a platform for EICs to make a difference together,” explains Geneve.
With their events attracting an average of 60-plus participants, Emily and Geneve have big plans for the program. Having recently extended the program to New Zealand, the pair will roll out more events across the Tasman this financial year.
They also plan to launch several new initiatives. These include ensuring EICs are represented in Microsoft’s employee branding campaigns and introducing an awards program specifically for EICs. They will also launch a series of wellbeing events to provide EICs with the resources and support they need to look after their physical and mental wellbeing.
While getting their passion project up and running has been tough at times, Emily and Geneve believe it’s all been worth it. “We thrive off seeing the positive impact the program is having on people,” says Emily. “It’s like fuel for us.”
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