Starting Your Career in a Pandemic

Starting out your career is a formative, fragile time — in the best of circumstances. It’s even more challenging during the intersecting crises we’re living through. Many young women are navigating work relationships and cultures without strong networks, sponsors, and other kinds of support that take time to build. So we’ve pulled together perspectives and practical advice for women who are new to the workforce or entering it now.

First, two women early in their careers tell us how they’re learning to rely on their peers for professional development while working from home. Then Hana Ayoub, a career coach, suggests practices for orienting yourself in an unfamiliar workplace and making the most of less than optimal circumstances. And finally the Amys chat with a graduate student doing an internship at HBR about what’s helped her feel heard at work and optimistic about the future.

More support, from our archive:

• “Networking Doesn’t Have to Be a Drag”
• “Sponsorship: Defining the Relationship”
• “We Deserve Better Than ‘Attagirl’”
• “Let’s Do Less Dead-End Work”

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Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.