Hi there,Hey everyone, had my first day of a vac scheme today and I'm a little disappointed with some aspects of it. My associate supervisor emailed me to welcome me to the team and said that I'd probably be busy with intro sessions etc but to check in if things were quiet. I suggested a call just to introduce myself and she advised that they were free for a quick call in the afternoon.
I really don't feel like I gave a good first impression during the call - I had prepped questions but as she had wanted a quick call, I didn't really ask any of these (just asked about her background/the team/work allocation) and it just felt really rushed. I sent a follow up email thanking her for her time and to say that I look forward meeting with her in person later in the week (and briefly indicated some follow-up topics). Was this the right approach? Should I have persevered and asked the questions I had prepped?
I want to feel like I've made a good start to the scheme, and to be fair, the rest of the day when pretty well but I'm aware that the associate supervisor will probably be observing and gathering feedback that will feed into the TC decision.
It’s so easy to go over things in your head and dissect everything you said and how you came across- it is so natural to do this so don’t worry. Nothing from what you say is a cause for any concern. The reality is they are probably just very very busy at the moment and will hopefully be able to catch up with you later this week, perhaps once they’ve cleared the things which came in over the weekend etc. It sounds like you’ve actually been very proactive in setting up an introductory call and emailing a polite ‘thank you’.
If I may give you just a little piece of advice, my first vac scheme I was so paranoid about putting a foot wrong and wanting to be perfect, what happened is that I came across very unconfident and nervous and it stopped my true personality shining through. If I have one tip for anyone doing a vac scheme it is this- please enjoy the time and see it as the incredible opportunity to learn and grow which it is. Yes, if the end result is a TC then that would be amazing- it’s what we all strive for. But please don’t be your own personal saboteur and hinder yourself from making the most and best of the opportunity
We are always here though to help and support with things like this- I hope this puts you at ease. And just to make totally clear, worrying about things like this is so so natural so don’t feel our reassurances make this less of a valid concern- any worries you guys have are valid and it is our job to help and guide and give the best advice we can, so never hesitate sharing with us if you feel comfortable to.