Starting a new role at a new company, in a new industry is always a challenge. Learning names, the acronyms, jokes and company norms are just a few of the challenges that come with a new role. And that isn’t even covering the actual work.

I am just approaching the end of my third month at Gaia Resources and I feel like I have been here a lot longer than that. Starting in May, Gaia Resources welcomed me with open arms into the role of Business Development Coordinator. My role has me working closely with Piers Higgs, the Gaia Resources CEO. Piers from day one made it abundantly clear what my role was and how we would work together. He cleared his schedule for my first days to assist in situating myself at Gaia Resources. Each morning in the office we would take a walk down to the local café and I would be given the opportunity to ask any questions as needed. This initial first week ensured that I knew what was expected of me and how I could best spend my time.

Team Lunch at Samuels on Mill – would recommend the Steak Sandwich

Gaia Resources is a company with offices all over Australia and staff dotted around the major cities and this results in online communication becoming the new normal. Coming from an industry where face to face is the norm this was a change, it developed my communication skills and taught me that you have to be patient and succinct in getting your key points across. You may think that working in this virtual world would induce a sense of aloneness but Gaia Resources has successfully combated this through multiple activities. 

To start, the daily coffee catch-ups. When you are working in an office, many parts of your day are engaged in small talk and informal conversations between co-workers whereas working in a virtual office is where this becomes a challenge. The team at Gaia Resources has dedicated daily times daily for coffee catch-ups, and they are open to anyone and the start times vary to cater to the offices around Australia. The best part of these calls is getting a glimpse into other people’s lives, their pets and their hobbies, it is always a great way to spend some time between client meetings.

Waiting for the Culture Coffee Catch-up whilst working from home

Secondly, I have noticed at Gaia Resources how passionate the team is about their work and their hobbies. There is nothing better than having a company and it’s employees who have values that align with your own. I have noticed in my first months that the team always put a focus on ‘is this the right thing to do?’ both from a business and environmental perspective. It’s nice to see and helps to push me to do the best thing in my daily tasks.

Last but not least, Gaia Resources has good vibes (I’m gen Z, so this is my standard vernacular). What I mean by this is the Gaia Resources team is encouraged to grow and learn everyday or as much as they would like and if there is something that will help us in our role we are encouraged to go for it and enhance our skills. Everyone in the company is also only a message away, so if I can’t figure out the difference between Drupal and WordPress it’s only a few minutes before I have a full explanation. Moving forward with Gaia I am excited to expand my knowledge and learn more about each person in the company.

Starting this role at Gaia Resources has pushed me to learn new things, develop my online communication skills and refine my gif and meme crafting. Without the strong foundation I received in my early months and the support of my colleagues from coast to coast, I would not have the same level of confidence in my position that I currently do.

I have included some tips that I have gleaned from my time at Gaia Resources so far:

If you are looking for a company that will support you and provide you with the necessary tools to further your career please don’t hesitate to contact me or check our current job opportunities on LinkedIn.

Luke