In December 2019 I started my working days at a company where I had already fulfilled two different functions during my studies at TU Delft. Even though I already learned many things at Moxio, it looked like there was a good match between what I would like to develop in my first working years and where the company is evolving towards. It seemed I could learn and grow even more at Moxio! Now, four months later, it looks like we were right. I have already been very pleased with things learned at Moxio and I am looking forward to the future with excitement. This blog will provide you with what I have learned so far and some inside information on the way of working at Moxio. And as a bonus I will share some things I experienced that might kickstart your new job too (maybe even at Moxio..).  

Introduction

First some context. Moxio is a company which develops software supporting big infra projects and digital regulation management. My background is one of Industrial Design which I studied at TU Delft. During the graduating of the master Strategic Product Design I specialized in employee involvement in strategy realization, which seemed very far from software development. Though, I experienced that my role as a User Experience Designer and Product Owner of one of the applications, fits with my educational background. I can practice the skills I have learned in designing user experiences and use the knowledge I have gathered on product strategy in my Product Owner tasks. This good match made the past time pleasurable, but also the way of working at Moxio was beneficial to the match.

Me and Moxio

What contributed to me growing at Moxio is the space there is to act on your ideas. As a designer with a lot of ideas and an urge to improve, Moxio is the perfect playground. The organization is very flat, everything can be arranged, and can be arranged quickly. Your ideas matter and you get the opportunity to act on them. For me, this means I get the freedom to pick up contact with our users anytime, research their needs, brainstorm on a variety of solutions, further detail out the design specifics and realize the situation together with the developers. Being able to pick up things you find important for customers and being involved in the full process of realization is satisfying. As a result, I know for sure that my work directly contributes to enhancing the experience of our customers. I never expected to get this much responsibility and trust in the first months of my working days.

Besides all the nice experiences, the start of your career also consists of getting used to a lot. Longer days, soaking in heaps of information and learning new skills, it can be a handful. What I particularly found challenging is setting clear boundaries to the projects you initiate. During my studies I learned a great deal about ‘diverging’, going wider and deeper in the matter. But getting somewhere quick and communicating your projects is way easier when you chop up your projects in small clear chunks that, of course, can be iterated on later. If there is one thing you learn as a designer it is: iterate, iterate, iterate. I am very happy that I get loads of space at Moxio to evolve in the things that I still have to learn. I get the space to figure them out myself and can easily ask help to anyone here

Meet the team

I discussed a lot about the contents of my day to day work, which is a big part of why you like a certain job. Although, some people state that the people you do them with is even more important. And yet here, I have nothing to complain about. Besides all the fun word jokes and numerous activities outside of work, also working together with these folks is great. Most colleagues shine when they are feeling efficient and get things done, and this you pick up yourself too. Additionally, I love how we stimulate each other to find more ways to be less polluting. Someone even takes our separated plastic waste because we have no facilities for this in the office building! Love it! 

Kick-start tips

Now, I think I made it all too clear how my first months made me learn so much already at Moxio. Of course, your background and the match with a company (and many other things) matter in making your first period a success. However, I am convinced you can do certain things to give your start a kick-start. So, here I will share a few tips which helped me.

• Be your most curious self and ask every little question that pops-up. It can feel like you are taking up a lot of time from your colleagues with all your questions, but I think it is in everyone's benefit that you come to understand all the ins and the outs of your work and the company. So, asking questions is never a waste of time; don’t think about asking but ask!
• Some things can be nerve-racking the first time you are doing them. Especially because you get paid to do them. These nerves cost a lot of energy and are not. fun. What I try to do is to keep in mind that I just started this job. Therefore, no one expects that my work is going to be perfect. It doesn’t have to be, you just started. Relax and do the best you can.
• Sometimes it feels scary to stick your head out and grab opportunities you see laying around from the beginning. You are just the new guy, what do you know about it? In my opinion it shows great motivation and assertiveness when you jump in to do a task. Or when you see other opportunities yourself, bring them up, throw them in the air. It doesn’t matter if they land on the floor again. You have shown that you are interested and want to contribute in many ways.
• And lastly, to give a kickstart to the relationship you have with your colleagues; be there or be squared. Try to attend all the organized get-togethers or even better, organize something yourself! Try to mingle in the conversations and ask (again) questions to get to know your colleagues even quicker.

You have read a very short version of what made my first months at Moxio great, why I like the company and what I contributed myself to make it a success. I hope this blog can inspire others to join the Moxio team or inform you of your possible match with the company. To acquire more information, check our working at moxio website. If none of the above applies, you still might have learned how you can integrate as a rocket. Although some advice obviously will not work so well in our new COVID-19 society...