My name is Jahnaea Williams, and I am based in the Charlotte, NC office. I am a fan of chai tea, reading, working with others and learning on projects. I started apprenticing at Capco about a month ago and I can honestly say that I would rate my time here 5 out of 5 stars!
I was quite nervous coming into an unfamiliar environment, as I had just finished an internship at a large bank and had the expectation of a certain, more rigid environment. The atmosphere at Capco is very different, and also YUPRO has prepared me well for adapting in new settings so I could take my knowledge and apply it in a new place to grow and succeed.
My first month at Capco has been very exciting. On my first day I had the courage to attend an International Women’s Day (IWD) event at Capco. I was terrified because I knew absolutely no one there. However, I wanted to meet others and learn more about the community and the company. After that experience, it was easier to feel more relaxed and I began to meet new people on a regular basis to talk about what they do and their experience with Capco.
Capco’s is not an ‘every man for himself’ environment. Instead, people care and support one another. It is a safe and healthy environment that promotes learning and feedback. This is very important while you’re new and learning and probably putting pressure on yourself to do and say the right thing. But it’s okay to make mistakes and we must be patient with ourselves.
Other advice I can give is to ask questions, and I cannot stress this enough. If you are unsure about something that has been said in a meeting or training session, it is best to pause and ask for clarification or write it down to ask afterwards. Also, you are going to hear a lot of industry jargon and acronyms – be sure you understand the meaning or ask for an explanation.
My final piece of advice is to keep a notebook close. Taking notes is a helpful tool for everyone, and for me, personally, writing things down has been a life-saver. There will be times where you are confused or overwhelmed by information, and just a few notes will help keep track and ask the right questions later.