You’re often taking a risk of some kind when moving jobs, and even when everything seems to line up you can find yourself wondering: Is the new place really going to be better than the old place? I myself have fallen victim to flashy perks, fancy figures and big promises, only to find I had sold my soul to a Disney villain (many years ago).
My past experiences have taught me to value my self worth and have shown me that the hiring process is a two way exchange. Previously, I felt all the pressure was on me to impress and prove my value, but now I’m empowered to know that they also need to impress and prove their value to me. This personal belief made my decision to join Amiqus very straightforward.
I met Callum, CEO and founder, for a coffee and a casual chat. It was set up by a mutual connection, so I already had a good idea of what Amiqus did and why they did it. Straight away I could tell he was the right kind of person to lead the company. His open and honest manner perfectly complements his passion for the mission and I knew he would be someone I could not only work for, but learn from.
I soon signed on the dotted line and, after a three week break, found myself in the Leith office ready for onboarding. The whole team is remote first, but they have a hub in Leith for anyone who is around Edinburgh to work from if they wish. I had just spent the last year working as the only remote member of an agency so having that dynamic reversed to being part of the majority appealed to me.
Being remote first doesn’t just mean flexibility in where you work but also when and how you work. Everyone is encouraged to write a personal “user manual” to outline when you’d be around, if you prefer face to face calls or Slack messages, and if you’re a night owl or up with the lark. With a majority distributed team, these are the details that keep everyone feeling connected, unified and valued.
During this first month, I’ve witnessed first hand how important being one team is to the Amiqus culture. Together we celebrated the wins, from hitting monthly sales targets to winning Deloitte’s Disrupt the Enterprise competition, and together we said goodbye to a colleague who is off on maternity leave, not without an Amiqus branded baby grow, of course.
Baby banter and Deloitte Disrupt the Enterprise win
Something that surprised me was how passionate everyone was about the mission and how there was this shared thought of “just roll up your sleeves and get stuck in”. As a small team, you might need to wear a few hats, and it’s refreshing to see a group support, guide and help each other do their best, so that together we can lift the company to be successful.
This team dedication to the company is rewarded: The last Friday of the month is a “learning day”. We are encouraged to do something away from the norm and share our experiences with the team. Past days have seen people attend Creative Mornings, visit a museum, take up a new sport, develop a skill or watch that documentary that’s been sitting on their Netflix list for ages.
So, it’s 28 days later and I’m thankful that this career move has turned out to be a “buddie adventure” rather than a solo horror story. I’m excited at what the future holds for us and what we can achieve together in our mission of “making civil justice accessible for everyone.”
The Amiqus team is always interested in meeting talented individuals who want to put their skills to a good cause. Over the comings months we will be looking to expand our team (particularly in engineering and design) so keep an eye out on our Twitter and LinkedIn for roles.
