A lot has changed in the world of work over the past two years, but Lynn Oldham, chief people officer at Zoom Video Communications Inc., says the old adage still applies to job seekers. Oldham, whose company is based in San Jose, Calif., said, “Take the time to understand the planet you want to land on — it’s really important that you don’t just walk in the door.” “You have to figure out how you add value.”
Oldham spoke with Reuters about his thoughts on work, zooming and hiring culture. Edited excerpts are below.
> What did you learn from your first job?
A. My first job out of university was with a benefits administrator for a small company. It was family owned. I loved it because I got to work with retirees to really figure out their next steps and how they would transition. I learned the power of listening to people’s stories, understanding their situation, and approaching it from a more personal perspective.
Q. How are people using Zoom differently in these new times?
A. Before the pandemic, we were a B-to-B company. What happened is that everyone – grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle – started flocking to Zoom. We had weddings, happy hours, family gatherings – overnight, users realized it was possible to do everything from telemedicine and online therapy to yoga and Zumba classes, parent-teacher conferences online.
In the business sector, we saw interviews going virtual – everyone their recruiters and hiring managers were meeting online.
Q. What are the zoom features that you find particularly useful?
A. In the audio setting, there is a “Suppression” tool – set your setting to high, and you won’t hear a fire engine or a dog barking. You can be in a crowded airport and they announce something, and no one will hear it. Plus, lip color and eyebrow pencil features – it’s in studio effect. You can literally roll out of bed and roll in your camera and have all your makeup in tools. If I can change the shade of my lipstick on Studio without paying $25 for a new shade, why bother?
Q. What are the common mistakes people make while zooming?
A. We live in a distracted culture, so if you leave your email open and then keep the chat open, you’ll need to make sure you’re completely attentive to the people in the video call with you. I turn things off so that I don’t see five new emails out of the corner of my eye, and I’m reading my emails while I talk. This is important when we are unable to connect to make sure that we have in the past.
Q. What qualities do you look for when you get hired?
A constant learner. Curious people do well here. Speed sensers do well here. We are not a slow company. We are fast. If you stay on top of your business news—and you’re able to bring into this conversation something you’ve learned and relevant to the job—that calls for curiosity like no other.
> What advice do you have for job seekers right now?
A. Know who is hiring and why they are hiring, and where they are heading and what they are about. Your LinkedIn profile must be up to date. You need a persistent network even if it is virtual. Don’t leave those connections behind and say, “I’ll get to that next month or so after the month.” The constant networking got me through some of my last jobs.
Q. What’s the best job advice you’ve received?
A. Do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life. I love my work; I love what I do. It sounds crazy but the pandemic has exacerbated it, because I’ve learned it’s all about the people and what we’re going to do to make sure people feel good about being back in the office.
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