Zoom, Skype, Dropbox, Google Docs – names of technology that didn’t exist long ago, but are now mainstream and used by organizations large and small.
These new technologies are appearing in the workplace at the speed of light and companies expect qualified candidates to know them or at least be familiar with them.
All this technology uses “the Cloud”, which is real-time data storage which produces increased teamwork resulting in more efficient work processes. Even before the impact of COVID-19, virtual teams were becoming more and more the norm. So, how do you work effectively with someone you never see in person? Here are some of the tools companies are using and expect you to know.
Document sharing
–
Dropbox
and
Google Docs
are used by companies so employees can share files and documents no matter their location. While Microsoft Word is still commonly used, Google Docs not only allows you to create documents but also to share them with a large group of people.
Video conferencing
– Although this technology has been around for a while, the forced “stay-at-home” requirement in many states has seen the use of tools like
Skype, Zoom, WebEx
and
Bluejeans
increase exponentially, allowing teams to have real time face-to-face meetings, albeit virtually. They provide the ability to share screens, make presentations and hold meetings in a much more interactive and effective manner than a conference call would allow. Many are commenting that, as the pandemic has forced the business community to become more comfortable using these tools, their use may decrease the need for future business travel in a post pandemic world.
Collaboration tools
-
Microsoft Teams, Slack, Google Hangouts
and
Basecamp
are just a few of the products that allow remote teams the ability to work together while sharing information via a common space. While there is some overlap with other already mentioned products, they provide a place where chats, meeting notes and attachments can be combined and accessed by both internal and external team members, focusing on teamwork collaboration.
While you don’t need to know every product mentioned above (and there are many others), spending the time to become familiar with some of these tools and how companies are using them may help you stand out as a more qualified candidate.
-Dr. Marilyn A. Clark, Executive Leadership Career Coach, CRC Program Committee
