Over the past decade, I’ve worked with many young adults transitioning from college to the workforce. More and more, I hear the same thing: they’re struggling with career direction. They’re unsure of what path to take, what roles fit their skills, and how to build a meaningful career.
This has always been a challenge, but the rise of remote work has made it even harder. While Zoom and Slack provide flexibility, they also remove something critical for early-career professionals: exposure.
When starting out, you don’t know what you don’t know. You might think you understand what a marketing analyst or product manager does, but until you see it firsthand, you won’t know if it’s the right fit.
In an office, exposure happens organically:
- You overhear a senior colleague negotiating a deal and realize sales excites you.
- You see how a project manager runs a complex launch and discover a hidden talent for operations.
- You sit in a meeting, hear finance asking the sharpest questions, and suddenly find the field interesting.
These moments shape career paths—but they rarely happen when you’re just a box on a Zoom screen.
Beyond exposure, being in an office helps in four key ways:
1. Serendipitous Learning
Some of the best lessons come from hallway conversations, coffee chats, and observing experienced colleagues. These unplanned learning moments disappear in a remote setting.
2. Building Real Relationships - Networking isn’t just about LinkedIn. It’s about the bonds formed over time—grabbing lunch with a colleague, jumping in on a project, or chatting with your boss beyond the weekly meeting. These connections lead to mentorship and job opportunities.
3. Unscripted Opportunities - Being present means getting pulled into meetings, volunteering for projects, and catching the attention of senior leaders. Remote workers often miss these organic chances to prove themselves.
4. Understanding Workplace Dynamics - Every company has unspoken rules and power structures. Knowing how decisions are made and who influences them is crucial for career growth—and far easier to grasp in person.
Remote work has its advantages, but for those just starting out, nothing beats being in the room. Show up. Observe. Ask questions. Get involved. You’ll learn more than you ever could through a screen.