Following on from our interview with Tyler last month, for this month's Meet the Team episode we have Sophia, who works in our New Business Team, explaining umbrella company employment to new contractors and helping them to register with us. If you're employed by Orange Genie you may have had the pleasure of speaking to her at registration.
Our New Business Team are often a contractor's first contact with an umbrella expert, and they need to ensure each new employee has a clear understanding, so they can get the most from their employment with us right from the start. Sophia is perfectly suited to this task, with relentless attention to detail and seemingly boundless enthusiasm for helping the people around her.
When asked what she likes about her job, it's the variety that lights her up. She speaks to many different people from all walks of life, and they have an enormous range of questions for her to answer. The challenge of applying her expertise to so many different angles and points of view, clarifying what can be a complex situation for so many different people excites her and keeps her motivated.
On the subject of the most important part of her job, she picks out that clarity of understanding. Many new contractors have never heard of umbrella company employment, and even those who research it online often pick up some misconceptions. It's vital that Sophia can explain clearly during that first call, so they know what to expect, what they need to do and how to get the best from their employment with us.
On her experience of working at Orange Genie, the word she chooses is "family". She knows that the company and her colleagues care about her, that her professional relationships are also personal. This can be seen in the way NBT and the surrounding teams support and lift each other, with easy banter that speaks of deeply felt trust and regard.
We talk about her artistic projects; she crafts all kinds of useful and beautiful things using a wide range of disciplines and techniques. While most of this creative whirlwind is concerned with "for the love" projects, she does make things for sale; her jewellery is available online, and she occasionally accepts commissions for other kinds of work. When taking time out to relax, she plays MMO RPG games, particularly non-combative strategy games.
Over all, Sophia's interview leaves us feeling hopeful. Most of her considerable energy is focused on the future, while in the "here and now" she's putting in the work, carving out the life she wants for herself and the people she loves. Her Orange Genie family have no doubt at all that she'll succeed.