Engaging with Young Professionals at inFact
At the heart of inFact’s vision lies a commitment to nurturing young talent such as Alex and Jonny. The passion for engaging with budding tech enthusiasts is rooted in the drive for innovation and readiness to tackle challenges head-on. InFact Founder and Managing Director, Nigel Sharplin believes that these young professionals inject a unique energy and perspective into the tech industry, which has become increasingly more important as the industry shifts through continual and rapid change.
Mentorship plays a crucial role in Sharplin's strategy for engaging the next generation of tech professionals in the complex problems they need to solve. He understands the significance of providing guidance and meaningful opportunities for growth to young talents. At inFact, the culture ensures that young professionals have access to experienced mentors who can offer valuable insights and advice. These mentorships not only accelerate professional development but also foster a sense of belonging and company-wide support.
Success Stories
At inFact, its success stories are the long tales of achievement; they are the stories of how young talent has driven innovation within the company and have gone on to achieve throughout their career journey.
Take Jamie Wilson, for instance. He joined inFact straight out of university as InFact’s first employee, not knowing much about the industry. But with his fresh perspective and eagerness to build a leading design company in NZ, and with plenty of mentoring and hands-on experience, Jamie really found his way within the company and ended up playing a leading role in its growth and success over 10 years. Jamie has gone on to leading teams in large innovative organisations like Hamilton Jet and Mooring Systems.
Additionally, Paul Reed started with inFact as a graduate intern and worked his way into running large projects for the company. His talent was later recognised by Dyson where he eventually ended up running their EV Car Development team. Paul reflects on his time at inFact as being crucial to the foundations of his innovative leadership style.
Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities in the Workforce
Despite the numerous opportunities in the tech industry, young professionals often face significant challenges when entering the field. Nigel Sharplin draws from his experience to shed light on how to overcome them. Highlighting the steep learning curve and the time required for individuals to become fully productive and self-managing.
For many young professionals, one of the toughest challenges is navigating the job hunt. What might seem like a frustrating process, full of disappointment and setbacks, is actually packed with opportunities. Taking your time to find the right fit is far more beneficial for your professional development than hastily accepting the first job offer that comes your way. Sharplin stresses how crucial it is to find a workplace culture that fits in with your long-term goals and advises young job seekers to thoroughly research potential employers before committing. “spend the time looking into the market at what companies/industries you want to work in then make up your mind that you are gonna work for that company. Learn about the company, learn about the people, learn about what they are doing, what their values are, and interview them rather than the other way around.”
To sum up, don’t wait for your dream company to notice you—make it happen.
