by Kiren Marshall, Guest Blogger
This interview has been lightly edited for clarity.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep us all apart, it is more challenging to get to interact with all the fantastic staff on site. Krystal Waters, who serves as the Executive Assistant to the Director at the Associates, was kind enough to spend some time chatting with me about how her work has changed during this time, how she builds community in a virtual world, and what she is looking forward to in the new year.
How long have you been working with the Smithsonian Associates and what is your primary role?
I have worked at Associates for 4.5 years as the Executive Assistant for our Director. My job is to provide support to our director and the whole organization. My job is to make Fredie’s job easier. Everything I do has that goal in mind.
What aspect of your job requires the most of your attention?
Pre-pandemic – Fredie’s schedule. During the pandemic – Fredie’s and the tech schedule.
How has your job changed with COVID-19?
My job has changed significantly. I would say that about 50-75% of my job is not what I was doing pre-pandemic. However, I think the changes are all still within my areas of expertise and experience.
How did you become such an expert on Zoom last year?
Probably because I have spent a ton of time on Zoom during this remote work environment. I had used Zoom infrequently in the years prior to 2020 to connect with friends across the country and the globe.
What is the pace of your job? How do you handle that?
My job in the office had more what I would call unstructured time. This allowed for me to do the part of my job that is hard to qualify but is about soft skills. My current job has seen the loss of that unstructured time because of new responsibilities. However, I still harness the soft skills, but it is a much longer and faster pace. I tend to work long days but will take breaks to give myself a chance to recover.
What do you like best about working at the Smithsonian Associates?
The people. Hands down.
What is something you want volunteers to know?
I am very thankful to the volunteers. Your willingness to learn Zoom along with us and to continue to support our programs is very much appreciated.
The most sought-after skill to have for zoom is the ability to react and adjust. I compare it to being on stage. You know your lines; your partner knows theirs (i.e. - you are both comfortable and confident in what you need to do and how to do it) but the prop breaks or the lights don't change. How you recover is what makes all the difference.
What advice do you have for the remote volunteers?
Spend free time in zoom; play with it, call family and friends on it, put on a PowerPoint, host a game or trivia night. Community is hard to build online but it is possible. One of the ways that has worked for me is using Zoom for fun not just work.
What do you look forward to in 2021?
I hope everyone will have the vaccine and we can start to move into the new normal. I don't think Zoom and internet programming is going to go away, but I do think we want to start to see our friends and family in person again.
