Finding your niche and succeeding

Would you be comfortable traveling for the job?

As someone who will always prioritize family over work, I would be willing to travel for the company occasionally but could not see it being a routine thing for me. Although there could be good money involved in this type of work it would not be enough to sacrifice time with loved ones that I would not be able to get back.  

What would your desired salary be when starting?

In the current state of the job market and the brutal realization that it’s nearly impossible to find a job currently, I would not be picky when it came to a salary straight out of college. Personally, I am aiming to secure a job paying over 50,000 dollars upon graduation but like I said times are tough, and being employed is a success within itself right now. As my career develops like most, I will strive for the most financial freedom possible. Within 3-5 years of being employed, I hope to be earning a six-figure salary and am willing to take the extra steps needed to do so. 

Would you be okay with taking work home?

Like I stated earlier family time is very important to me. If it is a busy week or I am under a time crunch I will be willing to get to the office early and skip/limit lunch break but I don’t intend to leave the office with additional work to be done at home. In my personal experience, I perform worse when I am being consumed by one task rather than being able to get my mind off it and then returning to it after unwinding a bit. 

Would you prefer working in person or remotely?

In an ideal world, I would enjoy having the option to go into an office for the majority of work but have the flexibility to work remotely if I wanted. An office setting tends to increase my productivity and the in person interaction is helpful for me. I have noticed this through this school year in particular. I have more success as a student getting an in person education rather than remote learning and I would expect work to be a similar outcome. 

Would you like like/expect the company to pay for your education?

If I decided to go to graduate school and the company thought that would be a good idea for me long term I would wishfully think they would cover my tuition. I think that would be more likely if my employer was a large scale organization. If they elected not to pay for it I would understand and consider the best options for me going forward. 

What benefits would you expect?

As an employee I would expect to have a good health insurance plan provided to me and my family. Outside of that I would not have many other expectations but would enjoy some paid vacation days. 

Where would you like to work?

I would enjoy to work in a growing city such as raleigh that has fair weather year round. I would try and stay away from the larger metropolitan cities such as New York and Los Angeles. Leading up to graduation I anticipate to look into Raleigh, Charlotte, Wilmington and more.

Do you want to work at one company for a long time or gain new experiences every so often at different companies?

In the beginning of my professional career I would be open to having each job for just a couple of years until moving onto a job that might be better suited to me. As I grow older and start a family I will want job stability and to work somewhere for an extended period of time so my family does not have to move around. 

Would you prefer working at a large scale company or somewhere a bit smaller? 

Personally, I dont have a preference regarding the size of the company. What is most important to me is job security and then factors such as pay, location, etc.

Do you want a job that grants you the ability to be promoted?

I think that I would definitely want the opportunity to have a promotion that leads to increased pay and benefits. This would give me some extra drive and motivate me to strive towards that. 

How far would you be willing to commute to work?

The answer to this question is very reliant on my pay as well as other factors. If I am making really good money and enjoy my office environment I would be willing to commute a good distance. Ideally I would hope not to have to commute more than 45 minutes.

Can coworkers impact weather you accept the job or not?

I would strongly prefer to work with individuals that I can conversate with and enjoy being around them. With that being said, the most important thing is securing a job and if that requires working with people I really dislike than that is just what I will have to do.

Would you prefer working mainly in a team or individually?

I don’t necessarily have a preferenfence and am willing to do both. I think a solid team could be more enjoyable and make time go by faster but that is if the team works well together. 

Do you want routine work matterial?

It would be difficult for me to work on the same exact thing every day but I do enjoy consistency. I think I would be bets equipped to work on tasks that are very similar but there is some variation of side projects and other thinks I would accomplish as well. 

Do you want to have some creative freedom?

Yes, I would enjoy being able to do things that are best suited for my abilities as long as I am doing the job effectively.

Maybe It’s Time To Ask What The Company Will Do For Me?

Q1: What benefits would you like from your job?

    I would like for my job to provide health insurance (I would prefer dental and vision included, however, it would not be the end of the world if it was not), paternity leave/work from home options,  and I would like for my job to provide paid time off. Quality health insurance is a must in my view, just in case a medical emergency does happen I would like to be insured. I think that paid time off is also important. I think that time off from work can be beneficial and would allow for me to recharge and be more energized for work afterward. Paternity leaves and work-from-home options, while not an absolute necessity, is something I would highly prefer. If I have a child, I want to help with raising them and I want to watch them grow up. I know it’s not exactly a common benefit offered in the United States currently, but I hope that will change in the future.

Image found at: https://www.deviantart.com/adoreth/art/Travel-around-the-world-542125751

Q2: Are you okay with relocating? What areas, in particular, are you interested in?

    I would happily relocate anywhere as long as the salary makes sense for the area. I would personally prefer warmer states such as Georgia, Texas, or California. However, colder states such as New York, Pennsylvania,  or Massachusetts do not bother me, they are just not my preference. I would prefer to live in larger cities such as Atlanta, San Francisco, or Houston. I would work in smaller cities and towns if necessary. I would not mind even leaving the country for work as long as the country I am going to is stable.

Q3: How do you feel about business travel?

    As someone who loves traveling, business travel does not bother me at all. I have always wanted to travel the world, so if my job helps me achieve that goal even slightly I’d be happy. The change in scenery would likely also be welcome.

Q4: What type of company would you prefer?

    I don’t mind either a well-established company or a start-up in all honesty. To me, as long as there’s job security (as in, I won’t end up laid off three months later), I don’t mind. At a start-up company you’re more likely to take up extra tasks you wouldn’t normally do otherwise. However, that doesn’t bother me. Taking up more responsibilities may make my job more enjoyable due to having more variety in the type of work I am doing.

Q5: Does salary matter?

    To be entirely honest, yes. Like many of you, I have student loans to pay, and I have bills to pay. While I would take a reasonable salary cut if I thought one job was more aligned with my values or thought the work was more interesting, there comes a certain point at which those stop being the more important factors over salary.

Q6: Does it matter that the company you work for shares your values?

    For me, it matters that the company I work for shares my values. I believe that to truly enjoy your job, the job has to be in something that you also personally agree with. If I am working hard at my job, I want to know that it’s worth it. I would like it if the company had volunteering opportunities and gave back to their community.  

Image found at: https://www.techiexpert.com/7-ways-to-make-collaboration-easy-in-your-remote-workplace/

Q7: Would you be okay working in a remote environment?

    After the pandemic, I would prefer to work in a real-life office, with people. I do not feel that I would be at the most productive if I were to be working remotely, in the current remote environment I get very easily distracted and it can make it near impossible to get work done promptly. So I imagine a remote workplace would have the same issues I am currently facing.

Q8: What type of schedule would you prefer?

    I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind a nine to five job. I don’t mind waking up early in the morning if I’m getting paid to do so. I would like to have weekends and major holidays off (Christmas, Easter, etc.), as some time off throughout the week would be nice.

Blog#3: My Kind of Job

When looking for a job, the foremost criteria I have to consider is my own passion and satisfaction thereafter in having that job. Knowing that there will be testing times in every college graduate student while pursuing their career, there are many factors that come into play when making a decision for ourselves. For some of us, it is the utmost joy of holding a job that pays us handsomely, while for others it’s all about passion and personal satisfaction on what we do. Nevertheless, there is not one way that can be considered as perfect for each individual. For me, the most important thing is to find a job that relates to my own interest. I love being creative and value my own input in everything I do. I also prefer my own personal space to grow while I am completely flexible working within a team or group. 

Monetary situation is one of the most important factors of today’s job market. In an ideal situation, we all want to get paid well, but that is not always possible given our career position such as experience and qualification. When I think of my own salary, I want to get paid well as much as I can, but I also want to be realistic on what I can achieve with the level of my skill, field and the current economic environment. As I mentioned before, I will always put my interest first in what I love doing everyday at my work, and then focus on how much I can earn. In the end, I would still want to be making enough money to sustain my living while doing what I love the most. 

In the best case scenario, we all want our coworkers to be the best as possible. With that being said, it’s not always feasible to have someone we can get along with and there will be times and days when we disagree with each other. Then again, if I have to work with someone for the best part of my career and see them everyday, and possibly achieve some of the biggest milestones in my work history, I would want them to be at least personable, trustworthy, dependable, reliable and joyful. 

This is one of the most important factors in deciding to accept employment in today’s world. People have their own personal preference about the geographical location they want to settle in while considering a job offer. I personally would not mind living anywhere as long as I can have my family with me. If my family is willing to make a move, then I am more than flexible to make that audacious trip to change location to start my new career. After all, I value my own interest and passion before anything else, and in that case if I can bring my family on board, that would be a win-win situation for me. 

For me, the career I have chosen in the first place after careful consideration is the one I want. So there is not obviously any motivation issue for me to come to work. The most obvious reason that excites me to come to work everyday is to live my passion and to do things that I love whether it be within a team or a solo project. 

I would consider working for a company that would value empathy of the individual employees and encourage them to speak up and share their ideas. The company should also have commitment to sustainability. 

Image sources

https://www.gispeople.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Depositphotos_22872482_original_LR.jpg

https://www.gispeople.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Depositphotos_22872482_original_LR.jpg

Blog 3: Finding Security in Work Specificity

Joshua Marszalek

Entering the job world without any idea of what you are doing is a terrifying thought. However, creating a personal criteria to help you understand what would be a perfect fit will help you find more security in whatever specific workplace parameters you put up. Far too often, we are unsure of what would make a good career and do not consider many of the potential factors that go into choosing the outcome of our future. This criteria list will no doubt help you better understand yourself and what you enjoy in a workplace setting. For me, I find financial security and potential for growth to be two very important factors in order to satisfy my current ambitions. With that being said, my criteria involves the following:

Is there any potential for growth in this field?

As a worker, I do not like to stay at the same position for too long. I also want to feel like my contributions to a company are being recognized, which is perhaps the best part of advancement opportunity. A raised salary is always nice, but I never want to feel like the work I do is meaningless.

Do you have a specific preference on the speed of your workday?

For me, I like excitement and unpredictability. Whenever I have very little to do or have to just sit at my desk, I get incredibly bored very quickly. Constantly having new things to do and goals to reach are what make me enjoy a workplace environment. However, that does not mean that I enjoy simple busy work. This goes back to wanted to feel like my input is valued.

Do you prefer to work for a small business or would you enjoy a large corporation more?

Easily a small business. When I think of working for a corporation, I always imagine monotonous workdays with a manager breathing down my neck giving me sometimes pointless tasks. For me, I would much rather prefer to enhance my community while working for a small business than meeting a global demand with a corporation.

How much do you desire to be paid for your salary?

The easy answer to this question would be seven figures, but that is not a completely realistic answer. Knowing that work experience and higher education can provide me with a six-figure salary, I would prefer that level of compensation. However, sometimes a salary like that is not obtainable in certain professions so I would just go for the best salary option possible.

Would you like your employer to help pay for education?

No, I would not. Since I want to have a high paying job, obtaining higher education is my first priority. By that point, I would feel like it would be wasting valuable business resources. This could seriously hurt my employment in the future, especially if I choose to work for a small business.

What management style would you prefer to work under?

I hate being micro-managed, so a more relaxed management setting would be a great fit for me. When I have someone over my shoulder constantly telling me what to do, it is very frustrating. So the only type of management that I would want to work under would be the kind that trusts me to do the tasks associated with the job without holding my hand.

Is staying with the same company your entire career a possibility?

I am inclined to say no. I want to work at many different businesses in my career in order to truly experience the career that I enjoy. I feel like working at the same place my entire life provides great security, but putting security in your hands and knowing you will be fine with ambition is a great way to live. It would be like living in the same house my entire life.

Would that mean international work would be a possibility?

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I would love to work in an international career. I already love to travel, so doing it for work would not hurt my interest in the slightest. I think international work would be a fantastic way to expand my mind and meet a lot of new people from around the world. My family used to do a lot of travelling across the world when I was younger and it always excited me. Going international for a job sounds like and awesome opportunity.

Does a company’s vision have any impact on working for them?

I would say so to an extent. I would not want to work for an organization that practices irregular and dishonest practices, but political alignments and mission statements do not really interest me much. As far as I am concerned, I go to work to do work and provide a better life for me and those around me. If my actions align with those goals, then its a great thing. However, I would not turn down more money from a company that has less of an impact on political or worldwide events.

Where would you like to work?

If I did not have an inclination to travel and work in other countries, I would choose Charlotte or Raleigh. I grew up in Charlotte for my entire life and it is a bustling city with so much opportunity for someone like myself. Raleigh has the same level of job opportunity so either city would work just fine for me. I love North Carolina so I would ideally want to stay here if I had a job that kept me here.

What kind of coworkers do you enjoy? What kind of coworker do you dislike?

The kind of coworker that I like is one that comes in every day ready to work and take things seriously while also being able to have fun and do things with a smile on their face. Being able to work in a team setting with pleasant coworkers would be a great experience. The kind of coworker that I do not like is one that is too quiet or does not have a smile on their face when they conduct tasks. Having fun is a huge component of living a happy life.

Are you willing to commute for work? If so, what distance are you willing to commute?

When it comes to commuting, I would like my commute to last no more than half an hour. However, working in a city would make this almost impossible. This is especially true if I do not live in the city. I would like my commutes to be limited to transportation by car or by walking, no train or bicycle.

What size team do you prefer to work with?

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For me, I prefer to work with others. I am not very big on working by myself because I do not think it allows for a maximization of ideas and work. When you work in small teams or very large teams, you are able to bounce ideas off of each other and create a much stronger final product than you could by yourself. So I would say working with the biggest team possible would be my ideal team size.

What kind of benefits do you value the most?

For me, a job that has a lot of benefits is always a good choice to pick from. I think vacation days are the most valuable benefit that you can have from a job. Bonuses are nice, but having days off are precious when it comes to working a job every day of the week. That is why I value vacation days the most, especially when it comes to physical and mental health.

Does this company offer any retirements bonuses?

Choosing a company that offers retirement bonuses is an essential part of the career selection process. If I ever chose to stay at a company for my entire life, those benefits would rack up and provide me with a lot of financial security. However, I do not plan to be at the same company my entire life. Having an option like this is always a nice thing to have, so I would say having a retirement bonus available is a must for a future career.

Defining Your Personal Criteria, and Utilizing it to Enter the Workforce.

A look into what factors influence one’s personal criteria, and how one can use their own personal criteria to enter the workforce post graduation.

Defining Personal Criteria

As business students, particularly business students that will soon be business graduates, it is important to identify and embrace your personal criteria when choosing a job post graduation. If you take the time to identify the characteristics and qualities of a job that are most important to you before you even begin searching for a job, it will be much easier to identify these characteristics in job listings and weed out the jobs that don’t fit your personal criteria.

We’ve all been there: spending hours scrolling through jobs, trying to find one that fits our needs. Reading a job listing all the way to the bottom just to realize that they are not the job that you are looking for. When you haven’t taken the time to form an idea of the exact criteria that you are looking for in a job, you will spend way too much time scrolling through these listings and reading job descriptions that don’t even fit your personal criteria.

In this post, I will be going over some of the important questions you must ask yourself while defining your personal criteria, as well as providing my own answers to the questions to provide a glimpse into my own personal criteria while searching for a job.

1What criteria do you have regarding the location of your job?

Most people have an answer to this question straight away. This is because most of the time, people have an idea of what kind of life they want to live, and location can play a huge part in that. For me, location is extremely important. I want to work for a company that is located in the triangle area. This is because I want to raise my family in the same area that I was raised in. I have lived in North Carolina for my entire life, and though I enjoy the occasional trip out of state, my heart will always belong to North Carolina.

2What is your ideal starting salary, and what is your eventual salary goal?

This is another extremely important thing to consider when entering the job market. For some people, salary isn’t that big of a deal, but for others it is the reason they chose the field that they chose. I am planning to go into Human Resources Management post graduation, so for me salary will vary depending on what area of Human Resources I choose to go into. Salary isn’t a huge factor for me personally, so it won’t have much of an affect on where I choose to work post graduation.

https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/saving-and-budgeting/articles/how-to-make-an-extra-1-000-this-month

3Is company culture important to you?

In today’s world, many companies pride themselves on their culture. A company’s culture can be summed up by its goals, values, attitudes, practices or anything else that represents who they are as a company. Many people want to work for a company who’s culture lines up with their own personal goals, values, and thought processes. I like to think that I have a pretty open mind, so I would be open to working with companies with different kinds of cultures. If I find a company who shares my own personal mind set, I would be more inclined to work for them, but for me culture is not a make or break aspect of my personal criteria.

4Are you okay with having to travel for work?

Many people dream of having a job that will allow them to travel and see different parts of the country or even the world. Working in Human Resources, there are job opportunities that may require me to travel frequently for work. Personally, I would prefer to not have to travel for work, as I want to eventually have kids and I do not to be gone for long periods of time.

5What does your ideal schedule look like?

Some people like the ideal set work schedule, where they know what days and times they will be expected to work each week. Others, however, enjoy the flexibility of an ever changing work schedule with hours that differ from week to week. For me, the idea of a set work schedule, working the same days each week at the same times is the most appealing situation. I currently work a job that has set hours and I enjoy knowing when I am expected to be at work so I can easily plan other aspects of my life around my work.

6Are you okay with working weekends?

There are some jobs out there that may require you to work on the weekends. This means missing out on other things that may be happening on the weekends. For some, this is no problem, while others won’t even entertain the idea of working on a weekend. I fall someplace in the middle. I would prefer to only work during the week, but if the occasional need arises for me to work on a weekend, I would not mind.

7How do you feel about overtime?

Some jobs will ask their employees to work overtime more frequently then others. This means working your regular hours, and then also working extra hours to meet the needs of the company. I am alright with having to work overtime occasionally to meet the needs of the company, but I don’t think that I would enjoy having to work overtime on a regular basis.

8What kind of benefits are you looking for in a job?

Most full time positions offer their employees some kind of a benefits package. This can include health insurance, vision, dental, 401K, retirement savings, and many other things. It is important to know what benefits you are looking for in a company. For me, the most important benefits are going to be health insurance and retirement planning. This means that I would want to keep my eyes open for job openings at companies that excel in those benefit areas.

https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2020/01/03/not-all-benefits-are-made-equal/

9Are you looking for a company you can grow with?

Many college graduates aren’t picky when they are applying for their first job out of college because they know that if it isn’t a great fit, they can always move to another company later on. Others want to start and end their career with the same company. For me, growth is important, as I wouldn’t want to start with a company in a starting position and then never have an opportunity to advance any further from there. My goal is to work my way up from an entry level Human Resources position to a higher Human Resources position.

10Do you want to work for a company with multiple locations?

Many companies have more than one location that they work out of. Many people seek out these companies so that they have the flexibility to move around later on without having to worry about starting over at a new company. A company that has multiple locations have the potential to transfer their employees based on the needs of the company or the needs of the employee. For me, whether or not a company has multiple locations is not a huge factor of my personal criteria, as I do not plan to move anywhere far away from where I am now.

11What kind of work would you prefer to be doing?

For business students, the kind of work that they could be going into post graduation can vary depending on what kind of business degree they have earned and what their personal goals are. I am getting my Bachelor Degree in Business Administration, and I am concentrating in Human Resources. This means that I could get a job that only requires a Business Administration Degree, or I could get a job that is focused in on Human Resources. I want to go into a Human Resources focused job, which means that I will then have to narrow my choices down even further and decide on which area of Human Resources I want to work in. This will be important for my personal criteria because I will want to make sure that I am choosing a job that will meet the expectations I have for my ideal job description.

12Do you wish to work for a bigger company or a smaller company?

This is another important factor when choosing a job. Some people prefer the community feeling of a smaller company, while others want to experience the corporate feeling of working for a bigger company. Having worked for both big and small companies in the past, I would have to say that they both have their pros and cons. I wouldn’t mind working for a big company or a small company, but I don’t want to work for a company that is too big or too small to meet the needs of my personal criteria.

13What is your ideal management situation?

It is important to know what management style works for you when you are searching for a job. Some people work better when they have a manager that is on top of everything they are doing, while other thrive in an environment where management allows them to take on a little more responsibility and works with them at a distance. Personally, I prefer to have a set of guidelines to follow, a manager to report to, and the freedom and autonomy to do the work that I was hired to do without having a manager overseeing my every move.

14What are you looking to get out of the work that you are doing?

Knowing what you want to get out of a career opportunity is important in finding a job that is going to be the best fit for you. If you are looking for a job with the intent of gaining experience it may be easier to find a job. If you are looking for a job that you can grow with and work your way up in, it may take a longer time to find your perfect fit. You may be looking for work that excites you, fulfills you, or just simply allows you to put your degree to use. No matter what it is that you are hoping to get out of your job, it is important to know this ahead of time. I am searching for a job that will leave me feeling accomplished at the end of each day, I want to go home with a sense of purpose and fulfillment from the work that I am doing. I also want to help people, which is why I chose the Human Resources field.

15Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I feel as though we get asked this question a lot as business students, but that is because it is important for us to know where we want to be in the future so we can actively work towards our goals. You want to choose a job that aligns with your future goals. In 5 years, I see myself working at a job I love as a Human Resources Representative. I don’t know what area of Human Resources I want to go into yet, but once I decide it will become a part of my 5 year plan. I want to be financially independent at that point, and will hopefully started taking steps towards purchasing my first home.

The job I deserve!

Building a personal set of criteria is a must before searching for a job. Sometimes, we are interested in a career, but we do not know exactly what it involves. Besides our skills and experience to be successful in our career, other factors such as the way it will affect our personal life and whether or not it will fit our personality need to be taken into account for a fulfilled professional career.  Setting our personal criteria will define what we expect from a job and it will guide us toward the job that will fill our needs and wants.

Location is important not only because it defines our environment but also it affects our salary. It is essential to think about short-term and long-term goals when deciding about a job location. Do we want to adapt to our career’s needs or do we want to choose a job depending on our location? Personally, I want to get a job in the area/city where I live to stay close to my family and friends, but I do not mind traveling if I really like the position offered.

https://www.jobstreet.com.ph/career-resources/how-to-know-your-worth-and-get-the-salary-that-you-deserve/

We have spent so many years studying to have the work we deserve, so salary matters. My desired salary range depends on the job requirements and the location. This is going to be my second degree, I have some experience, and I speak four languages, so I just want to make sure I get my future employee to pay me the salary I deserve, but honestly, I need to do more research to set a salary range as it is important before we accept an offer, and money influences our motivation to work.

http://pmcconsulting.net/home/healthy-workplace-culture-high-trust-respect-and-personal-accountability/

I would like to have coworkers who are accountable to facilitate the working process so that no one will be frustrated. They would be respectful people too, because I think respect is important in any workplace to strengthen relationships and to boost motivation and productivity. I would like a friendly and warm office environment where I feel so comfortable to work that a hard day will not create a high stress level thanks to the way employees collaborate and care about each other. I know IT companies create such work environments building their reputation of being the best places to work in (a reason why I would love to work in an IT company). People spend more time working than doing anything. Therefore, the work environment matters. Regarding my desired pace of work, I guess I would prefer to know how each day is going to be as it is less stressful, but sometimes improvised days can be exciting to break the routine.

Some tasks I would be excited about are group projects and meetings, because I think it would give me the opportunity to share and to learn from others. Additionally, team-works/meetings give the opportunity to everyone to point out any concern about the work, and they require collaboration, which makes the work environment more pleasant. I do not like presentations, but I am well aware of their importance in any organization, so I guess I just have to be ready for that.

I am looking to build a career across multiple companies to diversify my experience, especially during the first ten years of my future career. After that, I do not mind staying and moving up within one company until I retire.

Making Your Career Worth the Work

Amanda Jacobs

Finding the perfect career for yourself is an essential and necessary part of life. After college, we will spend a majority of our lives working for someone else. For most people, a full work week includes 40+ hours. Therefore, it is crucial to find the best possible career that represents who we are and what we believe. Not only will it be our source of income, but it will be a controlling factor in our emotions everyday. It has the ability to influence our dreams, passions, ethics, goals, and confidence.

Any one of you that has acquired a job in the past understands that understanding our own personal criteria is a huge step in a much bigger leap. The path we choose directs our path of life. Personally, continuing to be a cashier is not my forte. Most days are dreadful and changes my attitude tremendously. This, my fellow classmates, is why asking yourself a few questions is key.

Location

• Does location matter?

Personally, location does not matter if I remain within driving distance from my home (preferably 0-2 hours) or within 3 hours of my family if it requires me to relocate. Having quality time with my family has always been important to me because once they’re gone you can’t get that time back.

• Would you prefer the option to work remotely?

The ability to work remotely would be great. However, it would not uninterest me of a great job opportunity. Who wouldn’t want to work from home on sick days, or while sitting at the beach listening to the crashing of the waves? As much as this idea speaks to me, rejecting a career choice or offer dependent on this is not practical.

About Me

• What are your main interests?

Ideally, my dream job will forever be a veterinarian. Within my first year of college, I switched my major due to personal criteria that becoming a veterinarian didn’t offer me. Consequently, I chose my second favorite option: Human Resources. My interest when researching suitable careers has remained as helping people. A career is worthy to me when it benefits others. HR has lended a hand to me personally in the past; I crave the same platform to help others who are in my shoes.

• What are your skills?

My skills go hand-in-hand with my interests. I collaborate well with others, communicate in a timely manner, achieve goals/tasks, and most importantly I help those in need. Recently, I held a clothing drive in which I donated clothes to the homeless during the winter months. I believe these actions capture my true intentions and personality.

• What are some potential stressors?

Unfortunately, I am the master at stressing. I normally stress the most when I have rapidly approaching deadlines, a rigorous workload, or impatient people working with me. Through work and school, these stressors have a huge impact on my personal and professional life.

• Do you prefer to collaborate or work on your own?

I prefer to collaborate with colleagues. For starters, this could easily lift the pressure and stress off of everyone’s shoulders. Secondly, two heads are better than one! I believe that new ideas and processes have a better chance of being recognized or created when people are working together to serve a goal.

Job Preferences

• What is your desired salary?

I do not have a specific number to answer this question. My desired salary depends on future partners, children, etc. If I were to live alone in Raleigh, the cost of living (comfortably) would be around $81,542. Therefore, if I have no children and remain unmarried I would desire an approximate salary of $90,000. Numbers can fluctuate based on the facts.

• Does educational requirements affect your opinion?

Educational requirements do not affect my opinion when choosing a company to work for or my career. In short, I will do whatever necessary to be able to provide for myself and my family. No questions asked. 

• What about treatment from upper-level management?

Employees are the greatest asset a company has. Without workers to carry out the processes, nothing can be done. It is extremely important when offering your time to a company that upper-level management does not abuse your emotions or treat you unfairly. I assume I speak for everyone when I say that fair treatment creates loyal employees.

via: https://business.linkedin.com/talent-solutions/blog/employee-retention/2016/7-simple-ways-to-increase-employee-loyalty

• What is your desired work schedule?

I don’t mind the typical nine-to-five work week or a crazy schedule. One asset I carry is that I can adapt my life around work and other obligations. As previously stated, I will do whatever schedule a great opportunity provides me.

• What are your preferred benefits?

This question provides room for negotiation. I am not very picky about what a company can provide me in terms of benefits as long as I know that my work is appreciated. Sick days and holidays/vacations are a necessity to an extent. Bonuses are definitely appreciated, but not necessarily a need. Health insurance would be great as well. 

• Do you have a preference in regards to leadership styles?

Yes! In previous jobs, managers were constantly looking over my shoulder at what I was doing. I was constantly yelled at while being told to do tasks while I was already working on other tasks at that moment. The treatment I was given was unfair compared to my counterparts’. That experience changed my preferred leadership styles. Ideally, when managers see my work and build trust, I favor being given space to work on tasks independently (or with colleagues) until they are completed.

No Negotiations

• Does diversity and inclusion matter to you?

This question is the most important of them all for me personally. Inclusion and diversity policies are a necessity when deciding which company or career to work for. It seems that many top-tier executives are white men. Currently desiring to become an HR representative/manager, I want to help change this statistic. No company deserves my time if they lack appreciation for all types of people and their employees of all backgrounds.

via: https://fortune.com/2017/06/09/white-men-senior-executives-fortune-500-companies-diversity-data/

• What if the company does not appreciate your work?

Although it is rather hard to tell sometimes, I feel as if I am rather diligent at noticing if a company is using you or appreciating you. Many warning signs appear in direct treatment to employees or benefits they offer compared to their opponents. Do they have empathy for their employees? Do they sympathize with their employees? Are they a cut-to-the-chase company offering absolutely no leniency in regards to hardships in your personal life? These are very important questions to me. If I feel that a company does not appreciate my time and effort in which I deserve, they will lose a valuable and trusted employee. 

• Does your choice support your dream future?

I say this with confidence when I say that I haven’t always had an easy life. The different lifestyle I grew up in has permanently changed my outlook on future goals and responsibility for those in my life. My one goal in life is to never let my future children/family struggle in the way I had to as a child. I am grateful for that opportunity and therefore strive to reach my potential in the business world. My career path and job dictates if I will achieve my goals. Room for growth is critical.

As you can see, these questions are questions that you must ask yourself in order to prepare for the rest of your life. Most people at the age of retirement cannot afford to retire due to changes in the economy. You must be decisive when determining what career path is best for you, if it is something you will enjoy, and if it meets your personal requirements. It will be a long journey if you do not enjoy the ride!

What I want

I will take any job.

The pandemic job market,

is extremely weak.

-A Haiku by Justin

I wish I could leave our blog with a colorful artistic piece this week but unfortunately this seems more of a Q&A type session. Please enjoy!

What is your desired salary range?

I would like somewhere between 40K – 50K. I don’t have much relevant work experience which would hinder my job application however I have solid relevant coursework which displays my entrepreneurial experience and extracurricular experience which shows my ability to work as a team and problem solve with others.

Does location matter?

Somewhat. I would like to relocate to the ATX area. I have a close friend there and I am looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly place to live so this seems like a place that would make a good fit. If I found a company who would like to have me in another geographical area I would be ok with that but we would have to discuss further. Something big in Texas, California, and NYC would definitely be hard to turn down.

What kind of coworkers/management style would you like?

I think flexible and transparent coworkers would be the best fit for me. I am looking into following a management pathway and would like my team members that are able to adapt and overcome challenges that we may face as a team as I lead them in a direct style of management.

What kind of office environment would you like?

I would prefer a hybrid style focusing on both virtual and in person format. I really enjoy some of the convenience of having a virtual workspace such as decreased commute, time for more sleep, etc. but I also genuinely miss face-to-face interaction with other human beings.

Do you prefer a settled routine or a spontaneous pace of work?

I prefer a more spontaneous pace of work. A settled routine honestly seems nice for a while but would leave me empty wanting more. I really would enjoy a workplace where I can have new challenges everyday.

Are you open to work travel?

Yes, Yes, YES! I would absolutely love to travel and see different parts of the world. I think it would be really interesting if I could see all of the different cities across the United States and even travel internationally (I’ve never been out of the United States).

Would you rather stay and move up within one company or are you looking to build a career across multiple companies / industries?

This is a really interesting question. Ideally, I would like to find new positions within one company but realistically I doubt I would find such an arrangement. Also, I think finding new positions in different companies would really allow me to adapt my professional skillset and find new ways to grow my career path.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’m not entirely sure. Being a rising senior who has no idea what their first out of college job will be, I’d like to think I would be settled down with a partner and have some established sense of life working a challenging and flexible job as a leader to my peers.

The (Business) World According to Faith

Have you ever made a vision board? Well, this is very similar. Basically, you write down the different aspects that you must have in a job, would like to have in a job, and would not like to have. This makes it so that you can work somewhere that goes along with your values and beliefs. Let’s take a dive into what I would like for my job to/not to have. 

Q1: Do you want a job where you have to take your work home with you?

A: No. I want a job where I can go to work and focus on my tasks so that I can go home to my family. Family time is very important and valuable to me. I would be okay with having to text employees at home if needed, but I wouldn’t want to have to constantly work at home as well as on the job. 

https://www.jobberman.com/blog/taking-work-home/

Q2: Are you okay with either relocating for a job or traveling for business meetings?

A: I would prefer not to relocate because I am settled down with my family and would prefer to stay put. I would not mind traveling annually for a business conference, but, for the most part, I would like to stay local. 

Q3: With COVID-19, do you have a preference on either working from home or in the work-place? 

A: Of course, the ideal job is to work from home so that I don’t have to even leave the house, but I am perfectly okay with either. 

Q4: What is your preferred salary/ desired income?

A: After I have obtained my degree, I would like a comfortable job making $60,000+ ideally. I know that at first this may be hard with no experience, but that is the ultimate goal. 

Q5: Do you prefer a repetitive job with similar/the same tasks or something that is completely different every single day?

A: I think I would enjoy having some degree of differences in my work day, but I also think some repetitiveness is important so that I know how to do what I am doing. 

Q6: Is it important to you to be your own boss or are you okay with reporting to upper management? 

A: I am perfectly okay with both of these options. 

Q7: Does the business you work for need to be affiliated with your religious beliefs? 

A: No. I am fine working for places that don’t have a religious affiliation as long as it doesn’t have an influence on my personal beliefs. It would be convenient but not required. 

Q8: Is it important to you to have a low-drama workplace?

A: Yes. I think it’s important to have a low-drama workplace so we can focus on what we need to get done. There’s drama everywhere, but I’d like to work for a business that discourages it. I enjoy a job where I can get along with my co-workers and even possibly make friends with them. I don’t want it to be like my other workplaces that thrived on drama. 

Q9: Do you want a job that has room to move up or do you intend to go into a job and keep the same job title? 

A: It depends. If I start off as a HR manager, then I don’t feel the need to move up. That’s exactly what I want to do. However, if I start with something closer to entry level, then I would love to be able to move up and meet achievements and goals of the company. I’m always looking to grow and do better. 

Q10: Do you want to be with a company for a long time (until retirement if satisfied) or is it short term until you find something different? 

A: I, ideally, would love to be satisfied with my job and work at the same company until retirement, but if I have to apply for smaller jobs first until I get the one I want, that’s okay. However, it’s super important to me that the job is stable because I don’t want to lose my job while I’m trying to support my family. 

Q11: Is time off required for you when looking for a job? 

A: Yes, I need somewhere with a certain level of flexibility in case there is an emergency with my kids. Plus, someday when they are bigger I will want to go on vacations and things with my family so it would be good to have somewhere that you can earn paid vacation. This requirement is as important to me as the job is itself. 

Healthy Summer Vacation from OnPoint Nutrition

Q12: Is it important to you that an employer values you and recognizes your work individually? 

A: I appreciate a manager who is invested in their employees and recognizes them, but I don’t think it’s 100% necessary for them to recognize me specifically. A team needs to be like a German Shepard- smart, willing to obey instructions, and loyal. A manager needs to be a lion- calm, cool, and collected but fierce when they need to be.

Q13: What benefits do you need your job to provide? 

A: I want any job I work for to have good health insurance so that my family is protected if they get sick. Other benefits would be great, but they are not essential to me. 

https://hexaware.com/services/business-process-services/healthcare/

Q14: How far are you willing to travel for your job? 

A: I would like to travel 45 minutes or less. However, if the job is high paying, I’d be willing to travel further. If it’s lower paying, I wouldn’t be willing to travel as far. 

Q15: What are some core values that are important to you to have in a workplace? 

A: I want my workplace to be family oriented so that I can take care of my children. I want my workplace to have a positive atmosphere. Of course, things will not always be perfect, but I don’t want to go somewhere that is always sad and negative. I want to look forward to work each day. It’s important that my workplace cares about my well-being. I want to have bosses that care about me so that, if I get sick or hurt, they will not be upset if I need time off. I want them to take into consideration their employee’s feelings, health, and well-beings 

     So what does your desired job look like? Based on the questions and answers, my ideal job is stable, relatively flexible, and it has good pay. You should always find a job you’re happy about no matter what. We are the generation that will take over the labor force, and we need to do a good job of it. However, we also need to be happy and take care of our mental health. Our generation has done a great job at focusing on mental health in a new light. We should make sure to bring change to the workplaces that don’t think twice about mental health. Ask the same questions to yourself when looking for a job. Know what you are willing to compromise on, and know what is essential for you to have in a workplace. Don’t let others persuade you or belittle you. You are worth more than enough to find a job that fits your life and views. For example, a lawyer may have to bring home their work and readings whereas a manager can go to work and come home without worrying as much about their duties. Which scenario works better for you? Are you family oriented? What other values do you have? What’s important to you? Consider all of these things when looking for an employer. 

Note:

*Sources for the photos used are the links/articles posted directly below them.

Doing It for You (and How to Go into The Job Field with Confidence)

You have always known this is coming. Some of us put it under the rug until it can no longer fit, some face it head on, some are simply overwhelmed, some just understand it. When it comes time to select a job, no matter if you are 16 or 35, you need to set a standard for yourself. An understanding of criteria set by you, yourself is just as important as applying for the job in question. Now all you need to understand is what you should come prepared with and what you should expect from the job you want. 

When considering what you want with a job, there are an endless amount of questions you can ask yourself, but there are some that need to always be answered. Let us start with a really important one: is this an environment you can thrive in? Many people have their own personal workflow which helps them complete their assigned tasks. Although it is growing more popular in the American office, you are still going to run into management styles that are not as loose with how they allow you to complete work. When in the process of looking for a job, you need to be blunt and honest with yourself and decide whether you can work the way someone wants you to work or if you need an environment that will allow you to choose how to make it to points A to B. 

Grivina, Oxana. “From Point A to Point B.” Https://Www.123rf.Com/photo_98612601_stock-Vector-from-Point-a-to-Point-b-an-Asphalt-Road-Loop-Connecting-Two-Points-Concept-of-a-Math-Transport-Probl.html.

Now for the big elephant in the room, how much do you expect your salary to be? Many employers will ask you this when you first sign up for the job, and even though it may not be as elastic as some would want it to be, you need to sit down and budget yourself to see what you need to be making. If you need a certain amount of money to stay afloat every month, you need to ensure that your paycheck will cover all expenses before you move on to it. Once you have ensured that your pay will cover everything you need, now you can consider your wants. Do you want to travel on your time off? Buy the newest phone for that year? Eat out? These things need to be considered as well. And even though with a strong budget you can achieve certain goals, nothing will help it more than simply making more money. 

Another great question you need to ask yourself is what are your passions? What do you enjoy? Of course you need to strive for a job that will allow you to use your skill set, but one consideration many people ignore is if they enjoy what they are doing. Most of us should be familiar with the phrase “if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” This is something that we need to consider more, especially in the era we live in now. We live in a very comfortable time of the world’s history, which brings luxuries such as choosing a career path you will honestly enjoy, so take advantage.

One final question to consider is, where do you see yourself in the future? Take into consideration short and long term goals. Think of what you expect after a year, five, ten, fifteen, years from now. When focusing on a year think of how you grew in your position, what you learned, the things you messed up on, the moments and work that you enjoyed. Strive for greatness and do not settle for less when thinking about your year in reflection, point out your great moments, but sit on what you can grow on. No one is perfect, no one will ever be, you do have room to grow, so keep an eye out for how you can be better. Then when you start thinking long term, take more than work into consideration, bring your personal life into it. If you start working fresh out of college, you’ll be twenty-one, twenty-two, maybe twenty-three, your life is just starting then. But when you think five or ten years from then, you have some huge milestones that may come knocking on your front door. You may get married, you may have kids, you may even have tragedy come for you faster than others. On top of the milestones, consider your mental health. Are you happy? How could you do things better? Did you make the correct decisions? One concept that is always harder to accept is that we can never go back. What’s happened has happened, but we can learn from that. Adapt your situation from your reflections. Make your losses wins by coming back stronger. 

Brown, Michael. “Three Business Men.” Https://Www.123rf.Com/photo_15157528_three-Business-Men-Walk-Forward-on-3-Paths-to-the-Future.html.

So why create a personal set of rules for yourself before applying for a job? To set a personal standard for yourself. If you carve out what you expect, then the decisions you make will come involuntarily. You know what you expect out of yourself and the institution you will bring your talents to. By understanding what to bring to the table and what to expect from the place you will work, you will only make yourself a better worker.