By Abby Vogel
Acknowledgments This e-book series was the brainchild of 2007 IEEE-USA President John Meredith. John proposed themes that this GOLD e-book series, Launching Your Career, should include, and helped me select the subject for this first e-book in the series How to Find Your Perfect Job. John also suggested topics to include in the e-book, and he helped me develop a survey that asked IEEE members about their previous employment experiences. I want to thank the IEEE members who responded to the survey and shared personal stories about their lives and past jobs. I also want to thank John for his assistance in writing this e-book.
Abby VOGEL
Published by IEEE-USA. Copyright 2008 by the IEEE. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Edited by Georgia C. Stelluto, IEEE-USA Publishing Manager. Cover design and layout by Josie Thompson, Thompson Design. This IEEE-USA publication is made possible through funding provided by a special dues assessment of IEEE members residing in the United States. Copying this material in any form is not permitted without prior written approval from the IEEE.
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Chapter 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Chapter 3 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Chapter 4 4.1 4.2 4.3 Evaluate your Personality and Aspirations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Self-Assessment: Values Self-Assessment: Skills Self-Assessment: Work Style Self-Assessment: Goals Find a Great Company to Work For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Conduct Research Determine the Companys Culture Check out the Companys benefits and Perks Find a Great boss and Colleagues Complete an Internship Choose the best Position for you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 The Job Location, Location, Location Salary, Work/Life balance and Travel
Chapter 5 build your Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 5.1 Networking Web Sites 5.2 Professional Societies Chapter 6 Final Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Chapter 7 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Chapter 1
Introduction
our perfect job is waiting for you. It might not be your first job out of college, but that doesnt mean that youll never find it. The first step in finding your dream job is to adopt a long-term strategy in your career development and job search. you can zero in on that perfect job, if you prepare yourself correctly, and know how to look. The happiest employees have made realistic and attainable goals that encompass their passions, strengths and lifestyles. The sooner you take control, consider your options and take ownership of your career choice, the easier it will be. Consider your career as a long race a 26.2-year marathon. you may need to accept non-dream jobs to gain skills that will allow you to fulfill your career goals down the road. but choose carefully, because your career decisions may have lifelong ramifications your job choice can play a major role in determining your income, community status, opportunities for success, circle of friends and even your choice of a spouse. The jobs you choose also help shape your identity and sense of self-worth. This e-book provides a checklist in Chapters 2-5 to get you thinking about your personal, long-term career goals, and how to find your ideal job: 3 Evaluate your personality and aspirations 3 Find a great company to work for 3 Choose the best position for you 3 build your network
Chapter 2
ooking for the perfect job starts with an understanding of who you are and what you most enjoy doing. The process of figuring this out is called self-assessment. you need to determine your values, skills, work style and goals before you start looking for a job. When youre trying to figure these things out, its most important to be realistic, honest and open-minded. you need to seek out where your interests lie and follow your dreams, advises Richard Larson, a design manager with CH2M HILL International.
Chapter 3
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The little extras do weigh in, said David butcher, also an IEEE Senior Member. A $100/ month gym membership is just that. It is worth $100. These are good things, and if all other things are equal, they could be tie breakers. I think in general they also indicate that the employer is somewhat interested in taking care of the employee. In other words, beyond the specific value of the benefit, it may be an indication of corporate culture.
As far as colleagues go, if you visit an organization and come away feeling that you would be the smartest person there beware! Take the skills you learned in college while working in teams to develop a sense for people. David butcher points out that you should not rely completely on your feelings for your prospective boss and colleagues because bosses and co-workers change, and sometimes quicker than one might think. but it does make going to work a lot easier, if you and your team have the same set of values. I have been to a few interviews where questionable tactics were used. I did not accept any offers from these organizations. Personally, I felt like if an organization resorted to messing with your interview styles, they were likely to continue with that in employment, butcher explained. During an interview, you can ask many questions that will help you find out if your boss and colleagues might be a good fit. Some include: What questions do you use to assess talent before a candidate is hired? If Im hired, in a year from now, how will you know if Ive been successful? Why is the position open? If the last person in the job didnt work out, why? How employee-centric is the company? What tools are managers given to perform their jobs? Why do employees stay? Why do they leave? What is your turnover rate? How does that compare to five years ago? hat core competencies do employees have i.e., teamwork, creativity, innovation W and how do you make them actionable? Are they part of regular evaluations? ive me an example of a difficult employee relations situation. How was it handled, and G what was the outcome? you may want to think twice about a job opportunity if during your visits to the company you notice that potential co-workers seem stoic and unexcited, as opposed to positive and passionate about what they are doing; if the potential employer asks few questions and answers your questions vaguely; or when interviewing with various people, you hear very different responses from each person, which could mean there is no cohesive vision and/or the leadership is lacking. Its so tempting to dismiss gut feelings. If you are leery about the boss or co-workers, its probably for a reason. Hopefully youll luck out and find a boss or co-workers like David butcher who said, I like leaving my team members peers, reports and managers with something more than they had before working with me. Most of the time, it is really about helping people grow professionally. In my personal career, this type of situation is where I learned soft skills. being able to mentor others has shown itself to be one of the most rewarding parts of my career. In reality, though, you might not get multiple offers to choose from. However, even if you have a single job offer to consider, and you are weighing it against the anguish of three more months of job seeking, consider the boss-subordinate and co-worker relationships seriously before you make your decision.
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Chapter 4
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If you are going to accept a job in a new location, make a list of the effects of accepting a post there. It might mean having to live away from a partner or your family, moving your children out of their schools, giving up commitments to local societies, or simply leaving a place where you are happy. At some point during your career search you may be tempted by opportunities that require relocation, and this list will help you keep things in perspective. Paul Kostek prefers living on the West Coast and has turned down positions in the Midwest. While I liked the companies and the work, quality of life was a more important issue. Theres a whole lot of life other than the 40-50 hours a week at work, he said. If youre going to relocate, ask yourself if the new location has what you and your family needs. Companies will generally offer you an opportunity to preview the area by extending an interview trip a day or two, perhaps over a long weekend. Make certain that these visits produce more information about the region than the cost of homes. Go to the grocery store to see if the prices are higher than what you are used to, or the selection is smaller. If youre serious about eating organic, make sure organic foods are available. How are the local restaurants? If youre a parent or intend to be, check out the local school system. Call the local insurance companies and find out what auto insurance, and home or renters insurance premiums will cost you. Look in the phone book for suitable churches, temples or synagogues. you should be aware, though, that you might not have much choice in location, due to the type of company you want to work for. For example, if you want to work on automobiles, youll probably have to live in Detroit, Michigan. Mitch Thornton is tied to certain locations. Location is very important to me and I have been offered several jobs in other areas of the United States, but because I am interested in research and interacting with high-tech companies, it is important for me to live and work in an area in close proximity of such companies, he explained. Larger companies may have multiple offices in different cities or states. be sure to ask if there is a possibility you could be transferred to another office. If you dont want to be concerned about location, choose a job that allows you to work at home. David butcher can live anywhere in the United States. My wife and I had decided we wanted to relocate to the West Coast. My current job works anywhere there is high speed internet and a major airport, butcher explained.
Also, make sure you consider the entire compensation package. Make sure you investigate all of the benefits and perks described in Chapter 3.3. Think through what your expenses are, and keep in mind intangibles, such as cost of living and the need for a new wardrobe. Will you be able to get ahead enough to afford a down payment on a home? Do you need a flexible work schedule, so that you can take classes during the day or in the evening? before accepting a job, be sure you are clear on the hours and schedule you need to work. If the position requires 45 hours of work a week and youre used to working 35 hours, consider whether you will have difficulty committing to the schedule. If the job interferes with your personal life, you may not be happy. Do you plan to have a significant other, or have children? If you do, how much time you want to spend with them? Do you want to go to the school plays? Do you want to tuck the kids in at night? Are you OK with being away from home 14 hours per day? Many people feel guilty about not being with their families when theyre at work late, or on the weekend. Conversely, they also feel guilty about not being at work and dealing with the pile on their desk, when they leave early to catch a soccer game. Then again, some people thrive on the long hours and a more frenetic pace in life. Richard Larson accepted a job that involves working a lot of extra hours, but doesnt mind. I have worked an average of 65-hour weeks for the past 22 months, because as the engineering design manager, I cant let the job fail. I have always had the attitude that unpaid overtime is something we need to do to ensure the job gets done. I am currently being compensated for my hours, but that has not always been the case, he said. Its not that working long hours is bad. Its that you need to make sure your lifestyle is amenable to that work style before jumping into it. Also consider travel time to and from work. Is the commute going to take an extra hour or will there be parking fees youre not paying now? Also, confirm what, if any, travel is involved. If the nature of the job requires that you will need to be on the road three days a week, be sure that you can commit to that, as well. If your job requires you to travel and you have kids, do you have a partner on board with taking care of the kids alone, 24/7? Does the thought of having to travel dealing with airports, car rentals and unfamiliar cities make you cringe? Or do you want to see the world, and welcome any opportunity to travel? Either way, ask about the travel required for a position up front.
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Chapter 5
Chapter 6
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Final Thoughts
veryone has a different set of personal circumstances. What might be the perfect job for you could be an awful job for someone else. Take the time to make a list of the pros and cons of each job. Uri Moszkowicz chose his job because of its growth potential, talented team, exciting project, high responsibility and respect, convenience, pay, flexibility in work hours, good working conditions, and an emphasis on productivity as opposed to business as usual. but his reasons might not be the same as yours. Listen to your gut. If its telling you not to take the job, there just might be something there. Keep in mind, that if this isnt the right job for you, its not the end of the world. The next offer might just be that perfect match. Its much easier to turn down an offer than it is to leave a job that you have already started. The employer would prefer that you decline, rather than having to start over the hiring process a couple of weeks down the road because you quit. So, take the time to thoroughly evaluate the company and job. Ask questions and take the time you need to make an educated, informed decision so you feel as sure as possible that you and the company are an excellent match. be willing to say no to a position that is not an ideal fit, but realize there are always tradeoffs, and sometimes you cant take the ideal because of salary, geographic location or family considerations, said Paul Kostek. Finding a job is harder in todays world and competition is very stiff. So, dont become discouraged if you dont get the first dream job you want. Like the old saying, If at first you dont succeed try, try again. And at some point, youll find your perfect job, like Kevin Obrien recently did. The small company atmosphere works for me, and I work with people who have grown to be close friends. The amount of fun I have at work somehow makes up for the ridiculous hours I put in. I like people knowing who I am, knowing my work ethic, and being able to pull aside business leaders to get advice on how to impact the company with changes that will improve our systems and processes, Obrien said. David butcher says his previous role as a program manager at Ford was very close to his ideal job. It allowed me to bring together a large team, produce results that made the organization happy, help grow many of my team members on personal and career levels, and even with a lot of political strife, I felt like something real had been accomplished, he said. This e-book aims to help you do your best to make the right decisions that will ultimately result in finding your perfect job. but above all, once youve made the decision to accept a position, move forward bravely and confidently and without regrets.
Chapter 7
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Chapter 7
References
1. Career Values Scale, www.testingroom.com/b2cfiles/tests.html. 2. Values Inventory, www.careerperfect.com/content/career-planning-career-assessment-tests/. 3. Soul Survival Exercise www.career-intelligence.com/assessment/career_values.html. 4. Value Questionnaire, www.mrs.umn.edu/services/career/career_planning/valquestion.php. 5. Clarifying your Work Values: Knowing Whats Most Important to you, www.stanford.edu/dept/CDC/graphics/pdfs/values.pdf. 6. Online Career Assessment Tools Review, www.quintcareers.com/online_assessment_review.html. 7. IEEE-USA Salary Survey, www.ieeeusa.org/careers/salary
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