A Few Responses

And now for the responses to the Dream Job post below.

1. Hard attributes

a) I don't really think these are as important, necessarily, as the soft attributes. Often, I think it's the people around you that may make a place worth your time and energy. However, several layers of management certainly play a role. Having worked primarily at large, overly-structured organizations, I only have one perspective, and my conclusion is the proverbial response most economists will give you: it depends. At my current job, the organization and its structure is rather annoying - but that has more to do with the people than the structure of the organization. I believe I would like like to try an organization in which there are relatively few layers between the big boss and me.

b) Geography - ideally, of course, a beach and mountains within close proximity would be best. If I had to choose one topography over the other, the beach would it as I love to scuba dive.

c) Company size: not a priority, but too large and you're another minion; too small and the organization may not be firing on all cylinders. But, then again, Warren Buffett's Omaha headquarters has no more than a handful of people - I believe it's about 15 if not fewer.

d) Local vs Global: Of course, a company with a global reach is much more dynamic and has the potential for a far greater positive (or negative) impact. But, local companies have the ability to reach out to individuals with faces and people you may know. If preference is a must - it would be global as therein lies growth opportunities, and most importantly, challenges that are fun and interesting. For example, trying to understand the mindset of Indian consumers in northern India would require a study of the region, its history and the mindset of the area's residents, along with countless others. Such situations present unique opportunities that would allow me to learn and grow on a personal level. But, this does not mean local companies do not pose such opportunities. Rather, given the world in which we live, it is increasingly important to have a global vision.

e) The work environment. This is a tough one. I want an environment that fosters independent thinking, forces you to think analytically, is accepting of new out-of-the-box ideas, and one in which my decisions will have some impact or meaning to the society at large. For instance, in one of my former jobs, I did a lot of statistical data work. The end result - after about 2 years, about 50% of my work was ever used in a meaningful way. Of that 50%, not more than 10% had any sort of impact - on anyone - in my opinion.

f) The manager. I've had one super manager - Mike Gibson - and one absolutely horrible manager (currently my manager). The nice thing about the latter is that I now know how not to treat employees and what not and never to do. The bottom line: I dislike having a boss. If I do have one, which more than likely is always going to be the case at least for the foreseeable future, I would like them to be more of a mentor than a boss. Mike G is awesome, for instance. I have a tremendous amount of respect for the man: humble, super intelligent, unselfish, good-hearted, high-spirited, helpful... great guy. It's my hope that I'll get someone like him again and be able to develop a longer lasting professional relationship that is meaningful to both parties.

g) Coworkers. This a *huge* portion of it. I think coworkers ought to be happy about their work. They should not only display enthusiasm for the work, but give it their best. Some qualities include: personable, unselfish, intelligent, helpful, friendly, caring, enthusiastic (about life in general), dedicated, and high integrity. Adam, for example, gets a shout out - a great example of a great colleague.

h) Salary. This is tough. Tough, tough, tough. Let's face it, there's no amount that's too much. Yet, there is a minimum threshold. We all need to live and life is expensive. Period. No one needs $10 million a year - yes all you corrupt CEOs who eat shareholder money like it's ice-cream (for you it is, for us it's blood, sweat, and tears). But, at the same time, earning $20,000 a year is not going to cut it, even in Guthrie, OK. Factor a family of five, mortgage payments, car payments, college tuition, emergency funds... it's an endless list. So, salary is an important factor for me. As far as amounts go, however, it's silly to write any down. But, a decent salary that allows a family to live comfortably is nice to have, i.e. you should be able to eat out once a month, take a two week vacation if desired, own a home large enough for your family, and be able to donate to charity if you choose to do so. You get the picture - it's not a factor to discount.

Finally, I think every job has its ups and downs. But, what do you tell yourself during the down swings? Is that when you come to a realization that what you're doing is meaningless, or is that when you realize that you have an important job function in society and that if you didn't do your job, there were would be negative consequences?