Company Size
I don't necessarily care how big the company is, but I know the bigger it is, the more bureaucratic it gets. Small usually means more nimble. I like large companies because that's a lot of people to get to know.
Culture
Casual. Definitely casual. I've been spoiled the last 6 months...shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops to work everyday. I met a recruiter the other day and I actually had to wear (long) pants and a button-up shirt. Yuk. I like to dress up...just not every day.
Cursing. Have to have cursing.
More points if you add in a swear jar.
Even professional. I want to work with people who have Jedi skills. I want to work with Good Lazy people, not Bad Lazy.
Benefits
Health Insurance, 401k plans, vacation time...all of those are important. On site gym? WIN! Even though I fail to go, it's nice to have that option. That was one of the big selling points in moving to Tampa. WellCare had a massive (to me anyway) campus, weight room, basketball and racquetball courts. They even had a softball field.
The last place I worked had a great gym and a car wash guy that came every week or so (though I never partook).
Environment
This definitely crosses path with some of the other categories, but I decided to create a new one because I wasn't sure exactly where it fit.
By environment, I mean your desk set up. Must haves:
--2 or more 21 inch monitors
--kick ass desktop machine
--a very nice chair. If I spend a lot of time in that thing, in better be comfortable.
--Ergonomic keyboard. I've been using Microsoft's Natural Keyboard (the rounded one) since I started using a computer in 1996 or 1997. I even take it to work if they don't provide one. I left mine at the last place and sent a frantic email to the HR lady to retrieve it for me.
+1 if this is your setup.
Location
I don't want to work at home all of the time, but I do want to be close. Spending more than an hour on the road a day is a waste of time. Traffic sucks too. The past couple of months I would have baseball practice at 6:30 on Mondays and Tuesdays which means I had to leave the office no later than 5:15. I'd then swing by home, pick up LC in the driveway and off to practice we went. Thursdays were similar with tutoring at 6.
I'd also like to be able to work from home once in awhile. Some places never let you do it...I work a lot and I get into the zone at night typically. If you don't want to allow me to work from home once in awhile, why should I work at home at all?
More than anything I just want the flexibility.
So what's your perfect job? Anything like mine?
that....would be an awesome job.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to be able to work from home ;) That's a nice.
ReplyDeleteWhen we do some job and enjoy with it. That's the perfect job.
@surachart
ReplyDeleteI'm with you...growing up I always thought I'd play baseball for a living. When that reality came crushing down I struggled.
Then I found databases...and I absolutely love what I do.
What makes a job is the people you work with.
ReplyDeleteI need to work on systems that push me and using the latest and greatest.
But if you work with people that are not interested in their jobs and just want to clock in and out then your drive also gets affected.
But totally agree with the screens and chairs... give us decent tools to do the job if you want us to sit in the office troubleshooting issues through the night.
You did say *dream job* after all. ;-)
ReplyDelete@jbl
ReplyDeleteindeed I did!
@alland
ReplyDelete"But if you work with people that are not interested in their jobs and just want to clock in and out then your drive also gets affected."
Absolutely!
Support folks, I can understand (to a degree). Anyone doing new development though...