Job Hunting

Personally I think I should be reimbursed for all the driving I have in the last few days.  At the very least, for all the bus tickets I have bought over the last 2 weeks.  Too many meetings, not much work getting done.

Looking for the ideal job is hard.  Refusing to "settle" is one of the main goals; finding a job that suits my ideals is the goal.  Large companies will not even meet people face to face unless you say exactly what they want to hear over the phone, and small companies do their best to stay afloat financially, not offering much in term of money.

But there lies the catch.  Playing the corporate hype game to get a decently paying job would require settling.  Settling for a culture that only sees three months in advance, where everything is expendable.  Short term gain seems more important that long term stability.  The hierarchy of bigger companies is also a huge a factor.  The leaders of the firm are very far removed from the people actually doing the work, it can be very hard to get noticed for work done.

Smaller companies keep a close eye on their finances, which means the pay for positions available tend to be less.  Especially for start ups.  But the pay off is job satisfaction.   The relationship with the boss is separated by the size of the conference room table.  Where you are not just shown a cubicle and told to get to work, but real collaboration and interaction occurs every minute.

Interaction is necessary for a high job satisfaction rate.  Where one an freely converse with their co-workers.  And while the workload tends to be a little higher, the satisfaction that comes with being able to track a project from start to finish is very rewarding.

Even though start ups necessarily keep a close eye on their finances, the work culture tends to be more relaxed.  No formal dress code day to day, no preset time for lunches or breaks, and a much more forgiving attitude towards needing time off.  Small businesses tend to remember actual people work for them.

Finding the perfect job is the goal, but the perfect job will never be found.  There will always be some trade off;  less pay for  more human environment, or more pay for a less interesting job.