What I Wanted in a Job When I Graduated College

I recently discovered a “what do I want to do with my life” journal entry of sorts dated July 1, 2004.

Having just graduated from college and realizing everything interested me, I broke down the challenge of figuring out what I wanted on two sheets of paper. One sheet contained the “What I Want in a Job” bullet points, the other included a concise overview of “My Strengths.” I figured this exercise would get me a few steps further to eliminating industries and angles, while honing focus to my otherwise overwhelming sea of opportunity.

Nearly seven years late and I am amazed at (and #thankfulfor) how well things turned out.

To all the recent college grads asking the same questions (and wondering how it will all turn out), I humbly submit my case that it will not only work out, but it will exceed your expectations in seven years (or less).

I have written up the 2004 entry near verbatim below and have italicized text where I react in 2011 terms.

What I Want in a Job

Opportunity to:

- acquire a lot of new skills. Lord knows I have learned about everything from legal / IP, how to produce a TV show and crisis communications to online brand management, online intelligence, PR / engagement to management, personnel / HR, financial models, design and interactive production over the course of five jobs and seven years.

- refine and apply my current skills (such as writing, speaking, leading, delegating, organizing, analyzing, researching, creating, designing, visualizing, project actualizing). I love this list, have stayed true to this list and am frankly (pleasantly) shocked that this list includes the verb “visualizing” knowing now that I run one of the world’s leading data visualization firms. Whoa.

- advance within the company based on my performance, capabilities and attitude. I can honestly say of each of my five jobs, this was mostly respected. At each post, I received at least one promotion (if not two and even three). And, for the record: The job that I have stayed with the longest (JESS3) ultimately provided the most merit-driven advancement.

- be appreciated for my contributions and (be) continually challenged at and above my level of skill.

Want to work with people who:

- Are supportive, intelligent, creative, accessible. Check.

- Want to teach, share and show me what they know. Check.

- Talk and think in unique, unusual, global, diverse, tolerant and creative ways. Check.

- Are open minded, efficient, talk about ideas and not people, and appreciate + respect + embrace differences (culturally, religiously, sexually, politically, ideologically and philosophically). Check.

In an area that:

- Is urban. DC fits the bill.

- Has active social, artistic, intellectual and musical scenes. DC fits the bill.

- Is or is like: New York City, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Chicago. While I live in DC, I am in NYC, SF and PDX a lot. And I love them all.