Exploring culture in a company

I’ve officially been in the same situation for a whole year now. I’ve worked the same job; I’ve lived in the same apartment; I’ve pretty much had the same routine. I will be moving in an month (the details are vague at this point, but, yes, I do realize time is running out), so at least one change is coming up. I don’t know what else will unfold in the coming days, weeks, or months, but everything I’m doing now is kind of preparation for that change, whatever it is and whenever it comes.

As most of you know, I’m working to start up my own business. The actual result may be coming along slow, but I’m putting the pieces together for what I want, how I’m going to get it, and how things will work.

Several weeks ago, I encouraged my sister Julianne to join Twitter. She did, and I believe she’s posted just one tweet. (OK, there are two—the second was a response to me.) She’s currently getting her MBA and her tweet was about a class discussion.

“Discussing corporate culture and if you should hire based first on if they fit that culture or first based on their skills.”

Interesting right? These days I’ve been extremely interested in career fits and specifically company culture. (I know, I know; I’m such a dork.) A lot of this is because I know I need a very specific environment to be fully satisfied with a position. (I think I’ve only had one awesome work environment in my ooo fifteen jobs so far.)

So I’ve been noticing a lot about my current company culture—and exactly what I would change and how I would run things differently in my own company. And for now, what I want in a new job. Oh the learning experiences we gain from life!

One thing I’ve specifically noticed lately is that there is a definite negative manager/employee dynamic going on. My coworkers always complain, criticize, and ultimately undermine our department manager. (That said manager is on vacation this week, so the comments have been more vocal.)

Wow, this bothers me…and makes me really uncomfortable. And I’m realizing why: I feel like as soon as my back is turned, these same people are going to be complaining about and criticizing ME. Ultimately, I’m not comfortable because I feel as though I’m on the defense and trying not to let my possible inadequacies (and what would focus those negative comments on me) show. And that’s definitely not a good place to be.

I think I came to this realization because I’ve had a hard time when friends say negative stuff about other friends or acquaintances around me. Especially when I feel/know those people are likely to do the same thing to me. How can I trust these people when experience shows that the second something goes wrong, I could and probably would become the blunt of negative comments?

But this is how we learn. I want an open company culture, with individual assignments but a collaborate overall effort. I want weekly staff meetings (I love meetings at work!) where everyone can report the status of their assignments, and if someone needs help or someone needs extra assignments, those issues can be dealt with there. I want the employees to feel useful and important and to know that they are contributing to something worthwhile. I want ideas to be respected, no matter where they come from. I don't want one person to make all the decisions. I want everyone to contribute ideas and ultimately come up with the best option together.

Artistic. Enterprising. Social. (AES)

Games and quizzes are fun...right? I've been doing several through my internship with Careerealism.com for the past few weeks. One such quiz, titled the "Career Interests Game," talks about how different people's personalities may find different environments more to their liking. The game was developed by a Dr. John Holland who has created 6 different groups: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Go ahead and visit the page to see how it works, but the purpose is to find your "Holland Code"—a three-letter code that describes the top three, in order, that you are attracted to.

Mine is AES: Artistic, Enterprising, Social.

I was asked to take this quiz as part of the career mentoring program the Careerealism interns (plus private clients) get to participate in. Our next step was to read through the list of jobs under our three selected categories, find those with our Holland Code (with a little flexibility), and select any and all that interest us—regardless of perceived requirements, training, possibility, etc. We then use these selected position in further steps in the program that maybe, just maybe I'll explain later.

But I found my list to be, well, a little familiar.

English Teacher (ASE)

Journalist (ASE) (EAS)

Photographer (AES)

Writer, Editor (ASI)

Advertising, Marketing, PR (EAS)

High School Teacher (SAE)

Graphic Designer (AES)

At first I was like "All right! I'm definitely in the right field!" I'm currently a journalist/editor/designer. I have marketing and PR experience. The one additional trained talent I wish I could have is photography. And I've known I would looove to teach high school journalism later on.

But then I wondered if I was just being biased in the choices I selected. Sometimes it's kinda frustrating to think that maybe you just trick yourself into THINKING something is what you want to do, just because that's what you are doing and perhaps what you think you are good at. I'm not saying that's my case—after all, weren't my last two posts a personal essay about everything I love about editing?

For me, I think sometimes I get caught up on looking out, rather than looking in. I think I'm not smart enough, not dedicated enough, not qualified enough. I see all the many other people out there and think, they are a much better editor than I am; they are way better with words than I am; they know so much more about designing then I do—and conclude maybe this isn't what I'm supposed to be doing after all.

Then again, can it really be a coincidence that everything related to what I currently do professionally (and really do enjoy) was so closely related to my initial result?

I want to know what you are, so play the game and leave me a comment with your result and what you think!

It's BRAINSTORMING time!

OK, I need your help. I’m trying to come up with and decide on an official name for my magazine. I’ve been creating an ongoing list over the past couple days, but know I’m not exactly fantastic at coming up with catchy and relevant titles, key terms, names, etc. I’ve posted my ideas so far below. Let me know if any seem better than others, what stands out, what is a sure negative, and ANY OF YOUR OWN IDEAS! Remember, this is pure brainstorming so no ideas are bad (as you can see from my list :P)

Here’s some basic information about the magazine.

Audience: High school juniors and seniors preparing for graduation

Appeals to: School counselors, parents, colleges and universities

Purpose: To educate and address concerns about the upcoming transition to the “real world,” whether it be through college, jobs, military, etc. (although mostly college).

Sample topics: What classes to take in high school; making yourself stand out to admissions; how to have a great campus visit; finding the right college for you; how and why to participate in serving-learning/study abroad; preparing for the SAT/ACT; how to save money in college; staying in contact with high school friends; ways to make your college transition go smoothly….

The idea is to create something fun and informative that students will want to read and find helpful. At the same time, parents and school counselors will see the benefit and recommend the magazine or even use it themselves. The title doesn't necessarily have to directly "tie in" like some (OK most) of my ideas do. But something that's catchy and that can help us create a great product!

Those are the basics….tell me what you think!

Not Your Everyday Kind of Editor—Part 2

When I think about how my personal characteristics match those of an editor, several things pop out at me. For example, my college roommates thought I was crazy for my almost obsessive interest in the course registration process. I admit it's weird, but I really enjoyed selecting different classes and arranging each time offered within a schedule. I always know the registration options become available and have been known to configure schedules for friends. I think this quirk shows I have a knack for details and don't become overwhelmed in very specific, detail-oriented processes. Combing through details is one task I enjoy and is what attracts me to the copyediting aspect of editing. Additionally, my writing background demonstrates my love for words and ability to communicate effectively through them. "The Copyeditor's Guide to Substance and Style,"offers other characteristics editors have when it states,

"Most editors share common traits—a love of the written word, an appreciation of language in all its richness, a desire to see order emerge from chaos in the form of a manuscript that sings or speaks from the heart," (page 2).

My detail-oriented characteristic also relates to the production process, although the situation is a little different. In copyediting, you take a completed text and break it apart into paragraphs, sentences, and words; whereas at the beginning of the production process, you start with nothing and combine the headlines, articles, and photographs to create the publication. While the processes are different, I really enjoy both. In "The Layers of Magazine Editing," Michael Evans describes an editor's job at the beginning of a publication process, and he highlights an aspect I really enjoy. He says,

"Every issue of every magazine begins as Emptiness and Nothing, and it is the job for the editor to replace that blankness with scintillating articles, compelling photos, and catchy ideas that will keep the readers coming back again and again," (page 109).

I think it is really exciting to sit down with whomever I am working with and brainstorm possibilities for the next publication. So many factors affect not only the stories that get printed but also every characteristic of each story, such as the angle or intended audience. Again, this relates back to giving attention to every detail and being able to sort through what I have and figure out exactly what I need. Although the process sometimes requires a lot of work, it really is rewarding to see everything come together, piece by piece, until there is a final project—a publication you are proud to have been a part of.

See Not Your Everyday Kind of Editor—Part 1

Not Your Everyday Kind of Editor—Part 1

I love the bustling excitement that always seem to exist in big cities, and when I think about my dream of being a magazine editor and writer, I always picture myself surrounded by the dynamics of such a city blossoming with adventure.

Although I don't remember a specific reason why I chose to enter the fields of journalism and editing, I have since noticed many popular depictions in movies and books about the life of an editor—especially female editors. These depictions may be what have influenced what I see for my future, as the editors featured always seem to be successful, smart, and laid-back, and, well to me at least, their job seems quite perfect.

While these cinema depictions are lacking in that they often conveniently omit the details about the nitty-gritty assignments every editor deals with, I have found that they do highlight the limitless aspect of the job description of an editor/writer—these professionals may encounter ANY type of assignment. This characteristic attracts me to editing by allowing me to become informed on a variety of subjects, opening doors to many different kinds of positions, strengthening my personal characteristics, and helping me work with others towards a common goal.

One passage in "Editors on Editing: What Writers Need to Know About What Editors Do," by Gerald Gross explains that being an editor is not merely hunting through a manuscript for errors or typos, but instead includes proposing ideas and subjects, soliciting authors and experts, deal making, line editing, packaging, preparing profit and loss projections, and countless other tasks," (page 35).

I've found this statement is true—an editor is responsible for many different things and has to have knowledge about many different topics. In fact, I've realized the aspect of journalism and editing I love the most is the aspect that allows me to get involved in different subjects and to expand my knowledge in different ways.

I love the process of researching a new subject for an article I'm writing or analyzing and asking questions about a manuscript. I love the idea of continuously growing and learning while performing a task. I fully agree with the statement that "editing can, and should be, not only a life-enhancing profession but also a liberal education in itself, for it gives you the privilege of working with the most creative people of your time," (Gross, page 28).

In addition to learning about a wide variety of subjects, I also love that being an editor does not limit me to one specific job. The idea of working as a magazine editor does thrill me, but it is not necessarily what I'll want to do for the rest of my life. I believe as an editor I have so many options as to what I can do professionally. If I don't want to be a head editor over a lot of production processes, I can simply copyedit. If I'm not in a position to have a full-time job, I can freelance. If I don't live at a permanent address, I can maintain business and clients through electronic edits. The options are endless, and I look forward to continue exploring what I believe editing personally offers me.

See Not Your Everyday Kind of Editor—Part 2

Twitter Steps 1, 2, 3

Hey guys, it's Twitter Tuesday (simply because of the alliteration), so I'm sharing the first three basic steps you need to start using Twitter successfully. I'm relentless on the fact that all of you will have a Twitter account at some point in the next several years, so you might as well start! *Hint hint. Come on, follow me: @skariann.

Step 1: Provide Information

After you create an account and user name, DO fill out your basic bio and add a picture. This gives you credibility as an actual real, living Twitterer. (Not some spammer!!) When people come to your account, they want to see that someone is actually behind it. As you gain Twitter momentum, this will be even more important. Also, write a couple tweets or updates so you can get the hang of the process AND so others see there is at least some activity on your profile. Get in the habit of updating your account regularly.

Step 2: Follow Others

Ah, the most basic of Twitter lingo. I follow you, you follow me, and we all have followers. Try comparing this to your Facebook friends. The people who follow you will automatically see your tweets. The people you follow are who will show up on your feed. So, search for people you know who are already twittering, invite others to join, and start finding Tweeters who interest you. There are tons of celebrities, musicians, professionals, comedians, local businesses, news sources, etc. etc. As you follow more people, you will start to see the variety of ways people use Twitter. And you'll start to see how YOU will want to use it.

Try to keep your ratio of followers and those you follow about equal. If you are following 900 people, but only 24 are following you, others are less likely to follow you. Why? You look like a spammer or someone whose tweets aren't valued.

But keep in mind: When you first start tweeting, it will be a little difficult to get follows back. But over time as you build your account and find your niche, that will be a lot easier.

Step 3: Retweet, Retweet, Retweet

A retweet is pretty much the highest honor in the Twitterverse. (Yes, one of the things I love about Twitter is the insider lingo.) A retweet is when you see a tweet that interests you, and you pass it on. So when people retweet your content (or vice versa), they are saying they pay attention and think your content is good. This sharing of tweets is how Twitter is so amazing at getting out information and spreading it FAST. So read the feeds of those you follow and retweet (RT) what really catches your eye.

How? Simply copy the text with the original tweeters username and place a RT in the front.

Example:
Original Tweet: Great blog post about steps 1, 2, 3 of Twitter
Retweet: RT @skariann Great post about steps 1, 2, 3 of Twitter

If you want to add more (and there's room: remember you only have 140 characters), comment with the RT.

Retweet: This helps a lot! RT @skariann Great post about steps 1, 2, 3 of Twitter

As you continue retweeting content, you will build credibility and presence on Twitter, which will lead to more followers.

Do you have any other questions or concerns about Twitter? Let me know, and I'll try to address them. I will also be posting about tips, programs, branding, significant Tweeters, and more in the future!

Tweet this article!

Self-discovery

Over the past few months, several opportunities I decided to participate in have a little unexpectedly taken a surprising turn. Towards what?

Well, first, many of you may remember back in April when I went to a financial planning conference for recent alumni at my university. I ventured back to my college campus on a Saturday morning hopeful to learn a little more about budgeting, saving options, and retirement planning. I also signed up for a financial mentor program where I first met with a mentor one-on-one and then in group mentoring once a month or so.

I also blogged last week about how I'm doing an internship with Careerealism.com via Twitter. The program is designed to not only teach us about branding a company but also about branding yourself.

OK, so get to the point.

This wasn't what I expected but both opportunities required a lot of thoughts and exercises involving self-discovery—and it's kinda fun and definitely an interesting process. I spoke in my church a couple months ago and one thing I mentioned is how self-fulfilling it can be to take personality tests and read the results and to say, "Yes, that's me. Yes. Yes. No, that's not me—to see yourself in the descriptions and gaining even a glimpse of deeper understanding about yourself.

(I was pretty excited when I learned that a couple people had read my Psychology of Wealth post and actually went out and read the book I mentioned, "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.")

Last week in my internship, we each took little tests to help us determine a little more about ourselves. (These are all a part of the Careerealism University program—check it out for yourselves.) The first few focused on helping us prioritize some core values in life, e.g. friends/family, career, physical self, fun/recreation, finances. We also had to write statements about what our personal definition of success in each of these areas means. All of this will ultimately help us understand what role our career will have and how to balance the different areas successfully. 

The last part helped us define our interaction style (I'm a contemplator), our learning preferences (I'm visual, active, global), our work style (I'm half administrator, half reporter) and outline our passions and interests and unique gifts. The next few steps in the program will help us understand how these personal descriptions affect us in the workplace and how to find a work environment that meets our needs and styles.

P.S. If you are at all interested and join the Careerealism Facebook page, you'll get a free month in its private career network.

P.P.S. Careerealism just posted a new article covering more of these topics:  

What You Probably Don't Know About Twitter

Twitter, Tweet, Tweeter, Retweet,

Twitter,

Twitter,

Twitter

It's been everywhere lately and though some might think it's a brand new product, Twitter has actually been around for about three years. But recently, Twitter has managed to "tweet" its way to the top of most social media markets. I admit I've only joined a few months ago, but I've had friends on it for about a year and am been telling myself to get signed up for a while. So, if you are thinking about it or at all curious, now is the time to join!

Twitter takes some getting used to, and most people don't really understand what it is or how to use it. I don't claim to be an expert, but I want to encourage anyone interested to join, so here's some information that's helped me.

And remember, don't get discouraged about using it. My first tweet, after about a month of being signed up, was: "skariann doesn't know if she has time to twitter..."

Nearly everyone's first impression about Twitter is somewhat egotistical—they think it's simply a tool to frequently update the world about what they are doing at any minute of the day. And most think "Who cares?"

While the "status update" type of posts are out there and do play a part in the Twitterverse, there is also so much more. Here are some of my favorite uses for Twitter:

Finding news information
Directing traffic to smaller sites/blogs
Personal Branding
Professional Branding
Networking (both professional and social)
Communicating with customers or target market
Discovering article or blog post ideas
Getting feedback
Connecting with authors of favorite blogs/articles
Learning from admired experts in various fields

There are so many ways anyone, in any field or for any purpose, can benefit from Twitter. But, the most important thing is to set up an account and start exploring the network. (Remember to follow me, @skariann, and send me a message—I'd love to see you there!)

To help you understand even more about how to get going with your Twitter account and how it can benefit you, here are some great related articles that I've found through my network of blogs and on Twitter:

Ten Easy Steps for Twitter Beginners by Darren Rowse, @ProBlogger, from TwiTip.

College Students: What are You Waiting For? Join Twitter ASAP by Heather D'Amico, @heatherdamico, on her blog.

Twittering, Not Frittering: Professional Development in 140 Characters by Suzie Boss, @suzieboss, on Edutopia.org.

Twitter: Connect, Tweet, and Network Yourself Successsful from the Online Beat.

I'm Twinterning This Summer!

I have been a horrible poster lately, but since my surgery I feel like I've been so behind, or simply doing horribly at the small, everyday things I do. So my blog, cleanliness of my room, gym attendance (although this was expected :P), eating habits and more have really been suffering lately. But I'm feeling almost back to normal (hopefully that will last) and hoping to get things lined up over this weekend—so by the beginning of next week I'll be going strong again.

I'm loving the personal motivation I always feel once a weekend rolls around!!

Sooo, there are several important blog posts I've started but haven't gotten around to further researching and finishing. But I've save those for next week.

Today, I'm really excited to share a little information about the "twinternship" or Twitter internship I'm doing this summer with none other than my favorite site—Careerealism.com

We are just getting started but, wow, I am so excited and think this is a great opportunity. For those who haven't followed my previous Careerealism-related posts (I swear I've been obsessed from Day 1.), one of the things that first attracted me to this source was the tag-line "Every job is temporary."

How awesome is that? It takes me back to December 2007 when I was just graduating and accepted an internship with the LDS Church magazines. Everyone asked, "Oh, will you be able to make a career out of that? Do they hire the interns right out of these?" Then, when I accepted my current position with this publishing company, again everybody asked, "So will you be making a career out of this?"

This question always confused me.

I earned my degree in journalism, with emphasis on design and editing. And since at least my freshmen year of college, I had been snatching up dozens of editing, writing and design jobs. When I was graduating, those new positions offered new opportunities for me to grow and learn and encounter new work environments. Did I know how long I'd stay in the positions? NO. But, they did and do involve the things I love to do professionally and, of course, help me grow as a professional and understand what kind of "company culture" I work best in.

Maybe I didn't explain my thoughts too clearly there (I'd suggest reading my Preparing For Your Second Job post for a little more insight), but I was simply confused why people kept defining my career with the length of time I'd stay with those companies.

Today, through a video conference/chat set up (through Ustream) with J.T. O’Donnell, Careerealism founder (@jtodonnell), we interns learned that we need to throw out everything we know about "careers."

I honestly didn't make the connection until halfway through this post about how well this insight connects with my previous qualms with what people expected for my career. But, in the Careerealism world, everything is about your "business of one." You are your own product and, because every job is temporary, the only "career" you have, is that of branding and promoting yourself.

Again this post has taken a different turn from what I expected, but with more to come, I want to share the two main objectives from the twinternship I'm participating in.

1. Learn how to use Twitter for business and marketing.

Today consumers of any kind don't want to face hard core sales pitches. Instead, they want to be informed and make their own decisions from the information presented. So, I'll be learning how to become a Twitter expert and about the endless opportunities it has to brand, connect and work with customers.

2. Learn how to build your personal brand—marketing your company of one.

J.T. O’Donnell shares that today (very different from 20 years ago) every person will have an average of 9 careers and 3 jobs within each career. And the average college graduate will have 10 jobs in the first 10 years of their career. Isn't that crazy? Online branding for your career is the way everything is going and is almost essential in snatching that amazing dream job.

Come on, how many of you have or known of someone being Googled or looked up on Facebook when being considered for a job? It's almost unavoidable, so it's very important to have a well-established presentation of yourself on this most accessible source—the Internet.

I'm stopping there, but again, I'm so excited for this opportunity and know I'll be saying more later!