Our topic for today (PGD)

A fellow CommDesigner Brianna and I were discussing the pros and cons of working in a corporate environment, which inevitably led to the creation of a list of what we'd (hopefully) like to have, in our future jobs. Here is her top ten list for our Future Fictitious Company (verbatim) with added commentary provided by me:

1) Come to work comfortable.
Why does the corporate world assume that people work better in high heels and constricting dress pants? In college, we do some of our best work while wearing sweatpants. Why? Because we're not confined and we’re focusing on our work instead of our wardrobe.
Me: Worrying about the creases in your pants is not conducive to creativity.

2) You don't have to be there at nine a.m.
Hours need to be flexible at jobs, especially if you have a family. Nine to five every day is exhausting, especially if you're up all night with little kids. Flexible hours mean better-rested employees, which means happier and more productive employees.
Me: Agreed. In the design world, work schedules are hopefully a bit more flexible? However, there are some days (around deadlines obviously) where it might be necessary to work overtime.

3) Don't have a killer commute.
This kind of goes along with flexible hours in that commutes often are stressful and add an extra hour to two hours onto someone's day that is rather unnecessarily frustrating. Work somewhere you can get to rather easily, whether that's a short amount of time or not too many changes of transportation.
Me: Door to door time should be less than an hour.

4) Breakfast food and snack food are always appreciated.
They really are.

5) Job titles should be concise and make sense.
We have a test in CMD called the Ken Hine test: if you can explain your idea in three words, it's a good one. The same, I believe, is true for job titles. Too specific a title and I think your purpose is a bit murky. You should be able to say what you do without having to explain in detail what you do.
Me: I would also prefer a more creative job title…Imagineer perhaps?

6) Everyone is important and everyone contributes.
That's not to say that leaders or managers are obsolete, but that a good idea can come from anywhere.
Me: And it shouldn’t have to be passed up a huge chain of command. A company should not be so big that the person with the idea cannot contact someone with the authority to make it happen.

7) No PowerPoint.
For the love of all things good and holy in this world, can we please come up with a more creative solution to how we present material? It's just depressing, people.
Me: What’s even more depressing is PitchPro, which takes away the slight amount of creativity involved in picking backgrounds and colors for PowerPoint.

8) Work in a fun, active, comfortable environment.
This one sort of goes along with the clothing thing, in that you should be comfortable. But not only in your clothes-- in your environment, as well. Sitting behind a desk all day can be mind-numbing. Instead, have a ping pong table to play on or an open space to just get up and move around in. It's a nice, refreshing break from staring at a screen or a paper all day.
Me: Eliminate cubicles. For some jobs I suppose they’re necessary, but for a design job, you need to be able to collaborate with those working around you. Also, people are always telling you to “think outside the box.” I imagine this ability is in direct proportion to the shape of your workspace.

9) Enjoy your coworkers.
Part of having a fun work environment is not just the physical space, but the people in it. Make friends. They'll help you keep your sanity when a project goes awry.
Me: Company’s should provide activities to make bonding with coworkers easier. Dodgeball league anyone?

10) Work on projects that interest you.
If you care about what you are doing, your work comes out better. 'Nuff said.
Me: Do what you love, love what you do :-)

Mid-Performance Review

It’s hard to believe I’m already half-way through my internship here at JPMC. I officially hit the 5 week mark before the 4th of July holiday, but it still feels like I just started. The summer is really flying by!

My Mid-Performance Review went very well, and while I don’t particularly see myself working here after graduation, it’s nice to know that I am in the upper range of interns being considered for employment.

So far working for JPMC has been a sort of crash course…
Welcome to the Real World 101, with topics including:

How Not to Starve or Overspend
Navigating the Underground
Living Without Mid-day Naps
Cost of Living in NYC & Taxes (a.k.a. How not to cry when you receive your first paycheck)
Personal Growth and Development