ask me! ask me!

... as a person who got a b.s. chem eng (in 1986) doing environmental-related work, i wanna yip/yap about my work like this dude did. (and if you are going to be looking for a job, maybe consider asking these Qs, also!)

[and you also can see
my yip/yap for my non-job]

1. How long have you been at your job and what do you do there?
. hmmmm? nearly a dozen years. as an independent consultant and business owner, i work with energy projects doing air quality and environmental communications work. (and btw, i've had four previous jobs, so i could stroll down memory lane, but i'll stick to the program.)

i consult with companies that want to/that do "stuff" with power generation where stuff includes --- evaluate (from an environmental/air quality perspective) possible projects to finance, construct, operate, modify, purchase, sell, etc. --- prepare paperwork to get needed government approvals for projects --- form and manage project teams that work on projects --- and every once in a while, I get to write about technologies, projects and general environmental/energy topics. I'm sort of a lower-priced regulatory/legal type ... and a higher-priced paper-pusher ... both needed in the power industry, so it happens.
2. What's the best aspect of your job?
. working with a variety of people, of course! and secondly, owning my own business, so i get to choose my projects, clients, and vendors - and align choices with my overall interest in the environmental and energy field.

3. What's more important: salary or job satisfaction?
. too easy a question! job satisfaction!!! one can always get a salary - any ol' salary ... it may not be the salary you want (or think you deserve), but jobs are out there, and they inherently pay you. however, being satisfied with your job - that's a personal choice; choose to find a job that is satisfying. don't believe that someone can simply pay you to be satisfied with your job. understand that job satisfaction is what YOU make of it!

4. What's the best career advice you've ever received?
. recently, it was ... "don't just do the do - do the think! anyone can punch a calculator"

oh! and one other, back in 1982 - "make sure always to help someone else realize his/her potential." (from toni at cal) maybe that's a "life" advice, but i think it also applies to one's career.

from the lighter side - other advice ...
"having no work and incurring costs is bad." (gotta love bad grammar, at that) and
"nothing is impossible for the person that doesn't have to do it." (gotta love logic)

5. What's the best way a fresh-out-of-college employee can impress you during their first week on the job?
. by listening and asking questions. but i guess as importantly, i also should be listening and asking questions of him/her. know what i mean?

6. How did you learn to work with staff members outside of your department? [Reword - for context as a business owner - "How did you learn to work with other subcontractors?"]
. i haven't mastered this skill (IMO), but to date, i have a sincere interest in what others do, how i can help them, how they may be able to help me, and how we may be able to do things together. inherently, i have structured my business so that i practically have no choice but to work with others. said differently, my business affords me the opportunity to work with others outside of my field or area of expertise. how else will i continue to learn more about positively affecting the environment?!

7. What trait do you admire in co-workers? [Reword - for context as a business owner - "What trait do you admire in other consultants with which you work?"]
. first, i thought of answering this with 3 traits ... technical competence, consistency, and commitment ... all of which i do admire. but more over, i have to say ... authenticity and forthrightness. i guess that's 2 traits. simply put, when one's character, values, beliefs and candid approach shine through his/her work - moving forward environmental objectives - it's exhilirating and energizing.

8. How do you relieve job frustration?
. a few different ways ... i may - take a walk - talk about my feelings with someone - sit, deep breathe, center, focus - write about the frustration to understand how to overcome and manage my feelings of frustration ... and ultimately, i will confront the situation.

9. What one thing do you know now that you wish you could have known when you first started your job?
. i'll answer this from 2 perspectives - (a) as a career path and (b) as a business owner/consultant.

first of, as a career path - i do air quality regulatory/compliance work - it's not as much about being out & about with among the technologies, project sites, and the environmental attributes of a project - it's got a huge component of paperwork, documentation, deadlines, recordkeeping, legal stuff, accuracy (and precision, at times), negotiations, bureaucracy, and communications. turns out, i'm pretty good at this stuff.
secondly, as a business owner/consultant - i can be on projects where i get to be around the technologies, project sites, and environmental attributes of a project. got that issue addressed! ... and to more specifically answer the Q, there is enough work to go around. i still don't understand the ultra-competitiveness that exists among those in the environmental and energy consulting arena. there are times i just shake my head out of disbelief. talking about the ultra-competitiveness is an WHOLE OTHER SUBJECT, so i'll save that for later.

thanks for reading!

now go ask future employers ...
or just in informational interviews ...
these questions!!!