Tag: career

Social Media, Communications, and Career

Carl SetzerLeave a comment
close up photography of yellow green red and brown plastic cones on white lined surface

I just updated my LinkedIn profile language to “maximizing the potential of technology”. I’m trying to capture my belief in the positive potential of technology while acknowledging the risks and downsides. My career focus will be technology focused, as a good chunk of my life has been. I’ve enjoyed the past few years of IT being my center focus and am eager to keep that going. A fun aside with this: IT is not that narrow a focus! Data, AI, networking, web development…all of these are so much more are encompassed by the umbrella of “IT”.

As I’ve been building a career plan, my research keeps driving home the importance of networking. Not in terms of information systems, but human connectivity. Now, this is not a new notion to me. And during my years in Real Estate, I saw so many times that it was connections that cemented business success. The main challenge in this: genuineness. Most people aren’t fans of being hit up only when someone wants something from them. “Hey, I don’t know if you remember, but we worked together 10 years ago. Can you help me get a job?” I know it’s wearying.

I’m taking this as a reminder to maintain connection with people I care about. For 2025, I’m making it a point to reach out to those my contacts and start with simply saying “hi”. Folks shouldn’t be in there unless I care about them, right? Now, I have hundreds of people in my contact list. Everyone I’d worked on a project with, was part of team with, all that sort of stuff ended up in my contact list. So, for the first step of this project, I’m going through and cleaning things up. If we worked together on a project 10 years ago, and we haven’t talked since, I’m just going to delete the contact. And I’ve been so bad at managing my contact list that there were people who’d died years ago in there. Yeah, this is a critical first step!

I deeply value my friends, and want you all to be more than potential sources of revenue. Being deliberate about maintaining these connections is but a first step. Yet this is an area that I really want to grow. It feeds my soul.

Looking Forward: Career Thoughts

Carl SetzerLeave a comment
close up photo of survey spreadsheet

I’m a bit behind on my 2025 planning. This “bug” I’ve been fighting has sapped away SO much energy. As I’m FINALLY feeling my energy return (at least more of it) this week, I’m starting to map out what my career direction and focus looks like in 2025 and forward.

Quick summary: I spent the pandemic working on a degree in Information Systems with its main focus on Web Development. In a weird twist of fate, I finished it right as the tech sector meltdown was hitting hardest. Competing with 500k+ tech workers has made the transition challenging. But I did land an IT role. Currently, I work 1/2 time as an IT/Systems Analyst for the Edmonds Waterfront Center, and 1/2 as a “tech savvy” Administrative Assistant. I feel like I’m straddling both my past and my future. My vision of my future, though, is to move full-time into IT/Information Systems. And that’s the plan I’m building.

However, that’s not a narrow enough focus. Within this umbrella is a huge array of roles. Network administrator, help desk analyst, web developer, systems analyst, information security, and data analyst….and there’s plenty more! First world problems, a plethora of riches….you know.

Anyway, focus, right?

After looking over my notes, exploring all the projects I’ve worked on the past few years, reviewed the classes I’ve taken, exploring what I’ve found the most fulfilling, most valuable, and even what I thought was the most fun, I have pretty much narrowed things down to what I’ll call “data systems”.

I’ve worked with data in many settings, and have spend many hours with Excel. And I like this stuff! While studying for my ATA, I got to work with a LOT of database systems and tools. Besides extensive projects in Access, I got to do a lot of work with SQL. Not just MySQL, but also SQL Server, and even a few variants of Oracle. I find this stuff endlessly fascinating. And I see that “data” is a huge growth area in our economy. Between data analytics, data security, data warehouses, and data lakes, there’s a huge need for people who both understand these systems and structures, but also, well, enjoy it! My experience with data is pretty extensive as well. From budget tracking for my teams at both Starbucks and Microsoft, creating dashboards for real estate teams, and tracking projects and feasibility for construction companies, I’ve done a lot.

Looking towards the future, I want to dive deeper into key skills. First, Data Visualization. I have studied design and worked extensively with PowerPoint. Power BI and Tableau are a logical next step. Thus, I’ve started the Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst course on Coursera. I also want to build my skills in Python/R and Statistics. Perhaps via the IBM Data Analyst Cert or Google’s Data Analytics Cert. I’ll evaluate that as I move forward.

As I was cementing my data plan, a YouTuber that I value, Network Chuck, posted a video with a “Hacker” career roadmap (really, network engineering/cybersecurity). It sounded so cool! But, as much as it sounds awesome, I need to accept I’ve made my roadmap and need to move forward with it.

I recognize the place of privilege I’m in, where I have all these options that I struggle to choose amongst. For that, I’m grateful.

So, I know some of you have experience in this area. I’d love your thoughts on my framework/vision (I’m still turning it into a plan). And if you have any advice, I’d deeply appreciate your thoughts.

The Value of Mastery

Carl Setzer
close up shot of two people wearing karategi and black belt

James Clear, the author of “Atomic Habits” has a newsletter “3-2-1 Thursday”. Each issue contains:

  • 3 short ideas from James
  • 2 quotes from other people
  • 1 question

Today’s newsletter, titled “On growing fast vs growing slow, the value of mastery, and climbing the right mountain“, resonated with me. The goal of my personal development plan is mastery, and I’m working on mastering what, exactly. Project management? IT? Web development? One of these. But this post drove home a weakness holding me back: my impatience. I want to become a master fast. And, well, that’s the opposite path of mastery. James included this quote, which I appreciated. It drives home the point succinctly.

“Mastery is the best goal because the rich can’t buy it, the impatient can’t rush it, the privileged can’t inherit it, and nobody can steal it. You can only earn it through hard work. Mastery is the ultimate status.”

~ Derk Sivers

Choosing what NOT to study is one of my core challenges right now. I’m interested in SO very much. Choosing to NOT pursue something is rather painful. But I know it’s the right decision. But, man, it’s so hard!

Have you developed mastery in something? How did you go about de-selecting what to study? Was it as hard for you as it is for me?

Ernst & Young, Meta, etc, firing folks for misuing benefits

Carl Setzer
woman organizing her belongings

The past few news cycles have featured employees being fired for misusing benefits. Whether we’re talking about EY letting people go for cheating on required education, Meta letting folks go for misusing meal benefits, companies seem to be more willing (eager?) to let someone go. I think this is related to the calls for a return to office, which some feel are about encouraging staff to resign and, thus, not receive any severance, etc.

So, what I think we’re seeing is companies looking for ANY excuse/reason to let people go. So, I would be cautious, very cautious, about giving them such. Be thoughtful and be wary.

Think I’m on to something? Or am I just paranoid? Let me know what you think.

Recruiting Weirdness

Carl Setzer2 Comments
hiring text

Though I’m not actively looking for work at the moment, I still have resumes out there. So, recruiters find me and send me opportunities. This is one I got from ZipRecruiter this morning. (There was an employer name where it’s blank, which I opted to redact)

I get many of these sorts of emails every month and I find them puzzling. Ultimately, there’s pretty much NO information here. I had to Google the company, as I had never heard of them. As they’re a staffing agency, I have no idea who the company that I’d be working for is, or if they’re even in Marysville. No salary, no job description (yeah, I could click on the link, but, um, no). If I was looking for work, or, in other words, unemployed, it might be interesting enough to run the risk of a recruitment scam.

Anyway, it’s a first-world problem and I shouldn’t complain. Recruiters ARE reaching out to me, so that’s something.

20 Years With LinkedIn

Carl Setzer6 Comments
smartphone with linkedin app

I got this email last night:

Well, that’s…amazing? I started my account in 2004, hmm? Ah, the great conflicting thoughts I have! It both feels brand new and like LinkedIn has always existed.

Anyway, it’s interesting to think about the evolution of the platform. Launched in 2003, I first heard about it in 2004 when I started at Starbucks, where I was part of a group that talked a lot about careers and their management. So the site made a lot of sense to me.

I use it fairly often but really am not a power user of the platform. I like it better than most social channels and it’s more professionally focused, but political bloviation has made its way there, too.

I enjoy the interactions I’ve had, and maintaining connections with former colleagues. I post fairly often. I mean, I don’t want to be one of the people who ONLY logs in when I’m job hunting. But I know I don’t maximize the platform. I’ve been reading several bloggers’ strategies about powerfully leveraging LinkedIn, and I’m slowly building out my plans to do “better”. I see it as a powerful career management tool, one that I can improve upon.

Are you on LinkedIn? Do you find value in it? Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for reading!

Carl Setzer4 Comments
AA Milne quote featuring Winnie the Pooh: "One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries".

I adore, have always adored Winnie the Pooh and the work of AA Milne. But I can’t imagine anything more stressful than the surprises that come with being disorganized. Hence why I make significant effort to keep organized. I have my lists, notes, and calendars to keep me on task, to make sure nothing important slips.

That ethos helped me be rather successful as an executive/administrative assistant. And also explains why I have always liked that work. I’m lucky that way, I suppose.

Another Certificate Completed

Carl Setzer1 Comment
the word thoughts on a pin board

I’m continuing my technology learnings. Today I finished another step towards my Google IT Support Professional Certificate: The Bits and Bytes of Computer Networking. I appreciated both the review, as well as the deeper dive. Perhaps I’m weird, but I think this is rather fun.

The next course is Operating Systems and You. I love exploring command line stuff! It’s amazing how much power and control you have with such tools.

I also am slowly driving forward with my Google Project Management Professional Certificate. My original plan had me completing both by the end of the year. Well, that’s not happening. Basically, I didn’t fully grasp how much work they would take. I’m fine with this, though. However, I see value in refining my focus. I can complete more and with deeper learning if I choose one to focus on.

And that hits on my current thoughts. Which of these two should I focus on for my career path going forward. I spent the pandemic studying Computer Information Systems at Edmonds College, earning an associates degree. I enjoy my studies into the technical realms.

As I look over my career, though, I see projects. I’ve managed many of them, from events to office moves to…well, suffice it to say there’s been a variety. And I really enjoy that work. I’m still pursuing the Google Project Management certificate. Both of these are key elements in my career vision. I love technology, and I love working on projects. I see different business functions and how technology and, for that matter, project tools, add value. I think my space in all this integrates both realms.

Anyway, thanks for humoring my musings. I’m thinking pretty deeply right now on such things as I’m building out my goals and plans for 2024.

I Earned A New Certificate

Carl Setzer2 Comments
rolled white paper and a certificate on a pink surface

In my efforts to keep moving forward in my career, I’m currently working on the Google Project Management Professional certificate. Today, I obtained a new certification as part of that: Project Initiation: Starting a Successful Project. I guess we could call this a sub-certificate. I guess…

Anyway, project management has always been a key part of who I am. And I see that it will be a key part of my future. From my time in the Navy to the present day, a lot of what I do is keep projects moving. Whether its typing minutes or notes, updating tracking documents (Project or Asana), or following up with stakeholders, projects have been a key part of my career to date. And I’ve been told, multiple times over the years, that this is something people value about me. In the end, I love completing things. I love getting projects across the proverbial finish-line. And I love helping people be successful.

So, I seek to keep moving forward. Everyday presents opportunities for forward motion, and I intend to take advantage of them.

Spam Job “Opportunity” of the Day

Carl Setzer1 Comment
young woman in front of the entrance to the building

Fandango, a fellow WordPress blogger I follow, regularly posts “Spam Comments of the Week” (his most recent as of this post is here). I was reminded of that by this job “offer”:

My first thought was “do people STILL do this”? Does any company want the liability considering how people have been shot going to the wrong house? I mean, look at this list (3 of 495,000,000 results from Google).

So, no…NO I’m not going door-knocking…even here in Seattle. Even forgoing the tales of violence, I’m an introvert. The thought of knocking on stranger’s doors is pretty close to my vision of the deepest pits of hell.

Stepping back a bit, I also wonder about the efficacy of this as a marketing strategy. What sort of conversion rate do you see with this work? I doubt it’s out of the single digits. Perhaps it’s not actually “sales” but political doorbelling (tis the season, after all). But that should be clearly disclosed.

Anyway, I’m lucky that all I need to do in this situation is spend a few minutes puzzling, then move along. I’m OPEN to new opportunities, but do not NEED a new job at the moment. And, with that, it’s time for me to move along.