Tag: career

A Job Search Update

Carl Setzer

Last week I wrote about my transition from my current job to my next thing (see Transitions and Next Steps). The process of exploring what’s out there, what I’ve done, what I’m good at and a number of other things has refined my focus. Instead of “communications”, my focus will be on business administration (things like Executive Assistant, Business Administrator, Office Manager, Administrative Assistant roles). I do love this kind of work. And one of the things I did a few days ago was pull out a career assessment that Keller Williams runs on all their staff. And those administrative roles are ones I got 100% alignment with. Most of my career was focused on this kind of work. Mainly because I’m good at it, and like being good at it.

My focus right now is finding a role that I love. I want more than just to like my work, definitely more than tolerate it. No, I want to love it. As I know what work I’m good at and want to do, this next step is to figure out where. There are solid elements of the where. I want to work in a positive environment. No passive-aggressive dysfunction, thanks. Nor rage. Nor convoluted and confused leadership. I’m terrible at confrontation, and have no interest in putting up with unpleasantries for the sake of a paycheck.

I also want to work in a aesthetically pleasing space. Sunlight! It may seem shallow, but it’s important to me. It shows a deep commitment to staff, for starters. Anyway, I don’t need to be right next to a window, but lots of natural light. I’ve worked in many spaces like that over the years. Starbucks, Microsoft to start with. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen from my meetings at the Snohomish County Admin Building.

My focus currently includes many local powerhouses:

  • Boeing
  • Starbucks
  • Microsoft
  • Premera

I’m also considering local government, Snohomish County, Cities of Lynnwood, Edmonds, Everett, Mountlake Terrace.

Anyway, that’s where things stand. If you have any advice or counsel, please leave a comment below.

Thanks!

Transitions and Next Steps 

Carl Setzer1 Comment

Currently, I’m on a six-week plan to change roles. Permitting and feasibility process (what I’ve done for the past 2.5 years) is not what I want for the rest of my life. And it’s time to do what I love. Mike, the owner of Eagle Country and I worked out the 6 week plan, giving the company time for a transition and me a window to shift. I find this a glorious win-win and am deeply grateful.

​I’m working on transitioning from construction to, ideally, communications. Writing is my first love, and I’ve appreciated every opportunity to do so. I’m also love photography and video. And connecting people delights me.

I define “communications” as this overarching concept encompassing everything from marketing to PR to public affairs to internal comms. I love writing everything from newsletters to creating flyers to PowerPoint presentations.

I have a plan in place. This week I’ll  get my resume out in front of key people, update LinkedIn, my website, Indeed and any other useful websites. And I completed most of all that yesterday. So I’m feeling pretty awesome right now. I need to research what other websites to utilize, if any. Also, I need to work on expanding my list of focus companies.

Boeing is first. As a boy, I fell in love with “space” and aircraft. Growing up in Navy based family gave me visibility to all kinds of aircraft. And at one point I could name off all the different military and civilian aircraft: A6, Tomcat, 707, 747….and on and on. I still get excited watching spacecraft footage.

As a professional, the scale of Boeing and their unique challenges fascinate me. As a truly global company I expect the myriad languages, cultures and time zones to make for interesting and fun challenges. That’s true with both internal and external communication. And I see many opportunities within the current OR challenges the company faces. Challenge presented opportunity.

Other local companies intrigue me, too. Whether Premera here in South Snohomish county, to places I’ve worked before (Microsoft, Starbucks). My goal now is to find work I love. And I’m in my way.

Any advice? Especially web tools and such would be great. Please leave a comment and let me know. Cheers! 

More Life Changes Coming 

Carl Setzer

I have some major changes in my career coming up. I’ll write more about this shortly. Endings, beginnings and transitions. Fear and excitement. Opportunities…

I’m in the process of reviewing, and refining, my goals and objectives. I need to pull together a vision. 

Advice and counsel will be requested and encouraged. As one of my mentors outs it: no one succeeds alone. And I’m not alone. 

Should I Become A Real Estate Mogul? 

Carl Setzer

I’ve had my real estate license for several years. However, last December I let it lapse. Over the years I held my license I closed no transactions…as an agent. My company sold bank and government owned homes. That was my focus. So I didn’t work with clients exactly. I worked with asset managers, on behalf of the institution that owned the house in our portfolio. I needed my license, but I never needed to go out and generate leads and such that’s part of being a real estate agent. Buy I know about the local market, how to price a home, how to market it, and I know the contract process better than most agents. So, though I haven’t a single transaction officially tied though, I’ve closed hundreds.

So, I’m trying to figure out what to do next. I’m nearing the end of my grace period with the state of Washington. After December, I’ll need to retake my real estate course work from scratch to renew. Right now, I just need to take a few hours of online course work and then pay the renewal fee. It’s very tempting.

In my current role, I manage the construction process from getting a contract signed around to having permits in hand. I believe that my understanding of the construction process coupled with my understanding of bank and government owner homes gives me a unique skill set in the real estate world. New construction, custom homes as well as real estate flipping and investing are things I understand well.

But, is it enough to make the investment worthwhile! Would I make back the investment in time and energy? I’m just not sure. What do you think? I’d love to hear your insights and recommendations.

Not sure I want to become a mogul. But I think I could make a positive impact on the world.

That time I tried to get a job in Antarctica

Carl Setzer

Back in the mid-80s I came across a job opportunity in Antarctica. An expedition was looking for database managers. I’d just finished up a technical program for Information Processing. I’d built dBase databases, and pushed the information through Lotus, then used Word Perfect and (I think) Pagemaker to build presentations. I note some additional skills, like I’d converted an electronic typewriter so that it was a printer. I could print letter quality docs straight from my PC. In 1986 that was a unique thing.

I had a vision of the whole journey. Very wrong, of course. Laden with naivete. If I’d pulled that off, though…so much would’ve been different. 
I was certain I was a great fit for the job, and that I would get it.

I didn’t get the job. 

Back then, I was lucky to received a typed postcard (perhaps a simple 3 x 5 card) acknowledging receipt. Though I received the “No Thanks” letter a few weeks later, it was still pretty cool. The disappointment strong, yet without bitterness.

Looking back, it’s striking how much job hunting has changed. Starting with research. Now, with Google, I could’ve learned about the lead scientists, the focus of their research; I didn’t even know their names! 

The typed responses tell me they probably processed a handful of applications. I read about this in an article somewhere. There were no online job boards. A job board was, literally, a bulletin board with job postings on it. They evolved to binders in college placement offices, (and other spots, too). Nowadays, with the online job-search eco-system they’d have hundreds, if not thousands of applicants. An upside: the acknowledgement and decline processes should be fully automated. And the larger recruit pool gives them a better chance at finding a more specific skill set. But, still, thousands of applicants…

It’s striking how different life is now. But it doesn’t FEEL that different. Well, not until I look back. Not that much simpler, though, as opposed to the adage air “simpler times”. The complexities were different. I’m happy, for the most part, with the path of our evolution.

Career Meditation: Accepting what I don’t know 

Carl Setzer

Embracing my fear
Stepping into the unknown
So much I don’t know

I realized this morning how much I’ve struggled with my new job. I’m in a new industry and doing very different work.  And i’s been a long time since I’ve stretched myself like this. It’s been fearful, but good. I need to push myself forward. It’s far too easy to settle into easy, no risk, safe work. I need to push through that fear and keep growing, stay alive and vibrant. 


Careers, Changes and Moving Forward

Carl Setzer2 Comments

I’m proud to announce that I’ve accepted an offer with the great folks at Eagle Country construction. I’ll still be in the real estate sector, but I’ll be managing permitting on new construction. A significantly different role. I’m quite excited by the possibilities, but it’s bittersweet.

I’ve worked for C&K for over half a decade. During this time, I’ve learned so very much about business, real estate, marketing, social media and branding. I’ve learned the critical importance of CRM tools, and connection. And I’ve had the opportunity to learn so very much more about Snohomish County, where I’ve spent the majority of my life. C&K is a great team doing really exciting work, and leaving this group is sad, to say the least. Eagle County falls under the Keller Williams umbrella, so I won’t be going far. And, from a commute perspective, I’m literally only moving 2 blocks south.

The opportunities moving forward are quite exciting, and I’m looking forward to learning a new element of the real estate sector, while also putting my project management and technical skills towards helping another company move forward.

So, onwards, as it were.