Marist students and alumni give insight into different work environments During the job hunt you are probably looking at specific positions, but you will also want to consider the work culture and environment that your future employer offers. There are numerous types of organizations that you can work for, but in our Company Size Matters series we will focus on four areas: startups, corporations, nonprofits, and the federal government. Throughout this series we will explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of working with each of these types of organizations, which generally vary in size and duties. We will use stories from Marist students and alumni who have worked in these environments in our analysis so that you can get a feel for which area you think best fits your career goals at this time. We will begin by describing what it is like to work at a startup. A startup is an early stage venture in search of a profitable business model. Startups are often business that are built to answer the following question: It’s 2019, why is there not a better way to do this yet? Startups typically have a staff of anywhere between 6 and 80 employees. This intimate size gives colleagues opportunities to get to know each other and their managers on a more personal level. Startups are often business that are built to answer the following question: It’s 2019, why is there not a better way to do this yet? In a startup individual employees might have more influence because the chain of command can be less structured than in other larger companies. There might also be more chances to voice opinions and ideas about the direction of projects. The higher level executives are probably more accessible. Having that face time with the managers and higher ups in your workplace can be very valuable. Chris Glogan ’19 interned at ATO Records, an independent record label based in New York City that was originally founded by Dave Matthews, during his final semester in college. He said all of the employees took an interest in his professional pursuits. “I had good professional relationships with them and talked to them about their career beginnings and what I was doing at school,” Chris said. “I also had a good relationship with my manager.” Startups often have fast paced work environments that will require employees to constantly grow and change to meet expectations. While this workload can be difficult to handle at times, employees who are able to rise to the challenge will learn how to work with a wide variety of clients. While at ATO Records, Chris said the scope of his work involved multiple constituents. “I was talking weekly to 300 record stores on the phone,” he said. “It was my job to tell the people that we were selling the material and what the artist is.” There are risks that come with working at a startup however. Statistically speaking, 90 percent of startups fail so you might have to prepare yourself to quickly go back on the job hunt. On the other hand, the skills acquired during a startup experience can make you more marketable for a role in a larger work environment. Chris earned an internship at Sony in the digital sales department following his graduation from Marist College. “Now that I’m with Sony I work with over 100 people and over seven record labels,” Chris said. “(Work at a startup) prepares you for moving up. You will get the skills you need such as networking and communication. It all lays the groundwork.” Thank you for sharing your story, Chris. In our next post in the Company Size Matters series, we will discuss what it's like to work in a larger corporation and feature Kenny Marples '19. Marples is a recent Marist graduate who works at Fox News. UPDATE: Since we initially interviewed Chris for this blog post he has started a new full-time role at Zero Gravity Marketing.
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From the Industrial Revolution until about a decade ago, almost all roles in the workforce have been similar. Until recently employees would work eight hours a day for five days a week and remain with the same organization full-time for many years. This routine helped them build a steady retirement fund and provided them with health benefits. New technology and platforms have caused a shift to a gig economy, which is rooted in more flexible, contracted and freelance workers. The gig economy has been growing in size for the past few years. While there are some concerns that gig workers lack the job security and benefits that other longer tenured workers have, both the private sector and government has responded to these concerns by creating some protections for employees in the gig economy. This new type of workforce can seem under regulated and intimidating, so it is best to be prepared and knowledgeable before entering the high risk, high reward gig economy. What is the Gig Economy? Investopedia defines the gig economy as one in which “temporary, flexible jobs are commonplace and companies tend to hire independent contractors and freelancers rather than full-time employees.” The gig economy connects its workers to customers or clients usually through an app or other online service. These workers often choose their own hours to complement a separate job or are considered full-time employees on short contracts. Gig economy work also typically provides cheaper options for the consumer. How Many People Are Employed in the Gig Economy? Gigs are expanding into many fields. While Uber and Lyft drivers are thought of as typical gig economy workers, they actually only account for 16 percent of contracted workers. 56 percent of gig workers are actually in the professional, administrative, or creative fields. Since the the classification of a gig worker is very broad there are not a lot of precise data and statistics on the exact number of employees in the gig economy. Many times when organizations attempt to collect data on gig workers, they also include people who have a part-time role to make extra money and supplement their full time jobs. In addition, some private companies do not release how many gig workers they have. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that about 6 million workers, or 4 percent of the entire United States workforce, were in the gig economy. The Federal Reserve reported that there were 75 million gig workers in the United States. Regardless, many of them fly under the radar. Is the Gig Economy Here to Stay? If the trends continue, than the gig economy is here to stay and may very likely expand in the future. 40 percent of companies believe that gig workers will become a larger part of their workforce in the future. Even if you do not plan on gig work being your primary source of income, many people work in the gig economy part time to develop new skills or make extra money on the side. There are some signs that working conditions within the gig economy might improve. Google has begun requiring all of the staffing firms that they get their contracted workers from to pay their employees a $15 per hour minimum wage and provide them with some form of health benefits. The state of California also just enacted a law that requires all contracted workers to be treated the same as conventional employees. Some workers say the gig economy may now just be a unique niche in what is a very complex workforce. Many others argue that the emergence of the gig economy was just a reaction to the economic troubles of the 2008 recession and that the improving economy has strengthened the value of conventional employment. Additional workers have brought up the point that while the gig economy may work for certain types of jobs, other roles that require specialized training or collaboration with other employees will go by the wayside. There is also the argument out there that the labor market is simply supply and demand. Workers might inherently value the stability, structure, and benefits that more traditional jobs have. But if there are not enough of these types of positions offered, jobseekers will turn to freelance and contract work in order to make ends meet. Overall, there is a strong belief in today’s workforce that the popularity of the gig economy will continue to fluctuate with the overall desire for jobs and additional income. What can I do to Prepare to Enter the Gig Economy? The gig economy puts an emphasis on hard skills. When a company is looking to hire freelance or gig workers, it is looking for someone to fulfill a specific need. In the age of LinkedIn and online job application sites, resumes could become less important than portfolios and networking. Cast as wide a net as possible when networking to find the most opportunities for gigs and always work on building your personal brand and reputation. Students looking for work in the gig economy will have to be self-disciplined, as they are their own boss when it comes to finding and maintaining gainful employment. Adaptation is Key It's hard to predict the future, but the rapid emergence of the gig economy shows just how volatile the workforce can be. The gig economy could very well be the primary source of income for most people going forward, or it could continue to occupy its niche in the economy and remain in certain industries such as technology, transportation, and creative services. For anyone entering any industry, they must be prepared to adapt to any changes as best as they can. How to recognize signs of and beat burnout When the end of the semester approaches it is common for you to feel burnout. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. There are many symptoms of burnout including headaches, stomachaches, difficulty concentrating, feeling drained, and lack of enthusiasm for your work. The American College Health Association found that more than 30 percent of college students had stress negatively affect their life and work. As tests, projects, papers, and homework pile up all at once it is common to struggle to complete assignments and meet deadlines. If left untreated burnout can severely take its toll on your physical and mental health. There are many ways that you can prevent burnout and reignite the fires behind your passion and work ethic to push through your assignments and finals. Reassess Your Time and Commitments The first step any student should take if they are beginning to feel the signs of burnout is reassess the work they are doing. One of the best methods for evaluating your time is to keep a schedule or an excel sheet that tracks how you are using all of your time in a given day. You might realize that something is taking up way too much time in your day and reduce it or drop it from your life completely. You might find that something else is taking longer than it should and find a way to do it more efficiently. One common time consuming task is constantly checking your email and text messages. Instead of checking and responding to every email that you get as soon as it comes in, you should try setting predetermined time during the day to check your email. Later in the day is preferable. Taking a little bit of time to reassess your productivity can be well worth the investment. Organize Yourself One of the simplest ways to get organized is to keep a planner or notepad on you at all times. Your mind can only hold so much information and the more commitments and assignments that you have to commit to memory, the less mental energy you will have to process everything. If you think of something that you need to remember such as a due date or other assignment write it down so you are not constantly thinking about it. A planner is one of the best ways to reduce your stress and to keep track of your commitments including jobs and extracurricular activities. Updating and referring to your planner will give you more time to focus on the work that you are trying to accomplish so you don’t have to rely on your own memory. Prioritize Your Health When you’re stressed and overloaded with work it's easy to set your health aside as you try to push through all of the work and assignments that you have to do. Often times the first thing that you will sacrifice to get their work done is sleep. Substituting sleep with caffeine using sleeping pills to fall asleep more easily will take a toll on your health. Caffeine can be used to extend the time you are able to work for, but not by much. Using sleeping pills for an extended period of time can lead to excessive nightmares. So don’t rely on these temporary fixes and let sleep go by the wayside. Eating healthy is also an important part of keeping burnout at bay. While you are cramming for a test or assignment it’s very easy to substitute nutritious meals with sugary snacks that are more accessible and will give you a temporary energy boost. When choosing a study snack look for foods that are high in protein and antioxidants and have moderate amounts of caffeine. A healthy and balanced diet will allow you to maintain your energy level as you strive to complete your assignments. Relax A little stress can be good for your body because it helps you recognize adjustments and habits that you need to implement into your schedule. Excessive stress, however, quickly takes its toll on the body because it compromises your self-control and clouds your ability to make good decisions. Too much stress can also have a negative impact on your motivation and confidence. Relaxation is one of the best ailments for stress. If you are studying or working for a long period of time set in regular relaxation breaks where you read, listen to music, or find another way to unwind. Set a strict time limit to these breaks so you don’t spend too much time relaxing and not enough time working. I find the perfect time range for these relaxation breaks is 15-30 minutes, as it gives you enough time to recharge your batteries while still allowing you to jump right back in to the work that you’re doing. Remember Your Goals We are all in school to get an education and pursue a field of study that we are passionate about. The tests, assignments, and projects during Finals Week are all just stepping stones for us not an end game. Keeping a list or album of your favorite motivational quotes on hand is a good tool for when you feel down or stressed. Remember Your Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a good guide to reference when you are stressed. The most important needs, Basic Needs, are the two levels at the bottom of the pyramid. If you are unable to meet the foundational needs of the pyramid you will have trouble completing your work and reducing your stress. If you are beginning to feel burnout start from the bottom of the pyramid and make sure that you are meeting all of the needs at each level before you begin to explore the next level. Don’t Give Up
Burnout can occur at any time of the year and severely impact your mental and physical health. Not to mention having your grades slide. These are just some tips to help you navigate the initial stress symptoms that often lead to burnout. Find what works for you. If all else fails try reaching out to friends and family to see if they can help you. Don’t feel like you’re being a burden on them by asking for their input. Burnout can really take its toll on you, but it is always possible to add fuel to the fire and begin burning brightly again. |
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