1. What exactly do you do?
- What field is your job in?
Facilities Management - What is your job title?
Real Property Project Manager - Please provide a brief description of the firm or organization that you currently work for (size and general description of what type of organization it is)
I work for a company called HDR Inc. They speacialize in Architecture, Engineering, and Project Management contracting. There are many HDR sites around the nation with about 200 employees at each site.
- How long have you been employed in this position?
2 years - How many hours do you work a week on average?
40 - Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
40 - Please provide a BRIEF description of your duties and responsibilities. (job description)
My duties include updating monthly project updates, as well as creating monthly reports which include: schedules, costs, director's report, utility and security reports. I also manage the database which holds all of the project information.
- What was your gross income last year? Please include any bonuses or incentives received.
56000 - What is your expected gross income for this year? Please include any bonuses or incentives you expect to receive.
56000 - Please list any benefits you have (Please include number of weeks vacation, sick leave and type of health insurance, retirement plan 401k)
2 weeks of vacation, all federal holidays, 401k, full health insurance as well as dental and eye insurance - Do you feel you are under/well/over compensated at your current position?
well
2. Work environment!
- Does your job entail you working with others on a daily basis? Is this something you like/dislike about your job? Explain
Yes, I have to interact with my boss (Program manager) and all of the project managers (9) as well as their supervisors (3). I also have to communicate with people at Headquarters daily. I like this part of my job.
- Do you work collaboratively with supervisors/managers?
Yes - Do you work collaboratively with your co-workers?
Yes - Describe your work location (e.g., office, home, theatre, in the field) and what you like/dislike about working in it
I work in the field at a federal government location. I do contract services for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
- Please rank in order of importance from 1-8 (1- most important 8- least important) Assign each number once.
- 2 Income
- 6 Work Environment - co-workers
- 5 Work Environment - supervisors
- 4 Benefits
- 3 Hours
- 7 Level of responsibility
- 1 The actual "work" you do at your job
- 8 Job Title
3. How should someone new to the workforce get a J-O-B like yours?
- If someone wanted to go about getting a job similar to yours, what would you recommend for him or her to do?
Talk to alumni at college and start networking early. The more alumni you know, the better chance one of them will have an opening in their field and can help you get the process of applying started.
- What skills do you think a person should have if they want to pursue a position like yours? Please be specific and explain why (e.g., social skills, organization skills, technical skills)
A person trying to get a position like mine has to have social skills to deal with all of the project managers, organizational skills because I usually have a few jobs to do at once, and technical skills because I rely on programming to get some tasks completed.
- Do you feel that you need a certain level of education or training to be successful in your job?
Yes- At least a BS in Management - What advice would you give to someone who was about to start work in your position/ line of work?
Be aggressive and try to increase your income as much as you can, as early as you can.
4. How did you get your J-O-B
- How did you find your current job? (e.g. newspaper, internet, referral, etc.)
An alumni posted the job opening on a inter-college website - What was the application process for your job? (e.g. submitted resume, paper application, electronic application, all, etc.)
I submitted a resume with an electronic application - Did you have to interview for your current job? If yes, what did the interview process entail? (e.g., number of interviews, who you interviewed with, group interview, individual interview, etc.)
I did have an interview. I drove to the job site and met with my to-be HDR boss. We talked about my job responsibilities and I met with the person that was currently at the position. I also met with my on-site boss to see how we would interact. - If you can remember, what questions were you asked at your interview?
Not many questions were asked. My HDR (alumni) loved my resume and practically gave me the job during the interview - Is this the job / field you planned to work in?
Yes - If your job is in a different field from your original plan how did you get here? Explain (Plan can be from high school/college/post college/personal plan)
5. Background: Are you qualified?
- Was there training for your current position? If yes, what did it entail?
Sort of. The person who was at my position before I came stayed on-site for another position and helped me along the way. There was no official training. - Do you feel your employer properly prepared you for your job? Explain
Not really. I sort of felt my fay through it and figured most things out on my own. - Do you feel your educational background prepared you for your job? Explain
Yes. My education background overqualified me for this position. I took both engineering and management courses so I can technical as well. - If applicable, do you feel your internship experience helped you prepare you for your job?
6. The Future and Beyond (FINAL SECTION)
- If someone were to observe you at work, what would he or she say is "fun" about your job?
I get to work with other people, daily. - What is (are) the most fulfilling aspect(s) and least fulfilling aspect(s) of your current employment? (e.g. fiscal, spiritual, type of work, hours, commute, compensation, etc.)
My commute from my condo is only about 10 minutes in the morning and there is no traffic. That is very convenient. The least fulfilling aspect of my job is that it is slow and there isn't always much work to do. - Is your current employment part of your career plan? Why or why not?
Yes, I need to start some where and this is a good spot for me to start. - What are your current career goals? (Can be broad or specific)
I know I want to get into manufacture engineering at some point. I will probably stay with my current employer for another year or two and then look for some opening. - Is there anything else you would like to share about your career?
7. A Day in the Life Of...
- 7 am - 8 am
I get to work at 7:30AM. Put my lunch in the refridgerator. Fill my water bottle up with water and get a coffee. - 8 am - 9 am
I fill in my timesheet, and check my personal email as well as my work email. I also check my voicemail. - 9 am - 10 am
My boss usually calls me in and gives me a task list for the morning. This morning he ask me to make a few labels for his folders and print out a big staffing sheet that he needs to use later in the day - 10 am - 11 am
I usually log and file Occupational Agreements that have built up over night that are in my email box. Depending on the day, I usually ask the project manager for schedule updates for each of their projects. Project managers can have between 1 and 5 projects. - 11 am - 12 am
During this time, I update the RWA (reimbursable work authorization) closeout sheet with the RWA closeouts that have come in overnight. - 12 am - 1 pm
- 1 pm - 2 pm
I usually check my personal email during this hour. - 2 pm - 3 pm
I update the utility and security speadsheets from the documents that have been sent to me throughout the day. - 3 pm - 4 pm
I usually log and file Occupational Agreements that have built up over night that are in my email box. Depending on the day, I usually ask the project manager for schedule updates for each of their projects. Project managers can have between 1 and 5 projects. - 4 pm - 5 pm
I go home at 4pm. - 5 pm - 6 pm
- 6 pm - 7 pm
- 7 pm - 8 pm
- 8 pm - 9 pm
- 9 pm - 10 pm
- 10 pm - 11 pm
- 11 pm - 12 pm