After 16 long years of schooling, I’m finally heading into my senior year of college. This also means I’m finally on the last leg of the “gravy train” my parents have generously provided. After spending my entire life “preparing for the next step”, it’s finally here. Before taking the plunge into the the “real world” most people ask themselves a similar question, “What do I want to do for the rest of my life?” Luckily, there is no concrete answer. It is a recurring question that tends to show its face around the pivotal points in life. I attack this question by simply breaking it down to the basics: what do I actually want to do?
I’ve been lucky enough to build an arsenal full of diverse life experiences. I've held numerous, very different jobs, gotten “slimed” on national television, and even moved across the country 3 times. Through it all, I've kept an open mind and haven't been afraid to try new things. Maintaining that mentality brought me out of my comfort zone and provided me with new perspectives on life. With these, I’ve been able to build a general outline tailored to what I want to do. I’ve learned what traits to look for when it comes to working, which has brought me to where I am today. Being a member of Generation Y, I’ve grown up with a front row seat to the technology boom and have developed a passion for technology, which is what originally attracted me to the tech scene.
During my sophomore year in high school, my mom was hired by ExactTarget as a corporate recruiter. Every night at the dinner table she would rave on and on about how much she loved going to work, not-so-much the actual work she did, but her company in general. She had become a workaholic addicted to the “Orange” lifestyle, the company’s brand consisting of a unique company culture and of course a lot of orange. Seeing how excited my mom was about her job, compared to the stereotypical 9-5 worker, opened my eyes to the benefits of working for a tech company.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with a few of the Indy-based tech companies; Interactive Intelligence, ExactTarget, and now hc1.com, who have all provided me with unique experiences you wouldn’t get at your average company. After my summer at Interactive Intelligence, I learned it was actually possible to enjoy a 9-5 job. Their intern program consisted of 40 interns, and held weekly events that allowed us to bond with one another, going to work felt like going away to summer camp. I was lucky to share a similar feeling to what my mom had with her own job.
As a Senior in high school, the perks attached to working at Interactive Intelligence made it feel like I was spending my summer at Google. They had a game room with weekly foosball tournaments, a workout facility on site, a nap room, and even a Summer Olympics at the end of the summer (my team had to settle with the bronze medal, still bitter about the last event...) the “work hard, play hard” mentality existed in full form.
The employee satisfaction trend has taken the nation by storm, especially in the tech industry. Stressing the importance of a great corporate culture does more for a company then you can imagine. Companies that target employee satisfaction are likely to end up with happy and loyal workers, which delivers more productivity in the workplace.
I’ve been at hc1.com for over a month now, and can honestly say I look forward to coming into work. As a fast-growing tech start-up, hc1.com emulates a corporate culture similar to the more established companies I’ve worked for in the past. hc1 takes an interest in its employees, and does it’s best to ensure their satisfaction. The workplace is very open, and resembles a family-like atmosphere, which might double as a nerf battleground every now and then. The company has a sense of transparency that allows for all employees to be in the loop. All employees have some sort of an impact on the company, even as an intern I’m able to track where my contributions are going. Knowing I’m making a positive impact on the company pushes me to work harder and seek more positive recognition, I mean, who doesn’t love being told they did a great job?
Working at hc1.com has plenty of perks as well: a laid-back dress code, state of the art technology, and flexible work hours. Being a healthcare focused tech company has its unique benefits as well. hc1.com offers it’s employees the proper tools to a healthy lifestyle. All employees have access to Teladoc, which is a 24/7/365 medical consultation service that saves you from a trip to the doctors office. Employees are also entitled to 4 personal training sessions a month, and access to the Professional Fitness facility right across the street (all paid for by hc1.com). Not only does the company focus on personalizing the healthcare experience, it strives to personalize the work environment for its employees.
When it comes to that pivotal point in life where you’re stressing to figure out that next move, take a deep breath and avoid over-thinking all of the possibilities. Break it down to the basics and do what makes you happy. When it comes to my situation of entering the real world and finding my first “real” job, I turned to my arsenal full of life experiences to help construct my path. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to the working world and what they want to do with their life. I have my sights set on the tech industry because:
- It’s something I’ve always had a passion for
- I can actually see myself enjoying work everyday for the rest of my working-life, without pulling my hair out
I’ve come to the conclusion that work is work no matter where you go (it can’t be playtime all the time). On the other hand, work should still be a place where you enjoy yourself for the rest of your life, at least until you hit those golden years we call retirement.
For more on the hc1.com culture, check out the video below:
