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As I listened to these two women talk, it made me think about what I wanted. And I started thinking about what was important to me. At one point, one of them asks about non-negotiables. So, I started thinking about what my non-negotiables were - right then. Had my priorities changed? Would they change again anytime soon? And I began to think about how my previous job and this new job made me feel. I knew that nothing out there would be perfect, but what were the things I found important that I didn’t want to compromise on? For instance, was pay a major factor? Or was a flexible schedule more important? Was the work environment a deal breaker? And so, I started coming up with a list of things I wanted in a job.
- A good work environment // I don’t want to dread going to work. I don’t want to deal with people talking badly about each other - every single day. I know that workplaces have gossip, and not everyone is going to get along. But I firmly believe that good leadership can have a lot of influence over how often and how long these behaviors are allowed to go on. Having toxic coworkers is not fun, and I want to limit it as much as possible.
- Good benefits for myself and my family // Medical and dental insurance are important to me because I have a family, and I also would like to add to it in the future. Not having insurance or having a terrible plan is not something I’m okay with. Even the best individual plan through the Affordable Care Act sounds like a joke regarding premiums, copays, and deductibles.
- Good starting pay ($48k net) with reasonable yearly raises // The price of everything has gone up. The cost of living is getting higher. And as long as I’m doing good work, I feel it should be compensated accordingly. And it should be equal to anyone else at the same level. Man or woman.
- 40 hours of vacation and 40 hours of sick time to start automatically // I’ve been in the workforce for a very long time. My work history shows that I am loyal and consistent. Starting over without these benefits while having a daughter and family is not ideal. So, this is something I wish I could negotiate.
- An 8 a.m. -5 p.m. workday // I want to clock in, do my job, and clock out. While I’d be flexible if it were an EA position, I want clear boundaries. I want to have a good work/life balance. And I don’t want to be made to feel bad for that, either. This is one way to help avoid burnout.
- Training and learning opportunities // I want to be good at my job. I want to advance and stay up to date with skills in my career. And I want to make the employer feel/see that I’m worth the money I’m being paid. So, being able to attend a conference, take a course, or go to a workshop each year would be amazing.
- The option to work from home in case of an emergency // When kids get sick or when we have to make a last-minute trip out of town due to emergencies, I’d like the ability to work from home or remotely. I enjoy going into a physical office away from my house to work. Still, there have been times in the past when I wished I could have been able to work remotely rather than burn through my vacation - especially since my job was almost exclusively done on a computer.
- A wellness program // Extra time (30-45 minutes) either during lunch or before/after work that I can take to work out at a local gym, run, or attend a therapy session. Limited to twice a week max. Our physical and mental well-being is super important. I’d like to work for a company or business that understands that.
