Sunday, January 2, 2011

Where?

So, since I feel like I've got a pretty good idea of what I want to focus on career-wise, I decided I would try to figure out WHERE I want to be. I'll be moving this summer, but to where?

Instead of resolutions, I decided to create a list of requirements for the place I'll be living. I broke them down into geography and work environment.

Geography
  • Mid-sized city (60,000 - 500,000-ish), or a large city that has distinct neighborhood areas
  • Moving water (river, creek, whatever - if it's wet and moving, that's good)
  • Cultural opportunities - access to museums (natural history, historical, art, etc), zoos, arboretums
  • Nature access - green space, hiking/walking trails, nearby nature areas (state or national parks, national forest land, etc)
  • Public transportation - bus system, light rail?, car sharing?, bike trails?
  • Airport - if not in town, then nearby
  • University - large enough for research opportunities
Bonus: in a valley with hills or mountains around; within 12-16 hours of Omaha; variety of housing (affordable); space for a garden

Work Environment
  • Less hierarchical structure - more flattened, team-based, collaborative
  • Work expectations established (things not run on favoritism, nepotism, or any other ism; things not changing constantly)
  • Stable (or relatively stable) budget, with money dedicated for professional development
  • Transparency (especially with the budget)
  • Co-workers who meet standards for competence
  • Co-workers with skills/experience/knowledge they are willing to share (mentors)
  • Professionalism, organization, flexibility, respect
Bonus: co-workers I like and respect; stable, upbeat environment; people who are curious and continue to learn; learning and professional development are valued (especially in terms of time and money)

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