I often get asked the question “what do you want to do?” or “what kind of job are you looking for?”. Some days I have a harder time answering that than others, so I put together this section in hopes that it will provide a clear picture of what role would best utilize my assets and bring me personal fulfillment. I hope this page articulates that well.
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Disclaimer: I pulled a lot of this verbiage from actual job postings that I thought would fit my skills well. I did my best to reword and consolidate to eliminate redundancy between them.
MY
IDEAL ROLE
As An Employee
I want to work somewhere that I can use a broad range of my skills instead of doing one or two specific things. I also want to be somewhere that I can make an impact. An organization with a rigid hierarchy where decisions are based more on politics and less on merit would not be the place for me. However, I am not opposed to a larger organization as long as some of my desires are met.
I think that what the business is doing is important as well. I have a reasonably strong background in technology, so that is often seen as a natural fit. However, I also do not want to get boxed in only to the IT world. I would love to work for any company that is trying new things or making a difference, or helping others to do the same. I generally edge more towards B2B or industrial-type companies, mostly because I don’t have as much interest in retail. I want to work for a company where hard work and innovation are priorities; a place where I can use my skills to problem solve in a challenging environment. Ideally, I would never learn the job. There would still be the same learning curve after two years as there are the first two weeks. Tied into that, an organization that provides a path for me to advance and grow is a major plus. So are colleagues that are intelligent and productive.
Example Job Titles
Example Traits
To be a great fit for this position, you (are)...
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Love bringing order to chaos
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Constantly thinking about "how" to get something done
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Iterate on systems and constantly improve the status quo
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Detail-oriented with excellent project management skills
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Good at resolving conflict and overcoming obstacles to achieve the company vision
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Able to think strategically
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Possess hands-on skills to manage day to day projects with a small team
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Excited by the prospect of playing a foundational role
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Have a strong system thinking approach to organization and process building
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Comfortable with ambiguity
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Have a strong sense of ownership for outcomes
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Ask questions and always want to learn more
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Can spot a root cause from a mile away
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Comfortable presenting findings to all levels of an organization
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Able to work autonomously with little support
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Able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines
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Have a strong sense of humor
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Able to "wear many hats"
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Not afraid to say “I don’t know”, then go figure it out quickly
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Lead with inquiry and curiosity, taking the time to build context and understand “the why” of the work
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Able to create clarity by asking critical questions
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Prioritize outcomes over inputs and “why” over “what”
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Driven by goals and data
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Consistently align to the “why” of the work to determine the “how” and the “what”
Example Responsibilites
In this role, you will...
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Automate routine tasks
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Create the processes and systems needed, implement them, and ensure they are followed
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Oversee daily operations
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Be responsible for onboarding, training, billing, system design, management, etc.
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Serve as the liaison between departments
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Plan and implement complex operational programs
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Help to define the KPI’s and definitions of success for various business processes
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Work to implement and scale these processes
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Assist in various finance, HR, and support functions as needed
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Assist in the development of board, fundraising, and other IR materials
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Document the hell out of your operation to ensure stability for your team
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Scope, define and manage ongoing programs, drive communications, build partnerships, and coordinate team resourcing (capacity planning, staffing, etc.)
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Ensure that all organization activities are carried out in compliance with regulations and laws governing business operations
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Develop and implement procedures and tools to promote communication and adequate information flow
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Oversee fiduciary planning and governance, assess performance, create action plans to exceed goals, and engage in creative problem-solving
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Operate with a forward-thinking mindset, maintaining an awareness of growth and the capability to scale larger
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Optimize functions by constantly evaluating opportunities for cost savings and improvements to service
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Touch all things operations, big and small
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Drive evaluation of critical strategic opportunities, lead growth, and retention initiatives
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Maintain responsibility for the integration of change management plans, project documentation, and strategies for large, complex initiatives that impact the enterprise
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Establish and oversee internal business operations, including the finance, internal operations, talent, and technology functions
Example Qualifications
To be prepared for this position, you have...
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Strong administrative and organizational skills
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Exceptional attention to detail
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Proven business insights and decision-making skills
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Experience leading others
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Experience reading or acting on financial reporting
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A strong background in project and process management
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Advanced professional communication experience in varied situations
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The willingness to embrace change and manage uncertainty in a fast-paced environment
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The ability to manage time effectively and meet deadlines when there are conflicting priorities
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Skills to encourage your team to understand business needs, solve customer problems, and deliver measurable outcomes, and impact
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The ability to read, analyze, and interpret profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and fundamental business law
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High computer literacy, including advanced experience with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook
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Previous business operations experience and a track record of good judgment
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Strong business acumen in financial services or related industry and proven ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation skills
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Project management skills with the ability to manage programs and multiple projects and resources
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The ability to interact effectively with all levels of stakeholders
As A Consultant
Our business needs someone who...
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Has an unwavering commitment to doing what is best for us
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Has experience understanding, analyzing, and articulating common business processes and decisions to develop easy to use solutions
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Has the ability to effectively operate independently or in a team environment
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Has experience refining and clarifying requirements with both business and IT stakeholders by creating various deliverables such as process maps, wireframes, mockups, etc.
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Can build trusted partnerships with cross-functional contributors at all levels of the organization
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Will maintain the confidentiality of personal and business information
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Can manage multiple responsibilities at a given time while remaining organized, paying strict attention to detail, and meeting critical deadlines
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Can provide business analyst support for large projects
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Is the kind of person who can "wear many hats"
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Has experience working collaboratively in fast-paced, startup environments
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Is highly tech-literate
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Will naturally go the extra mile
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Loves working with highly entrepreneurial people
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Knows there is more than one way to approach a problem and will find the solution that works best for the company
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Quickly establishes knowledge of our business challenges and priorities to translate into opportunities
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Maintains regular communication and satisfaction, ensuring opportunities and challenges are addressed promptly
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Helps to establish milestones, delivery dates, and review deliverables to ensure they meet our criteria
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Has the ability to obtain, understand, and respond strategically to our needs
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Is flexible to new situations and challenges
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Is constantly seeking new ideas to bring to the table
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Is a natural at quickly digesting and learning from a diverse set of perspectives
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Can establish methods for testing business applications
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Works closely with key players to keep them updated on process changes
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Organize and execute assigned business projects (recruiting, payroll, promotional campaigns, etc.) according to our requirements
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Can analyze and interpret data to unearth weaknesses and problems, then comprehend the causes
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Can present findings and suggestions to us with ample justification and practical advice
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Knows about diverse business matters such as IT, marketing, HR, etc.