2019 WINNING SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY
What are you looking for in an employer once you get out of college…how would you define the perfect employer? BY LUKE HIGHTOWER Theodore Roosevelt has been quoted as saying, “Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.” On the flip side of President Roosevelt’s quote can be found a quote by comedian, Drew Carey, “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called everybody and they meet at the bar.” While one of these quotes is serious and sounds noble, and the other is sarcastic and funny, I think that many college graduates go out into the world expecting life to be more like the first quote even though they likely watched at least one of their parents live out the reality of the second quote. Many children grow up watching a parent or parents frustrated with their jobs or their bosses or the career path they chose. Even those lucky enough to have parents who followed their dreams into their most perfect career of choice may have witnessed a parent crushed by the realization that while their career choice was perfect for them the company that they eventually gained employment with was a terrible fit. I’ve been fortunate to grow up with parents who for the most part have enjoyed both their career choices and the companies that they work for. Both of my parents have worked for the same companies for many years; over 10 for my father, and almost 20 for my mother. In watching them both over the years the qualities in their employers that I’ve seen affect them the most have been flexibility, appreciation, and a path for growth. Since I only have part time work experience myself so far, seeing how these qualities affected my parents has definitely led me to the belief that they will be important also for me to seek in my own employer. Flexibility is extremely relevant with my generation because more women are
than just working as much as they have to so they can get their paycheck. As Voltaire said, appreciation in others actually gives you their excellence.
now seen in positions of power within corporations while more men are seen being actively involved with their families. Women are having growth and higher expectations in the workforce, while men are seeing growth and higher expectations on the home front. Having a flexible employer who understands the need for children to have a parent attend the Christmas Party at school or chaperone a field trip, whether that be the mother or the father, is important to me and would be a valuable benefit to have from the company that I work for. The standard 8am to 5pm workday is changing, and I would appreciate an employer who would be understanding if I worked modified hours occasionally in order to attend important family events. Voltaire said, “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” I’ve seen my parents work for bosses who appreciated them and those who did not, and the difference in their general contentment with work and life in general was noticeable in both situations. A boss and a company who appreciate their employees will probably have employees who work much harder than a company that does not. Treating your employees well and showing them appreciation even if you can’t always do that in the form of raises every year leads to a better work environment and makes employees want to work hard rather
Having a clearly defined path for growth is important to me because I like to know exactly what I am working for. It’s easy when you are in school to know that you are working towards an A, or a 4.0 GPA, or placement in the top 5% of the class. Those are clearly defined goals and the process to reach those goals is clearly laid out for the student. Employers who take the time to define paths for their employees would be great to work for because you would enter into the company not just with a job, but with a potential career. I understand that nothing is guaranteed but telling me that if I do “A”, then I will achieve “B”, would keep me motivated to keep working hard for that eventual goal. However, if there is the expectation that I should just do “A” repeatedly for years without any clear goals or ways to move up, then it would be frustrating and confusing and would likely lead to becoming bored or giving up on the job. There are many attributes that I will be looking for in a potential employer from starting pay rate to monetary benefits such as vacation time. Those are extremely important, however, beyond the money comes the desire for an atmosphere in which there is flexibility, feeling appreciated for hard work and effort, and having a path of growth and success that I can work towards and look forward to. Since both of my parents have been with their employers long term and I’ve seen the benefits of such loyalty, I too would like to find a great company to work for early on in my career and grow with that company for many years. If I am lucky enough to find a company who values these same qualities, then I would feel confident that I’d found a perfect employer. n
THE SOUTHERN 97TH ANNUAL MEETING • 2020 | 71
