The context of this, is I'm considering it from a functional pov as it serves me well right now.
For projects, I need to be on top of the timeline - a hard deadline can suffice, but I like it best when I was in the initial project meeting because then I fully understand the stakes and can get a mental picture that guides me in my work. It doesn't really guide me in the sense that I'm thinking about it constantly. But it orients the feelings of time, urgency/non-urgency, etc. very well so that I can feel my way through my work and completion flows out nicely, respectful of the stakes, and hitting the hard deadline. It also enables me to ask questions that can save time later. Often times I've noticed that those presenting a project haven't really thought it through. This kind of annoys me because I'm actually *good* at thinking things through when I'm functioning well. I wouldn't present something complex to someone without having thought it through. Also by being involved more initially, there are less opportunities for me to get lost in indecision where I put off approaching various people to ask them the needed questions to reduce indecision. This is largely wasteful too because it wastes my time and that of the people I have to question after the fact. I don't like nebulous projects.
No/few interruptions. I don't do well with working on something if I am constantly being interrupted. I am very good at deep focus, but I can't do it if there are interruptions. It fucks my focus up so badly that it renders me helpless and unproductive. After that my emotions threaten to crash too and I become very upset, discouraged, angry, defeated, etc. Eventually I just break down and cry.
No interruptions about little things like office supplies, trash, people's office chairs, or anything that isn't even that important in the larger scheme of things and could be sent in an email. I by default despise materialism and don't see it as important in life. I expect people to be able to independently deal with their own resources as I ask no one for help in dealing with mine unless absolutely necessary. I don't want to be questioned endlessly about things people are capable of figuring out themselves or doing themselves, especially if they are only doing it because they are lazy or just need to yap at someone. If I'm constantly interrupted with this stuff and plagued by it, it ends up trapping me in the present just reacting to people. This makes me unable to function, unless my job is *only* doing these sorts of things. However, that would not be a job I would prefer. Being trapped in the present is a terrible hell. It's like being a bird with clipped wings. I like to see my workload out ahead of me, and a constant barrage of immediate and random requests fucks up my ability to move forward in any way at all, dashing my plans.
Motion. I need to actually be moving somewhere. A sense of motion towards deadlines for instance, fills me with motivation. The absence of this fills me with discouragement and a sense of stagnation.
Unless I am managing something entirely myself (in which case this doesn't apply), I need to be able to actually finish something. I do no like projects handed down to me that never end. There are some things I might be able to regularly maintain, but I would need to be wholly responsible for them. This allows me to be constantly flowing with these things so I simply know when actions are needed and when they can wait and no one is surprising me with misc. requests. (There is some wiggle room in this, but direct experience hasn't narrowed it down yet.)
I don't like managing people unless they can be independent. If I have to spend all my time asking them to do things, holding their hand as they do it, etc. it is highly frustrating. People who can solve problems on their own without constantly needing help are much preferred. People who can learn on their own are also preferred. Really though I don't like managing people at all. I prefer equal colleagues. We can converge on our parts of the work, review where it's at, and then go back to it after having re-evaluated the scope/progression/rate.
I don't like managing people's emotions. People are sensitive often and I am too. But I don't feel able to really help people with that. A person's emotional needs are their responsibility. That said, there needs to be enough autonomy for everyone to be able to manage on their own. Being overly enslaved in a hierarchy often makes people powerless.
No customer service, unless in meetings where you work with the same person for a while. No immediate interruptions or demands by customers, unless once again it's that I'm working with one person/one small group and something has come up. I don't like catering to people and their need to have their egos stroked, or their need to get whatever they want whenever they want it like some child. Babysitting is not something I like doing with adults.
Freedom of speech. Venting of frustration, airing your actual views, cussing, saying unpopular opinions... all of this should be allowed. Of course there has to be some limit. Like I don't want to be associated with people plotting murder at work or something. I just think people need to be allowed to be human. There are also limitations regarding bigotry. I don't want to be associated with a bunch of racist assholes who just go on biasedly judging people by skin color or culture. It is stupid and wrong.
A strong leader. My favorite bosses are strong, direct, able to handle conflict, and they will give orders. Such a boss makes me feel secure, supported, protected, and stronger. If a person is a leader, s/he should be able to do these things (should be worthy of respect). S/he should be able to handle situations and people. I am not fond of the scattered visionary bosses who need help with every little tiny thing and just sputter about. I also prefer direct requests, not a bunch of tip-toeing where people only hint at what they want. I like a leader who knows what they want. And also one who can tolerate some resistance, but will kind of put me in my place if I'm wrong. I learn from such things, and don't repeat the mistake because it tends to be *very clear*. I also like when the leader has strong initiative.
Somewhat contradictory to the above: freedom to work independently. I do very well when the scope of my work is well defined and when I have control over it.
Somewhat contrary to the above, not too much responsibility. I really like people above me having the responsibility, but I assist, and in a way that helps and does not hinder their objectives.
I can however deal with contradictions from a leader. I can be a fairly contradictory person myself. I don't need like a constant clear set of rules and precedents and so on. I prefer guidelines.
Ethical significance and alignment with ideals. I need to feel that my work is important and need it to be in line with my ideals. I need to feel like I can own it really and that it is something I would be working on anyway if given the choice.
Some flexibility in schedule. I don't like being locked down. I work best in spurts.
Creativity of some sort... I do not yet know.
Problem-solving of <the right kind>. I tend to be very good at diagnosing and figuring out what is wrong. I also am good at solving mysteries <to a certain degree>. I am also good at investigating and evaluating. When confronted with <the right kind of> problems, they motivate me in and of themselves. I can fix things. But to do this, I can't constantly be bogged down with little things.
An enclosed space. Working in open spaces is the fucking pits. Especially when surrounded by people who want to tell you about everything they are doing. "Now I am printing. Then I will close this program. Now I need a..." Like, thanks for sharing? Can I do my work or do you need someone to observe you at every moment?
Somewhat contrary to the above, freedom to talk with coworkers even if the conversation wanders into non-work-related realms. This is needed for building good relationships imo and it's just human.
Freedom of self-expression. I feel best in environments where people can be themselves, even if it's "weird" or "unconventional" by some people's standards.
Something that is intellectually stimulating enough. <need to specify>
Some freedom of methods/tactics. There are often many ways to do one thing. Some ways end up seeming to work better than others.
Almost no mailing. I will mail anything I need to mail myself. But I don't want to have to constantly be shipping and receiving shit. I tend to put off packaging and unpacking things. It feels like it bogs me down. I have enough to get myself to mail my own stuff though because it's part of a larger plan.
No system of delegating the shittiest parts of our jobs down the line. The work of everyone should be well divided. There will always be a small proportion of "little things" and it tends to work better imo if people address their share rather than passing it all through some complex bureaucracy. For instance, I can fill out my own travel form. Like I'm the one who wants to be reimbursed and who knows exactly what I'm doing. I don't like servants.
Enough pay to not be economically restricted to paycheck-to-paycheck living.
Room for growth. And something where I can learn new things, not be trapped in a repetitive routine.
I actually think I would like some travel.
Not too many details. <need to specify what kinds>
No/very little directing people about where to find things. I am not very good at this. And when I'm new in a place I tend to scope it out and figure out where stuff is on my own because it saves loads of time later. I don't care much for logistics.
No need for the best aesthetics or furniture. Who fucking cares? It seems stupid to constantly be replacing chairs and furniture. I don't need my surrounding to be pretty either. I prefer to spend as little time as possible on materialistic crap.
That said, good computers and technology. Being slowed down by your computer sucks and makes things very difficult.
Very little immediacy. Like if someone just emailed me 10 minutes ago, don't expect me to be constantly reading every email in real time. I don't need to be questioned about an email immediately. "About this unimportant, not time-sensitive topic *refers to recently sent email* now this additionally unimportant thing has occurred. I thought I would just tell you in person." Ugh.
this all seems quite hateful and anti-other humans. i have such a hateful streak. but i just don't feel like anyone ever aids me, but instead smothers, overwhelms and takes from me. so i feel like i need things to keep them back because i fear them all and how they will take what little i have in terms of myself. i can't hold myself together and they want even more--even as i'm breaking. i can only manage relations with a few. autonomy and individuality are important.
also ps. this list came after years of working in office environments and observing what i like and dislike. i think that it could possibly be Si related. perhaps intuitives would not generate such "functional" lists. but on the other hand, i also seem to be saying: handle your own sensing needs (Si/Se). i can barely deal with mine, and yours + mine is too much.
What you need or think you need in a job
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There we go:
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(as per tcaudilllg)
