So I start my first job in St. Paul tomorrow, I previously worked in NJ, so I feel like this is a foreign country. What can I expect? Do you have a sense of humor? Do I have to promise my first born? Virgin sacrifice?
Remember the phrase, "Minnesota Nice." People will go out of their way to avoid conflict and seem pleasent. When you ask if someone likes your design, they'll use the word "interesting" if they don't like it or find it hard to understand. There is definitely a sense of humor in the area. There is also a permium put on family and personal life. Work is work and very serious, but it rarely oversteps the home and your personal life.
Over the past two months of job searching, I've found Minnesota Nice to mean: 'we like your ideas alot. But we won't pay shit to hire you or tell you what we think you're worth, so thank you very much!'
from wikipedia:
You may visit a Minnesotan and be offered something to drink multiple times.
Minnesotans are renowned for taking forever to say goodbye. This is in part due to the winter weather and reluctance to leave.
I ain't lookin' to compete with you,
Beat or cheat or mistreat you,
Simplify you, classify you,
Deny, defy or crucify you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you,
Frighten you or uptighten you,
Drag you down or drain you down,
Chain you down or bring you down.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I ain't lookin' to block you up
Shock or knock or lock you up,
Analyze you, categorize you,
Finalize you or advertise you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to straight-face you,
Race or chase you, track or trace you,
Or disgrace you or displace you,
Or define you or confine you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to meet your kin,
Make you spin or do you in,
Or select you or dissect you,
Or inspect you or reject you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to fake you out,
Take or shake or forsake you out,
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me,
See like me or be like me.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I always think of my friend who is in the TV News Business in Minnesota: When we were finishing up highschool and filling out the college applications there was always the base question what do you want to do when your finished with school. He always filled it in with the same answer "Surgeon General". Damn if he didn't get into every school he applied to with full scholarships. Tossed Pre-med after three years and went into journalism, cause someone stole his lab notes from one of his classes. Decided he didn't want to be a Doctor with a bunch of Cheats!
I remember my days in Minneapolis. Our office was way family friendly. The schedules were flexible, just get it done on time schedules. One of the architects would sequester the server closet periodically to, uh, well, pump breastmilk for her new little kidlet. Yeah, that was kind of awkward...
Yeah, sometimes I wonder, man I really wish I was so cold that the snot was freezing inside my nose, creating an impenitrable air dam. Well, no I really don't miss that. Maybe its the mosquitos, no, hotdish, yeah, its hard to find a good hotdish out here.
I really only really miss the Walker art center, Lee's Liqour Lounge, and sitting in the courtyard at CALA BS'n about architecture.
j
first day went as first days go, orientation, paper work, answer questions, review office policy, attend lunch and learn, review standards....all consuming, overwhelming generosity, nice people. still trying to figure out the temperment, but that will come with time...tomorrow cad orientation and meet 120 people...
Is everyone implying that only MN has family friendly office culture? Sure, I wouldn't expect that so much in NYC or LA, but c'mon. It's standard business practice these days to provide maternity rooms and it's law they must provide family leave, etc. I've noticed firms all over the country to have similar attitude about work/family as those firms right here in MN.
That said, I agree with Steven about the bullshit minnesota nice thing. There are a lot of cliques. Then again, as a non-MN native I'm not part of one.
Twin Cities Office Culture?
So I start my first job in St. Paul tomorrow, I previously worked in NJ, so I feel like this is a foreign country. What can I expect? Do you have a sense of humor? Do I have to promise my first born? Virgin sacrifice?
Help me fit in, please!
Remember the phrase, "Minnesota Nice." People will go out of their way to avoid conflict and seem pleasent. When you ask if someone likes your design, they'll use the word "interesting" if they don't like it or find it hard to understand. There is definitely a sense of humor in the area. There is also a permium put on family and personal life. Work is work and very serious, but it rarely oversteps the home and your personal life.
Where are you working?
i betcha cant hardly wait to get started!!!
just hoping it's not this
Beta-
welcome to Mpls-StPl!!!!
my boss in mpls liked to remind us to 'think, not draw!'.
i found minnesota nice to mean 'we'll act nice, but don't really want to know much about you, thank you very much.' hope you find it otherwise.
Over the past two months of job searching, I've found Minnesota Nice to mean: 'we like your ideas alot. But we won't pay shit to hire you or tell you what we think you're worth, so thank you very much!'
from wikipedia:
You may visit a Minnesotan and be offered something to drink multiple times.
Minnesotans are renowned for taking forever to say goodbye. This is in part due to the winter weather and reluctance to leave.
I ain't lookin' to compete with you,
Beat or cheat or mistreat you,
Simplify you, classify you,
Deny, defy or crucify you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
No, and I ain't lookin' to fight with you,
Frighten you or uptighten you,
Drag you down or drain you down,
Chain you down or bring you down.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I ain't lookin' to block you up
Shock or knock or lock you up,
Analyze you, categorize you,
Finalize you or advertise you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to straight-face you,
Race or chase you, track or trace you,
Or disgrace you or displace you,
Or define you or confine you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to meet your kin,
Make you spin or do you in,
Or select you or dissect you,
Or inspect you or reject you.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
I don't want to fake you out,
Take or shake or forsake you out,
I ain't lookin' for you to feel like me,
See like me or be like me.
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you.
have you meet your co-workers yet?
you could work for chad
Toss in Ya suure ya betcha in your conversation at least every 20 minutes and they will think your a native of Minnesota.
ah, good one snooker. and let's not forget my favorite "do you wanta come with?"
I always think of my friend who is in the TV News Business in Minnesota: When we were finishing up highschool and filling out the college applications there was always the base question what do you want to do when your finished with school. He always filled it in with the same answer "Surgeon General". Damn if he didn't get into every school he applied to with full scholarships. Tossed Pre-med after three years and went into journalism, cause someone stole his lab notes from one of his classes. Decided he didn't want to be a Doctor with a bunch of Cheats!
and don't forget "Don-cha knoooww?"
Minne-soooh-da.
another good one DCA!! da bears! ah, sorry, wrong state :)
How is that first day going?
I remember my days in Minneapolis. Our office was way family friendly. The schedules were flexible, just get it done on time schedules. One of the architects would sequester the server closet periodically to, uh, well, pump breastmilk for her new little kidlet. Yeah, that was kind of awkward...
j
J-cookie, and you traded that in for Santa Rosa???
Yeah, sometimes I wonder, man I really wish I was so cold that the snot was freezing inside my nose, creating an impenitrable air dam. Well, no I really don't miss that. Maybe its the mosquitos, no, hotdish, yeah, its hard to find a good hotdish out here.
I really only really miss the Walker art center, Lee's Liqour Lounge, and sitting in the courtyard at CALA BS'n about architecture.
j
our server room doubles as a meth lab...
first day went as first days go, orientation, paper work, answer questions, review office policy, attend lunch and learn, review standards....all consuming, overwhelming generosity, nice people. still trying to figure out the temperment, but that will come with time...tomorrow cad orientation and meet 120 people...
Is everyone implying that only MN has family friendly office culture? Sure, I wouldn't expect that so much in NYC or LA, but c'mon. It's standard business practice these days to provide maternity rooms and it's law they must provide family leave, etc. I've noticed firms all over the country to have similar attitude about work/family as those firms right here in MN.
That said, I agree with Steven about the bullshit minnesota nice thing. There are a lot of cliques. Then again, as a non-MN native I'm not part of one.
120 people ....yikes! 120 minn...e..so da...ns...double yike! I want to know if you meet at least one with the name ole or sven?
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