My Favorite Jobs So Far

I’ve had some great stories from weird and whacky jobs, but then there are some prestige jobs that are nice to just name-drop.

1. Google
   Google is an obvious choice to lead off with, but I was there as a contractor (TVC) in the AdWords/AdSense UX team. I worked with a lot of actual adults, did twice the work expected because I enjoyed it so much. I still speak to a few old team members. My tech interview was actually fun and funny. Hard to have a bad word other than there is no path from contractor to employee, and so that’s why I never stayed and have not tried to go back as an employee. Not my favorite, but close, even with the ability to walk around Venice Beach at lunch or just for health breaks.
2. IMAX
   I started in the movie industry before the internet was viable, but IMAX was sort of this higher end experience. I got to learn everything about how the business ran and saw some great movies in our office theater. You’d be amazed at who you’d see for screenings or meetings. It was a way for me to scratch the movie itch I couldn’t before.
3. Fox
   Like IMAX, Fox was a movie client. I got to work in Fox Plaza (aka Die Hard’s Nakatomi Plaza) with an 18th floor corner office. I had full access to the backlot, watched filmings, had a stray cat that I would meet for dinner breaks every night by the commissary, and moved in to my present home in Beverly Hills to be close to the lot. It was an amazing time and the 4 mile commutes with the top permanently on my Z4 down were fun.
4. *Primitive Logic/Sempra Energy
   PL was a consulting company, and I worked as the lead on two projects, one in SD, one in LV. I had to be in both offices plus the LA office every week. I lived in residence style hotel rooms and racked up insane hotel rewards points. My colleague was a foodie in Vegas and we ate at great spots and I learned about the best of Vegas that was not the strip. In SD my manager was super awesome, we’d talk baseball and take the client out for happy hours all the time. I was actually probably the happiest with PL and money was too good to turn down. I was also running away from a psycho girlfriend, so that helped.

Who’d I pick if I had to

Honestly, the Fox gig is close, that is attractive, but the travel and money of Primitive Logic is enticing. Now that I have an amazing dog, I think being closer to home with Fox really makes sense.