EMPLOYMENT

RECOMMENDATION
REPORT

Job opportunities for Angela Moe

Jacob Gross
EMPLOYMENT RECOMMENDATION REPORT:
Job opportunities for Angela Moe

English 320: Unit 2 Part 3

By: Jacob Gross

15 October 2010
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….iii

Executive Summary………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iv

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….1

Job Opportunities………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2

Company Backgrounds……………………………………………………………………………………………..3

Work Environment……………………………………………………………………………………………………3

Basic Employee Information……………………………………………………………………………….…….4

Communties…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……..6

Fargo………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………6

Marshall……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8

Final Recommendation…………………………………………………………………………………………………………9

Works Cited………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10
 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1- Comparisons of Jobs……………………………………………………………………………………………………6
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Angela, you have asked me to create a recommendation report for you to help you out with the
job process. As you said, you are a junior at North Dakota State University, majoring in Business
Administration. You have narrowed your job choice down to three jobs. The job offers are as follows: A
Teller at Starion Financial, Business Relationship Manager at Schwan, and a Teller at First International
Bank & Trust. Using the questionnaire and interview I conducted with you, I have compared the jobs to
one another based on what is most important to you.

STARION FINANCIAL
The Teller job at Starion Financial will provide you with the stepping-stone job that you said you
were very interested in having. The job only requires 20-30 hours a week, which will allow you to
continue to attend school while working. Since you emphasized the importance of having open
weekends, a negative to this job opportunity is the requirement of working a few Saturdays every
month.

SCHWAN
The opening as a Business Relationship Manager at Schwan Food Company is an excellent job
with many benefits and opportunities to move up in the business. Schwan provides an open and fun
work environment, which directly appeals to your needs in the job setting. It also will provide you with
the highest salary by a large margin compared to the other two jobs. However, there are some setbacks
you should be aware of. First, according to the company website, this position requires frequent travel.
As you said you are only willing to travel on occasion, so this is a potential problem. Also, the
qualifications for the job state that 10 years of related experience is required. As of right now, you do
not have the credentials, so I am not sure if you are ready for this job. If you were farther along in your
career, I would recommend this job to you.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL BANK & TRUST

The Teller job available at First International Bank & Trust is also a great stepping-stone job,
similar to the one at Starion Financial. However, if you take the job at First International, you will have a
work schedule that is much more accommodating to your school and social life because the hours are
more flexible and there is no weekend work. This job will give you with the opportunity to move up in
the business and gain more responsibilities.

RECOMMENDATION
The job I recommend you to take is the Teller job at First International Bank & Trust. This job
corresponds to your needs and wants the most. Not only does this job give you the opportunity to grow
and move up within the company, but it is also flexible and can adjust to your busy schedule. One thing
you said you would enjoy about this job is being able to interact with other employees and customers.
Although the salary is average compared to other Teller jobs, this job will provide you with helpful
business experience for future job opportunities you may come across.
 INTRODUCTION
Angela, you have asked me to evaluate the three jobs you are considering and give you a

recommendation for the job that fits best. My recommendation is based off of the information you gave

me through the interview and questionnaire and how that corresponds to each individual job. The job

offers you wanted me to look at are a Teller job at Starion Financial, Business Relationship Manager at

Schwan, and a Teller job at First International Bank & Trust.

Through the interview and questionnaire I have been able to tell what you really look for in a

job. You told me your main goal is to find a job that you can start with while you are studying in college

to earn your Bachelors Degree. At the moment, you are looking for a stepping stone job that will be

beneficial to you later in your career. After graduating, you plan on staying in the Fargo/Moorhead area

for a few years and then eventually move back to your hometown of Marietta, MN, because family is

very important to you and that is where most of your family lives.

In the work environment you are looking for a small to medium sized company where you would

be able to meet and know everyone working there. Your ideal environment is low stress and working

with friendly people. You made it clear you will not work more than 40 hours a week because you prefer

to also have a fun social life that consists of family, friends, shopping, and the outdoors.

I have researched each job in depth to help me make the best recommendation for you. I will

evaluate each job on its work environment, community the job is located in, and also give important

details about each company such as salary, company background, and other basic employment

information.
 JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Company Background
Starion Financial

Starion Financial is a relatively new bank in the Fargo/Moorhead area that started serving here

in 2008, with their main headquarters located in Ellendale, ND. Starion Financial is a $680 million

banking organization that has been growing significantly in recent years (Starion). According to the

Starion website, their philosophy is “You are only as good as your reputation, and your reputation is only

as good as your actions”. This job requires you to be a team player with strong interpersonal, oral

communication, and to be able to demonstrate strong and effective sales promotion. If you were to

choose to be a Teller at Starion, you would have the opportunity to have many responsibilities. Starion

gives their Teller’s more tasks compared to the average Teller job and will cross-train you for every

additional responsibility in other areas. Unfortunately their company website did not go in to detail

about promotions, which I know is a major factor in your decision.

Schwan

The Schwan Food Company is a growing private company based out of Marshall, MN, which is

only about an hour away from your hometown of Marietta, MN (Google Maps). Over the years, Schwan

has grown from a business that had a few trucks delivering food, into a diverse multi-billion private

company with a presence in more than 50 countries (Schwan Food Company). According to the Schwan

company website, they have over 18,000 professionals employed worldwide. Schwan’s has also been

named multiple times into the “500 Largest Private Companies” in Forbes magazine, and peaked at 44 th

largest in 2004 (Schwan Food Company). It is the third largest privately held corporation in Minnesota.

Schwan’s provides a great opportunity to receive promotions and move up through the business. A

major part of this job is to build and maintain strong business relationships and to be involved
immensely with business partners. In order to do this successfully, this would require you to travel more

frequently and farther than you would prefer.

First International Bank & Trust

First International Bank & Trust was started in the small town of Watford City, ND, and has

expanded to many other locations around North Dakota. Most recently in 2007, a new office was

opened in Gilbert, Arizona. First International Bank & Trust is a family owned, community bank, and are

“committed to excellence in customer service and satisfaction” (First International). First International

Bank & Trust has a great public image and is one of the most successful banks in the region. This job

would give you valuable experience that will give you the opportunity to move up in the business and

also will prove to be a great stepping stone job for your future career choices.

Work Environment

Starion Financial

The work environment at Starion Financial will keep you busy. When you are not helping

customers with their transaction needs, your supervisor will have you working on another task. Being a

Teller at Starion requires vast multi-tasking. Since you are looking for a low stress environment, this may

be a problem. However, the people pride themselves in being friendly, and you would be able to know

everyone working there, which is a main part of how you described your ideal job. Everyone working for

Starion Financial is required to be professional dressed at all times. It is a part-time job that will require

you to work 20-30 hours weekly and two Saturdays a month. This will make it challenging for you to

balance school, work, and your social life.

Schwan

The work environment at Schwan has everything you are looking for except the fact that it is a

large private company and that you will be required to travel in order to maintain business relationships.
Other Business Relationship Management professionals who work at Schwan describe the work

environment to be “outgoing, fun, and enjoyable” (Schwan Food Company). Workers are open minded

and will be able express their own opinions freely. The work consists of building and maintaining strong

business relationships and any other involvements with business partners. Since the company is so

large, receiving individual recognition will not occur as often as you like. There will be the opportunity

to get promoted and earn more responsibilities. According to the Schwan website, “If you're looking to

work your way up, Schwan will give you the necessary opportunity and resources.”

First International Bank & Trust

At First International Bank & Trust, you are given the flexibility to choose you work schedule to

best accommodate your own personal schedule. This is very important to you since you have obligations

to being a student, and it will also give you the availability to spend time with your friends and family as

you desire. The company is medium sized and has a friendly environment, both of which you described

as your ideal job type. You will be able to develop personal relationships with co-workers and will be

working under the direction of the Deposit Operations Supervisor (First International). Unfortunately

you will be working more often on an individual basis compared to working in a team setting like you

prefer. This job will provide valuable work experience toward your future career goals.

Basic Employee Information

Starion Financial

At Starion Financial your salary is based off of experience, but according to salary.com, your

hourly wage would be around $9.00. Starion Financial offers a benefits package that includes health,

dental and vision insurance, 401k retirement plan and other possible incentives if you stay with the

company for a long period. There is no travel required within this job title. Although you would not be

making as much money as you would like, it will still be very beneficial to you while you are in college

and trying to enjoy a social life.

 Schwan Business Management Relationship

The job at Schwan will obviously give you the highest salary out of the three job options at

around $50,000 to start out (Salary Information). Since you said in the questionnaire that money is an

important aspect in your job, the salary at Schwan could outweigh the pros that Starion and First

International Bank & Trust have to offer over Schwan. Although in order to obtain this salary, there is

significant travel, and also working over 40 hours multiple weeks a year, which you made clear you did

not want to do. At Schwan, you will receive benefits of 401k retirement plan, dental and vision

insurance, medical coverage plans, and fitness center discounts.

First International Bank & Trust

The salary at First International Bank & Trust is also based off experience, so again an estimate

on your hourly wage would be around $9.00 (Salary Information). According to the company website,

“Our employees are our most valued asset”. Benefits at First International include: Health for you and

your family, medical plan, life insurance, 401k retirement plan, wellness, employee discounts, sick leave,

vacation leave, holidays, and a benefit plan. First International easily provides the most benefits out of

the three job options. This job will give you as much flexibility as needed to balance your work life,

school life, and give you the time to be with your family, friends, and the outdoors. Being a Teller here

will also not require you to travel anywhere.

Figure 1 - Comparisons

Company/Position Location Salary Travel Promotion Hours

Opportunities

Starion Financial Fargo, ND $9.00/hr No Unknown 20-30 Weekly

Schwan Business Marshall, MN $55,000/year Yes Yes Regular/45+

Relationship some weeks
Manager
 First International Fargo, ND $9.00/hr No Yes Flexible/Your
Bank & Trust Choice

Figure 1, above, depicts some of the important information you will need to know in order to make the

best decision. It compares the three jobs by their location, salary, travel, promotion opportunities, and

hours. You had preferences on each one of those topics, so the figure should make it easy to see which

companies have what best interests you.

Communities
Fargo, North Dakota

According to CityData, there are currently about 92,000 people living here in Fargo. In many

studies done, Fargo has consistently been placed in the Top 100 places to live (City of Fargo). The low

crime rate and inexpensive cost of living is another positive about living in Fargo. The drastic weather

changes from winter to summer should not be a problem for you since you enjoy the outdoors in

general. There are many things to do in the outdoor year round since Fargo is close to many lakes,

rivers, campsites, and other outdoor activities. Fargo also has many shopping locations in town, which is

something you enjoy doing regularly. I think Fargo will be able to provide enough entertainment to

satisfy you. On the downside, family is one of the most important parts of your life, and being a couple

hours away from them may be too far for you to make either Starion Financial or First International Bank

& Trust a permanent job.

Marshall, Minnesota

The main benefit about choosing to work in Marshall rather than in Fargo is that you would be

much closer to your family. You could choose to live in your hometown of Marietta, MN, and still work

for Schwan in Marshall. Marshall has around 13,000 people living there (Marshall Chamber of

Commerce). Marshall’s cost of living is also very cheap and around the same costs as Fargo (CityData).

Although there is not much to do for entertainment besides the outdoors in Marshall, you will be living a
town that you are more comfortable with. According to people commenting on the Marshall website, it

is a great place to live and raise a family. Marshall has the small town feeling where almost everyone

knows each other and contains a very friendly atmosphere.

 CONCLUSION
This job decision is a very important part of your life. It is the start of a new beginning and will
provide you with a handful of opportunities in the future. I have read over the information carefully and
have done excessive thinking about the right job for you.

Here is some of the key information for each job.

Starion Financial

 Great stepping stone job

 More responsibilities than most Teller jobs
 Average salary
 Weekend work
 Busy work environment

Schwan

 Highest salary
 40+ hours/week
 One of largest private companies worldwide
 Located closest to your hometown
 10 years of related work experience required
 Must travel

First International Bank & Trust

 Great stepping stone job

 Flexible schedule
 Promotion opportunities
 Friendly work environment
 Best and most benefits available
 FINAL RECOMMENDATION
After finishing my research and looking at the three jobs in depth, I would recommend the First

International Bank & Trust Teller position. This will satisfy the stepping stone job you are looking for and

give you the opportunity to move up in the company if you wish. You will be able to continue to work

towards your Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration while working part time. You also will have

flexible hours so you will be able to enjoy time with your family and also your social life as well. The

salary is not exactly what you are looking for, but it will lead to a higher salary in a future job. The work

environment will be enjoyable for you since it is a friendly atmosphere and you will be able to establish

personal relationships with your co-workers. This job also requires no travel, which is important to you.

First International Bank & Trust also provides a substantial amount of benefits for their employees,

easily surpassing the benefits provided by both Starion Financial and Schwan. I believe this job is the

best option for you at the moment and will be a huge step in helping you accomplish your future career

goals. I hope you find success in whatever job you may choose and I wish the best of luck to you.
 Works Cited
Chamber of Commerce. (2010). Marshall area chamber of commerce homepage. Retrieved September

27, 2010, from http://www.marshall-mn.org/

City Data. (2010). Stats about US cities. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www.city-data.com/

Google Maps. (2010). Get directions. Retrieved from http://maps.google.com/maps?ct=reset

KK Bold. (2010). Starion financial. Retrieved September 29, 2010, from http://www.starionfinancial.com

Public Service Website. (2010). City of fargo. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from http://www.cityoffar

go.com/

Salary. (2010). Salary information. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www.salary.com/

The Schwan Family. (2010). The schwan food company homepage. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from

http://www.theschwanfoodcompany.com/

Watford City Bancshares, Inc. (2010). First international bank and trust homepage. Retrieved

September 29, 2010, from http://www.firstintlbank.com/