In the working world, finding your way back to a job you’ve had experience with before isn’t all too uncommon. But having that experience be your time shadowing a job in high school? Now, that is a little rare. Ben Johansen, a Project Manager at Landmark Signs, knows firsthand just how coincidental life can be in leading you back to those impressionable moments.
Johansen began working with Landmark Signs in December of 2016 but chuckled over the brief experience he’d had with them before. During his years in the Porter County Career Center Strategic Marketing Internship, he’d done one of his required job shadowing stints at the Landmark Signs facility with a sales manager.
“I did a job shadow here in high school,” Johansen said. “A year later I came back and applied and got the job. It was coincidence, but it’s a cool story.”
Now, Johansen is enrolled at Purdue Northwest as a marketing major, and is excited to expand his knowledge and bring those skills back to his position at Landmark Signs. His role as a project manager focuses on estimates, quotes, surveying, coordinating installation of signs, and getting permits from the city, among other tasks.
“It’s helpful being a student and working because you get the education portion of things and then you get the real-life portion, as well,” Johansen said.
While experiences inside Landmark Signs help shape Johansen into who he is as an employee, some of his favorite parts of the job fall with the people he works with. Throughout the building, there’s a sense of teamwork and inclusion that not only helps in getting the work done, but in employee growth and satisfaction.
“I really like the people here, and I think that’s huge,” Johansen said. “Anywhere you go, in my little experience of working, the biggest thing is who you’re with. We all have similar goals here. I appreciate that about this place.”
But what motivates someone to have those goals and keep accomplishing them? Nothing more than a desire to be a better person than he was the day before.
“I would say my biggest motivation is just that I really want to be the best self I can possibly be,” Johansen said. “That includes everything. So, being better than I was yesterday and just sticking to the course, always reevaluating and seeing how to do things better. It’s motivating because you can look back and say, ‘Wow, last year I was worse off than I am now.’”
Outside of work, Johansen enjoys working out, reading, and staying as active as possible. For him, staying fit mentally and physically is a valuable part of life.
“I definitely take fitness as a pretty serious hobby. I go to the gym, I play basketball, I try to be outside as much as possible just being active,” Johansen said. “A new hobby I've forced myself into is reading, but it’s actually been really helpful, and I enjoy it. All aspects, I’m just trying to feed everything and grow.”
Whether working through a new book or a project at work, Johansen is motivated and dedicated to doing the best possible job he can. With a team to support him and an education that is sure to aid him in the future, he’s looking forward to a great career.