Wow, here I am at the end of another semester at UVU. When I chose to take this class I did not know what to expect from it. Some of the time it was hard to see the full importance of some of the assignments that were given to me but, that was until I began putting together my portfolio. I then realized the benefit that these few things could give me in my journey to my career and future.
I would like to thank everyone for their input in my work and constructive criticism. I would also like to thank Marsha Hayes for putting this course together for me. It did help me and my family. Last I hope everyone good luck in their futures and their careers they have or will choose.
Friday, August 13, 2010
My Final Reflection Paper
I am still not 100% sure as to what I want to be when I grow up. I do have some ideas but, I am not sure. The career that I am leaning towards is becoming a Registered Nurse. I have a real want to help people and do service.
When looking at the Action plan that I constructed, I have begun a few steps listed in it. I have decided that I am going to get EMT certified. The city of Spanish Fork (which is where I live), is presently offering financial assistance to people that want to get certified to work for the city as an EMT. I would have to commit to them for a specified amount of time but I believe it would be worth it. The pay ranges from volunteer to being on call making $2 when not on a call and $8/hour when out on a call. I have gone ahead and contacted the city and am presently preparing the application for this program. I feel like this is a great option for me. I can have my schooling paid for (at least for the certification classes) and use my pell grant to help with my family's bills and living expenses for that semester. I have decided to sign up for the EMT courses, whether I get accepted in this program or not. I found out while doing research for this class, that I can get a job in an IHC emergency room with that certification and plan on pursuing this option once I am close to getting my certification. I also learned of programs that IHC facilities have which help people pay for their schooling when they have worked there for a certain amount of time.
When I began this class I was not sure what it could offer me. Now I can say that it has offered me clarity on some things, given me ideas, introduced resources, and gave me some great tools to help me with my job decision. Since the first assignment which was the why paper, I wanted to know what route I should be taking to make a good life for myself and family. I believe that I am closer to this decision than I was. The personal action plan both in lesson 2 and the refined one that I did along with my goals in lesson 14, helped me see what steps I need to take and setup a plan to accomplish my goals of being a Registered nurse. I also feel like the resume portion of this course from lesson 11 helped me a lot. I have never been really good at preparing resumes so this practice was very helpful not only in writing my own but also from reading other peoples resume and commenting gave me an opportunity to get ideas on how to better my resume.
There were so many good things from this class that I cannot write it all here. Thank you again for the opportunity to learn these things and open doors for me.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Action Plan/Goal Setting
MY Goals:
---SHORT TERM GOALS-------
A. Decide on a career for sure within the next year.
B. Get on the dean's list at UVU for the fall 2010 semester.
C. Put my applications in for some scholarships.
---MID TERM GOALS---------
A. Having my family sealed to me.
B. Finish school with a degree that I choose while continuing to be on the Dean's list.
C. Continuing at my current employment until I can find employment that I will enjoy.
---LONG TERM GOALS--------
A. a job in my career that can efficiently provide for my family.
B. Find a job in my career that I will love.
C. Find a job in my career that lets me give back to my community.
D. Own a house of my own!
E. Be in better shape. Be in the shape that I was in 6 years ago.
F. Countinue throughout the years to make lists.
---SHORT TERM GOALS-------
A. Decide on a career for sure within the next year.
B. Get on the dean's list at UVU for the fall 2010 semester.
C. Put my applications in for some scholarships.
---MID TERM GOALS---------
A. Having my family sealed to me.
B. Finish school with a degree that I choose while continuing to be on the Dean's list.
C. Continuing at my current employment until I can find employment that I will enjoy.
---LONG TERM GOALS--------
A. a job in my career that can efficiently provide for my family.
B. Find a job in my career that I will love.
C. Find a job in my career that lets me give back to my community.
D. Own a house of my own!
E. Be in better shape. Be in the shape that I was in 6 years ago.
F. Countinue throughout the years to make lists.
My Decision Making Model
I believe that this is what you want from me:
1-I first recognize the need for me to make a decision
2-I give myself a time frame to make a decision.
3-I then take the time to list my options for my
decision.
4-I speak to my husband and run options by him to
help me narrow it down.
5-I make pros and cons lists.
6-I go over those lists with my husband.
7-I am very intuitive. I listen to my feelings and take it
into consideration.
8-I make my choice.
1-I first recognize the need for me to make a decision
2-I give myself a time frame to make a decision.
3-I then take the time to list my options for my
decision.
4-I speak to my husband and run options by him to
help me narrow it down.
5-I make pros and cons lists.
6-I go over those lists with my husband.
7-I am very intuitive. I listen to my feelings and take it
into consideration.
8-I make my choice.
My Job Shadowing Experience
I did my job shadowing at a company with the name The Journey. My sister in law works there. Her name is Teresa Spresser and her job title is line staff. The following are the questions I asked her and the answers that she gave.
What is your job?
I work with troubled youth in a group home setting. I ensure that their needs are being met while trying to teach them the ways to live as a productive citizen in society.
What kind of problems do you deal with?
My job can be very emotionally draining yet very rewarding. I deal with females that have made decisions in their lives that were not good choice. A lot of the girls have gone through traumatic things in their lives and have a difficult time trusting and have anger issues. I have to redirect and try to help them when they have a hard time with their anger. I also periodically have to watch a girl who is either suicidal or has tried running away so they are placed on a 24 hour watch.
What things did you do before you entered this occupation?
I worked in the food industry and did not want to do it anymore.
Why did you decide to work for this company?
I was sick of working in fast food industry and needed a change. I saw that this company was hiring and thought, I might as well put in my application. So I did and I am happy that I was given this opportunity to work here.
What do you like most about this company?
I enjoy knowing that the work I am doing makes a difference with the future of our youth.
Do you find your job exciting or boring? Why?
I find it exciting because among other things, I can make a difference and thing are not always the same and repetitive.
How would you assess the experience I’ve had so far in terms of entering this field?
You already have some medical experience and you seem to be able to talk well to the girls.
How has your job affected your lifestyle?
Well, I have learned appreciation for my mother and what I put her though during my youth.
My overall impression of the career and the job shadowing experience is first, I believe that I could truly enjoy this field but, I believe I would like to do more along the lines of being the counselor. I pick up on things pretty well and I am rather blunt about it and that is one of the thing that the girls I spoke to expressed. Second, the job shadowing experience was fun it gave me a chance to experience something new. I got to talk to some of the girls and get to know them just a little bit. Thank you for this experience.
What is your job?
I work with troubled youth in a group home setting. I ensure that their needs are being met while trying to teach them the ways to live as a productive citizen in society.
What kind of problems do you deal with?
My job can be very emotionally draining yet very rewarding. I deal with females that have made decisions in their lives that were not good choice. A lot of the girls have gone through traumatic things in their lives and have a difficult time trusting and have anger issues. I have to redirect and try to help them when they have a hard time with their anger. I also periodically have to watch a girl who is either suicidal or has tried running away so they are placed on a 24 hour watch.
What things did you do before you entered this occupation?
I worked in the food industry and did not want to do it anymore.
Why did you decide to work for this company?
I was sick of working in fast food industry and needed a change. I saw that this company was hiring and thought, I might as well put in my application. So I did and I am happy that I was given this opportunity to work here.
What do you like most about this company?
I enjoy knowing that the work I am doing makes a difference with the future of our youth.
Do you find your job exciting or boring? Why?
I find it exciting because among other things, I can make a difference and thing are not always the same and repetitive.
How would you assess the experience I’ve had so far in terms of entering this field?
You already have some medical experience and you seem to be able to talk well to the girls.
How has your job affected your lifestyle?
Well, I have learned appreciation for my mother and what I put her though during my youth.
My overall impression of the career and the job shadowing experience is first, I believe that I could truly enjoy this field but, I believe I would like to do more along the lines of being the counselor. I pick up on things pretty well and I am rather blunt about it and that is one of the thing that the girls I spoke to expressed. Second, the job shadowing experience was fun it gave me a chance to experience something new. I got to talk to some of the girls and get to know them just a little bit. Thank you for this experience.
My Mock Interview
a. Who did you interview with and what is their job title?
Teresa Spresser and her job title is line staff supervisor.
b. What was most useful to you about this experience?
It gave me a chance to be question in a no stress environment so I could better see my faults in answering the questions.
c. What was the most difficult question you were asked? Why?
What are your strengths and weaknesses? This has always been a hard question for me. I have a hard time picking out my own strengths and weaknesses.
d. What advice would you give to others preparing for an interview?
Go over the list of questions that you gave and make sure that they know the answers to them. Also for them to find something that makes them feel comfortable and think of that prior to going in to the interview to try and calm yourself right before walking in. I think of my husband and kids.
e. Name at least three (3) things you learned.
• I can be confident
• I need to remember that everyone has flaws and that is okay
• I learned some questions to help me better prepare for my next interview.
f. Name at least three (3) things that can be improved on for your next interview.
• I need to try to be more confident of my abilities
• Learn to be a better critic of myself
• I need to take deep breaths and try to find a way to better keep myself from getting too
nervous.
Teresa Spresser and her job title is line staff supervisor.
b. What was most useful to you about this experience?
It gave me a chance to be question in a no stress environment so I could better see my faults in answering the questions.
c. What was the most difficult question you were asked? Why?
What are your strengths and weaknesses? This has always been a hard question for me. I have a hard time picking out my own strengths and weaknesses.
d. What advice would you give to others preparing for an interview?
Go over the list of questions that you gave and make sure that they know the answers to them. Also for them to find something that makes them feel comfortable and think of that prior to going in to the interview to try and calm yourself right before walking in. I think of my husband and kids.
e. Name at least three (3) things you learned.
• I can be confident
• I need to remember that everyone has flaws and that is okay
• I learned some questions to help me better prepare for my next interview.
f. Name at least three (3) things that can be improved on for your next interview.
• I need to try to be more confident of my abilities
• Learn to be a better critic of myself
• I need to take deep breaths and try to find a way to better keep myself from getting too
nervous.
Star Stories
Give an example of what teamwork means to you.
Situation: I am a mother of three and wife of a man who same as me, both works and goes to school.
Task: Going from me being a stay at home mom to working and attending school outside of the home, we had to figure out how to work together to ensure our family and home did not go without the needed things.
Action: So I decided that a few things had to change. I made up a chore chart and a daily schedule. We had a family meeting and I presented them to everyone, explaining the new process. There were some changes made to it during that meeting and after getting some feedback from my family.
Results: We have been using the schedule and chore chart since then. Although there has been changes made to it and there will be more as we need to, it seems to be working pretty well. We have a clean home and still have time to spend together.
Give me an example of a major challenge that you faced, and how you went about addressing the problem, and how it turned out.
Situation: While working my present sales and customer service job, I got quite a few phone calls from customers who were upset about things ranging from a misunderstanding to a mistake done when ordering and from shipping issues to damaged goods.
Task: One call I received was from a lady who was rather upset about receiving her package, opening it up, and discovering that an item that she “needed” right then was broken.
Action: I apologized to her for the inconvenience and explained that unfortunately sometimes during the transport of the item from the warehouse to the customer, the item had broken. I explained to her that I would be sending out a replacement to her and her shipping on her next order would be free.
Results: She calmed down quickly and thanked me for my help. She then told me that with other companies she has dealt with, she had to jump through hoops to get things fixed that were not her fault.
Describe a past goal and how you achieved it.
Situation: I was a stay at home mom for 6 years. After my husband was laid off he looked and was unsuccessful in finding another job to pay our bills that were becoming past due.
Task: I decided that I would need to look for a job to help out and so we did not lose everything that we had worked for.
Action: I went online to many different job website and searched for anything that I could qualify to do and filled out applications.
Results: I got a phone call about a job. I went to an interview and was one of the 5 hired out of approximately 200 people that interviewed for this position. I now have a job that works with my family’s schedule and is extremely family orientated.
Situation: I am a mother of three and wife of a man who same as me, both works and goes to school.
Task: Going from me being a stay at home mom to working and attending school outside of the home, we had to figure out how to work together to ensure our family and home did not go without the needed things.
Action: So I decided that a few things had to change. I made up a chore chart and a daily schedule. We had a family meeting and I presented them to everyone, explaining the new process. There were some changes made to it during that meeting and after getting some feedback from my family.
Results: We have been using the schedule and chore chart since then. Although there has been changes made to it and there will be more as we need to, it seems to be working pretty well. We have a clean home and still have time to spend together.
Give me an example of a major challenge that you faced, and how you went about addressing the problem, and how it turned out.
Situation: While working my present sales and customer service job, I got quite a few phone calls from customers who were upset about things ranging from a misunderstanding to a mistake done when ordering and from shipping issues to damaged goods.
Task: One call I received was from a lady who was rather upset about receiving her package, opening it up, and discovering that an item that she “needed” right then was broken.
Action: I apologized to her for the inconvenience and explained that unfortunately sometimes during the transport of the item from the warehouse to the customer, the item had broken. I explained to her that I would be sending out a replacement to her and her shipping on her next order would be free.
Results: She calmed down quickly and thanked me for my help. She then told me that with other companies she has dealt with, she had to jump through hoops to get things fixed that were not her fault.
Describe a past goal and how you achieved it.
Situation: I was a stay at home mom for 6 years. After my husband was laid off he looked and was unsuccessful in finding another job to pay our bills that were becoming past due.
Task: I decided that I would need to look for a job to help out and so we did not lose everything that we had worked for.
Action: I went online to many different job website and searched for anything that I could qualify to do and filled out applications.
Results: I got a phone call about a job. I went to an interview and was one of the 5 hired out of approximately 200 people that interviewed for this position. I now have a job that works with my family’s schedule and is extremely family orientated.
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