Respond
to this post after you have spent at least one full week at your
internship. If you like, start your post with a few sentences
summarizing your tasks so far. Devote the remainder of your response to this "thinking assignment":
Choose
an adult who works with you at your internship. This might be your
mentor, but it may be someone else at your work site. Discover the
official title of the job he or she holds. Write a short
paragraph about the day-to-day tasks you observe this person doing.
Include your opinion about the level of satisfaction he or she seems to
derive from the job. You may base your opinion on your own observations
and/or on conversations with the person you are observing. Is this
satisfaction intrinsic to the job itself or related more to job
environment, co-workers, etc.? Is it, perhaps, most related to the
person's outlook on life?
In your last paragraph, consider briefly whether this job is something you could imagine yourself doing as a career. As you justify your answer, are you at all surprised by what you "hear yourself
saying"? Do you think your answer to the question would be the same if
this job were located somewhere else (i.e., in a different type of
business or in a different city)?
Mostly I have been doing busy work. Ive written blog posts and other smaller tasks. There are some big meeting something up and my mentor told me that Im going to have some real meaty assignments.
ReplyDeleteMichael, who works at the desk next to me is the Parenting Tactics coordinator for APCYF. Most of the time he just types on his computer and reviews parenting resources. I can tell by the way he talks about his work that he is passionate and loves what he does.
Honestly, I couldn't do this for a living. Being in an office and having this firm routine is not something im very adept at. I would much rather make my own schedule and not follow an excessive amount of bureaucratic protocols.
Sitting at a desk all day is really hard unless you are invested in what you are working on, which it seems Michael is. I hope that the new assignment coming up gives you something to be passionate about. If nothing else, it can help you cross possible careers off the list.
DeleteI am anxious to hear about your meaty assignments. You have lots of talent APCYF should by tapping!
DeleteMy internship has become similar to Cooper's. I used to go to court every day an observe the sessions, but lately I have just been given busy work. I mostly file or scan papers into the system for future use. I used to follow a lot of different people around, but for the most part it was Allison. She's a clerk, so she types the judge's decision into the computer and prepares cases for the judge to make court time efficient. You can't really tell if anyone is satisfied with their job here, but they all enjoy spending time with each another .
ReplyDeleteI initially asked to intern with a lawyer and the people I spend time with are not lawyers, but they are around a lot of lawyers. I think it's a fun environment, but I wouldn't want to do this for a living. I love having routines, but just filing all day and not really having an impact on the community is difficult.
It's really unfortunate that you are stuck filing all day. Doing that doesn't really help you learn about the field you are interested in. I really hope you get to go back into court to observe or even do something else you find interesting in these last two weeks, but for now just hang in there!
DeleteI've had the same problem. Doing busy work all day can get very annoying. I've accepted that as an intern, we don't always get the most interesting tasks, and we're there mostly to make the workers' lives easier by doing jobs they don't have time for. However, we get work experience which can maybe someday translate to a job that we do enjoy more.
DeleteTotally understnad what your going through and it stinks. Hopefully in the next two weeks they may let you shadow someone again.
Delete^^^ thank you for all your love and support
DeleteUpdate: I'm going to court!!!!
DeleteKeep your head up! There's still a lot to be learned form just observing. You should try to talk to the lawyers and ask many questions when you encounter them.
DeleteI'm sorry Linh that sounds like no fun at all. I agree with everyone above. Just stay strong and keep up your hard work I'm sure someone will take notice and involve you in the work you would like to actually be doing ! Good luck
Deletegracias Aidan and Minh your support is much appreciated!
DeleteSo . . . how was court?
DeleteCourt was fun Mrs. O'Loughlin! I believe that was Civil Court: small claims. There was a three hour trial for a really messy case. A man traded in his Pilot for another car, but he could not find someone to sign with him. So in between the time he took the car from the dealership and was not able to get someone to sign with him, he had driven around 300 miles on the car and scratched the bumper (this was about three to four days). The dealership decided that that many miles were not average for a person and they asked him to reimburse them for the miles and scratches before giving back the car that he could not get a co-signer for. The problem was that they never had a written agreement for him read or sign, proposing that he owed them for the miles and the damage. All in all, do not trade in your car with a questionable company.
DeleteOver the last few days I have been working on wrapping up several projects. I am in charge of running a Facebook campaign for my organization and I have been doing a lot of research for various advertising strategies. I have also been out a couple times on "site visits" (I am working at a land trust) to monitor various properties and make sure there are no problems. Now that I have basically finished my assignments there isn't much left for me to do, and I think my mentor is finding it difficult to come up with tasks for me so I have been doing a lot of reading reports and busy work.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor, Andrea, is in charge of managing new landowners who are interested in conserving their land. She has to go through a very intricate process to determine if this organization is allowed/capable of placing an easement on the land, and the various pros and cons of taking on the property; this normally means going out to inspect the property. Andrea seems to really enjoy her job because she is at the front lines of land conservation and her hard work is clearly demonstrated at the end of the process. The environment of the office probably contributes to her satisfaction of the job because everyone is so supportive of each other.
I could potentially see myself doing because it is very interesting and impactful. At first I was hesitant because it seems to be an office job, but it turns out that a lot of the time Andrea is going out and about and meeting with landowners to discuss conserving their land. I think that I would really enjoy this job because the organization is pretty small, I would be able to contribute a lot of my own ideas and pursue what I am passionate about.
It sounds great that you are running your organization's Facebook; that's a big responsibility, so your supervisors definitely have confidence in you! I sometimes feel the same way about not having enough work to do, but it has really helped me to observe the workplace and listen to employees' conversations to gather ideas for any projects or improvements that I might embark on to improve the organization. It would really impress your mentors if you created your own project that could have a lasting impact on the workplace. Hope everything continues to go well!
DeleteIt is really great that with a job like Andrea's you would be able to have such as strong voice in the business. Hopefully your mentor will be able to give you more assignments that are more involved and less busy work because it seems like an interesting place to work.
DeleteIt's cool that you get to have a say in the public image of the company! Often I will ask my mentor or someone on his team to let me watch what they are working on when I don't have other things to work on. I have learned quite a lot this way.
DeleteI agree with maggie that it is so cool that they put you in charge of how he company is presented to the public. That sounds like such a fun job. It's also great that you could see yourself doing this because this would be a great starting experience to launch your career.
DeleteI love Maggie's idea of suggesting a project to Andrea. From my conversations with her while setting up the internship, she sounds like an open-minded person. Go for it!
DeleteSo far, I have been mainly working on a project that my mentor assigned me. I've been designing an office space using different programs, such as AutoCAD and Revit. The adult that works with me the most is Julia, an architect at RNL. She is almost always designing a project while drinking tea. In my opinion, she is a naturally positive person, but is also very happy with her job. She seems to enjoy both her job environment, co-workers, and architectural work.
ReplyDeleteWhile I dislike being stuck in a cold office building all day, I could possibly see myself as an architect one day. The combination of creativity and technical skill that the job requires makes it very interesting. Furthermore, there are always new and different projects to be designed.
I think the new challenges that come with being an architect is really interesting. You are constantly problem solving and thinking creatively, and I find that to be a very enticing quality in a possible job.
DeleteI think it's great that you're finding interest in the internship assigned to you. It's wonderful experience and what you're doing sounds really interesting and it helps to be in a nice environment.
DeleteWhat you're doing sounds really fun, and I'm kinda jealous. It's really nice that you are enjoying the work you are doing and possibly finding a future career possibility.
Deletei work in an architectural and civil engineering firm as well and it's odd that my work environment is so much dfferent than yours. It does sound equally interesting though and because you could see yourself doing it in the future this is a great experience.
DeleteCan you see ways to take architecture out of the "cold office building"?
DeleteIt's really cool that they are letting you do some actual hands on work. I think that learning by doing is extremely important and can help you decide if this is something you really want to do in the future.
DeleteIn my internship at Hb Woodlawn I have been very involved in the class. I grade papers and work with the students. Me and Mr. Gildea walk around and help the students with their problems. I take the kids to assembly's and out during fire drills. My mentor lets me go into other teachers rooms to get a feel for different subjects and teaching styles.
ReplyDeleteMr. Gildea is the teacher/ mentor that I am interning with. He is very nice and loves to joke around with the kids, but he also makes sure that they are getting their work done and is my afraid to put his foot down. Him and his wife and both teachers and he loves talking about his job and how much he enjoys it.
After this great experience of actually being able to teach the second period class I would be very interested in pursuing teaching. I think I would be happy at any school but working at HB Woodlawn with Mr. Gildea worked out really well.
That's so awesome that you had the opportunity to actually teach a class! It sounds like you're getting really involved. HB Woodlawn sounds like a welcoming, open-minded learning and working environment. I agree with you that getting to see all parts of the workplace is interesting. It's cool that you have gotten to observe multiple classes and do different jobs helping out with the students. I like that about my work too; I'm not just confined to an office. My mentor goes different places in the Memorial and lets me work alongside her to see all facets of Memorial operations. Exposure is what is most important, in my opinion.
DeleteSounds like fun! It's nice that the teacher isn't strict and serious all the time since you say that he jokes with the students. He seems like a great mentor and person to look up to. I hope you continue to have good experiences in your internship.
DeleteDo you get a feel from Mr. Gilea about how he knows when he can joke and when the kids will take him seriously? I know some teachers who have tried to joke and the students just "ran away" with them - I'm sure you do too.
DeleteIts really great that you're happy with your internship! And I agree with Maggie that exposure is most important. I think that if you can get exposed to what you think you might want to pursue early on, it becomes easier to decide in college.
DeleteI just interviewed the Memorial's founder, General Vaught, and I am working on editing and producing the introduction video to the museum. Everything is going well, and in fact, I like my work even better than before.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor, Donna, is a public relations assistant/Memorial Education Center Coordinator. Day in and day out, she is here to manage the calendar, coordinate events, answer the phones to assist clients with scheduling events, and manage the catering companies working certain events. She is also a great photographer, and she photographs events at the Memorial. Her photos capture the spirit of servicewomen visiting the museum and the life in the exhibits and the Memorial building. One part of her job that I would find difficult is negotiating prices for renting out the Memorial’s space. It puts her in a tough spot; often times mourning spouses or sons or daughters will call to make funeral arrangements and may want a lower price than appropriate. She wants to give them a good deal, but on the same token, the Women’s Memorial is running a business. I would find it tough to negotiate prices so that it is favorable for both parties.
I find that Donna enjoys her job a lot. This contentment seems to derive from the work environment and the honor of working at such an esteemed, important memorial dedicated to women in the military. Plus, she herself served in the Air Force for many years.
I think I could see myself doing a job similar to this because it involves marketing, business, and public relations, all areas in which I am interested. I think the area is a huge plus: it is in the middle of the beautiful Arlington National Cemetery and right near the Lincoln Memorial, the Pentagon, and Fort Meyer.
Maggie, your internship sounds like a really interesting opportunity. The fact that you get to see Donna make the tough decisions and exert her authority as well regular day to day activities is really valuable because it is providing you with the whole spectrum of a job such as hers. The memorial sounds fascinating and it is such an important one!
DeleteThat's great the you got to interview the memorial's founder. It seems that you are having a great experience so far and the community around you seems to really enjoy themselves. I hope this experience continues to interest you.
DeleteDo you think you would enjoy a PR job in another environment, one without the serene surroundings?
DeleteI have done a lot of different tasks throughout my time here. I write small guides for parents on various health subjects, create spreadsheets for a symposium Public Health will be having, lots of editing work, create Visios and I have started conducting a survey.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor, Dr. Sam is a physical health physician. He wears a of different hats day-to-day. He sees patients at the health appraisal clinic and teen clinic, analyzes data and puts together and edits various materials for school health officials and county use as well as being involved with commissions such as APCYF and Out of School Time (OST). For the most part, I think that he enjoys his job because of all of the different roles he gets to play. He is able to maintain his skills as a physician by working in the clinic which he likes while being able to connect with the needs of Arlington children and families. He is very passionate about combatting childhood obesity and he gets to do a lot with that cause as part of his job. I think that he enjoys the work he does but he enjoys work as a rule because of his attitude about life and the world and his congenial nature when it comes to getting along with his coworkers.
I could see myself working in a public health capacity, however, I could not see myself having Dr. Sam's job because I would not want to work for a county government because it is too much of a bureaucracy and I feel like the impact of the work that goes on here gets somewhat lost in the shuffle.
It's great that your mentor can do many versatile things in their job and be so passionate about his job, but it's also important to make sure that when you have a career you feel happy and fulfilled!
DeleteDr. Sam seems very involved in his work. His passion for combatting childhood obesity is also amazing and definitely an important topic. I completely understand your desire to stay away from county government and how the impact of the work might get lost in the mix.
DeleteIts really neat that you have gotten such a wide look at public health. It seems like Dr. Sam is very committed to his work and he sounds like he is a good mentor. Even though you cant see yourself having his specific job, Dr. Sam sounds like he is able to teach you a lot about public health in general. I hope the next two weeks go by smoothly!
DeleteWhat other options are there for public health? Are you envisioning a not-for-profit like Doctors Without Borders of the Free Clinic?
DeleteDr. Egenrider and I have been working at his office at Virginia Tech, as well as working on numerous grants and project. You will find him working at the Virginia Tech and UVA shared campus, as well as at his house and in his driveway, remodeling trailers or re-engineering fences. Dr. Egenrider can also be found at The Wood, a property of his in West Virginia where he conducts many experiments, as well as leading expeditions on the Potomac.
ReplyDeleteOfficially, Dr. Egenrider is a Virginia Tech professor, but much of his time is spent working on his own interests and with student in camps, where he insists on being called Jim. He loves his job, saying that his 'work' consists of imposing his interests on other people and having them pay him to pursue it. Much of his work is writing and receiving grants, cumulating into what he calls an accidental career. For the most part, he does things that interest him and that benefit other people.
I could very much see myself working in a job similar to what Dr. Egenrider is doing. I enjoy interacting with other people, so I don't think being a professor would be that much of a stretch. Also, it would be incredible to have a job where you pursue your own interests, and allow that to pay your bills.
Sounds like fun! It's interesting how productive his life must be. You hear many people try to avoid doing their job yet they must work to provide food on the table, but it's great that he found something that actually enjoys doing.
DeleteI'm glad that you can see yourself doing a job similar to what your mentor is doing. Getting paid for pursuing your interests is always a plus.
DeleteI hope you get Jim to tell you how he arrived at his current happy place. You know he had to do some conventional work along the way :)
DeleteMs. Spencer coordinates the volunteers at Inova Alexandria Hospital and her day-to-day tasks includes assigning tasks for the volunteers and providing the hospital as much help as they can possibly receive. She seems to always need to please others and keep the hospital happy. She tries her best to create a welcoming environment in the hospital for staff, visitors, and patients. I do believe she receives a great deal of satisfaction from helping the hospital and presenting the best side of the hospital to others.
ReplyDeleteI would not see myself doing her job as a career but I could see myself doing it as a side job. I feel as though I would want to help the hospital in other ways as a career path.
I'm glad that you are working with someone who wants to create a positive environment whenever she can, she seems like a good mentor/person to look up to!
DeleteI understand and I am happy that you'll be switching mentors. I love your positivity Rimi, keep your head up and keep aspiring and more opportunities will come your way! (:
DeleteMs. Spencer seems like a perfect mentor to have, simply because she seems like she can teach you the importance of a healthy working environment, even if she's not working in a field you're too interested in.
DeleteIt is interesting, isn't it, to see how many, many cogs there are in that great big "wheel" of a hospital? We all tend to think of doctors and nurses; but when you really get in there like you are, you see how much more there is. I'm glad you're keeping an open mind.
DeleteMost of the time I have been attending meetings, updating spreadsheets, and making charts and graphs using data from a survey. On Thursday nights, I go to Code for NOVA meetings and I learn how to write Python.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor, Randy Hill, is the Collaborative Services Division Director at the Office of Information Management and Service at USPTO. Mr. Hill is always busy attending meetings and conference calls and working on SharePoint and Tableau. But he maintains a positive attitude no matter how much work there is to do. He seems to like doing his job and he gets along with his co-workers. Mr. Hill has also talked to me about some of the benefits that come with working for the government. So I know that this satisfaction comes from both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.
I could definitely see myself doing this as a career. I may be very busy but I know that my work will help the organization. And I have the opportunity to practice coding and complete projects for Code for NOVA. So even though I will not be able to apply my computer programming skills as a Division Director, I can still practice every Thursday and meet other coders. Ultimately, I would really be happy to do my mentor’s job.
That's great that you can really see your mentor's job as your future career! This internship must have really worked out for you. Mr. Hill's positive attitude must also be inspiring while observing him work. Your coding background sounds really cool as well.
DeletePeople with positive attitudes are always able to make the best of what they have. Even when his job gets difficult, I'm sure Mr. Hill is able to do it well and stay positive, which makes the task not as bad. I'm glad you're enjoying your internship.
DeleteMr. Hill may be one of the most positive people I know. Through all the ups and downs of setting up the internships at USPTO, he never wavered in his certainty that it would all work out -- and he was right!!
DeleteMiss Mary is the head of the Shakespeare camp I did the costumes for and is also a freelance actress. Her day to day activities include planning games, directing the different shows, and generally disciplining and caring for the children. What's so different about her is she is so hands on with the kids, and seems to take genuine joy in listening to their opinions and watching them perform, whereas in other camps I have worked at the head normally just stays in their office and does paperwork. She is an incredibly positive and friendly person and has the kind of outlook on life I would like to have one day. Nothing seems to bring her greater joy than to come to work everyday.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this could be a career for me. To be frank the salary just doesn't seem to be high enough to have a comfortable living. However, it could also be something that gives me joy and makes me happy and that could outweigh the financial issue, and perhaps I could do it as a part time job. I think my answer would be the same in any region.
Eva, your mentor sounds like an amazing person to look up to. Being able to stay positive and friendly no matter what is going on is a good characteristic to have. I understand if you do not want this as a career because the salary is too low. The joy that comes from doing our jobs doesn't pay our bills.
DeleteIt sounds likes you really respect her and her career. Being around children all day and caring for them would be a fun career to pursue. It is only a summer camp, so it wouldn't be a full time job, but it sounds like you want to take part in a career with children involved! I hope you have fun with the rest of your internship!!
DeletePS. I did A Midsummer Night's Dream in elementary school nbd
That's amazing, you got to do the costumes for a freelance actress, I bet it turned out great. I understand that the low salary isn't in your favor, but not many people get to work in a job that they love and enjoy.
DeleteI often think that it is a crime that the people who are for our most precious possession - our children - are paid such a pittance. It is difficult to balance joy against financial reward, especially when you live in this area. I will tell you, though, that if you don't love what you do, your life will much less than satisfactory and there are ways to balance the two.
DeleteDr. Pearl is the doctor at the podiatry center that I am mentoring from. His tasks are to diagnose and treat peoples foot problems. However, aside to the technical responsibilities it is a doctors job to make a patient feel heard and to show that it is not just another case. You need to gain the patients trust and show that you are there for them 100% of the way. He is not a person who shows that he cares for his patients nor gives them the time nor attention that they deserve. He has a problem with keeping his personal and professional life separate. He is nearly always late and can be rude to his patients and those who work for him. I've witnessed many incidents that leaves me in shock and it's honestly been unbearable but what I can say is that I have learned what not to be and what not to do.
ReplyDeleteI know that I do not want to be a podiatrist, especially one like Dr. Pearl. I want to be a surgeon, but most of all I want to be a doctor who cares and truly helps people in every way that I can. It is doctors like Dr. Pearl who give a bad reputation to the career of medicine as solely and economic interest. My answer would not change because podiatry lacks my interest.
That sounds awful! How can he treat these people that need his help with disrespect? You would make a great doctor by learning from his mistakes. Sounds like you're very aware and I hope your internship becomes more enjoyable.
DeleteThat seems like it puts you in a really difficult situation! I'm sorry you have to deal with a mentor who doesn't seem professional. Honestly, I'm with you in that you're interested in medicine but not podiatry, I honestly think it would be hard to enjoy my job if it consisted of looking at people's feet all day. I hope it improves in the next two weeks! Maybe you are the fresh new face of hospitality that his practice needs.
DeleteAs you and I discussed on the phone, sometime - unfortunately - we learn alot from a terrible example. I am glad that you have the support of the rest of the staff in the office to set much better precedents. In defense of podiatry, if you ever have a serious foot problem, you will learn how much we need capable doctors in that field. NOTHING (almost) hurts more than a really bad foot problem!
DeleteDr. Pearl at Arlington foot and ankle has been my mentor for a few weeks now. He typically diagnosis, prescribes over the counter treatments, and treats patients who come in with foot problems. I always believed that to become a doctor you had to follow the oath you took when you first got your white coat. But I've never met a doctor who cared so little for his patients to the point of having a personal conversation on his phone and interact with a patient at the same time or even over injecting them. He justifies his commanding rudeness with the phrase " I am the captain of this ship and whatever I say goes." Along with this, he has no remorse for his actions when it comes to interactions with patients which I find as a quality no doctor should have. As he is not an M.D. but a D.P.M I don't believe that there is much more to learn from him besides what not to do as a doctor, sure there are some interesting procedures but it all gets old due to the repetition in which he treats the same diagnosis. But overall I'm am still glad for the opportunity to work with him, because the greatest things to learn in life is what not to, how not to do them, and why you shouldn't do them. From this experience, I will always put a patient first because I'm becoming a doctor to save lives, not to ruin them.
ReplyDeleteTo be frank I will never work in the field of podiatry. From this experience I have developed almost a hatred for feet. I want to be an trauma surgeon, and yes I will have to deal with feet eventually but it won't be something I will be looking forward to. Even if it's in a different country, location, or economic stand point my lack of interest will continue to persist because podiatry is not for me. Furthermore, I have a high tolerance for intolerable rude people such as Dr. Pearl, but I do not tolerate the mistreatment of patients or of my coworkers.
That is very unfortunate that you are being mentored by such a self-centered doctor who has little to offer to you, considering your career goals. It is impressive that you are able to put a positive spin on the experience by focusing on learning the many things to avoid doing as a doctor instead of the offensive behavior of your mentor.
DeleteI agree with Quinn. Your doctor does seem very self centered but you can find a positive spin on the whole experience. You can focus on what would benefit you rather than upset you.
DeleteI'm sorry to hear that your mentor is such a negative person and doesn't really try to make the internship any fun for you. Although it is good that you are learning what not to do and how not to act, I don't think I would enjoy your internship whatsoever.
DeleteIt's too bad that your mentor is as self-centered as he is. Even if you weren't interested in podiatry to begin with, don't let this single person ruin the experience for you. It is important to learn what not to do and act as a doctor.
DeleteI'm so sorry that your mentor is like that. That sounds like a horrible experience. And I hate feet so congrats on realizing you don't want to work in the field of podiatry. Back to your mentor, at least you can experience a bad work environment and maybe learn from it. Again, sorry that your stuck with this doctor.
DeleteYou are putting the very best spin on this experience, and - as we discussed on the phone - you have learned some skills that are universal to medicine, such as x-rays, etc. And, of course, what you have learned about how NOT to treat your patients will be greatly appreciated by those you see in your practice. In defense of podiatry, if you ever have a serious foot problem, you will learn how much we need capable doctors in that field. NOTHING (almost) hurts more than a really bad foot problem!
DeleteSo far at the Rader Dental Clinic I’ve been observing different dental procedures such as fillings, extractions, and cleanings. I help with handing the dentists or dental hygienists anything when they ask me to, but mostly it has been observing, listening, and learning.
ReplyDeleteMr. Bland, while not my main mentor, is someone I have learned a lot from. He is a dental hygienist. His day-to-day tasks include routine cleanings, deep cleanings (which requires going under the gum line), taking x-rays of the mouth, applying fluoride to the teeth, and discussing with patients their oral health and how to improve it. He seems to like his job and is a very sociable person always engaging in conversation with his patients. He also has many years of experience in the dental field and has seen a wide array of different things. He’s always on top of things, and patients seem to enjoy their conversations and the job he has done as well. Mr. Bland is a Coast Guard retiree and all the patients at the clinic are active duty military which makes starting conversation a little easier too. The satisfaction I think he feels comes from a natural love of his to help others and any medical profession provides this satisfaction. There are very nice people in the office, so the work environment is nice as well. However, he seems to have a very positive outlook on life on his own too.
Honestly, the dental scene is something I could see myself doing, but there might have to be other factors that go into it. One might be that I would want to open or work in a dental clinic that provides dental care for children and families that can’t afford it. This might also involve travelling to developing countries and helping out there anyway I can. I have always wanted to work in a medical field so I’m not surprised by what I’m saying about what I want to do when I’m older. My answer would most likely be the same if the location were different. Right now I’m observing dentistry at Fort Myer and looking at patients who are active duty. Changing businesses or cities would not really change my mind because, at the end of the day, I would be able to work with people and help their oral health to my best ability, whether it be children, teenagers, adults, or the elderly.
I am glad to hear that you are learning so much in the dental clinic. It sounds like Mr. Bland is very enthusiastic about helping you to get as much as possible out of this internship.
DeleteIt's awesome that you are learning so much from Mr. Bland! I think it is very sweet you want to provide dental care for those that can't afford it. It really shows how big a heart you have.
DeleteI will not be going to the dentistry section of the clinic, but from what you have said about it, it sounds like a fascinating experience. Like you, I'm interested in medicine because I want to help people. I wish you luck with going forward in your career.
DeleteHave you considered what steps you might have to take before you could open your own clinic? (I think it's a great idea!)
DeleteOther than going to dental school and going through a residency program, of course, I feel like it would be beneficial for me to take the step of taking a business or entrepreneurship class in order to learn how to successfully start up a clinic. I might also want to talk to and get advice from other people who are doing something similar or have similar goals as me.
DeleteI am rotating between different parts of Rader Clinic at Fort Meyer. This week I was in the pathology lab. I have primarily been observing the procedures used to preform tests on blood and urine samples that patients provide. This primarily consists of preparing the samples to be analyzed in a machine and then seeing if there are any abnormalities in the results. Sometimes the lab technologists need to examine blood or urine samples under the microscope in order to get more detailed information about abnormal results and why they might have occurred.
ReplyDeleteSomeone that I have learned a lot from this week is Mrs. Vasquez. She has been working at Fort Meyers pathology lab for about a year. Previously she worked in Fairfax at a hospitals pathology lab for several years. She has taught me a lot about the biochemistry of the human body. She has explained why many of the common lab tests are necessary and what they tell us about the functions of different internal organs. She also gave me clear descriptions of how all the equipment in the lab works and was always willing to thoroughly answer my questions.
Unfortunately, I found my experience in the pathology lab tedious and extremely repetitive. I saw basically everything that is done there within the first few hours. I couldn't really do anything other than watch, and the people who work in the lab often have very few samples to analyze. I would certainly have no interest in this specific career pathway within the medical science field in this setting. I would never go into a career where I am watching the clock every 20 minutes from 7:30-4:00. However, I did learn a lot about the human body from my time in the pathology lab and I saw everything that a lab pathologist does. I don't believe that I would want to do this career in most settings, however, it is possible that in a research lab it might be significantly more interesting and stimulating. therefore, I would keep that in mind as a possibility, although it is very unlikely. While I wouldn't be interested in this specific career I still am happy that I learned a lot about what they do. I also gained good background knowledge for whatever career I choose to do in the medical field.
That's cool you were able to work in the pathology lab! I understand what you mean about repetition though. During my time at the different clinics, I felt that while observing.
DeleteDo you think the repetitive aspect of the lab applied only to the pathology lab, or do you think it might be true of lab work in general? As I recall, laboratory research is something you indicated as a career interest and it seems as though experiments require lots of repetition - no?
DeleteThe Summer tends to be a slow time of year, do you know if the work picks up over the course of the year?
DeleteMy favorite mentor at Rader Clinic has to be Dr. Hsieh. I have learned so much from her. Her day-to-day task is mostly routine check ups. She sees how patients are doing after surgery, checks if their blood pressure is elevated, diagnose minor problems the patient might have and sometimes just talks to patients about their worries. But lately it has been all about school physicals. I sometimes help Dr. Hsieh diagnose those problems, we talk and try to figure out the problem together. Aside from that I am just observing and learning.
ReplyDeleteShe has taught me so much, such as, rare problems that can occur during a pregnancy and the different types of medication she might recommend to a patient.
Dr. Hsieh is a Primary Care doctor, she doesn't see very interesting things but she still enjoys her job. It isn't as fast paced as working in a hospital but she gets to talk to her patients in a calm personal way and really understands her patients needs. Everyone working in Primary Care are all so sweet and really do get along with each other and their patients
Even though my principal focus is neonatal nursing, I honestly could see myself doing the same things Dr. Hsieh does. It seems like the right pace for me. I am considering maybe someday working on a military base. I find it so fascinating that it so different from what my "normal" perspective of civilian medical care is, to see kind active duty and retired patients with so many stories to tell, who live their lives differently than those of civilians.
Dr. Hsieh is such a smart, kind hearted, funny person who really cares for her patients. So does her nurse, Marie, who is so nice to me and always manages to make me laugh all the time! Its really fun to work in Primary Care, although it seems kind of boring, it's the people around you who make you want to come in to work everyday. I really couldn't have asked for a better mentor. Im sad I'm not working with her this week, but I will hopefully learn more in my next rotation.
I'm so glad that you're having such a great time with Dr. Hsieh and that's so amazing how she's told you about your main focus, which is neonatal nursing!
DeleteI love reading the contrast between your entry and that of Sovan and Marisabel! Focus on - and genuine concern for - the patient seems to me to be the main difference between the two doctors. In so many offices, including doctors I have seen, you have a 15 minute slot before the next patient comes in, and the doctor seems distracted while he or she is talking to you. Dr. Hsieh sounds like the kind of doctor I'd like for myself and my family.
DeleteAt the Potomac Nationals, I have had some trouble finding tasks to do. I have continued to fold boxes of pocket schedules, and this has kept me somewhat busy. Other times, I try to work on summer assignments to kill time.
ReplyDeleteOne person I have worked with is Chris. He works with ticket sales in the box office. I usually see him entering data into spreadsheets or making calls to sell tickets to people. I think he enjoys his job and people seem to like him there. I haven't seen him in a bad mood while working.
I don't think I could see myself doing this as a career. For starters, it doesn't seem like something that is a career. I could more see someone use it as a stepping stone to working in a major league front office. I also don't think it's a very complicated or challenging operation, with most of the tasks being based around fan activities at the ballpark or selling tickets to groups.
That's unfortunate that you have to spend so much time at your internship doing busy work. I can relate, because I too, have spent my fair share of time folding/stapling/copying etc. On a positive note, it seems like you are in a somewhat positive work environment; it's always nice to see that your coworkers enjoy what they do.
DeleteI’m sorry that you are mostly doing busy work at your internship and don’t always have things to do. Based on your description I can see why you would call this job a stepping stone for other jobs in the major league offices. Hopefully you will be able to find more to do in the next few weeks that are not all busy work. Maybe you could ask to work with or shadow some more different people? I would say that at least your coworkers are enjoying what they do, so you may find something that you can enjoy doing.
DeleteHey Ryan, I'm sorry to hear that you are having trouble finding things to do. It can be really frustrating trying to keep yourself busy when there is nothing you can do. On a positive note, it looks like you have good coworkers. Hopefully these next two weeks get better for you.
DeleteGood suggestions from Caris and good insight on your part. I'm sure others have used your position to get the proverbial "foot in the door;" I doubt anyone plans to stay in it long term. I don't know Ricky, as you are the first PRIME intern I have placed with the P-Nats, but it sure can't hurt to ask for more responsibility. If you see someone doing something you'd like to try, speak up. All they can do is say no, and at least they will know you have ambition.
DeleteAt the US Army Band, my mentor is a clarinet player in the concert band, however most of the time when I am at work, I'm not necessarily spending a lot of time with her. However, she has introduced me to many people around the Band Building, and I have gotten a chance to ask them about what they do specifically.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, I got the opportunity to meet with one of the producers of the band, Sergeant First Class Shioji. As a producer, his main job is to make sure every show and mission they go on is successful. He spends a lot of time communicating with the people who have requested the mission, and other band leaders to make sure all logistics are in order. He has to coordinate traveling, food, lodging, etc for every mission they go on. It sounds like a stressful job, and he assured me that it could be, at times. He has to think of even the smallest details other people might forget (like supplying the band with water if it's really hot out one day!) I don't think this is something I'd like to do, but it seems like he really enjoys and thrives in this position.
That sounds really interesting! It's always refreshing to meet someone who is passionate about their job and succeeds in their position! I hope he has inspired you to find the same passion in whatever job you get in the future! :)
DeleteWow, it sounds like you are getting a really in-depth look at the Army Band. Its great that you get the opportunity to meet new professionals and learn about their experiences, instead of just being limited to your mentor's. Its nice to have a person to talk to who clearly loves their job.
DeleteAny feeling about the role music will play in your future - vocation or avocation?
DeleteThis week at the Rader Clinic I worked at the pharmacy section. I was mostly helping out the Red Cross volunteers at the refill window or I was shadowing a pharmacist or pharmacy technician. Other times I was doing busy work around the pharmacy.
ReplyDeleteOne of the people that I work with is named Dimera and she is a pharmacist. She handles a lot of the controlled substances that the pharmacy distributes. She has sole access to the vault where they keep all of the controlled substances, and she fills the prescriptions for the controlled substances. She seems to enjoy her work and gets along well with the other people who work in the pharmacy. She takes on several leadership roles within the work place as well.
While I do want to work in healthcare, I don’t think that I want to become a pharmacist. I prefer to work closer with the patient like with nursing. I do however enjoy the pharmacy and wouldn’t completely rule it out as a future career choice for me.
I'm sorry to hear that you don't enjoy the pharmacy as much, but I'm glad that nursing is still in your interest! Hopefully you can get more experience with the nursing side of the medical field!
DeleteI'm glad that you are still keeping your options open, and glad Rader gave you the opportunity to "sample" a few medical fields.
DeleteRandy Hill is the Collaborative Services Division Director at the Office of Information Management and Service at USPTO. He isn't my mentor, but I'm writing about him because I've only seen my actual mentor once, and she has yet to assign me something to do. So far, most of what I see Randy Hill doing is going to meetings and helping different projects move smoothly. I don't think Randy is extremely satisfied going to meetings (who does?), but he does overall seem to get satisfaction out of his job. He always has a positive vibe around him and is always ready to help others.
ReplyDeleteI don't really imagine myself having his job as a career because I'm not really interested in a management type of job. Maybe if the management position was in a business related to computer science or engineering, I would consider it.
I'm sorry to hear you haven't really gotten to meet your mentor that much. However, it seems like seeing how Randy Hill works has shown you what you do and don't want to do. Something my dad told me going into my internship was that I may learn more about what I don't want to do rather than what I do want to do. However, it is important to see all different types of jobs so if you get a job you like you know how fortunate you are.
DeleteAlthough the management position does not seem interesting in his specific career, if you are thinking about it in other possible fields, it is good that you are observing his day to day tasks and projects! I'm sure that will help you late on in life wherever you may end up.
DeleteHey Daniel, sorry to hear that you mentor hasn't worked with you yet, and that you don't see this as a career choice for yourself in the future. On a positive note, hopefully you can look back on this experience to help you in the future.
DeleteHi. That's very strange that your mentor has not been mentoring you. But it sounds like you have found someone to follow and get an idea of how the company. I hope your mentor shows up and you get more experience in computer science and engineering!
DeleteIt has been my experience that people who love their jobs and do really well at them end up in management positions - which they love not so much. Interesting phenomenon, isn't it? I think Randy is a case in point.
DeleteFor my internship I have been working at Arlington Public Health. I help with different project that they have to do for outreach programs. For example, this week I went to a meeting to plan out what we want to do for the Arlington County Fair presentation. We have a presentation board with multiple panels that will discuss hand washing, avoiding bug and tick bites, Zika and their Medical volunteer program called MRC. I also sat in on an MRC training Tuesday night which was really interesting.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor, Martha, is in charge of different outreach projects such as their World AIDS Day program. Her job used to be focused just on HIV, AIDS and STIs, but now it is more general and she works on more topic areas such as ZIka. For Zika she helps to organize information and find new developments. I think that she enjoys her job because whenever we drive to meetings she always talks to me about what she’s doing. However, I think she misses when she could just work on AIDS, HIV and STIs because that’s what she was really interested in when she was in school. I think that this satisfaction is from the job and some co-workers. However, I think that her outlook on life is mostly why she is happy. Being an immigrant I think that she has a good perspective on things and can make sure that she does something to make herself happy.
I do not see myself doing her job because I get antsy sitting at a desk all day. I want to be able to move around at my job and interact with people. This does not really surprise me because I do like to do the hands on activities and I am really excited to see some of the clinics with patients next week in our building.
It's interesting that you pointed to Martha's outlook on life as what makes her happy. Do you think you could apply the same thing? For example, could you take a job and find a way to move around, keep from having to sit at a desk all day?
DeleteMy mentor, Joseph, is the director of the Desktop Services Branch at USPTO. He manages the maintenance and testing of computer hardware for the office. Most of his job includes supervising testing operations, organizing lists of computer information, and writing proposals for purchasing new equipment. He seems very satisfied with his job since he comes in every day with lots of energy. He enjoys working with everyone on his team. One of his main focuses is rethinking how the department operates, but he shows this with every task he gives me. He encourages me to look everywhere for solutions.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer not to be a manager in my career, but if I had to, Joseph's job would be great for me, since I enjoy problem solving.
How lucky you are to work for someone whose outlook is always positive and encouraging. May all your - and everyone's! - managers be the same. And if you ARE at manager, please follow his lead!
DeleteAt my internship at Rader Clinic, there's so many people I would love to talk about, but the one who's probably taught me so much throughout these two weeks is the Physical Therapy Technician, Luis. Basically what he does is that he gives the exercises for people that MAJ Sims has admitted into Physical Therapy (PT). He helps these people by checking if the patients are doing the exercises in the correct form. This brings me to a very important thing that all of the Technicians have taught me; all of exercise is about form. Basically, you can do as many reps as you want, but if you're not doing it correctly, you're not exactly helping the muscle that you need to strengthen. By observing him, I can see that the patients are getting a workout, but not to the extent where they're miserable. He really makes sure that the patients are having fun because if they have a miserable time, then they won't enjoy coming back as much. He also does more stuff that requires machines like the traction, electrotherapy, or even using graston cream to help get all the knots out of someone who's really tight.
ReplyDeleteI've noticed that he seems pretty satisfied with this job because there's so many things to love about this job. The environment is so amazing because everyone is so nice and very humorous. Also, the patients in Rader Clinic are amazing. Since most are active duty (in army/navy/etc.), they actually want to get better and the conversations are so amazing because they've all been through the same things.
I'd definitely consider doing this job and maybe talk to my family about being a military doctor. Since they have had experience in civilian hospitals, they've told their stories there and how it's different from there. Also, they've told me all the benefits from becoming a military doctor and also the paths they've taken. I'm still unsure, but I'm going to highly consider it.
I am happy that you are learning the importance of a supportive environment for therapy of any sort. I went through physical therapy after my hip replacement, and it's no fun; but I started to depend on my therapist - didn't want to stop going. :)
DeleteOver my two weeks here at the Arlington Educational Television so far, I have done numerous film related tasks. I have edited videos we are working on; I have shot many practice shots with a camera; I have helped make sound effects for a PSA; and I have created a script for a short film I'm going to direct.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor, Mr. Jeremy Koller, is a video producer and editor for the AETV. There is no set routine, or "Average day" for him, it all depends on what he needs to do. There have been many days where he edits videos that he has been assigned to make. Also, he occasionally needs to go out with his co-worker to short film on-site for a video that needs to be made. He may also go to conferences to discuss future projects. Finally, my mentor loves the job he has. He is aided by co-workers that are very friendly to him, and he is very talented at film making and editing. One other reason my mentor likes his job is because he generally enjoys film making. He has said that through editing he, "tells his own story."
Film making is definately something I would consider as a future career. This is mostly because I've always wanted to be a director. So naturally, I'm not very surprised to hear myself say that I plan to persue film making in the future. Honestly, the only reason I think I would not want to persue film making if I was at another site would be if the people I work with were not as great as they are at the AETV
It's so cool that you have been exposed to a wide range of all of the jobs that are required to make movies. I agree that the working environment can make or break a dream job. If I had to work in a place in which the people were not suited for me, I would not want to have that job.
DeleteThis internship seems ideal for you, because not only is it directly related to you're preferred career choice, you have a positive mentor who enjoys what he does and can teach you the ropes so to speak.
DeleteCan you imagine what you might do if the opportunity to pursue a directing job occurred but your co-workers were "difficult"? This is a choice we frequently face, unfortunately.
DeleteChristie works in administration and she is not my mentor but she and the other person who works at the front desk are the people I primarily talk to. She answers phone calls, scans documents, files, sends emails for the company, and helps keep everyone in the office organized and makes sure they meet their deadlines. I believe she enjoys her job because she interacts with everyone in the office and everyone seems thankful for her. Additionally, she is a very positive and upbeat and seems to enjoy the type of work she does. She seems to value what she does.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine myself working in administration as a career. The work I believe that would be more fulfilling and interesting to me would be helping to plan out a project and participating in the actual building of items, objects and/or robotic equipment. I am not surprised with my perspective about this type of work because although I do recognize the value of it in the work environment, I do not like talking on phones, and I do not enjoy filing. I understand that my future job will most likely require some amount of filing in it – as does all jobs, but I do not want it to be the majority of my work.
I felt very similarly about my job even though my mentor was not a receptionist. I think the actual building of stem is much more fun than the buraucracy of stem.
DeleteThis is excellent perspective, Dina. None of the PRIME interns are likely to plan to work in administrative jobs. However, good advice for you all is the same advice I got my first year of teaching: "Make friends with the secretary (administrative assistant) and the custodian; they're the ones who know what's going on."
DeleteMy mentor is Lora. He is a Physical Therapy Technician. He greets patients and asks them about their pain level. He then walks them through their routine for physical therapy. After they complete their stretches and exercises, he asks them how they feel and writes down any necessary notes. He is very happy with his job because he gets to watch people improve. This happiness is intrinsic. However, he also gets extrinsic happiness because all of his co-workers are funny and great conversationalists. I think that it is related to his outlook on life because he is someone who wants to help people.
ReplyDeleteI think that I could imagine having this job as my career. It is very rewarding and I enjoy the physical aspect of the job. I think that it could be more rewarding than a desk job. However, if this job was not with the military, I do not think that I would like it. It is difficult to try to figure out if certain treatments are covered by different insurance companies. I would not enjoy how complicated that could become.
I agree with your concerns with the complicated aspects of the insurance companies as we have the exact same problems at the pharmacy. However, watching the change in other people's lives seem to make up for the negatives of the job so I am glad you have something positive to look toward to everyday.
DeleteI am glad that you have found something you might be interested in doing! It is very rewarding to discover a path that is right for you, and it seems that your internship has opened up horizons as to more possible careers in the military.
DeleteAs a general rule, it would not be up to the therapist in civilian life to figure out whether a treatment was covered by insurance. There are member service departments and insurance specialists for that, thankfully.
DeleteKate is the CEO and president of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. She isn't my mentor, but I've had a few opportunities to chat with her and get to know her better during lunch and in between projects. Kate does a lot of advocacy work for the chamber members and my mentor told me that it is not uncommon for her to work Saturdays at lobbying or advocacy events. Many of the employees also go to her for executive or final decisions on things like website design or how to classify a certain business. Kate seems very passionate about her job and from my perspective, derives quite a bit of satisfaction from her work. I believe it is because her work is tangible in the fact that her involvement brings about measurable change to the whole county and to the members of the chamber. Additionally, she has such wonderful co-workers that she seems to get along really well with.
ReplyDeleteWhile I value Kate's role and admire her work and efforts, I do not see myself doing this as a career(chamber of commerce specific). I believe by answer is not dependent on city, because I believe that I would not get the level of impact I want in life by working in a chamber of commerce. This is because chambers are usually county or state centered and deal mostly with their specific area. I have never been much of a small community type of person and I see myself having a wider scope in my career. That being said, I do think I could see myself being a CEO or President of a company or nonprofit because depending on the size of my company and how much I scale it, I could achieve the impact I desire.
It was interesting reading your experiences because they sound similar to my times with Jennifer. I also respect your decision about the chamber because I too enjoy a large city setting versus a small community as a larger areas provides more opportunities. I hope you still enjoy your time there.
DeleteYour internship at the Chamber of Commerce sounds very interesting. If you are looking to work with a larger organization to create a larger impact, this could be a good start.
DeleteWhat type of company do you see yourself working with, Christine? There's generally a big difference between being CEO of a corporation and running a nonprofit. Are you starting out by getting a degree in business?
DeleteMy responsibilities this week has been similar to the first; accepting prescriptions, bottling medicine and dispensing the medicine. I still work at the register and behind the counters, I have learned all the tasks for each position in the pharmacy, from cashier to pharmacist.
ReplyDeleteJennifer is a staff pharmacist who differs from my mentor who is a pharmacy manager. My mentor looks over all the employees and the over-all welfare of the store whereas Jen focuses exclusively on the medicine. I work with her half the time and really have enjoyed my time with her as I have had a chance to bond with her at a deeper level than my mentor. Although my mentor teaches me everything about the pharmacy, I have learned the most from Jen who has shared with me her real life experiences with college and career choices, she has told me all the things she has learned from her mistakes which has given me a lot to think about as I choose my career and college. Jen is very satisfied with her position due to the flexible nature of the job, calm setting, pleasant co-workers and overall stability of the job, all of which are a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
Although stressing and complicated at times, I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life. I get to interact with new people everyday, I would be interested all the time and the stable nature of the job would let me live comfortably. The job is very rewarding, in demand and ever-growing in any setting from hospital to grocery store. Any job will have its difficulties but I feel that the positives outweigh the negatives in this case.
I am so glad that you had a chance to meet Jen. She is just what we hope for in PRIME: Someone who will talk with the intern not just about the job, but about the pathways to that job. Thanks for sharing, Anu.
DeleteRon, my mentor, works in VTCOPS of the USPTOCIO. Mostly what he does is set up video conferences between different parts of the USPTO an potential patenters. The second part is monitoring the conferences. And lastly making sure all the equipment is ready. Ron does enjoy his job, but mostly because of the people in his job. The things he does on a daily basis take only a few days to learn. The job is very interesting, he has monitored meeting with Apple involved and other well known businesses. He doesn't seem to pay much attention to what's being said in the meeting, but I think that is because he just isn't as interested in tech as I am.
ReplyDeleteI think I could do this for a short period of time. It pays well and the envirement is great however the job isn't sophisticated enough. It's cool listening to other people's inventions, but I'd rather be inventing myself.
Do you think that something you might hear in a videoconference might "jumpstart" one of your own inventions?
DeleteMaybe, Mostly I am interested in Aerospace engineering and the teleconference have not necessarily been about that.
DeleteAt my internship, I mostly am taking inventory of the A/V equipment in the conference rooms and putting all of that data onto a giant spreadsheet. I've also attended demos and been involved in various meetings and conference calls.
ReplyDeleteOne of the adults I work with, although he is not my mentor, is Randy Hill, the Collaborative Services Division Director at the Office of Information Management and Service at USPTO. He oversees many employees and the video system at the PTO, and he attends many meetings and conference calls. He does seem to get a lot out of what he does, and always is extremely positive and open, and even though he has to attend many meetings, he seems to enjoy his duties as well as managing others and their projects.
I don't think I could see myself doing this, just because I need to have a job where I am moving on and doing things all day, and I cannot imagine myself being able to sit in meetings all day long, and manage projects more than contributing to them. It might be a perfect fit for some people, but unfortunately not for me.
What do you think it is that makes it possible for Randy to be positive and open throughout the day? Have you been able to contribute to any of the meetings or demos you've attended?
DeleteThe positive attitude of the coworker you write about here is good to hear about. I agree that I could not sit through many meetings but to know that someone can is important. Finding enjoyment in your job is a great thing.
DeleteRandy Hill sounds like a great person to be working with. I understand what you mean about wanting to do more work and less management, I feel the same way. Good to see that you were able to learn the kind of work you would prefer for the future!
DeleteIt is good that you are keeping an open mind during your internship! Discovering what you don't want to do is just as important as discovering what you do, but if you don't explore and try new things, you may never know. I hope your internship continues to be rewarding.
ReplyDeleteSo far in my internship I have been helping out with various embassy projects in different ways. One thing I did was creating a colored topical rendering of an embassy in Mali through photoshop. I also helped with calculating tree shade area and water usage to meet environmental protection agency requirements. Now I'm just shadowing while the employees work on finishing up the recent projects.
ReplyDeleteThe adult that I have been working the most is not my mentor, but a civil engineer named Navid. He has been with the company since foundation and is very good at what he does. I spend a lot of my time shadowing his design work as he walks me through the process as it happens. He gives me various small assignments to help him with these projects after I learn by watching. He's very smart and seems to enjoy his work, and I enjoy working under him.
Although civil engineering specifically may not be my first choice in career, I could see myself in the same engineering environment. The collaborative and creative design field is very appealing and I would love to be able to take part in a design process like this in any engineering field.
I'm glad you are able to work with Navid; he understands how to be a mentor. What specifically is it that you enjoy about this field? Which engineering specialty is your first choice?
DeleteMy day to day tasks aren't really special. It just involves taking out the trash and making the area look nice for clients who come in, making coffee in the morning, and occasionally sit in on a studio session and help if they need something.
ReplyDeleteMy mentor is like the supervisor for all the other people in the company, so doesn't do much besides planning and logistics. But one adult I've been working with frequently is Chris. Chris is comes in more frequently than most of the other sound engineers, so naturally I see him more often. He normally has a client in a session, and I've sat in on one of those. He takes the work very seriously, and also thinks very strongly of his opinion. The client wanted to do something different and Chris got pretty agitated. Also, in Studio C, Chris and I had to clear out and organize lots of cables, and the whole situation had him pretty irritated.
What I'M doing, I would not want to do for a living. But being a sound enginieer still seems like a good job. I think each studio is probably run differently from the next, so you can't really say based off of one place. Also, there are other kinds of sound engineers. so that is another thing to take into account. I like the freedom that is given to the employees at Cue, that would be my biggest attraction to that kind of job.
Have you been involved with setting up or tearing down any of the sound equipment? Have you had the chance to see how it works? How do you help in the sessions?
DeleteSo far on site I have been writing articles and going on interviews or going out to take pictures. It has been very interesting, and I thankfully have only had to do one or two small 'intern tasks', as my boss calls them (stuff like getting mail or coffee).
ReplyDeleteMy mentor is the editor of the website. He has to edit all of the pieces before they get published, including his own, as well as keep track of all the articles and when they are supposed to be finished/published. He goes out on interviews a lot, and makes phone calls to people to get quotes. He also keeps track of the police scanner. He seems to enjoy being busy all the time, and I think he thrives off the stressful work.
Personally, I would not at this point want to pick this as my career. Unlike my boss, I don't like leaving work feeling like I have a lot left on my plate. I think it would be too stressful for me.
I hear you, Lindsay. What type of writing would you like to do? Or are you going off in another direction completely?
DeleteI think I may end up going in another direction - perhaps political science or history. I am glad to be working in the field of journalism for my internship, though. I think it is a great chance to see if it is something I could do forever, and while I am still not sure at least I now know how the industry works.
DeleteMy mentor seems to have the same attitude as you. I almost never seem him take a break. It is impressive but I also don't think I could ever do that myself.
DeleteI am delighted to see supportive comments going back and forth and to see that good things do come around at your internships. Remember, too, that while you are doing the routine tasks (also known as "grunt work") you can learn some worthwhile things as well. You might pick up new vocabulary - not that kind! - or learn something about the structure of the organization, etc. Besides, unfortunately, these tasks are simply a fact of life where ever you work. The paperless society is a fiction. Even the companies where I do paperless billing send me a note by snail mail to remind me that my payment will be coming out of my checking account! Smile, file, and ask what else you can do!!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though Dr. Villar also has a strong set of ethics, which is important in his field and something important to model. You are also having the opportunity to see a small business in action, which you might not if you were interning at a traditional veterinary clinic. Lucky you!
ReplyDeleteOne of my coworkers is the manager for the assisted living and alzheimer's parts of the retirement home. On a daily basis, she communicates with residents' families and coordinates the nurses who work with the residents. She also organizes activities. In addition, she makes the work schedules so that there are enough nurses at all times, including the weekends and at night. She loves her job. She lives in Manassas and even though she has a very long commute, she look forward to her job everyday.
ReplyDeleteI would not consider this occupation because there is too much interpersonal communication. She is an extrovert, so she loves this position, but me being a solid introvert would not like the constant communication as much.
Do you see yourself preferring to interact with people only occasionally Maddy? The first time I took a what-is-your-personality-type test, if showed me as an introvert working in a career that valued extroversion. I used to have to force myself to sit at the table with people I didn't know, make a phone call instead of sending a letter or email, etc. Now all that "extrovert-stuff" seems to come more naturally. I wonder if the world we live in day-to-day can change our basic type?
DeleteMy mentor is Virginia State Delegate Alfonso Lopez's only full time employee. Because of this he has many responsibilities and is always busy. I see him often answering calls for constituents, drafting newsletters, and organizing the delegate's schedule. I don't know whether or not he especially enjoys this situation but without a doubt he works hard. I think he gains the most out of the job because he has a good relationship with the delegate and the two seem to be friends and joke around.
ReplyDeleteI do not think I would be suited for my mentors job as I feel I would be most comfortable doing what the delegate does. It would not be enjoyable for me working behind the scenes and I would much rather interact with constituents. I would not find it uncomfortable to be a public face.
I understand what you mean about not wanting to work behind the scenes - that is part of the reason why I enjoyed my internship so much. I was able to have my own by-line for the articles I wrote, instead of just writing under the ARLnow tag.
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