Ready or Not Here I Come....

The technical skills I have picked up at year up that would add value to my internship would be the methods we can take to troubleshoot a computer (entering the task manager and msconfig) to identify errors in drivers. We also learned how to used restore points and reimaging methods to take the computer back to a workable condition.

I believe some of my best work comes from a supportive manager who doesn’t expect less from me. His support comes from checking in with me on a week to bi-weekly basis. I would like to have an individual that keeps me busy with productive work. I strongly believe that as an intern we should take responsibility for our own learning, and therefore we should not rely on the boss. The soft skill that I believe will serve me is my eagerness to learn and take initiative when it comes to asking for help.

An anxiety that I keep replaying in my head is not meeting the manager’s expectations when it comes to completing tasks. Another area I would like to work in is my networking skills; I don’t want to miss out from opportunities due to the fear of not being good enough.

I plan to show up an hour before my scheduling time, and if possible stay later.  On my time out of work I will learn more about the computers, software, games and mobile devices the company uses. I will approach people in different departments and try to see if I could shadow them, or offer my help in their work (such as giving my input or finding bugs some of the games). In regards to physically standing out, I will continue to wear my professional clothing, be well groomed, and be well-rested everyday in order to be ready.

I like most students at Year Up would like to be a great employee candidate for the company we are interning for. Whether or not it works out, I would like to go back to school and get a degree in social work. I also plan to use the skills I picked up at YU and Zynga help motivate people with little means through volunteer work. 

12 Tips for Internships

         An article named "Quintessential Careers Making the Most of your Internship(s)" had the top 12 tips for internship. I have listed the tips by my level of importance. 

1. Set regular goals: It is important to have an idea of the what you would like to contribute to a company, what you would like to gain and how the challenge will be tackled. By accomplishing realistic goals it helps build my confidence, which in turn allows me to take on more responsibilities without the fear of failure.

 2.   Network, Network, Network: Has been proven to be the most effective way to obtain opportunities, in particular job offers.  Having connections with people are good, because instead of chasing for a job with a resume, you have live profile in peoples eyes. They can speak on your behalf by stating that you are trustworthy, reliable, and likeable. This is an area I need to begin taking advantage if I don’t want to continue being overlooked. I will take up more responsibilities at work and make sure to join their social events.

3.   Take Initiative: Companies love people who take initiative because the person is reliable and takes on responsibilities that are not assigned to them. It’s more convenient for pay off one person for two peoples work load. I plan use my resources as much as possible in order to complete duties, such as managers and supervisors.

                                                           

 4. Find a mentor: Mentors are vital in new environments where there are high expectations. They can give you advice and share their personal experiences on how they handled difficult situations. I would find it helpful to have someone guide me through the hoops at the internship. I will do it by inviting them to lunch, complement them on their strength, and ask them if I could shadow them.

5.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions: I have come to understand that the companies that we will be placed don’t expect us to know everything. Asking questions shows your interest in learning about their company’s culture. I will use anyone available to answer the questions I have (supervisor, colleagues, mentor).

6. Get as much exposure as possible: Like I had mentioned before, getting to know the culture is important, by going into different departments you could learn about their goal for the future. You can take this information and do you own research and impress them when the chance presents itself. Taking part of social events is another way you can expose yourself on an intimate level with the people you work with. I’m will not rely on being invited to learn more, If I can take a personal tour or research on the company I will do so.

7.    Have regular meetings with supervisor: Having regular meetings with a supervisor is helpful to know where your strengths are or where you need to improve in. We may not have a supervisor at all times, so I will try to have meetings over email, or ask fellow colleagues if there is an area I need to improve in.     

8. Never Shun to learn more about your company: Yes! Learning about the company is helpful for interns who are looking to make a good impression and get a job offer. Like I had mentioned before use employees, supervisors, personal observations of the environment, and the Internet to do some research on the company. Companies want people who are eager to learn about their achievements.         

9.  Tackle all tasks with enthusiasm:  Showing enthusiasm is necessary where ever you are when your reputation is at stake, even if you don’t take like the work that is being given to you. People are more likeable when they have a positive attitude. I view internship as a place where I will gain and polish my skills. Even if a job does not come out of it, I can take the experience wherever I go.

10.  Enjoy yourself: So true! Don’t be uptight, obnoxious, or participating in romantic relationships.  Being annoying and having an office romance can only create problems, so I will make sure to stay clear of these options. You lose more energy being an uptight person who always taking things seriously, in comparison to a person who has fun with their responsibilities.  I will definitely make sure to enjoy internship; I don’t want to regret being too serious, because I will only miss building relationships.

11.   Avoid negativity: There are many ways one can get noticed, whether it’s good or bad. It is important to humble at the internship while doing the work with grace. One should been seen for positive attitude not negative. It is important for me to complete work while taking consideration that it is a opportunity that I will not put to waste.

12. Leave with Tangible Accomplishments: This needs to be the last tip to keep in mind because it has to do with all the accomplishments one has build at internship, that will be placed in a resume or portfolio. One important thing to keep in mind is not to burn bridges when you leave.  I will take sure to take a journal and write down my accomplishments in order not to forget. 

RadioShack Work Experience...

For the past four years I have worked at RadioShack as a retail associate, where my responsibilities consisted of interacting with customers while recommending products, merchandising, along with selling mobile phones.  The best part of my job was learning about the latest technologies before it is on the market. The downside was the constant pressure to sell, while being threatened to get fired if expectations were not met. Although, it can be interesting to meet people from different walks of life in a retail environment, it could difficult dealing with incorrigible personalities who are under the impression that “customers are always right.” When I first started working at RadioShack I had very little knowledge about the products they sold, but I forced myself to learn quickly on the spot with the resources that were given to me (internet). It is vital to listen to what people are communicating to you because one simple mistake can lead to the loss of hundreds of dollars. My team members and I made sure to keep a positive disposition when it came to wacky customers or a computer error.  I believe my persona has allowed me to stay calm and think fast when an unexpected problem occurs. These are just some of the skills that I have acquired in sales that I believe will be useful in my internship. 

Freakonomics Review

The non-fiction book Freakonomics by, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner covers social issues globally and nation wide. The topics they talk about are economics, class, gender, ethnic groups, parenting, crime and education. I believe the authors wrote their book with the purpose of trying to get readers to understand the way the world works. They want to point out how one factor can have a huge influence on others, their personal lives, and society.

In Chapter 3: “Why do Drug Dealers Still Live with Their Moms,” The Chicago gang comparison to McDonalds was a bit shocking because they were both capitalistic “institutes,” whose leaders main concern was to make money not help. Suburban neighborhood have the tendency to speak about how suppress they feel, and how they are limited to low-income jobs like McDonalds that pay minimum wage. It was disturbing to find out street soldiers conforming to $3.30 an hour in comparison to $8.00 at fast food restaurant. I will be purchasing a copy of their Supper Freakonimcs books, due to topics such as abortion, cheating, incentives, violence, and parenting. I have already looked into the history of abortion and the reasons why women decide to abort, or keep their baby.  

The first three chapters of the book were very intriguing, because started comparing issues you never thought had any connection, but as one kept reading the structure added a non-linear style. When we covered the reasons why crime has decreased they gave us a list of reasons they convinced you on how it was the reason for reducing crime, then all of a sudden told it wasn’t. It was an annoying guessing game that kept having me change my annotations summaries. I felt that the authors did a great job with their choice of diction and explanation in concepts.

I would only recommend the first three chapters of the book to a person who is concerned about the way the world works, and feeds off of learning. The book had the tendency to be very one sides, they belittled African Americans a great deal. Some of the topics like abortion became very redundant, which at times make the book boring.

Owning YOUR Reading

In order to process the Freakonomic’s reading I annotate the text by underlining the key points, and placing numbers on ideas that are connected to one another. I try to make it a habit to summarize parts of the reading. It’s important to interact with the reading, so it helps to jot down my thoughts on what I agree, disagree, or have questions on. When I continue to read my questions tend to get answered. I circle the words I don’t understand, look them up, write them in the book, and make sure to understand what the author is trying to express. Since I enjoy the topics they bring up, I can read through the book in 2-3 sittings with 45 minutes each or less. Since I’m always on the go, I tend to do it on Bart or a car ride.

            My recommendations to people who don’t enjoy reading would be, take notes, and don’t forget to look up words or expressions you don’t understand because without it you can lose the authors main points. I strongly suggest not racing through the text; if you cannot focus take small breaks. One last note, don’t believe everything you read; challenge the reading by pointing out their contradictions or bring out your own facts. This will help you keep an ardent attitude.