Internship: "I'm Ready!"

Though my internship may not me as techy as others, I do plan to show the tech skills I’ve learned during the Learning and Development phase at Year Up. 

·         I plan to show my knowledge in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.  Showing that I have developed skills in: troubleshooting, installing web browser applications, and Google docs.

·         Other skills that I’ve gained from Year Up that I am sure to use during my internship are displaying a positive attitude, team work, taking initiative, using my resources, and pitching my elevator speech to those who are unfamiliar with Year Up.

·         I look that my manager at my internship will understand to the fact I may not be familiar with certain work procedures that others may be accustom to, I hope that my manager has patience with the questions that I come to them with.  I hope to have a manager who is honest with feedback, that they will let me know if there are growth areas to help me be successful at my internship. 

·         Some hard skills that I hope to gain from my internship at JPMorgan Chase, learning what operating systems that are used to complete transactions, I hope to become proficient.  Also, to become comfortable quickly dealing with numerous transactions by myself; being able to handle various of transactions from cashing checks,  transferring money into different account.  Soft skills I plan to gain from my internship is extending my network, and being comfortable referring clients to bankers to open accounts.

Making the Most of My Intership

Making the Most of My Internship

In class, we were set in groups with a combined of 12 helpful tips that can be very helpful in our near future internship.  Among those tips, I’ve rated what tip I feel is of highest to lowest rank. 

1.     Have Regular Meetings with your Supervisor(s)

·        I’ve choose this tip as the highest ranked tip towards me because, I feel that it is very important to check in with your supervisor(s) to see how you’re progressing and what area’s you need help with.  I would like to arrange a weekly meeting with my supervisor, every Friday, at least 15 minutes to see what I’m thriving in, as well as, areas I should strive more in.  Setting up a game plan to execute for the following week.

2.      Tackle all tasks with enthusiasm and a Positive Attitude

·        A positive attitude I’ve always found as something that is key to working in a professional manner.  Doing everything with a smile on my face is very important to my future at the company for the next few months.  If I constantly deny work, or complain.  I may end up giving up on ourselves.

3.     Take Initiative

·         If I do find myself with nothing to do, I will strive to find work to assist to.  Even if that means taking on an additional assignment or going out to get coffee.

4.     Avoid Negativity

·        I think this is very self-explanatory; you do not want to enter any working environment with a negative attitude.  I am not going to involve myself in any negativity either, separating myself from people and situations that will jeopardize my internship position. 

5.     Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions

·        One of the worst things I can do as an intern is not asking questions to coworkers and supervisors.  It may show that I am not reliable and seeking help to things I am unfamiliar with.

6.     Set Personal Goals

·         I will strive to always try to set a game plan for each week for myself, goals that I would like to personally meet to help me shine in my internship.

7.     Don’t shun opportunity

·         Striving to complete my work, and offering myself for other duties also; it will let my supervisor see that I am flexible.

8.     Leave with Tangible accomplishments

·         Being aware to document all the work that I do, it may be placed on my resume.

9.     Enjoy yourself

·         I will strive to maintain a positive attitude at my internship, and enjoying the experience that I am being offered as an intern.

10.                        Find a Mentor

·         I will strive to find someone that I am comfortable with at my internship a coworker or my supervisor.  I will offer coffee or lunch and discuss any tips or outlook they may have in my success at my internship.

11.                        Get as Much Exposure as Possible

·         Taking on tasks that maybe I am not familiar with, to meet other people in different departments and also getting a better feel of the company in a different prospective.  Learning additional skills taking on a new task can also show determination and flexibility.

12.                        Network, Network, Network

I will strive to meet as many people that I feel I can benefit from after I graduate, not just within the company that I intern from, but also the partners that will be present at Year Up’s graduation to expand my network. 

 

The best job I’ve had is the job that I am currently working at right now.  I work at UPS (United Postal Service) as a lost prevention agent.  It’s a perk that I’m able to enjoy my job and be paid.

Some of the responsibilities that I have on a nightly basis is: checking employees and visitors in and out the building, relieving my co-workers for their first breaks, cutting the seals off of the trailers that contain packages coming from different cities, writing a report about the trailers I cut in a seal audit report, assuring that no one is stealing or causing any harm, and checking individuals out when they leave. 

The reason I feel that it’s so great because of my co-workers, especially those who I work with who is not actually my co-workers.  I’ve gain friendships their job; I wouldn’t necessarily say that it’s my job that makes it so enjoyable.  It’s the people that I work with, they’re good company to keep, very sweet, humorous, and honest people.

Working at UPS has enhanced my communication skills with others; I remember I was very demure when I started.  Everyone was so friendly and kind to me.  Being dependable has played a major role in what I’ve learned also.  Helping out when the job was short on hand, always had me first for the OT lineup.

I’ve also worked volunteering with my church’s youth funding at special events at sporting events and concerts, as a cashier at the Dugout Food Stand.  I’ve had many countless and memorable moments at those events.

I enjoyed meeting all the new people from all of the country, and seeing the excitement they had to see the game or concert begin. 

Freakonomics

Freakonomics Reader

The title of the book we received is “Freakonomics”; I thought the first chapter was very boring, I was not too engaged with what it was stating.  I would highlight comments or sentences that stood out, write questions in the margins, and put question marks when I wasn’t too sure of what was going on.  I would bring those topics up during my reading discussions, and with the whole class.  It gave me a lot of clarity of others opinions, and another outlook on the chapter.

Annotating is a great while reading; it’s been exhilarating for me.  I suggest others to annotate while reading, it’s a way to summarize, mark what interested you, and creating questions, and learning new words.  There was not big strategy with how I kept up with the book.  Looking for anything that would catch my eye and read from them, I would then go back and read the chapter from the beginning to get clarity of what was going on. 

I usually would read on the bus when going to class, or leaving class.  But I mainly got a majority of my reading down at work, I would go through a few pages depending how engaged I was with the chapter.  If I felt the chapter was very interesting I would complete the full chapter.

Stereotypes

When you think of people who live in urban neighborhoods, especially younger individusals you tend to think that: they commit crimes, they enjoy living in poverty and do not want to more away, they do not speak proper english and speak "Ghetto".  These people are on some kind of government assistance, and always have excuses for themselves.  Many people don't feel safe when they are in an urban neighborhood, that they are in danger, they'll be robbed or killed.  These sterotypes have been happening for countless years, I've lived in many urban communities.  I have not once been robbed, and as you can tell I am still breathing. 

Wanting Welfare? Did you pass your drug test?

Article Title: States consider drug welfare recipients
Author: Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY

23 states around the US are taking drug test applicants applying for welfare government assistance, a few states already have this law active such as Florida.  All applicants are schedule to part take in a drug test before receiving assistance, currently in Arizona the law that any individual assumed of taking illegal drugs will be drug tested at anytime. There has been thoughts of soon expanding the drug testing rule to all 50 states, many of the welfare workers are relieved. They say that it's a step to seeing if applicants are honestly needing finacial help. I think drug testing applicants while applying for welfare is a great idea; because I constantly see people who are buying alcohol, spending their money on things that have nothing to do with the welfare of their children.  In the article it also states, there were many people using their welfare checks to get tattoos, and treat themselves on a shopping spree.  The welfare, should extend that rule to all states.  They should also have that law apply to those who are also appling for general assistances, though I'm sure applicants will not be satisfied for the new decisions.  Applicants feel, why is there a need to drug test? But I feel that it will ensure tax payers that, their money will help those in need.  More importantly it will help those who meet requiriments and are also drug free.