Respond to this post after you have spent at least one full week at your internship. If you like, start your comment 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 career. As you justify your answer, are you at all surprised by what you "hear yourself saying"? Do you think your answer would be the same if this job were located elsewhere (i.e. in a different city or a different type of business).
Don't forget to come back and read your fellow interns' comments throughout the coming week and comment on at least two of them. Remember to keep your comments positive and supportive. (Problems and concerns should be addressed to me by phone or email.) Be sure to check back later to answer any questions others may have posed for you. This is an interactive forum.
Robin Hodges is a project manager at the design and construction offices. Though she isn't my mentor, I've been shadowing her for a while. She currently has 6 projects she's managing, two of which are the Career Center kitchen renovations and Education Center demolition and remodeling. She spends a lot of time on the job sites, observing progress and checking back with her CMAs (construction manager agents) and GCs (general contractors), and making suggestions. At the office, she looks at a lot of PCOs (Potential change orders: anticipations that there may be extra costs) to make sure the project stays under budget. She seems to enjoy her job a lot, even though she always has to deal with problems and annoying coworkers. There are many times when she has to deal with incompetent workers and they make mistakes costing her a lot of lost time and thousands of dollars. However, dealing with them is the most important and satisfying part of her job, because as everyone in the office says: "If you're not putting out fires, something's wrong."
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about whether I would enjoy this profession, and I'm still unsure. Project managers work more with people and money than with designing or building. In fact, my mentor has a degree in architecture but says he hasn't designed anything in the last 5 years. There's always something to do, but I think I'd rather be the designer instead of the manager for such projects.
The motto for your office seems really interesting! Do you think that any of the problem solving skills could be applied to other areas of your life? Your internship sounds neat; it's cool to think about the buildings we take for granted as the carefully engineered projects they are
DeleteI think every job involves some similar issues and obstacles. Even if you're not in an engineering related job, you always have to work with people, no matter what. I guess these skills will be very useful for whatever I do in the future.
DeleteGood insight into the problem-solving skill as it applies to work. I'd add that there will always be plenty of problems to solve and people to "manage" in your personal life as well!
DeleteThat seems like a unique career path. You get to solve problems while at the same time having influence on the design and engineering aspect of buildings.
DeleteThat seems like a good career path, but it makes sense that you are more interested in designing.
DeleteJudy Morales is a staff member at my camp and she is an adaptive fitness specialist. Her day-to-day tasks are working at the camp from 9:00 to 3:00 where she does adaptive fitness coaching, help children with special needs, help kids gain their confidence, teach kids about life-changing skills, and help people achieve their fitness goal. She does camp with kids with disabilities were we work on fine motor skills, communications, and working together in groups. After the camp is done, she normally has one-on-one clients that she works with and it is different clients every week where she helps them on many different things like weight training if someone had a stroke or working with people with communications. She loves working with kids with disabilities and that is what she wanted to do and she has had her up and downs in the business with miss communications and co-workers. However, she loves her work and she wants to make a difference in children's lives. She has made a positive impact on the kids and have built many friendships with everyone.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine myself doing this career. I have been thinking about occupational therapy and I have done camps before and did a 2-day camp at Misericordia college to see what the occupational therapy program is like there and I got to see where I will be doing Fieldwork and meet some professors. I enjoy helping people with disabilities and changing the view of what people have on people with a disability. I think there is always something that I can do anywhere but, I just have to push myself.
It's great that you found something that fulfills you!
DeleteIt's amazing to see how your internship has changed and broadened your viewpoint!
DeleteI like the fact that you are checking out real life opportunities to gather career decision-making information. Too many people invest in an expensive education without ever really knowing whether the career will be a good fit for them.
DeleteThat sounds super interesting. I've done a lot of volunteering with special needs children but I've never thought about specific career options that involve working with them other than what I've seen such as teachers at the Stratford Program.
DeleteI like how you are using your past experience to help you decide that this is something that you would enjoy pursuing as a career.
DeleteDr. Allison House is one of the veterinary doctors that works at Cherrydale. I have had the opportunity to observe and interact with her in her professional life as she performs exams, surgeries, and everything in between. Dr. House tends to have a very busy schedule, interacting with dozens of families and animals while still managing to keep a smile and joke in hand. She seems to have a ton of fun doing her job, no matter how emotionally difficult it can be sometimes. Dr. House is one of the funniest and smartest people I have had the pleasure of interacting with and I hope to learn much more in the future.
ReplyDeleteI could absolutely see myself in this career. Every day brings something new, which I think I need in any job I will do in the future. I am always surprised by myself and my co-workers. This answer may not be the same if it were a larger clinic/hospital as I think the smaller environment is closer to the community that I am comfortable in.
I agree with your statement that you like that everyday brings in new patients. I don't think I would do well at a desk job doing the same thing everyday.
DeleteBeing able to stay confident and cheerful despite all the craziness involved in your job is an admirable personality trait. Everyone should strive to have a similar outlook on life so we can live happier and healthier.
DeleteWhat a great role model you have in Dr. House! I'm glad to hear you're making the most of this opportunity to learn about yourself as well as the veterinary profession.
DeleteIt's great that you see yourself in this career. I agree that a job needs to bring something new everyday.
DeleteI think that in a lot of jobs that can be emotionally difficult at times, it is always good to maintain a good sense of humor and not be serious all the time. I find that that is how the environment is at the funeral home, and reading your comment reminded me of that.
DeleteAt stantec Charlie and I have already been tasked with a plethora of different things. Just recently we have been asked to do research on future schools in PG county. That means we have to find the land, then find surveys of the land, then find how many students they want to go to the future school, then find the square footage of the future building. we also are designing the interior of a building right next to the career center (The Fenwick building). We were also photoshopping stock photos of kids into 3D renders of future spaces in arlington. I have worked with a design manager named felipe and I notice him on the phone a lot and in meeting a lot. I could see myself doing this job in the future.
ReplyDeleteHow exciting to be doing work that impacts actual projects you may see in the future! Keep looking for connections between the career and your values.
DeleteYour internship seems really fun! It is so cool that what you are doing could actually become a reality in the future for public school projects.
DeleteMy mentor Christopher Falcon is the supervisor if the Arlington Civil Division. He overlooks all the other deputy clerks and is always willing to help his colleagues. He always asks me question about my day and how he can make it better and if there is anything that should be addressed. He is really supportive and interacts with me a lot. He says that I am lucky because not a lot of people spend a lot of times with their interns. I love that fact how he allows me to work with other staff members and go upstairs and see how real live court cases. Since the office is understaff they each take turns answering phone calls helping customers and doing marriage licenses. Whenever I speak with him about his job, he always has a smile on his face and says "I love my job and I really enjoy doing what I do."
ReplyDeleteI do see my self in my mentors position I always saw my self as someone who leads and loves to help others out. Without this internship, I would have never knew about this position and would have had a blind eye to it. I also really love it because I think that if this position was in another area then I don't think I would have liked it. I love Arlington and to be able to have a job here is something that I really hope to have one day.
It's great that you found a job you did not know existed before, and that you like so much.
DeleteI'm happy to hear your mentor is making it possible for you to "sample" many aspects of his job. Also good that you noticed how important team work is here and can draw connections to your work preferences.
DeleteMy mentor Jackie is a PTA (physical therapist assistant). Everyday, she comes in and helps patients hands-on and through exercises. She records their progress and works with the other clinicians to create the best schedule to help patients heal in a timely manner. She makes sure to really get to know the patients she works with and comes in with a smile every day. Even though she is always extremely busy, she make sure that I have things to do and tries to help me out. She always seems satisfied with her job and loves to help people. Jackie loves her position and the environment/colleagues she works with.
ReplyDeleteI could definitely see myself in her position. She gets to help people and work along side PTs and DPTs. However, she cannot perform evaluation or do dry-needling. I am not yet sure if that is something I would want to do in the future, but hopefully I will find out before the internship is over.
It's great to see that despite the busy environment, your mentor still finds time to help you out and find satisfaction in what she's doing. Jeana, have you been able to do more with the patients this past week?
DeleteIt's good that you have identified helping people as one of your core work values. There are many professions that encompass this value, but few as closely as those who work directly with folks who are hurting.
DeleteI admire your approach to keeping an open mind, since it can be super helpful when you're trying to figure out what you're interested in.
DeleteIt's very cool that your mentor finds time to help you even though her day is very busy.
DeleteOne of the mentors that I have been working with this week is Captain Rettig. He is the chief physical therapist at the main physical therapy clinic in Rader. Most of the work that he does involves evaluations and re-evaluations of the patients to try and figure out what treatment would work best for them. At the end of their sessions he re-evaluates them to see how well the plan worked for them and what the future steps would involve for them. Another treatment that he does is dry needling. It was very interesting to watch him interact with all of the patients in the clinic. He also conducts pain classes to teach patients about the science and meaning of pain. He genuinely is very passionate about the work that he does and I can easily tell how much he cares about his patients.
ReplyDeleteI had never really thought about physical therapy as a position for me before. However, I have been very impressed by his immense knowledge about the human body. It does seem like a very interesting and fun job but I don't think that is the profession for me.
I'm happy that you are paying attention to all the careers at Rader and drawing implications for your future. Any particular thing that made you rule out PT?
DeleteI just don't think I would be very comfortable in the position and despite my admiration of the knowledge, it is not something that peeks my interest.
DeleteOne of the mentors that I have worked with in the past two weeks is a nutritionist at Rader Clinic. During the day, she mainly meets one-on-one with patients for hour-long sessions in which she addresses their concerns regarding diet and weight, and she also is in charge of nutrition programs on base. She seems to derive a lot of satisfaction from her job, as she mentioned to me that she enjoys using the knowledge that she has about nutrition to help other people. I believe that this satisfaction is more intrinsic to the job itself; from what she explained to me, she seems to mention how much she enjoys the practice rather than her coworkers. I don't think that I could imagine myself doing this as a career, but I did learn a lot from the time that I spent with her; regardless, I don't think that I would consider the job in a different location either.
ReplyDeleteIt's good that you are paying close attention to the professionals you are meeting at Rader and using your experience to draw parallels to your career goals. Was there anything special that told you nutritionist was not for you?
DeleteIn my internship at the Courthouse, I don't spend a lot of time with my mentor, Mr. Spurr. I actually spend more time with the other people working in the Civil, Traffic, and Criminal Courts. Over the past two weeks, I have shadowed the Civil Court Manager, Matt. Matt's job includes answering calls for anyone who is calling the General District Court. He also does a lot of filing, scanning, and entering cases into the system. He seems to like his job and the people that he works with, even when his schedule is packed. I think a lot of why he likes his job is because of the work environment. The work environment is really chill. There's a lot to do, but few tasks are time-bound. Also, the other people in the office are really accommodating and will try to help others out with any work they have pending. The environment's always bustling with activity and life.
ReplyDeleteAs for whether I could see myself in that position, the answer is no. I have been in the Civil Court for two weeks now, and it has confirmed that I'm not really a fan of desk jobs. While the environment is nice, I personally don't like desk or office jobs. I don't think my answer would change if I were doing the same thing elsewhere because I don't see myself doing a desk job and in the law field. Despite that, I am learning a lot of skills that are transferrable to other fields, because of the office environment I have learned to be a part of.
I think it would be really cool to work at the Courthouse but I also see why you don't want to have a career in that arena. I also want a job where I am not stuck at a desk all day long.
DeleteIt shows considerable maturity that you are able to adjust to a work environment that does not really match many of your important values, and even use it to identify and master transferable skills. This ability will not only make you employable, but happy!
DeleteI can see why a desk job can be boring. Filling all those legal documents can get tiresome. Although, that looks like an engaging career for some as working with the civil court can drive someones civic efficacy.
DeleteI respect that you know yourself well enough to acknowledge that a desk job is not something that you would enjoy pursuing, but you still gave it a shot.
DeleteIts awesome that, while you know yourself well enough to know you won't be working this kind of job in the future, you still look for ways to get positive skills out of the experience.
DeleteI also think desk jobs are boring, but what kind of job would you rather do?
DeleteJeni Merino is the Executive Administrative Specialist for the school & community relations department. Every day is a bit different for her depending on the tasks that need to be accomplished and meetings scheduled for that day. She does pay roll and manages leaves/vacations, she also plans events for the department like their retreat that they are having in early august. She is also in charge of the teacher of the year applications and Processes /manages Peachjar flyer submissions from APS departments. Through shadowing and talking to her I think she is happy with the position she has at the moment. She feels happy when all her tasks are completed on time and well. It also has to do with the work environment because although the office is also busy there is time to take a breath and ask for help if you need it. Her co-workers all get along and are sweet which allows for the creation of a welcoming environment.
ReplyDeleteI don't see myself in this position because I feel like I want to be able to interact with people a lot more rather than just my co-workers or in meetings. I really do like where I am interning and i'm learning a lot
Knowing that you need direct contact with a variety of people in order to find your job satisfying is an important insight. I'm glad you're able to identify new skills/knowledge you can take from the internship.
DeleteDemi is a Chinese exchange student who also works with my mentor. Together, we research and edit content for the online hybrid course that's made up of topics from both international affairs and business. She spends her time figuring out reading material and real life examples of when the course would be influential during modern issues. Demi also finds readings, information, videos, and individuals that hold experience in this field that help guide the course. I believe she finds this job interesting and finds it intrinsically satisfying.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can see myself doing this specific job, but definitely something in this field. This is mostly because I'd like to imagine myself doing more ground work. However, the research for this topic is fascinating.
Interesting insight! Can you define a bit what you mean by "ground work"?
DeleteRosie O'Neil is the Deputy Director and Program Counselor for the Landegger Program in International Business Diplomacy at Georgetown University. She works closely with students and alumni, and also advises the other workers in her department. She usually has lunch meetings, so her job is very social. Rosie seems satisfied with her work, and a large part of why this may be is because of her coworkers in the office and in the building.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that this specific position would be right for me because it doesn't seem as directly related to foreign affairs as I would like for it to be. I do like the location of Georgetown, though.
Have you had the chance to meet and work with other people besides Ms. O'Neil? Maybe some of her coworkers have more work with the international side of things and you could ask to shadow them for a while.
DeleteI like Fiona's suggestion. Unless you have had experience in the field in other internships or similar situations, it would be good to know how you feel after observing/trying out actual foreign affairs-related work.
DeleteThis was my first week at my internship at the CIM. As far as I can tell, I am the only person here who speaks English as a first language. Because of this, most of what I have been doing here has been translation, first a Table of Contents for a Spanish-English inclusive language guide, then part of a survey, and right now I am currently translating an agenda for a course on the gender perspective in international politics. Because I work in a traditional office setting, it makes it difficult to really observe what any one person does. However, because I have been acting as a sort of assistant to everyone, they have all let me in on parts of what they've been working on. The woman in the cubicle behind mine, Xavi, is the Communications and Gender Specialist. She is currently working on the course for the gender perspective in politics with some other coworkers. She spends most of the day at her computer, as we all do, and has even asked me to look over an email of hers to make sure the English was right.
ReplyDeleteI can't really see myself in her position because I prefer to be more social and active in my work. Sitting alone at a desk writing or translating documents is fine for a few weeks, but after a while I think I would grow bored not being able to do more hands-on work. Regardless, I really enjoy working here. Everyone is always kind and patient with me, plus my mom works in the same building so I get to have lunch with her every day. I used to think I would be good at desk jobs and pencil-pushing but this internship has given me the chance to explore that and see if it really is for me.
I think it's really cool that you're basically a translator. I would feel a lot of pressure to get the translations right but you must be really fluent in both languages
DeleteThanks! Honestly, I was really nervous at first but all of the translations I do are drafts of drafts so they'll go through some professionals before they're done. I'm just saving them money by doing the prelim translation.
DeleteThis is an important insight, especially since it's at least somewhat different from your previous opinion of yourself! I think there will always be a need for people who are multi-lingual and respectful of other cultures; you're certainly being immersed in both those things.
DeleteThis is so interesting! I feel like being a translator is really difficult but rewarding work. I hope that your internship continues to be interesting and enjoyable for you!
DeleteAt Nova Web Development, my mentor is named Edzon. We go to the library each day and sit at a table for 8 hours doing work on the computer. His technical title is "web developer." Throughout the day, I see him working on code for programs and websites, using different programming languages. He also helps the interns out every once in a while with whatever we are working on. I would say that although he does get lots of satisfaction from coding, he also gets satisfaction from taking photos and editing videos, which we have in common. He doesn't do any of that for his job, but I would say his job is still very satisfying to him. It is probably intrinsic satisfaction since the job environment is pretty much anywhere he goes, since he can work almost anywhere.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if I can see myself doing this as a career or not. I think I want to do something that allows me to move around more, but I like the mobility aspect of the job that you can work remotely if you need to / want to. If the job were confined to one place, I don't think I would be as willing to work this job for a career.
It seems this job is pretty independent, especially with the mobility aspect. Would location be equally important to you if you were considering a different kind of business?
DeleteThis is an important insight, Kevin. It's also good that you are thinking of ways to combine a hobby or avocation with a career.
DeleteBryan Eckerson is a Producer at Arlington Educational Television. As a part of his responsibilities, he helps record and lifestream School Board Meetings. He also creates videos to be published which provide information about APS to parents and students. He does everything involved in the video making process such as filming and editing videos. He seems to take a great deal of interest in this job and often talks about videos and their inner workings when talking to coworkers. I think this interest comes from the job itself, as video making lets people become creative and express their ideas onto the screen.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine myself being a video producer as a career. It is an engaging task and involves a lot of creativity. Producing videos has always been intrinsically motivating for me as I can tell a story using video in so many different ways. I think the story would be different if I lived somewhere else. There is usually more video work to be done in large urban centers, because of how much there is to tell.
It's cool that you found something that you were really interested in, and that both you and your mentor got a lot of joy out of, and that the reality lived up to your expectations.
DeleteThis is an important thing to know about yourself. Many of tomorrow's jobs will involve tele-working, and not everyone has the self management skills needed to be successful at this. The fact that you like it will be a big plus when you start looking at professions.
ReplyDeleteKim Klinger is the Executive Director at CPRO. She is the boss who makes sure everything is running smoothly in the office. She often takes lead in meetings that we have and when we have larger board meetings she is the one who presents the ideas. On the daily she is answering calls and emails about the adminstrative stuff that CPRO deals with. She also helps advocate for revitizaltion and she seems to focus more on that than event planning. She seems pretty satisifed with her job, because she seems very interested in local government and helping the community. The satisifcation comes from the job itself.
ReplyDeleteHonestly I am not sure if this job is for me. I feel that the office environment can be kind of dreary and I would like to be doing more hands on work. But I do really enjoy the part of her job where she helps the community and makes Columbia Pike a better place for people to live.
Jessica Layton
Important insights! Is there anything that might make the office environment less dreary? Does she get out to the community events?
DeleteIt is great that you are also considering the work environment and not just the job description.
DeleteThats awesome you get hands on experience with helping your community directly. It's super important to be able to see what goes on behind the scenes of offices that make everything possible in communities just like ours. Glad your enjoying your time :)
DeleteSo far at my internship, I have analyzed specimens in the lab, learned to work in a pharmacy, and learned the ups and downs of being a physical therapist. One person who I have worked with is Dr. Blahovec, who is a physical therapist at Rader. His day consists of appointment after appointment, where he essentially goes through the same steps every time: he asks the patient what is wrong, has them do some exercises, diagnoses them, and then gives them exercises to do. He seems to like his job, but gets annoyed when a patient comes in for pain that is minimal. He seems to really enjoy his job when he is able to help a person overcome their pain. He doesn’t really have coworkers, so I feel like he might be lonely sometimes. However, with the constant stream of patients he has, he is busy all day. One struggle he seems to have is the lack of space they give him at Rader - he is confined to a small room with barely any equipment, making his job as a physical therapist harder. Since there is another section of physical therapy, though, he is able to use some resources from there. One thing that Dr. Blahovec seems to really enjoy is giving some patients massages - when he is able to work out a knot in a person’s back or neck and he or she instantly feels better, Dr. Blahovec is really happy.
ReplyDeleteI do not think I could be a physical therapist. Moving through the same motions with every patient seems boring to me. Furthermore, I would be very annoyed if someone with minimal pain came in and asked for intensive help. Most of the time, physical therapists cannot help them, so it would really just be a waste of my time, and I see that this gets to Dr. Blahovec as well. I am not surprised by my answer - I knew that physical therapy would be one of the most boring rotations for me. Also, I don’t think my answer would change if I was working at a different place.
Good things to know about yourself. I wonder, though, how you judge minimal pain. Pain is frustrating to diagnose, because you can't see it and people have varying tolerance for it. I sort of feel as though (barring any kind of mental illness)if someone hurts badly enough to ask for help, it must be bad to them.
DeleteAt my internship, I have done lab work, primary care, and physical therapy. The person that I worked with in primary care is Dr. Kori. He seems to like what he does, but also admits that at some points it can be boring. His official job title is Physician.
ReplyDeleteI think that being a Physician would be great and rewarding because you are helping people. However, it seems like physicians go through the same thing every day.
I'm sure you're right about the routine most physicians and therapists fall into. I guess the occasional great impact or life-changing diagnosis/therapy is what keeps them going.
DeleteIf you like what you did when you were there would you consider doing it even if it did get receptive?
DeleteTed Brady is the Business Development Manager at Stantec. His job is to find projects for the architects to work on. Some of his day to day tasks involve business meetings with clients, searching for projects, and getting ready for presentations to businesses. He is basically a sales person but on a very large scale. I think Mr. Brady is very satisfied with the job he has. He is a very sociable person and this coheres well with his job. Not only is he sociable but he also enjoys talking to people and getting to know them, as he did with me. I think this satisfaction probably comes from his positive outlook on life.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see myself doing this as a career. It's a job where you have to have the skills that an architect has but you use them in a different way. I find this really interesting. Also, Mr. Brady has a lot on his shoulders. if he doesn't do his job, the business goes broke. I think this level of pressure is really exciting.
Interesting insights! Some people do seem to thrive on pressure and enjoy putting themselves out there in front of an "audience." If you're one of them, that's important to know.
DeleteThat is great that you are enjoying your work so much, and are getting great experience in a field you want to pursue.
DeleteDennis Terry is one of two licensed funeral directors at Cunningham Turch. His day to day work includes preps (embalming) and running services. I have seen him do two embalmings and watched him run a service and burial at Arlington National Cemetery. Dennis went to mortuary school in his early thirties. He is really good at embalming and seems to like working with families a little bit. He seems more at home in the prep room to me but he does wonderful work with families at the services. I talk with Dennis a lot about himself and his son and other things. Today I asked him if he likes his job and he says he does. I think the environment is nice but that he also really likes what he does and likes helping people.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine myself doing this as a career but it is not my first choice. It doesn't pay well at all (I could be a teacher for a similar salary) and I get a little squeamish when they open the body to look for the artery. I was surprised at my uncomfortableness with seeing inside of someone and that kind of bummed me out. I think I would like the business more if it didn't involve embalming, such as a Jewish funeral home.
What an important thing to have learned about yourself early on! Funeral directors serve people when they are at their most vulnerable, so it takes true empathy.
DeleteMy mentor is Mark Wujcik the technical director for Catholic University. His day to day work in the summer mostly involves small projects that need to be done around the theater, however there have also been some preliminary production meetings. Mark seems to gain a high level of satisfaction when he is able to work on projects he finds interesting. When something he builds works properly and looks good I think it is really exciting for him.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I am greatly enjoying my time at this internship, I don't think I could see myself in this field. I do like the design aspect of the job, however, most of the summer Mark works alone on his projects and I feel like I need a job where I am able to communicate with others. He also teaches during the school year which does not seem like something I would enjoy doing.
These are important things to know about yourself. Design might be a big part of many other professions.
DeleteIt seems like you are really looking at it holistically.
DeleteStephanie Nichols is the Secondary Math Specialist for Arlington Public Schools. Stephanie is my mentor when I am at Syphax. She works primarily with the High School and Middle School level math departments across Arlington. Her main goals are to prepare both the summer school and regular schools for the upcoming school year. One of the most intriguing aspects of the her job is the math placement which generally occurs in the month of June. She, as well as other faculty, work on placing each student individually into their respective classrooms as they transition between Elementary and Middle school by using multiple data points such as placement tests and grades. Aside from dealing with students, she works with secondary level teachers by directing and implementing teaching strategies and acclimating new arrivals for the upcoming year. I think Stephanie enjoys her job for the most part. There is a lot of planning that occurs throughout the year to deal with partnership with companies such as DreamBox. She was a teacher in Arlington before moving the Math HQ, so to speak, so it is nice to see the other side of APS. Prep for the school is incredibly chaotic especially due the size of Arlington Public Schools but she truly enjoys math in all instances and finds great purpose and satisfaction with the success of APS students in math.
ReplyDeleteWhile I am enjoying my internship and I want to major in some sort of math subject, I have no interest in the bureaucracy of public schools as well as the social/administrative aspect of this career path. While there are plenty of math applications within this job, I want to do something more in the research field. However, I could possibly see myself teaching math, preferably high school level or higher.
There is a lot of bureaucracy associated with almost every job these days, it seems. I think you'll find significant administrative oversight and paperwork accountability in the research field, although it may give you a chance to do more "pure math." A higher level internship would be a good idea.
DeleteI think it's super amazing you get to view the world of APS from the teachers perspective and not the students. You get to experience the stresses and challenges that many students overlook, a good perspective check. :)
DeleteGavin Glakas is a professional studio artist based in Washington DC. His paintings hang in the United States Capitol, The House of Representatives, Georgetown University, as well as numerous private collections. I have been apprenticing with him, while he teaches his figure/landscape painting class. He spends a lot of his time planning and I have been helping him with his schedule. Minor tasks that he would normally do (I do as the intern) include setting up easels, cleaning up, communicating plans, and providing critiques. Gavin is always satisfied with how smoothly the class runs and the students learn lots. All students (majority adults) are motivated which creates for a positive environment. It’s great when the people you teach, really enjoy what they’re doing, and they put in the effort! Gavin focus on the artists personal goals, as there is never one single way to paint. He is always upbeat and ready to teach which is something that I really admire.
ReplyDeleteI do see myself potentially doing exactly what Gavin is doing. He teaches classes as a side job but is also a full-time studio artist. I have also been looking at medical illustration as a career, so I am keeping an open mind!
Excellent! The more experiences you have, the more informed your eventual decision(s) will be. I hope you'll follow up with one or more of the medical illustrators who've offered to talk with you.
DeleteKate Luetkemeyer is one of two instructors at the Tiny Chefs summer camp this week, and is someone I have worked with for about two weeks. Her day-to-day tasks include setting up ingredients and supplies, serving as a teacher to the kids, and providing a helping hand in general. From what I have seen, she enjoys working with children, so while it can be a busy and tiring job, it is also very rewarding. Doing the same things over and over for several weeks can quickly turn monotonous, so I think the most satisfying aspect of her job is the work environment created by the people around her. I would say that this is somewhat rooted in her positive outlook on life.
ReplyDeleteI can’t really imagine myself doing this kind of work as a career, but I could see myself working a similar job, maybe for a short period of time. Right now, I don’t know if I want to pursue a career in this kind of business, but through this internship I have certainly realized that there are some aspects of the work environment that I value more than others, which overall gives me a better sense of the kind of career that I want.
These are good insights Evelyn. It's hard to tell what a job will be like from the outside looking in. You're learning important things about the type of work environment you value.
DeleteDr. Kori is a physician working in the primary care department of the Andrew Rader Clinic. His job is to examine and diagnose patients, as well as refer them to specialists within or outside of the clinic if need be. The patients he sees each day tend to be milder cases than one would see at a large hospital, as the Andrew Rader Clinic is non-ambulatory. However, some of his patients do come in scared or confused and an important part of his job is to reassure them and make sure that they leave his care with some peace of mind. I think that Dr. Kori is satisfied in his position—he seems to be a naturally calm and self-assured person and I can imagine that he must enjoy being able to use his skills to produce tangible improvements to his patients' health.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine myself doing what Dr. Kori is doing but in a different setting. I would really love a faster-paced career for myself: I need to be up and moving and constantly doing something new which is a work environment not to be found in a relatively small clinic. However, the actual work of a physician and his or her role in patient care has become more appealing to me in my time with Dr. Kori.
I'm glad you are able to separate job tasks from work environment as you view the career of physician. This is an important distinction, and one people sometimes don't make until after they've committed to a profession and/or specific job.
DeleteJim Egenrieder is the director of the Qualcomm Thinkabit lab at Virginia Tech. His daily activities usually start with teaching school groups how to program LEDs and servo motors. After the groups leave, Jim helps interns with their personal projects by making sure they have the skills and materials necessary for the task. He is also working with the US government to make a program that can identify plants and animals with photo recognition technology. Jim seems to derive a lot of satisfaction from the work he does, probably because he gets to help new people be introduced to STEM careers and skills while simultaneously sponsoring cool new projects.
ReplyDeleteI can't really see myself working Jim's job, as i'm not super invested in technology. However, the dynamic and friendly work environment is absolutely something i'll be looking for in a future career. I don't think my opinion on this career would change much depending on location, unless I could find a STEM lab that's by the beach.
I'm glad you enjoy your internship and the friendly environment! Jim is a cool guy.
DeleteAre you thinking of a career in marine biology or water science? It seems as though that might match your values, although it's hard to try out around here. Maybe at the Potomac River?
DeleteIt is great that you recognize the positives, even if you don't completely identify with the job, since a good work environment is key to succeeding in any field.
DeleteEmily Turner is an instructor at the Qualcomm Thinkabit Lab. Though she is not my mentor, I have been working with her when school groups come in. Her job is to lead the group through career and college activities, much like the seminar Jim did with us at the Career Center. Every time a group comes in, Emily does the same thing. From what I have observed, Emily enjoys working with children, being an educator, and helping out the interns at the lab.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure if I can imagine myself doing what Emily does in the future. Although I enjoy the education aspect of her job, I don’t think I could teach the same thing every time a group comes in. It would be too repetitive for me.
I agree on the repetition, it would be too much for me as well. However, we both know Emily is quite enthusiastic; I wonder how someone as energetic as her handles teaching the same thing every time?
DeleteI feel as though people who truly love teaching find diversity and variety in the students they teach and their reactions to the subject matter. After all, a high school English teach might teach the same lesson as many as five times a day! But each group receives instruction differently, and their interactions affect how and what they learn.
DeleteMike Rosenow is the Senior Membership Director at the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and his job is to make sure members of the Chamber renew their subscription, and seek out new businesses who could possibly want to join the Chamber. He knows pretty much every business with the Chamber, as well as their representative. He is always communicating with other businesses, organizing meetings, and staying on top of what is going on. He enjoys his job, and is happy to engage with everyone.
ReplyDeleteI could definitely see myself doing his job. It wouldn't be my first choice, however I like the interacting with business owners part of it. I would like meeting different people constantly, who all have different passions and goals, and helping them achieve them.
This is an important thing to know about yourself. Can you think of a profession - or two - that would involve the time of interaction you prefer?
DeleteDr. Jim Egenrieder is the director of the Thinkabit lab at VA Tech. His day-to-day tasks include teaching students how to make traffic lights and move servo motors, mentoring the interns, and working with organizations on environmental and community projects. From my observation, Jim does seem to be very satisfied from his job. He is always excited to share his knowledge and skills to his interns and other visiting groups, and enjoys creating new things.
ReplyDeleteIn the future, I cannot see myself teaching classes to groups everyday, as it can become repetitive. However, I do see myself working as an engineer in a fun supportive environment, and creating new things often!
Obviously, it depends on what interest got you the internship, but I think it's really cool that you got to explore both education and engineering in one internship!
DeleteIt's interesting that you identify a supportive work environment as important to you. Would you sacrifice that for the opportunity to create new things? Or vice versa?
DeleteThe mentor I would like to devote this response to is Dr.Villar. Watching his schedule all day from 7:30am to 7:30 at night has made me admire his ability and stamina to be able to keep his professional demeanor and friendly composure throughout the whole shift without loosing his form. In the morning we start off the day by unhooking the van from charging overnight, reviewing the schedule for today, starting to take clinic calls and making apts., restocking the cabinets, send out emails and the doctor will review the voicemail list (list of clients to call back to review their lab results with). We arrive at the corral around 8:30/45 and everything previously listed is done by 9 to start to the first appointment. Throughout the day we drive from client to client, do the appointments in 30 minutes or so in order to be off to the next one. If something comes up we are able to contact our clients directly as Dr.Villar establishes amazing friendships with his clients, giving them direct access to the clinic phone or his phone as a pager for emergencies. He seems to really love his job, the work he does, and the people he encounters.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would do the exact same thing as Dr.Villar for my own career in terms of a more strict view of veterinary medicine. I would want something more different. Although we never have the same schedule everyday, the routine become habitual and repetitive. I would want me work envionrment to be more outside and in direct contact with research, animal behavioral studies, etc.
People who want to be outside often feel stifled inside, especially in a small environment. Have you identified a career area that would give you the environment and job tasks you crave?
DeleteNatalia Cerna is the Graphic Designer/Web Designer of NOVA Web Development. Although she is based in El Salvador, and thus I have not been able to meet her in person, she is the one at my job who's in a field that most interests me specifically. As she is the only designer in the co-op, she takes on a few different duties, designing logos and such when needed, but primarily working on website mockups- what the developers should try to make the websites look like. She seems to like the job, and her role in the group, but this is more derived from her overall upbeat attitude than any specific statements.
ReplyDeleteI've always been interested in art, and pursuing an art-related career. Going in, I wasn't really sure whether web design was really the type of art I was interested, and I'm still not sure. But, it has given me a chance to try out a career I wasn't really interested in, and while I'm not sure if it's anything I'll seriously pursue, I'll likely look into it more. Obviously, since my only experience with this was in a very small organization, I can only speak for what that may be like, but though my answer would likely be different in a large company, I'm not sure how my answer would differ.
Glad to see you're doing some serious thinking! How did you feel about having remote co-workers?
ReplyDeleteI'm fine with having remote co-workers, but I'm afraid that if I was working with them long-term, it could lead to a less personal relationship.
DeleteJeffrey Larioni is a Senior Engineer at Cowen Design Group. Every day he works on the layouts for our Guatemala City project in AutoCAD. He seems to enjoy his work, as shown through his interactions with others in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that I could see myself in his shoes at some point in my life. However, my main goal is to reach an upper management position in a larger company. But I enjoy the work that he gives me, and the subject matter is incredibly interesting.
Cool ambition. Looking up to someone really gives you perspective.
DeleteWhat do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of a large, vs. small company?
DeleteOne of my mentors, Rebecca, is a marvelous artist and possesses a rich creative background. Normally at work, the designs wanted by clients are quite conventional, and seem to inhibit her creative energy, but she still persists through them.
ReplyDeleteWe share that common trait of creative expression in our work, but can we also consider practicality and pragmatism.
Yes, pragmatism does come into play, unless you are independently wealthy and totally free of a desire to please!
ReplyDeleteOne of the people I worked with who's name was Tim was also a baker. He specialized in baking cold pies like a key lime pie. He made the special crusts and the fillings for the cold pies. He enjoyed his job very much and was defiantly satisfied with it. I think he finds satisfaction in everything about his job. He is always happy when he is baking or just talking to co workers and customers.
ReplyDeleteI can definitely see my self being a baker. I have enjoyed it very much. The part that I was most worried with at the beginning was waking up early and that got easy. I find baking fun and calming.
It's really nice to see that you could relate to your mentor on such a level that you could see yourself in his shoes.
DeleteI think you can adjust to almost any schedule, so long as it leads to something you enjoy. Do you have a baking specialty?
DeleteAt my internship, one of my mentors was Ramona. She worked in the lab and I had an amazing opportunity to get know her and her work. She taught me how to run lip panels, separate plasma from test tubes with blood, use the centrifuge, how packaging works, and different things about blood. I could tell Ramona really likes her job because of how happy she was. Whether it was making lists to checking samples under the microscope she always had a smile on her face.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could see myself in the same shoes as her, but I really admired her work and how she kept the environment around her so positive.
Are there things about Ramona's attitude towards work that you might be able to apply to the career you choose?
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