Reflection

I am thankful I put the time in during cornerstone on my e-Portfolio. I would be really struggling right now with my course load and having to put together my final e-Portfolio. I really think this is one of those projects that don't go away, so put in the time now. There are so many projects and papers I've written since I first created my e-Portfolio. I am really trying to only put in information that shows my diversity and understanding of my areas of study. Some are just okay, but there are those I put everything into. The reflection I'm using to do all this is me trying to put myself in the other chair. Meaning, I am trying to think what I would think if I read this e-Portfolio. Does it give insight into who I am? Does it demonstrate how passionate I am about my studies? Do I appear to have more than book smarts? Can I apply what I've learned in a real setting, in real situations?

When I think about reflection, I consider it a form of mental paraphrasing. What did I experience? How did it change me or not change me? Was I able to apply it to my life? Reflection for me is a time to take all the little memories and lessons, in any situation, and get a bottom line on what the meaning turned out to be.

Reflection is different than description. When you are describing a situation you are like a journalist and leave out editorializing. When you are reflecting, you are using critical thinking to transform an action to have meaning. Use your reflections to understand the experience. How are you all doing on your e-Portfolio's. Have you started them yet?

Interviewing Part II

There are certain questions that I consider standard. Although, I recommend honesty as the way to go, there are certain ways to answer standard questions. These are questions that are asking a specific question, but really seeking other information. Such as,

Why did you leave your last employment?

This can be asking if you are planning on viewing this as a temporary job or a permanent job. It's also asking if you quit or were fired. It's giving them a baseline, if they know the answer, if you are lying. It might throw you off to have to answer a questions that you answered on an application. You might wonder if they know something that you didn't think they knew. They are looking for sincerity, if you plan on staying for a while or if you were fired.

How well do you get along with other co-workers?

They want to know if you are too social, an outcast, a rabble-rouser (yup, just said it), etc. If you answer you were the best of friends with people, you are too focused on socializing. If you said you never talked to anyone, that seems sneaky and like an outcast. You want to focus on having good working relationships with everyone, but really tried to keep it professional. That it's more effective for you to keep your private life and work life separate. They want to hear that you get along with others, but you're not there for the party.

What are your hobbies?

Careful with this one. It's a legal way of trying to see if you have a family and children. Most parents say that they love spending time with their kids! There goes that overtime they were hoping you'd complete. I've always been honest about my available hours, but that doesn't mean you have to tell them why. For hobbies, I stick to personal likes not having to do with my family. I do mention I love my family and am close.

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I don't know much about phone and panel interviews. I've been in interviews with two people, but one is usually "reading" you and the other asks the questions. It's very unnerving. I've never had a phone interview. But if I did, I would have answers jotted down ahead of time. They can't see you looking down. You want an outline though, not an essay. How obvious, right?! I'd love to hear your opinion on both.

Please review my interviews and we'll discuss the experiences we've had. Do you think they are similar to any real life interviews you've experienced?

http://www.perfectinterview.com/online/review_gateway.asp?id=3020739&type=standard



http://www.perfectinterview.com/online/review_gateway.asp?id=3020740&type=standard

Professionalism and Philosophy

I’ve noticed that people think that you only have to act professional in a business office setting. I worked with a friend at Outback who was also a UCF student that told me she ignored everyone because she doesn’t have to be professional in a restaurant. Another co-worker who served as a manager (key) some shifts told me she acted different as a key and a server because she could. As a server she didn’t do all of her work, but as a Key, she demanded everyone do theirs. It was appalling to me. Being professional and having work ethics carries over to any job. What constitutes being professional does depend on the environment, but certain aspects are consistent. You should be polite to all co-workers, you should give 100% and find the importance in all jobs that are required and requested of you. Show incentive. If you are going to work for the paycheck only, you are in the wrong field and I can guarantee you aren’t giving your all. I’ve always wondered why people go to work and complain every day. We all have bad days; I understand. But for everyday to be so emotionally draining would be devastating to me. I always try to find some middle ground with co-workers. I am not there to be friends, but it is important to see each person as someone like you. Meaning, they have their own personal life, too. They are not just the person who always leaves a mess when making coffee. They might have more to offer than always wanting to switch shifts. My career goals are constantly evolving. I’ve stayed consistent since I’ve decided to become a nurse. That has been since 2007. However, the years from 1999 until then were pretty up in the air. I was just kind of going with the flow of what opportunities came to me. It was an epiphany for me to realize I didn’t have to do what I was doing. Even with a family, with children, I could make it work to become who I wanted to be. Liberating!! I hope you all realize that your path will take you on many adventures and will help you determine some goals, but your path does not mandate the future. My feelings about my work ethic can be considered interdisciplinarian if I sit and make it do so. I think everything has some interdisciplinary aspect to it to some degree. I think you should concentrate on work, but be social to co-workers. I think you should have empathy for your boss’ responsibilities, but expect to be treated properly. I think there is a direct correlation with liking your job and the amount of effort you put forth. Also, I think being professional is a state of mind and applies to any job in any environment. What do you think? Are there jobs that don’t require your professional attitude?

Cover Letters and Resumes

I’ve found that cover letters are just as important as the information on your resume. I’ve been in the position as the interviewee and the interviewer. I’ve hired and trained replacements for two jobs I’ve held. I’ve recently decided to change my cover letter. It was written well and had the catchiness I wanted, but it didn’t stand out. I am going to tell a bit of a story in my cover letter. A short story. Just to let them know that I am a free thinker, but can stay within the lines when necessary. You can really demonstrate your interdisciplinarity on your resume by listing some core courses under a section labeled, maybe, skills or strengths. A huge mistake people make is thinking a small typo won’t matter. It does matter. It matters a lot. If you can’t take the time to have someone else look over what you’ve done and find these mistakes, it makes it seems like you feel the forest will hide some trees. Also, when someone asks you if for a 500 essay. Make it 500 words. Not 505, not 499. If they say “at least 500 words” then it doesn’t matter. But they are looking to see if you can follow instructions. In my cover letters, I’ve always mentioned being as asset to a company, multi-tasking, team member and information about the company. Why do you think would be most important on a cover letter?

Here is the only cover letter I've ever written...
Dear Human Resources Director:I am writing about the Lab Assistant position at the Osceola Regional Medical Center in West Kissimmee found when searching jobs on the Osceola Regional Medical Center website. I will be graduating from the University of Central Florida in December 2009 with my Interdisciplinary Studies Bachelor’s of Science degree. My areas of study within this degree are Behavioral/Social Sciences and Life/Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Health Sciences.I am currently employed by Friendly’s Restaurant as a server. Though not the medical field, it is a very fast paced environment and it has prepared me for anything fast paced. Being a server has also given me a chance to become very personable and sensitive to the needs of others. I have obtained lab experience when I was a teacher’s assistant for my biology/anatomy teacher, Mrs. Nancy Evers at Osceola High School. She had me do several tasks such as helping students in her classes dissect different specimen and cleaning lab equipment, as well as preparing different equipment for different labs done in class.My major at the University of Central Florida has prepared me for various different scenarios. Having experience in more than one area of study has made me very well rounded and has given me the chance to view things from several different points of view instead of just one.I appreciate the time taken to look over my resume and I look forward to speaking to you in person. I can be reached by phone at 407-XXX-XXXX as well as by email at rekcarcenutrof@gmail.com. Thank you again for your time. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely, Shellee King

Other insights...As someone with little experience in the medical field I thought it to be helpful to include other life experiences such as gaining the ability to work in a fast paced environment through serving. I may later on include my knowledge of healthcare from the patient's perspective through my life experiences as a diabetic. I would love other suggestions on how to improve my cover letter, as well as my resume.

Professional Development

I was a full-charge bookkeeper before I decided I wanted to be a nurse. I was an office manager, financial analyst and a human resources department! Accounting was my thing. I never actually chose accounting. It chose me. An opportunity became available and I found myself thriving in that field. Then, after nine or so years, I wanted to do more. I wanted a career that had meaning and was good and helped people. A lot of those skills will actually transfer over to my job as a nurse. There are elements of management, people skills, communications skills. I literally helped people run their companies. It was exhilarating. I’ve taken accounting courses, but all my recent courses have nothing to do with my former career. I’ve been a server at Outback the whole time I’ve been here at UCF, so there is a definite disconnect between careers. My weakest job skills are those of delegating. I have a hard time trusting other people to do work that will reflect on me or just not get finished. So, I tend to take on too much and the stress can become unbearable. I haven’t had any professional arenas, lately, to work on these skills. But I know you have to work as a team as a nurse, but are responsible for work you sign. I think clinical will help get a feel for what is expected. When I become a nursing student, I will join the National Student Nurses Association and when I am a nurse I will join the American Nurses Association. Our program has clinical as part of the curriculum, like an internship. I am also choosing to pursue the job as a Nurse Tech which, in Florida, is a job for nursing students to give you experience for when you graduate. Everyone in any career wants experience. Enough to where you know your way around, but not too much that you can’t be trained specifically to their company. So what job skills do you feel are an asset to a new employer that will make them feel confident in you, but not intimated and weary?? Hmm… What do you think?

As of right now I have not put my interdisciplinary skills to use. The only real jobs I've had is working at Friendly's restaurant, usually as a server and working at a golf course as a snack bar attendant. Though neither of these jobs are directly related to the health field I feel that working as a server can be a hectic job in the sense that when people are hungry they want their food, fast! I feel that working in this usually fast paced environment has prepared me for the potentially fast paced environment of the medical field. I can also use the people skills I've acquired as a server to better serve people in the medical field as well. In addition to my job I've been very active in my sorority, a honorary band sorority providing service to the college bands. Though also not directly tied to the health field I feel that it's given me a chance to work with people and I get many chances to aid people. There have also been a few instances where I've needed to help band kids who have gotten sick, although not in my "job description." It always feels good to know you've helped someone out.

Critcal Thinking.

We've been focusing a lot on the integration of our areas and minor. To do that, there was a large element of critical thinking taking place. It takes a lot of critical thinking to figure out how and why we chose our areas of study and how we are going to utilize them in the future. As college students, there are times we take our assignments for granted and just try to finish them on time and not really focus on what the purpose in the assignment was intended to teach. I know cornerstone was a difficult experience for me because so many elements of the class were what I thought were vague and I really had to think about why I was doing the assignment just to complete it! Healthcare, in general, is all about critical thinking. There aren't many clear-cut answers. Although there are guidelines on how to handle, say, diagnoses, you still have to first figure out the diagnoses. How do you all think you are going to utilize your critical thinking skills to finish your degrees and then apply them to future careers? I am looking forward to the problem solving. I like knowing there are different ways to get to the same results. We all think differently, right? Let us know what you think!

Integrating Areas

There are so many options to having an interdisciplinary degree. The student that got into UCF College of Medicine had art as an area of study with a traditional science area. All of our degree areas seem to have an obvious integration of studies. I think it’s was great pairing on their part. I was afraid we would have a situation where I wouldn’t be able to identify. This works out awesome! A lot of the health fields have pairings like we’ve talked about. Only one pair of us has exactly the same match, but they are all similar. They are integrated by study topic. Also, the health field and I think that the area in biomedical/life sciences is pretty directly related to the health field, but the area of behavioral/social sciences has given me a chance to look at different cultures by taking anthropology and sociology classes and relating that to how different people view hospitals and other medical centers and seeing why different people from different cultural backgrounds prefer different treatments or prefer no treatment. Social services or any public services with have health as a hot topic. We are all finding out that Psychology must be understood to help others, too. I have used my Health area to study what I know I won’t be taught in nursing school. I’m learning about how the system works, the computer systems, the areas of growth and what needs to be improved. Health Insurance is a huge topic in any health field!! Psychology was just a love of mine and the more classes I studied, the more I realized that it is every part as much as a person as their anatomy. The nursing field is so saturated right now that I really wanted to give myself an edge. I think having this Bachelor’s degree in the fields that I’ve chosen will make that happen. I also think it has better prepared me to be a nurse. I think knowing where you are going in your career and what you are looking for helps you focus during your courses. I know what I’m going to use this information for. It’s not like Algebra in high school when you thought, “when will I ever . . ?” We do use Algebra and we will use this information in our different areas. But I think the most important lesson we will have taken away from this experience is the ability to think outside of the box. We will have learned that in the real world, you don’t ever have just one specific task defined by your boss. You need to be well educated and have a holistic education. I’ve never worked at a job where I only did work that was “in the job description.” We have our edge. How will you use yours?

E Portfolio

Hey all! It appears we are a little behind. That doesn't work well in these courses. Our next Blog Topic will be up by the 27th. Okay, eportfolio. This helps demonstrate your being an interdisciplinary artist by showcasing the different work and classes you studied. The audience intended will be your future employers. All themes need to focus on this end result. I envision my ePortfolio looking like a super-fantastic resume. I've worked in the professional world and even hired and managed employees. So, I have a sneak into what they are looking for. Honest, concise and short! But not too short! :) You want items to stand out that you feel make you better suited than another candidate. What do you have that they don't? Your evidence needs to be applicable to what you plan on doing after you graduate. Don't look for topics that are "easy", but that really will show your future employers how seriously you take being interdisciplinary and how uniquely qualified you are for them.

Rhonda and Shellee's Greeting!!

Hello. My name is Rhonda Blair. I am a working mother of three and I commute from Merritt Island to the Orlando campus. I wanted to stay close to home and wanted to take classes at UCF because I started college here out of high school many moons ago! It is very important for me to finish goals and set a good example for my children and have pride in my choice of institutions. I initially enrolled in UCF to earn a B.S. in Nursing. I had already completed my Associate in Arts degree and realized that Nursing at UCF was too competitive and it would not allow me to pursue other study interests. After graduation in December, I begin an R.N. program closer to home. I plan on working as a psychiatric nurse for approximately five years and then return to school to become a nurse practitioner! Goals, goals, goals!!

My IDS areas are Biomedical Sciences and Health with a Psychology minor. I am a Senior here at UCF and will graduate this semester. I have the last courses in my Health area to complete and the Capstone course. I entered the IDS program late and have only had one semester between my "first" IDS semester and my last. I don't recommend this path. It was very difficult for me to first explain what an Interdisciplinary Degree is to others. It seemed ambiguous and a little like a made-up degree. I was so wrong. This is very much a real degree. This degree allows students to pursue multiple areas of study. I tell people I have a minor and two mini-majors. When they ask about some of the "hard" courses they think I missed, I explain that our Cornerstone and Capstone courses provide for the outlet to complete research projects that are specific to our areas. We aren't getting off easily!!!! I have always ended up doing more work for my Cornterstone class (and it is seemingly the same with the Captsone course) than for my other classes. The disadvantage for me is not being tied to a specific college. That limits scholarships and a feeling of unity for me. There aren't many people with my areas of study and minor. However, this degree makes me so much more attractive as an employee by letting them know I can multi-task and have strengths in multiple areas. I have become very proud by the fact that our economy is looking for people like us. People who can adapt and are on the cutting edge of education. What do you think?

Hey all! My name is Shellee King. I was born in New Jersey and moved to Kissimmee, Florida when I was 3 years old. I went to Osceola High School and graduated in 2004. I attended Valencia afterward and graduated with my A.A. degree in the summer of 2005. I started at UCF in the fall of 2005. I've always been very involved in band activities, ever since middle school, and have been very involved in the Marching Knights here at UCF. I even joined Tau Beta Sigma, a national honorary band sorority. I marched here for 4 years and although I am not able to march this year I am still very active in helping out in any way possible.I chose UCF because it was close to home, yet far enough away so that I could be on my own a little bit. It was also really the only place my mom would let me go. At the time I didn't really know what I wanted to do, so that had nothing to do with my decision. After having a few different majors I settled on IDS because I was interested in multiple different things and being an IDS major I had a chance to be more well-rounded than I could be doing any other major. I chose Health Sciences as my minor and Life and Biomedical Sciences and Behavioral and Social Sciences as my two areas.My short-term plans are to work on my resume and start getting my name out there. I hope to find a job in a hospital or someplace else in the medical field by graduation, this December. I would like to start with some sort of technician position or lab assistant position and work around the field to see if there is something more specific I would like to do. As far as long-term goes I hope to find what I really, truly love to do and stick with it.