Welcome back cornerstone students! I am sure by
now you are feeling a bit overwhelmed with the amount of work cornerstone
requires. Not to worry! In the end you will gain valuable knowledge about your
degree and well on your way to great job opportunities.
Last week we learned about how interdisciplinary
affects our daily lives. This week we are going to discuss interdisciplinary
studies in a professional manner relating to our job skills and professional
opportunities that interdisciplinary studies majors are open to.
There are many positive outcomes in being an
interdisciplinary study major. Think of your job history and how your
professional and career life wise has changed since becoming Interdisciplinary
studies major. Answer the following
questions in a few sentences:
1.
What is your professional history?
2.
How have you used your interdisciplinary studies in your professional
life?
3. How have
your career goals altered?
4. What are
your strongest jobs skills? What are your weakest?
5. What
areas can you improve in your professional life using the interdisciplinary
studies skills you have learned so far?
Remember
to reply as a comment, not a new post. Also, please respond to at least two
other students comments!
1. What is your professional history?
ReplyDeleteI have managed different restaurants/bars the last 17 years here in Orlando.
2. How have you used your interdisciplinary studies in your professional life?
As manager in a restaurant I am a consultant, teacher, coach, mentor, friend, and babysitter. I have many hats to speak when I manage. The different personalities and hours can be quite challenging. And even the type of clientele that frequents the bar has to be handle a particular way.
3. How have your career goals altered?
My career goals have altered cause I believe the lifespan of a manager in the hospitality industry is short and if opportunities for advancement aren't achieved within the first 3 years of employment the job becomes stale and you plateau professionally. Not to mention the hours are not flexible, and overall the industry is very cutthroat. So at this point I want to do something Im passionate about and love. I love sports so Im going to try to coach.
4.What are your strongest job skills? What are your weakest?
I'm very personable, work well with others, hard working, punctual, attentive to details, profit oriented, self motivating, able to motivate, computer technical. As far as weakest, probably would be to trusting.
5. What areas can you improve in your professional life using the interdisciplinary studies skills you have learned so far?
I think I can improve on my research skills. I just returned to school after a long layoff that lasted many years. So my skills regarding studying and research can be more fine tuned. So far I can see that while I manage my restaurant im able to use what i've learned so far to think in different ways to solve complex problems that occur at work.
Eli,
DeleteGreat work. Being a manager at a restaurant is a great way to gain valuable knowledge as well as skills set that is interdisciplinary. Doing something you are passionate about is key. Good luck in your future.
I really admire you for changing your career, especially after having worked in the hospitality industry for 17 years. It is true what you said about the industry being cutthroat, and if one doesn't get promoted relatively quick it's probably not going to happen or if it does happen it's not going to be too far. That and the competitiveness of the industry is what actually made me move away from it, too. What sport would you like to coach and at what level?
DeleteI am also always trying to improve on my own research skills, which is helpful in any area you end up. Furthermore the ability to use social networking to one's advantage it also a growing trend. Good luck with all your endeavors!
Elizabeth, I ultimately want to be an assistant coach at the Division 1 level. Womens or mens basketball, Baseball, or Football. But realistically i'll probably start at the Pop Warner level.
Delete1. What is your professional history?
ReplyDeleteI've worked for the same retail chain for almost 10 years now, it was my first 'real' job in high school and I've moved throughout the company during that time. I began as a cashier, then was promoted into Human Resources, and then five years ago, I moved into the Pharmacy, where I have stayed ever since.
2. How have you used your interdisciplinary studies in your professional life?
I think IDS helps you to be creative, and a lot of times in the retail industry, you are not only tasked with doing your job description, and many problems and situations arise and being creative in solving them definitely gives you an edge up.
3. How have your career goals altered?
I never really saw myself as being in healthcare or working with older people, but after going into the Pharmacy, I realized I loved it. I plan on always maintaining my registration and certification so that I am always able to return to it if I need or want to after graduating college.
4. What are your strongest jobs skills? What are your weakest?
Again, I think my creativity is my strongest suit, but I also think I have great interpersonal skills and I really enjoy working with people. I have a hard time sometimes prioritizing and I tend to procrastinate (especially on things I don't really want to do) so those two things would be my weakest skills.
5. What areas can you improve in your professional life using the interdisciplinary studies skills you have learned so far?
I can improve on doing a better job with prioritizing and procrastination by using the creativity that I've gained with interdisciplinary studies to make them more palatable for me to do!
Jessica,
DeleteWorking at the same place for 10 years is a great accomplishment. As a student I haven't been able to hold the same job (moving/transferring schools/etc). It's great to keep your certification, never know what life brings! Good luck in your future!
I've known many people who have gone through similar transitions, including myself. I think it's wonderful, because you're environment keeps changing and always presents new challenges. I can also work on prioritizing and procrastination, but I think many of us can. Like Jessica stated above, I also think a great strength you have is having stayed with the same company for 10 years, which is incredibly unusual these days. On average, people stick to the same career/company for no longer than 7 years. Your commitment to a single company is admirable.
Delete*Stephanie, not Jessica. Sorry!
DeleteJessica, that's a great thing that you have been able to move through out your companay for as long as you have. It's a rarity to be able to do that these days!
DeleteI totally agree with you in the ability to use Interdisciplinary in a retail career. It is such a blessing to be able to accomplish so many no rescript tasks thanks to Interdisciplinary.
Delete1. What is your professional history?
ReplyDeleteUntil about a month ago, I have always worked in Sales and Marketing, however, I just got a job in Finance, which is obviously a rather major change in career paths.
2. How have you used your interdisciplinary studies in your professional life?
I have worked in the Hospitality industry in the Sales and Marketing departments, making good use of my areas. However, since I got this new job, I have been moving away from that and into a new direction. As I've said in other blog posts, I am convinced that having any experience in Writing, Languages and Communication is strong for any job, which are my other areas of focus.
3. How have your career goals altered?
Well, like I said above, I am entering a new facet of the business world into finance and away from hospitality.
4. What are your strongest jobs skills? What are your weakest?
I feel that I have strong communication skills and well-rounded professionalism. I have always worked for Fortune 500 companies, which I think has helped me a lot with my job experience and networking. My weakest point is definitely my patience, however, it is something that I am trying desperately hard to improve.
5. What areas can you improve in your professional life using the interdisciplinary studies skills you have learned so far?
As my language skills become more affluent, I hope to be able to use them in a business setting.
Elizabeth, do you know what you will do with this Interdisciplinary degree when you are done with it? How will it enhance your career?
DeleteThanks.
Rosalind King Miller
Elizabeth, Congrats on the job change. As of right now I am in the current search for a job and having experience in Marketing/Sales/and Finance is really awesome for your background. Employers like to see that you are diverse and that they can use you in other departments. A great perk of being interdisciplinary!
ReplyDeleteStephanie, you are so correct in that business owners are looking for people that can virtually feel comfortable being diverse. If you can wear more than one 'hat' and are able to roll with the whatever comes along, that is an asset for a company.
DeleteElizabeth, looks like we are in the same boat! I too am changing from Hospitality Industry, it's a great field to get the tools needed to be experienced in all areas! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteMy professional history is owning a Mortgage Company, Cleaning Company, and Investing Company. My goals professionally is to go onto law school and become an attorney and that has not altered. My strongest job skills is are that I am quite capable of working alone or with others. I can see the big picture and know what details need to be done in order to get there. My weakest job skill would be in lack of patience. I tend to think fast and 'get it' before anyone does. So far in taking Interdisciplinary classes I have learned to actually look and think things differently in way of trying to actually look at situations from all 3 of my disciplines to get a better all around feel on which way to proceed.
ReplyDeleteRosalind King Miller
1. What is your professional history?
ReplyDeleteMy professional history as I am still very young. I am currently still working in my first job in retail, which I have been working at for the past year and a half. As of right now it's getting me some experience in the job world and helping me work my way through college.
2. How have you used your interdisciplinary studies in your professional life?
As I don't have much experience, I haven't had much of an opportunity to use my interdisciplinary studies in my professional life. But I have been able to use it to integrate the use of psychology to relate to others and marketing and advertising to get them to want to buy our products.
3. How have your career goals altered?
My career goals have altered plenty of times, wanting to go from working with animals, to a psychologist, to working in public relations or criminal law. I'm still not exactly sure what direction I really want to persue.
4. What are your strongest jobs skills? What are your weakest?
I think my strongest skills are my people skills. I'm very social and can get along with just about anyone. My weakest job skill would be my experience. I am new in the job world and don't have much experience in a professional job field.
5. What areas can you improve in your professional life using the interdisciplinary studies skills you have learned so far?
I can improve my way of solving problems, I can look at the situation through different persepectives and combine different ascpects of each to find the best possible resolution.
-Brianna Erlacher
A year and half at a job is a great thing. We all got to start somewhere, am I right? I totally agree with you on how great it is to be able to apply Interdisciplinary to accomplish problem solving at your job. It is a great advantage to have that will get you promoted and will also help when you look to your managers to give you a good reference. Managers love employees that can be given a task and not have to be micro managed in order to complete a task.
Delete1. My professional history primarily involves photography and customer service. I have worked in photo labs developing and printing photos, I have some photography gear, and I am now a sports photographer.
ReplyDelete2. I have used Interdisciplinary studies in my professional life by implementing many disciplines to achieve a goal or complete a particular task. Being able to apply the skill and customer service to take a 4 year olds picture.
3. My career goals have altered because it has inspired me to go into the business for myself. It will be both demanding on my ability to apply Interdisciplinary skills into my life such as a whole new realm of customer relations and small business management and psychology because some days I feel like I’m going to go crazy. (haha… but seriously)
4. My strongest job skills are I think my patience and technical skills. My weakest skills are my sensitivity to differences and time management. I have a hard time sometimes allowing people to vent and think they are right and not take it personal when they tell me I am wrong and time management will also be something I struggle with because I will probably always take on too much.
5. I can learn to be more efficient in my time management. I would like to be empowered with the confidence to say no and only manage the tasks that are vital to my professional success and be able to discern from the time sucks in my life.
My professional history is not quite as “mature” as other students may be at this point in their education. I do however work as a Software Engineer for a company based here in Orlando. I have worked for this company for the past 10 months and have gained an enormous amount of knowledge by being exposed to my coworkers and the projects we work on. My interdisciplinary studies have helped greatly with my professional life. My studies related to Information Technology have taught me additional information for programming and an overall knowledge of the field. Since last year, my career goals have not altered. I am extremely happy that I have found something I am interested in and want to pursue as a lifetime career. My strongest job skills are my abilities to figure things out, even with no prior knowledge and my ability to work with others. Weakest skill would perhaps be that I find it hard to accept the work with others, at times I feel that people don’t put their all into their work because it’s their “job”. Now that I have learned aspects of Marketing in my Interdisciplinary studies, I can put this knowledge to work in my professional life.
ReplyDelete