[aanParticipant]

Here is the link to my online portfolio:
http://aan503.wordpress.com/

[aanParticipant]

 

As Stephanie stated, revision is an important tool not only as students but also as professionals. The readings we had for today suggest revising at multiple levels: locally, new audiences and purposes, to showcase various skills, globally. As an English major, revision becomes a trite topic but the readings offered some strategies that I thought was interesting.

As the author suggested, we have to be able to see our documents through the eyes of the employer. Right now, we are students and our identity is shifting from student to professionals and so we have to look past the classroom grade and understand the responsibilities of the higher standards.

Additionally, I never thought about the fact that multiple skills can be represented in a single document and how an employer would find that appealing. A document might already have the writing aspect but including design and layout adds complexity and shows an employer your ability not only to write but, for example, to work with color or design.

Another aspect that the reading talked about was designing electronic portfolios. For me, the fascinating part was the “Principles of Design” section. I felt like we could use the same tips for out poster board. Having things close together makes people think that they belong in a group and repeating the same fonts or colors unifies a theme. There is actually a law called the “Gestalt Law of Continuation” that says that when you have more than two things side by side or one below the other, the eye naturally is going to look over other things by moving in the same direction (88). Also, choosing an image can cause certain associations with people so it is best to choose generic images.

One thing that I am learning as I complete this internship and degree is not simply just to write, but choosing the right words or designing elements with a certain purpose. The way that we revise our portfolio or design it affects the message or argument that we are sending to others and like Stephanie suggested, it is definitely a never ending process to have our layout just right or writing perfect in order to convey that argument.

[aanParticipant]

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“Creating a Portfolio Identity” from Portfolios for Technical and Professional Communicators textbook discusses creating a professional identity. I do not remember creating an online portfolio other than for class. Reading about this was useful because it reminded me of the importance of maintaining a professional identity that appeals to different employers. In a way an online portfolio is a version of an interview because it highlights the different skill set that you are capable of and showcases your past experience. For example, a person that creates a website might have a link of that in the online portfolio. This website would then have transferable job skills like being creative, organizing and analyzing information, critical reading and writing abilities, graphic design, etc.

The difficult part is the fact that in an online portfolio, one is trying to appeal to many different audiences. With a job interview, you can tailor your resume for that particular company. However, with an online portfolio, you have showcase skills that are going to be appealing for different employers. In the book, it talks about how the way you talk to a 4 year old is different than if you were talking to an adult and similarly using the appropriate language. The student example, Amy, shaped her portfolio to have a little bit of everything and in doing so made her work flexible.

            Also, the work I do for this class or another is not simply just homework, but potential elements of my professional work in the portfolio is a good thing to remember because the more complete and thorough my online portfolio is, the more evidence I have to back up that a particular company or employer should hire me.

[aanParticipant]

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Evaluations can be an intimidating but from my experience with other jobs that I have had, it is invaluable. Peter Varhol’s article  “Preparing for Performance Review” provides a unique perspective on how an employee can “turn the tables and to make the performance review a showcase for yourself and your achievements” which is interesting because the power dynamic is now switched. Zimmerman’s “Prepping for your Annual Review” also seems to agree with this idea by saying that this could be the opportunity for an employee to ask for a specific project they wanted. This is almost like when a teenager tells a parent a positive thing like getting an A for an exam to bring up a negative situation. In the rhetoric class that we are taking, I learned this is called the ‘Kairos,’ or the right moment.

Another interesting idea that was brought up in the readings was that these performance reviews provide you the opportunity to check if the goals that you have concur with the company. Sometimes an intern can be passionate about all of the wonderful things he or she brings to the table and this can lead to forgetting what the company goals are. If there were no performance reviews, the intern would continue working hard and would not realize that what he or she was working for was pointless.

Additionally, the minute that you step into your internships, your evaluations have already begun. I know that in my other job, during my evaluation, my boss highlighted or mentioned tasks from months ago. It is almost like you are building your credibility and work ethic with each little task. When looked at it from this perspective, it becomes important to pay attention to details and to put forth the same effort day in and day out.

[aanParticipant]

 
FEELINGS DESPISED AT WORK

After reading, “Learning to Work With Emotions During an Internship,” I realized how it is important to balance emotions. The internship that I am working for Court Appointed Special Advocate where I advocate for children whose parent’s either had problems with alcohol or drugs or sexually abused them. When we having a meeting, I am expected to shut down the emotional aspect so I am able to think critically and take notes professionally. Yet, strong emotions like passion for fighting for the child and the disgust or anger that is found when thinking about the wrong that the parent did is almost expected or needed. Otherwise, there would be no motivation for this. I remember being interviewed for this and all the various questions that came up that had to do with handling emotions. On one hand these emotions are internal and giving me the reason to work for the internship. However, when making decisions, I have to almost be devoid of emotions and bias in order to have the ability to think.

 

I do agree with the rest of the class with fact that when someone asks how you are, it is best to leave emotion out of it as explained in “Expressing Emotion in Interpersonal Interactions.”  I forget this concept all the time. When I ask someone, “Hey, how are you” I want to know what is new in their life and all the details. Yet, I am usually greeted with a curt, “Good, thanks.”  I have been an RA for two years and I find that this concept carried over to my job and not just the internship I am in.  I deal with hundreds of residents every day and it is expected for me to keep it short and polite and answer with “I’m good. Thanks” when a resident asks how I am. In a way it does makes sense because emotion and feelings are personal and should not be mixed with professional work.

[Author]

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