Dear Chandler Chamber of Commerce,
I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to intern with this organization. This was my first internship and allowed me an opportunity to participate with your organization. I learned much more about day-to-day office life than I would have expected. Everyone there was always very welcoming and nice. I couldn't have been luckier to be around such nice people. I enjoyed my experience and I'll take everything I learned to prepare for the next step of my life. I wish the best to all of you as I know the organization will continue to grow and become more successful.
Thank you,
Benjamin Terrazas
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Things learned from the internship
Looking back at my first post, I think I could say that I met my initial goals. I may not know every detail of the inner workings of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, but I was able to obtain a general idea of some day-to-day operations. They're much more involved than I ever would have thought. I was able to meet some very nice people along the way. Everyone in the office was very friendly and I was able to meet other people through meetings and events.
As far as my last goal is concerned, I've decided that working for a chamber of commerce isn't something that I would be interested in after graduation. It's nothing against the chamber of commerce, but I just don't have as much interest as I thought working at that capacity. I've already been coming to terms with the fact that I want to work for the private sector first so this isn't too much of a surprise. I did learn some valuable things while interning though. It's important to make sure and stay organized so that you know what's going on. It's also important to not be afraid to pick up the phone if you need to get things done.
As far as my last goal is concerned, I've decided that working for a chamber of commerce isn't something that I would be interested in after graduation. It's nothing against the chamber of commerce, but I just don't have as much interest as I thought working at that capacity. I've already been coming to terms with the fact that I want to work for the private sector first so this isn't too much of a surprise. I did learn some valuable things while interning though. It's important to make sure and stay organized so that you know what's going on. It's also important to not be afraid to pick up the phone if you need to get things done.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Politics on Social Media (Late, I know. Sorry.)
I'm sure that most of you either watched or read about the verdict regarding the Ferguson case last week. It was a highly anticipated decision and garnered the attention of many. Obviously after the decision, some people were satisfied and others were visibly upset. One of the main issues that bothered me about that day is how out of control people can be online over popular issues. The topic of Ferguson has been extremely newsworthy the last half of this year and as soon as the decision was made on Monday, it seemed like all chaos broke loose online.
I feel that everyone has the right to their own opinion on the matter, but it's not in good taste when everyone starts attacking each other. It's especially not a great thing when the media fuels the fire and different narratives are forced on the audience. It's great that millions of people are more connected than ever before since the advent of social media, but it's like a blessing and a curse. It seems that some people like to politically isolate themselves to only read opinions that resonate with theirs or block out anything that may upset them. I believe that this causes problems because when people start to do this it causes them to not be open to multiple view points and everyone just starts lashing out at each other instead of being civil.
I feel that everyone has the right to their own opinion on the matter, but it's not in good taste when everyone starts attacking each other. It's especially not a great thing when the media fuels the fire and different narratives are forced on the audience. It's great that millions of people are more connected than ever before since the advent of social media, but it's like a blessing and a curse. It seems that some people like to politically isolate themselves to only read opinions that resonate with theirs or block out anything that may upset them. I believe that this causes problems because when people start to do this it causes them to not be open to multiple view points and everyone just starts lashing out at each other instead of being civil.
Career Services
I recently participated in an online seminar through ASU to help build a portfolio. I'd never participated in an online seminar before so it was an interesting experience. The nice part about the seminar being online was that the slideshow and all the other materials were made available for download so that I could view them later. The presenter also fielded questions when people had them and made her email available to those who had questions after the presentation. If your schedule is tight, I would highly recommend online seminars because you can access them from home.
The presenter mainly talked about how to build a good portfolio to have when trying to get future positions. It was highly emphasized to use multiple forms of social media to extend your network. I learned about the value of having a good resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation, and other resources to help build a portfolio. I don't have as much for my portfolio now as I will later on but the information was extremely helpful and now I'll have the PowerPoint slides for the future if I need them.
The presenter mainly talked about how to build a good portfolio to have when trying to get future positions. It was highly emphasized to use multiple forms of social media to extend your network. I learned about the value of having a good resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation, and other resources to help build a portfolio. I don't have as much for my portfolio now as I will later on but the information was extremely helpful and now I'll have the PowerPoint slides for the future if I need them.
Friday, November 21, 2014
Last day at Fry's
Today was my last day at Fry's Food and Drug. I've been working there for almost eight years and today was what felt like the end of an era. Fry's is the only company I've ever worked for and I've been working there since I was 16. I started out as a courtesy clerk pushing carts in the summer heat and quickly progressed to a pharmacy technician when I turned 18. Now at 24, I almost can't believe how much time as passed. Being a pharmacy technician was a real eye opener at times. I never realized how many customers would love me and hate me at times, but one thing is definitely certain, you can't please everyone.
Nothing really felt different until I clocked out for the last time. I quickly began to realize there was a lot of great people that I may never see again. I've had the pleasure of getting to know many patients over the years and some of them I would easily consider friends. Many of them wished me luck in the future and it almost made me teary eyed. The job itself can be a real pain in the neck sometimes, but I've met a lot of great people along the way that helped shape who I am today. I never anticipated working in the pharmacy for so long, but I'll always cherish the friends I've made because of my job and the experiences I've had over the years. It was a great experience and I'll never forget it. I always thought I'd be ecstatic on my last day, but honestly I'm a little sad. It was a great run while it lasted and I'll always appreciate everything that my Fry's family has done for me.
Nothing really felt different until I clocked out for the last time. I quickly began to realize there was a lot of great people that I may never see again. I've had the pleasure of getting to know many patients over the years and some of them I would easily consider friends. Many of them wished me luck in the future and it almost made me teary eyed. The job itself can be a real pain in the neck sometimes, but I've met a lot of great people along the way that helped shape who I am today. I never anticipated working in the pharmacy for so long, but I'll always cherish the friends I've made because of my job and the experiences I've had over the years. It was a great experience and I'll never forget it. I always thought I'd be ecstatic on my last day, but honestly I'm a little sad. It was a great run while it lasted and I'll always appreciate everything that my Fry's family has done for me.
Strengths of organization/What would I do?
The Chandler Chamber of Commerce posses certain strengths that are easily identifiable. The resources the Chandler Chamber provides to local businesses within the community is invaluable and at times not always accessible to just anyone. The Chandler Chamber is also organized and is able to provide useful information about events to insiders within the community as well as outsiders. The Chandler Chamber also does a great job of reaching out to local businesses and obtaining their input to help mold the business climate to the future.
If I was in charge of a similar organization I would aim to have these strengths as well as some others. For example, I would try to encourage more civic engagement from those within the community. The Chandler Chamber holds events for those that are registered with the Chamber, but I would also try to hold events for anyone to get them more involved with the community. I would spread awareness of everything that's happening in the community to the local citizens so that they are aware of what's happening and what they can do to make a difference.
If I was in charge of a similar organization I would aim to have these strengths as well as some others. For example, I would try to encourage more civic engagement from those within the community. The Chandler Chamber holds events for those that are registered with the Chamber, but I would also try to hold events for anyone to get them more involved with the community. I would spread awareness of everything that's happening in the community to the local citizens so that they are aware of what's happening and what they can do to make a difference.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Roommates
At one point or another, some of us live with roommates whether it be for a short or extended period of time. I'm lucky to say that I've had nothing but awesome roommates ever since I moved to Tempe last September. I was nervous when I first decided to move to Tempe because I took over someone's lease and was moving in with 3 complete strangers. Upon first visiting the apartment, I only was able to meet two of the three. The two roommates that I did meet were foreign students that didn't seem like they knew much English. I had nothing against them because they were foreign students, I was just concerned that I wouldn't be able to communicate with them.
After only living there for a week I already enjoyed the company of my roommates. They were all very fun to hang out with and we got along quite well. I was fairly surprised because I always had my doubts about having roommates, but those all went away pretty quick. I've been living with two other roommates when the others moved out earlier in the year and even they are great. I almost can't believe how lucky I've been to get to live with such fun people. I'm a little sad because at the end of December I'll be leaving Tempe to stay with my parents for a little bit until I start a new job. I'm not sure if I'll end up having roommates again when I get another place, but I'm certainly glad that I was open to the experience.
After only living there for a week I already enjoyed the company of my roommates. They were all very fun to hang out with and we got along quite well. I was fairly surprised because I always had my doubts about having roommates, but those all went away pretty quick. I've been living with two other roommates when the others moved out earlier in the year and even they are great. I almost can't believe how lucky I've been to get to live with such fun people. I'm a little sad because at the end of December I'll be leaving Tempe to stay with my parents for a little bit until I start a new job. I'm not sure if I'll end up having roommates again when I get another place, but I'm certainly glad that I was open to the experience.
Public Service
The Chandler Chamber of Commerce demonstrates a form of public service by serving the businesses in the area as well as the citizens of Chandler. The Chandler Chamber helps to advocate and support legislation that favors local business and helps them to flourish. Local businesses are in a way able to use the Chandler Chamber as a hub to network with the city and other entities. The Chandler Chamber even can assist people that aren't registered with the chamber of issues that aren't even related to regular chamber business. People will call and ask for directions to places or may want to know where the big events are and the Chandler Chamber helps people with simple tasks as these.
I wouldn't necessarily say that the Chandler Chamber demonstrates urban governance because they're not able to create legislation or wield power of that nature, but they do have a great deal of influence. The Chandler Chamber does a great job of educating chamber members of current affairs happening in the city and the state as well as future issues on the radar. As I've probably mentioned many times, the Chandler Chamber holds biweekly meetings in which guest speakers come and present. Often they are speakers from other departments of the state that come and talk about what's currently happening in their line of work. Members of the chamber are allowed to come and sit on on these meetings and ask questions.
I wouldn't necessarily say that the Chandler Chamber demonstrates urban governance because they're not able to create legislation or wield power of that nature, but they do have a great deal of influence. The Chandler Chamber does a great job of educating chamber members of current affairs happening in the city and the state as well as future issues on the radar. As I've probably mentioned many times, the Chandler Chamber holds biweekly meetings in which guest speakers come and present. Often they are speakers from other departments of the state that come and talk about what's currently happening in their line of work. Members of the chamber are allowed to come and sit on on these meetings and ask questions.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
ASU Football
I can't tell you how excited I am to see ASU take on Utah this Saturday. It'll be a tough match up as Utah is ranked 18th in the nation. If you thought Washington's defensive line was tough, Utah is right up there and ranks 1st in the PAC-12 in sacks. It may end up being a close game, but ASU is ranked higher (15) and this will be a home game. The outcome of this game will definitely be reliant on Taylor Kelly becoming more comfortable and consistent with the offense. Taylor Kelly looked so uncomfortable out there, you would have thought that was his first start...ever. I have nothing against him because I was heartbroken when he got hurt early on in the season, but Bercovici has the hot hand as of late and many people wanted to see him be put into the game. ASU prevailed and ended up winning anyways, but I don't think it was convincing enough as a win which is why they dropped to #15.
With that being said, ASU can put themselves on the road to a prime playoff position if they can beat Utah this weekend. A win against Utah would move them forward at least one spot (14), if not two (13). The real test will come against Notre Dame on November 8th. They're currently ranked 6th in the nation and will probably hold that ranking as they face Navy this Saturday. ASU faced Notre Dame in a close battle last year at a "neutral" site and lost. This time, the game will take place at Sun Devil stadium. The home field advantage will be helpful because the Sun Devil defense will be dealing with Heisman Candidate Everett Golson.
If ASU can manage to beat Notre Dame, they will most likely be ranked within the top 10. The University of Arizona will be the only ranked team left on the schedule granted that they don't lose any more games. It feels weird to root for them, but if they hold their ranking or improve, it'll be more for the Sun Devils to potentially gain when they face off November 28th. At this point, ASU could make it to the top 4 and get a legitimate shot at competing for a national championship. I know it seems like a long shot to run the table against some of these teams, but it is absolutely possible.
With that being said, ASU can put themselves on the road to a prime playoff position if they can beat Utah this weekend. A win against Utah would move them forward at least one spot (14), if not two (13). The real test will come against Notre Dame on November 8th. They're currently ranked 6th in the nation and will probably hold that ranking as they face Navy this Saturday. ASU faced Notre Dame in a close battle last year at a "neutral" site and lost. This time, the game will take place at Sun Devil stadium. The home field advantage will be helpful because the Sun Devil defense will be dealing with Heisman Candidate Everett Golson.
If ASU can manage to beat Notre Dame, they will most likely be ranked within the top 10. The University of Arizona will be the only ranked team left on the schedule granted that they don't lose any more games. It feels weird to root for them, but if they hold their ranking or improve, it'll be more for the Sun Devils to potentially gain when they face off November 28th. At this point, ASU could make it to the top 4 and get a legitimate shot at competing for a national championship. I know it seems like a long shot to run the table against some of these teams, but it is absolutely possible.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Preparing for post-college life
I usually don't post anything too personal here, but I'm curious to get some feedback this time around. As the weeks pass, graduation becomes closer and closer. At school, work, and everywhere else I commonly am asked, "What are you going to do after you graduate?" I never really know what to say or how I should answer the question because I honestly don't know. I'm not a very good liar, so when people ask I usually have an initial hesitation before I answer. It's easier to come up with answers at work because I could say something very general or vague and people would figure I'm talking about something legitimate. Family members are always harder to get around because they always like to get the scoop so it's a little harder to wiggle around those answers.
I originally was studying for business administration at the community college level and I had to switch to something else when I transferred so I landed on Public Service and Public Policy. I have nothing against my major, but I'm trying to figure out the kind of career field I would love to work in. I thought I would have it all sorted out by now, but I feel as undecided as I was a year ago. It just feels difficult because I've been working so long to get a degree, I don't want to pick something I don't like and end up being stuck. I want to be able to actually love what I do and enjoy the work week rather than absolutely dread it.
I'll be leaving my current job soon and start the job hunt process. I'll have some time to figure out what people with my degree can do or have done so that I can get a better idea of where to go first. I'll definitely have to see what's generally out there or inquire to friends and family members to see if there are any good positions they can get me into. Have any of you ever had or are currently going through this experience? What do you think?
I originally was studying for business administration at the community college level and I had to switch to something else when I transferred so I landed on Public Service and Public Policy. I have nothing against my major, but I'm trying to figure out the kind of career field I would love to work in. I thought I would have it all sorted out by now, but I feel as undecided as I was a year ago. It just feels difficult because I've been working so long to get a degree, I don't want to pick something I don't like and end up being stuck. I want to be able to actually love what I do and enjoy the work week rather than absolutely dread it.
I'll be leaving my current job soon and start the job hunt process. I'll have some time to figure out what people with my degree can do or have done so that I can get a better idea of where to go first. I'll definitely have to see what's generally out there or inquire to friends and family members to see if there are any good positions they can get me into. Have any of you ever had or are currently going through this experience? What do you think?
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Leadership
To be honest, leadership doesn't really play a role in my internship. From my position, I'm mostly taking care of tasks that my supervisor asks me to do and other miscellaneous things. I've had to reach out to people and have them come out and speak at our meetings. It doesn't feel like leadership, but I had to take the initiative to try and get certain people to speak at our meetings. I'm not able to demonstrate any leadership skills from where I stand because I don't work with anyone else or have followers to influence. Although I'm not really utilizing my leadership skills in the office, I'm still constantly learning how to be a good leader from my current coursework and previous texts.
However, I will say that preparing the bi-weekly meetings may somewhat utilize my leadership skills, but it's hard to explain. I schedule the speakers for the meetings, I make sure I know what they're going to be speaking about so that members of the Chamber of Commerce can be informed, and I introduce the speakers at the meetings. My supervisor is the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce so she manages every department in the office. She's the face of the Chamber and works hard to expand the client base and get businesses to register at the Chamber. There are also department heads in the various offices that have a specific responsibility. There's a head of accounting, marketing, and sales.
However, I will say that preparing the bi-weekly meetings may somewhat utilize my leadership skills, but it's hard to explain. I schedule the speakers for the meetings, I make sure I know what they're going to be speaking about so that members of the Chamber of Commerce can be informed, and I introduce the speakers at the meetings. My supervisor is the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce so she manages every department in the office. She's the face of the Chamber and works hard to expand the client base and get businesses to register at the Chamber. There are also department heads in the various offices that have a specific responsibility. There's a head of accounting, marketing, and sales.
The College Experience
I'm currently in the middle of my last semester at ASU and I'm a little torn on how I feel about it. As graduation approaches, people have been asking me how I feel and I'm never quite sure what to say. The feeling hasn't hit me yet and I think it's because I've really enjoyed my experience at ASU. From the second I became an official student of the school last summer, I was extremely excited to begin my life as a Sun Devil. The atmosphere and the school spirit had me more excited than I'd ever been to attend classes. I also decided to move to Tempe last September and I can't tell you how great it's been ever since.
Previously, I was taking classes at Glendale Community College for over 4 years. I originally only meant to be there two years and then transfer, but then life happened and things went a little differently, as I'm sure some of you can relate. Attending a community college seemed exciting at first because college was so new, but after a while I began to dislike it because it was a constant reminder of how I hadn't moved on yet. I had some great professors and met some cool people along the way. Community college is a great and very affordable place to start, but I personally wish I could have started at ASU when I was fresh out of high school.
Being an ASU student has been exciting for many reasons, as I'm sure some of you know. I love that everyone is always showing school spirit and wearing ASU gear. I experienced all-nighters in the library for the first time in my life. The campus is so large and has so much to offer. More than anything else, I love attending ASU football games and I couldn't have been any luckier to be at some of the big games (USC and U of A) last season. It's awesome to be in a "college town" surrounded by thousands of college students. After being in college for six years (the Van Wilder route), I can easily say that I'm ready to graduate, but I've definitely enjoyed my time here and I'm a proud Sun Devil.
Previously, I was taking classes at Glendale Community College for over 4 years. I originally only meant to be there two years and then transfer, but then life happened and things went a little differently, as I'm sure some of you can relate. Attending a community college seemed exciting at first because college was so new, but after a while I began to dislike it because it was a constant reminder of how I hadn't moved on yet. I had some great professors and met some cool people along the way. Community college is a great and very affordable place to start, but I personally wish I could have started at ASU when I was fresh out of high school.
Being an ASU student has been exciting for many reasons, as I'm sure some of you know. I love that everyone is always showing school spirit and wearing ASU gear. I experienced all-nighters in the library for the first time in my life. The campus is so large and has so much to offer. More than anything else, I love attending ASU football games and I couldn't have been any luckier to be at some of the big games (USC and U of A) last season. It's awesome to be in a "college town" surrounded by thousands of college students. After being in college for six years (the Van Wilder route), I can easily say that I'm ready to graduate, but I've definitely enjoyed my time here and I'm a proud Sun Devil.
Interview/Profile
For my interview, I profiled David Moody, who is a Intelligence Analyst for the U.S. Marine Corps.
What are their main job responsibilities?
Perform a timely analysis and dissemination of intelligence in response to needs of various customers to include government agencies like the FBI, CIA, etc.
How did they choose this career?
When I asked, he said, "Chose it because honestly it sounded cool, but realistically because I wanted to contribute to the well being of the country."
What type of education or training is needed for this position?
Foreign language proficiency, basic digital network knowledge, excellent analysis skills, and good organization.
What advice would they give to someone interested in this field?
David said, "Be patient. You don't make breakthroughs every week or sometimes even every month, but be patient and definitely don't be afraid to ask for help. Collaboration is huge and having additional insight to issues is unbelievably helpful at times."
Do they notice any new trends in the field?
David said, "Technology changes all the time and that changes how our adversaries go about themselves so you constantly have to be in the know about tech trends, especially in the communication field." He goes on further to say that situations like that of Edward Snowden, when intelligence is leaked, makes his job much tougher and 10 times less effective.
Why would you be interested in this career or position?
To be honest, I considered joining the service before I started attending ASU. At the time, David had been in the Marine Corps for a couple of years already and told me all about it when I was able to see him. As I'm about to graduate, I'm still not completely sure what I want to do yet but I know I'll figure it out soon. It's possible I'd consider joining the Marine Corps for a while and try to pursue a position like David's.
What are their main job responsibilities?
Perform a timely analysis and dissemination of intelligence in response to needs of various customers to include government agencies like the FBI, CIA, etc.
How did they choose this career?
When I asked, he said, "Chose it because honestly it sounded cool, but realistically because I wanted to contribute to the well being of the country."
What type of education or training is needed for this position?
Foreign language proficiency, basic digital network knowledge, excellent analysis skills, and good organization.
What advice would they give to someone interested in this field?
David said, "Be patient. You don't make breakthroughs every week or sometimes even every month, but be patient and definitely don't be afraid to ask for help. Collaboration is huge and having additional insight to issues is unbelievably helpful at times."
Do they notice any new trends in the field?
David said, "Technology changes all the time and that changes how our adversaries go about themselves so you constantly have to be in the know about tech trends, especially in the communication field." He goes on further to say that situations like that of Edward Snowden, when intelligence is leaked, makes his job much tougher and 10 times less effective.
Why would you be interested in this career or position?
To be honest, I considered joining the service before I started attending ASU. At the time, David had been in the Marine Corps for a couple of years already and told me all about it when I was able to see him. As I'm about to graduate, I'm still not completely sure what I want to do yet but I know I'll figure it out soon. It's possible I'd consider joining the Marine Corps for a while and try to pursue a position like David's.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Career Services
A while ago I was having some trouble trying to get an internship and I was worried that there was something I was doing wrong. I wasn't sure what to do, so I decided to set up a meeting with Maryjo Zunk. Before the meeting even took place, she gave me very valuable feedback as to where to look for internships and tips to prepare my resume. Right off the bat, it's easy to tell that Maryjo has a plethora of helpful resources. Before I talk about the meeting, I encourage everyone to set up a meeting with Maryjo if you haven't already.
When I attended the meeting with Maryjo, I handed her my resume and she looked over it and started making some helpful suggestions. She asks many questions and is very thorough so that she can get the best idea of how to help you and which direction to point you in. Maryjo places great emphasis on being prepared for interviews and making sure that you know all the answers to the questions you will probably be asked. She says that it's not about who you know anymore, it's about what you know.
The emphasis on skill building stands out and she wants to make sure that you're highlighting (not literally) all of your key attributes on your resume. For example, my concentration is Public Leadership and Management so I would point out that I've taken many courses in relation to my concentration. This helps to separate me a little bit from people that may have the same major as myself, but have a different concentration and set of skills. Maryjo also showed me all of the helpful resources that can be accessed through LinkedIn and all the people that I can connect with because I'm part of the School of Public Affairs. Overall, I think the meeting was extremely helpful because all of the material that Maryjo shared with me is stuff I probably wouldn't have realized to look for on my own.
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
First Public Policy Meeting
My first public policy meeting finally took place on 9/26 (last Friday). I was extremely nervous leading up to the meeting because I had to introduce the speakers with a short bio. I wasn't sure how many people would be there and I wanted to make sure I could speak fluently without stopping because I wasn't sure what to say. It was very nerve-racking because on the day before the meeting, two of the speakers were substituted with other employees from their organization. I then had to scramble to try and get a bio and a picture for them so I could introduce them. The meeting seemed to go well and there wasn't many people there so I wasn't as nervous. It also helped that I introduced myself to almost everyone there and they were very friendly.
Some of you might be thinking, "Why is this such a big deal?" My supervisor, who is also the CEO of the Chandler Chamber, places great emphasis on getting all of the proper information prior to the meeting and making sure that everything is in order. I understand that it's important to get everything right before a meeting, but it was a very stressful day. Personally, I feel like it's because she doesn't have time to micromanage. She is pretty busy and doesn't have time to watch over everything that I'm doing. It can be stressful when she gives me something to do, but then becomes very upset because I didn't complete that task exactly the way she wanted me to. All that aside, she gave me some helpful criticism and I'll be much more prepared for the next meeting on 10/10.
Some of you might be thinking, "Why is this such a big deal?" My supervisor, who is also the CEO of the Chandler Chamber, places great emphasis on getting all of the proper information prior to the meeting and making sure that everything is in order. I understand that it's important to get everything right before a meeting, but it was a very stressful day. Personally, I feel like it's because she doesn't have time to micromanage. She is pretty busy and doesn't have time to watch over everything that I'm doing. It can be stressful when she gives me something to do, but then becomes very upset because I didn't complete that task exactly the way she wanted me to. All that aside, she gave me some helpful criticism and I'll be much more prepared for the next meeting on 10/10.
Managing Time
Ever since I transferred to ASU last summer, it's been very interesting trying to manage my time well. I've been taking 18 credit hours per semester while working part-time and needless to say there's not much time to waste. Last fall was definitely an eye opener because I had more school work than I ever had at the community college level. Some nights were definitely spent in Hayden Library with my eyes glued to the computer screen, trying to crank out papers and other assignments due the next day. Spring semester was slightly easier only because I already knew all the time I was going to need to sacrifice in order to be successful in my classes. I admit, I was humbled at times during that semester but I persevered.
This semester is like nothing I've ever experienced before. I now must manage my time between school, work, and the internship. Three days a week, my day will start at 8 a.m. and I usually don't get home till after 10 p.m. Those are the days that I do the internship and then I go straight to work afterwards. On school days I'm only out of the apartment from 3 p.m. to maybe 9:30-10 p.m. Sometimes I have to work Saturdays and that leaves even less time to do homework. The key is to always do homework whenever there is time, even if there's little of it. In retrospect, I probably should have done this internship over the summer.
This semester is like nothing I've ever experienced before. I now must manage my time between school, work, and the internship. Three days a week, my day will start at 8 a.m. and I usually don't get home till after 10 p.m. Those are the days that I do the internship and then I go straight to work afterwards. On school days I'm only out of the apartment from 3 p.m. to maybe 9:30-10 p.m. Sometimes I have to work Saturdays and that leaves even less time to do homework. The key is to always do homework whenever there is time, even if there's little of it. In retrospect, I probably should have done this internship over the summer.
Making Adjustments
It's been almost a month since I started my internship with the Chandler Chamber of Commerce. I've been learning more about the "office" environment than I ever knew before. It's so much different working in an office in comparison to my job as a pharmacy tech inside of a busy grocery store. The office is much quieter and obviously less populated than my normal work environment. As a pharmacy technician, I'm subject to being pulled from many different
directions at any given time because there are customers all around me. In the office, I essentially only have one person telling me what I need to do or asking me to perform various tasks.
As much as I've been known to gripe about working in retail, I surprisingly miss the daily customer interaction when I'm working in the office. I only get to talk to a few people in the office because everyone else is in a different department and I never really have a need to chat with them. The rest of my interactions are via email or telephone and I don't really feel that personal connection when I have to communicate by these means. Although I can sit in the office and do my work in peace, it's not quite the environment that I want to venture to after graduation. It seems I still have a lot of thinking to do in regards to future careers.
As much as I've been known to gripe about working in retail, I surprisingly miss the daily customer interaction when I'm working in the office. I only get to talk to a few people in the office because everyone else is in a different department and I never really have a need to chat with them. The rest of my interactions are via email or telephone and I don't really feel that personal connection when I have to communicate by these means. Although I can sit in the office and do my work in peace, it's not quite the environment that I want to venture to after graduation. It seems I still have a lot of thinking to do in regards to future careers.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
A Typical Day at the Chamber
I work at the Chandler Chamber of Commerce three days a week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. I usually come in around 9:30 and will stay till 1. If there's an event that day (which is usually Friday) I will arrive a few hours earlier as these events may start at 7 or 8 a.m. I start my day by logging in to the computer and checking email to see if there's any updates I need to review or people I need to get back to. I'll usually receive at least one email in regards to the How We Stand document and from there I'll update the document and update the list of people that have responded. After that I'll start reviewing the document to see if there are any grammatical errors or sentence structuring issues that need to be addressed. As you can tell, I spend a great deal of time handling the How We Stand document. The draft is quite large in size at the moment, which is why I spend most of my day reviewing it (at least for the time being).
When I'm not reviewing How We Stand, I'm doing anything else that Terri (my boss and CEO of the Chamber) asks me to do. She's usually in a meeting or on the phone when I come in, so I may not hear from her initially. When I do, she will usually have me contact certain people via email/phone or review other documents that need tending to. I also have to look at the schedule and make sure that the speakers that are coming to future meetings have been confirmed. I'll reach out to the speakers to confirm, get their bio/head shot, and update the schedule to reflect my progress. Since Britta (other public policy intern) is leaving, I'm sure there will be other things that I will have to do on a daily basis, but I haven't been assigned those tasks quite yet.
When I'm not reviewing How We Stand, I'm doing anything else that Terri (my boss and CEO of the Chamber) asks me to do. She's usually in a meeting or on the phone when I come in, so I may not hear from her initially. When I do, she will usually have me contact certain people via email/phone or review other documents that need tending to. I also have to look at the schedule and make sure that the speakers that are coming to future meetings have been confirmed. I'll reach out to the speakers to confirm, get their bio/head shot, and update the schedule to reflect my progress. Since Britta (other public policy intern) is leaving, I'm sure there will be other things that I will have to do on a daily basis, but I haven't been assigned those tasks quite yet.
Free Write 9/16
Things have been going very well so far. I'm steadily becoming acclimated and learning everything I need to know. The other intern that has been mentoring me (Britta) has been extremely helpful and helping me become familiar with the things I need to know. However, we only work together once a week because we mostly intern on different days. Tomorrow is her last day and luckily she left me a sheet with other things I need to know/do so that was extremely helpful. I feel much more comfortable about my daily responsibilities than I did when I first started. It can just be a little stressful at times because I don't have someone watching over my shoulder telling me what to do, but I've been getting a general idea on the tasks I should be focused on when I arrive at the office.
Lately, I've been reviewing and editing the 2015 How We Stand document that the Chandler Chamber of Commerce will be putting out soon. As I may (or may not) have mentioned before this document basically talks about the issues within the City of Chandler as well as regional issues and our stance. The Chamber reaches out to many people for input and as these people respond I take their input and incorporate it into the document. I'm also getting ready for the next Public Policy meeting that will be taking place on 9/26. It'll be my job to introduce the speakers and in preparation I'm putting together a small PowerPoint with speaker bios.
Lately, I've been reviewing and editing the 2015 How We Stand document that the Chandler Chamber of Commerce will be putting out soon. As I may (or may not) have mentioned before this document basically talks about the issues within the City of Chandler as well as regional issues and our stance. The Chamber reaches out to many people for input and as these people respond I take their input and incorporate it into the document. I'm also getting ready for the next Public Policy meeting that will be taking place on 9/26. It'll be my job to introduce the speakers and in preparation I'm putting together a small PowerPoint with speaker bios.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Free Write 9/10/14
The first day of my internship started last Thursday. Coincidentally, last Thursday was the 2014 Education Forum that the Chamber of Commerce was hosting. The three university presidents (ASU, NAU, U of A) were there and talked about the future of education. It was definitely an interesting first day because I showed to up an event that was being attended by at least 200 people. Basically, I helped make sure that guests knew where to pick up their name tags and once the event started I was able to sit in. It was a great experience though because I got to meet President Michael Crow and have my picture taken with him.
Once the event was over, I headed to the office to start my training. I'm supposed to be taking over the spot of another Public Policy intern named Britta. She was interning over the summer, but is leaving within a week to head back to school in Chicago. My goal is to pretty much pick her brain and learn everything I need to know before she's gone, otherwise I won't have anyone to help me. My boss (feels weird saying that as an intern) doesn't really micromanage, so I have to make sure I know what I'm doing because I won't have someone watching over me. That's why I really value any of the time I get to work with Britta because I can ask all the questions I need answers to. It's a little intimidating because she does the day-to-day tasks with ease, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm hoping by the time she's gone, I'll have most of it down by then.
Once the event was over, I headed to the office to start my training. I'm supposed to be taking over the spot of another Public Policy intern named Britta. She was interning over the summer, but is leaving within a week to head back to school in Chicago. My goal is to pretty much pick her brain and learn everything I need to know before she's gone, otherwise I won't have anyone to help me. My boss (feels weird saying that as an intern) doesn't really micromanage, so I have to make sure I know what I'm doing because I won't have someone watching over me. That's why I really value any of the time I get to work with Britta because I can ask all the questions I need answers to. It's a little intimidating because she does the day-to-day tasks with ease, but I'm not quite there yet. I'm hoping by the time she's gone, I'll have most of it down by then.
Chandler Chamber of Commerce
The organization that I'm interning with is the Chandler Chamber of Commerce. From what I've gathered so far, the Chamber of Commerce advocates for local businesses and supports related public policy. Local businesses are not automatically members of the Chamber, but they can register. The Chamber is always looking for ways that day-to-day operations can improve for local businesses and what they can do to help. For example, the Chamber is currently working on the 2015 version of their document How We Stand. Basically, this document covers different areas such as Energy & Efficiency, Education, Environment, Transportation and many others. Within these different areas, the Chamber will talk about the legislation, initiatives, development and other things that they support to improve business in Chandler. This is just one thing that they're working on and as I progress in my internship I will gain a more detailed understanding as to what they do.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'll discuss what I do there as an intern. Technically speaking, I am a Public Policy intern. There are other interns in the office, but they fall under different areas and there are currently only two Public Policy interns. What I'll be doing is helping to set up future Public Policy meetings by contacting various individuals from different organizations and trying to get them to talk about whatever topic is relevant for the next Public Policy meeting. For example, the next meeting will be about transportation so we'll be having three people that work in the field come and talk on the subject. One of my jobs is to reach out to these people and ask them if they can speak on whichever date we're working on next. Once I've confirmed speakers for the next meeting, I'll get a bio and picture so that I can put together a PowerPoint to introduce them during the meeting. Another thing I'll be doing is editing the 2015 How We Stand document. Myself and others review the document to make sure it flows smoothly and if we receive input from other organizations I have to make sure I edit that all in as well.
Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'll discuss what I do there as an intern. Technically speaking, I am a Public Policy intern. There are other interns in the office, but they fall under different areas and there are currently only two Public Policy interns. What I'll be doing is helping to set up future Public Policy meetings by contacting various individuals from different organizations and trying to get them to talk about whatever topic is relevant for the next Public Policy meeting. For example, the next meeting will be about transportation so we'll be having three people that work in the field come and talk on the subject. One of my jobs is to reach out to these people and ask them if they can speak on whichever date we're working on next. Once I've confirmed speakers for the next meeting, I'll get a bio and picture so that I can put together a PowerPoint to introduce them during the meeting. Another thing I'll be doing is editing the 2015 How We Stand document. Myself and others review the document to make sure it flows smoothly and if we receive input from other organizations I have to make sure I edit that all in as well.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Introduction
Hello, my name is Benjamin Terrazas and I'm a senior studying Public Service and Public Policy with a concentration in Public Leadership and Management. I transferred to ASU last summer and at the time I was brand new to the PSPP program and knew little about it. Since that time I've gained priceless and extremely valuable knowledge about life in public service.
I very recently interviewed with the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and am about to start my internship there. It's my first internship so I'm excited to see what the Chamber of Commerce offers. I'm hoping to learn the inner workings of Chamber of Commerce and everything that entity is responsible for. I'm also trying to meet as many people there as I can so I can gain as much insight as possible. I definitely want to find out if working for the Chamber of Commerce is something I'd be interested in doing after I graduate.
I very recently interviewed with the Chandler Chamber of Commerce and am about to start my internship there. It's my first internship so I'm excited to see what the Chamber of Commerce offers. I'm hoping to learn the inner workings of Chamber of Commerce and everything that entity is responsible for. I'm also trying to meet as many people there as I can so I can gain as much insight as possible. I definitely want to find out if working for the Chamber of Commerce is something I'd be interested in doing after I graduate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)