There are many factors which make up the workplace environment - number of employees, nature of business (i.e. retail, vs. research), facility size/style, etc. Then there are the interpersonal factors which add to the physical and economic components - leadership style, team style, pace of work, and more.
Keep in mind that this is a public forum, please share a little about the workplace environment in your internship location and tell us a little about what you particularly like about your workplace. If appropriate, include leadership style, team communication, size of business, and pace of work.
What challenges do you find for yourself in your current environment? (i.e. - it is a fast-paced environment and you like to weigh your options - or it is a formal atmosphere and you have concerns about being too casual at times) How will any challenges offer you an opportunity to grow professionally?
Again, remember that this is not a private forum, so please do not use names or post anything which might reflect negatively on your employer or yourself. (Challenges may be phrased in ways that avoid this - but if there are any problems you need addressed, contact me by email at ldownie@presby.edu.)
Scott Todd:
ReplyDeleteMy first 2 and a half weeks in the Congressman's office have been busy ones. The office is an extremely fast paced environment, with phones constantly ringing, constituents coming in and out of the office, and the buzzers going off constantly meaning it is time to vote. Our office is bigger tahn other offices, due to my employer's seniority. The staff members are all relatively young, as my employer is constnatly training then passing on his employees to others. It is something he prides himself in. Everyone has set duties that they know they are responsible for, so often times everyone is busily completing their tasks. Everyone must complete his/her own responsibilities in order to run a successful Congressional office. Communication among staffers is crucial, to make sure everyone is staying tru to our COngressman's beliefs. There is never a dull moment in the office, as you constantly have something you should be doing, whether it be office work, constituent work, or staying up to date on current events for when constituents call. The thing I like most about my work environment is how busy we stay, as it makes long work hours fly by.
Carrie McClenaghan:
ReplyDeleteLike Scott, my first few weeks here have also been very busy. When I first started interning, I didn't expect it to be such a fast pace work environment but it sure is. When one client leaves, another comes in, and there is often no time in between. If the psychologists have a "break" in between clients, they are mostly working on reports and testing that has to be done for their next visit. This private practice is made up of a small amount of people consisting of two psychologists, a learning specialist, an office manager, and now, me. I like that there aren't many people in the office because it allows everyone to have a close relationship and very good communication between one another, which I've realized are two critical parts in having a successful business. A small amount of people in the office also means it is easier to schedule staff meetings which therefore helps relationships and communication too. I've noticed that most everyone who leaves here after having a counseling session seem to be happy and in a good mood. That in itself is not only rewarding for the psychologists but also for me because I get to see that a psychologist's work can be productive and life-changing.
In my first week at Milliken's Research Center(RMC) I spent the first couple of days waiting to be authorized to work in their computer system, so I had a lot of time to sit and see how people worked in a large work environment.
ReplyDeleteRMC is a very large place the campus sits on like 45 acres and it has over 5 miles of trails through its campus around large ponds and fields. Not only is the campus large and beautiful, but so are the offices. RMC has way more people that work here than PC has students. And it seems like they are constantly moving to meetings, to the labs and tracking down people. I followed my supervisor around for the first two days and the entire facility is decorated with art, fountains, and very modern facilities even though it was built in the 60's (every staircase seems to be floating and the bathrooms look like they came out of a Kohler commercial).
My department is very small only 7 people including me, and they are all very close. There always seems to be a conversation going on even when we are all busy at work. When I finally got into the computer system I found myself like everybody else, constantly on the move.
Edward Snead
Elise Forsberg:
ReplyDeleteAt MUSC, it is a fast paced environment constantly with patients coming in and out. MUSC has different buildings for different departments. Speech Pathology and Audiology are next to the Children's Hospital. These departments are located on one floor, with ENT and ear doctors which there are about 9 of them along with 3 cochlear implant doctors that do cochlear implant surgeries. Speech Pathology and Audiology are in the more reserved area of this floor allowing more quietness. Speech pathologists and the child have a very close relationship with the pathologist teaching the child to learn how to speak and language. Both of them develop a close bond with each other with the child coming to therapy once each week. In Audiology, the audiologist and child/aduilt come to get their hearing aids or cochlear implant mapped in the sound booth. Afterwards, the families and the patient would gather in the mapping room to explain what their hearing level is which can be of different ranges such as normal, mild, severe hearing losses. Altogether, the staff on this floor are so close and work together in a professional manner for the well being of the child and cooperation with one another to have a fun, but professional working environment. I liked this environment with constanly having patients in and out, I felt so productive and exhausted at the end of the day. With little or no time in between, these audiologists/speech pathologists did progress reports on each patient or at the end of the day if there was not enough time after each session. These professions are dedicated to their patient and I really admire that.
I just started yesterday, but so far I really like how close-knit everyone is here. There are only 3 main employees and the boss. We meet a couple of times a day to discuss the goals we're attempting to meet and talk about the progress we've made. Other than these meetings we work individually to accomplish our tasks. Occaisonally, we help each other with jobs that require more than one person, such as hanging large paintings. The biggest challenge I face is my lack of knowledge on art. I also do not know the people in the art business. A lot of our meetings are spent discussing other people in the business and talking about artists and potential customers. Since I cannot professionally say what is good art, the only opinion I can offer is whether I find the painting astectically pleasing. I do not know any of the people in the art industry so I cannot join in on these particular discussions. I would really like to learn more about what constitutes good art so that I can offer an opinion. I do not believe that I will get to know people well enough to offer suggestions on potential customers, but the least I can do is learn a little something about art.
ReplyDeleteThe environment at my workplace is pretty laid back. Agents explain it to me on this spectrum : Job security versus Job flexibility...A 9-5 job with the government may have great security and stability with little to no flexibility. Real Estate on the other hand, has extreme flexibility with little security. While the work is important and professional, the agents I work with have the opportunity to take a somewhat relaxed, yet charismatic approach towards the market. There is a lot of work that goes into a sale, lease, deal but real estate agents can plan their own schedules to accomplish these goals. I have enjoyed this experience so far and it has helped me to further my opinions on job security vs. flexibility.
ReplyDeleteAs you can tell, reading through your fellow travelers' comments, there is a fairly wide representation of office/workplace atmospheres among PC interns this summer. (Some interns have not yet begun their work, so we can learn about their placements later this summer.)
ReplyDeleteNote the difference between a high-energy/fast-paced environment such as a senate office or medical setting and a methodical/highly structured routine such as an industrial setting or retail business. Both instances show strong need for organizational detail - but the culture of the field determines the pace. Whereas "rushing" might be detrimental in doing industrial research, "indecisiveness" might be the message sent in a congressional office if the pace were to drag.
Selecting a life career path should incorporate learning the pace which is expected in the fields you are considering and tending towards those fields which are paced similarly to your personal preference.
As you pay attention to your workplace environment this summer, take note of your own preferences.
Do you like to take your time to think through a decision or to evaluate options? Then you may want to lean towards specific careers which promote reflection. Or, if you prefer to be where the action is, a fast-paced setting is a better match for you.
As Thomas notes, too, there are other dichotomies to explore, such as job security vs. flexibility. Another might be the demands of the job vs. the rewards - such as long hours and high stress in some of the higher-paying fields vs. more moderate hours in average paying sectors.
Being aware of workplace environments by field can be a critical portion of career exploration. But there are some variances within a given field. For example, inter-personal conflict in an office can turn a low-stress field into a high-stress job.
Elise and Rebecca both note a high level of professionalism among the staff in their respective workplaces. That professional attitude generates a high degree of satisfaction that would not exist if the team were infiltrated with members who were not equally engaged and professional.
Additional comments on workplace environment and teamwork are welcomed from anyone...
Paul Klein:
ReplyDeleteMy work environment is beautiful Myrtle Beach, living in a community of campus outreach staff and Christian men and women who are passionate about learning more of the gospel and sharing it with people on college campuses.
My internship so far consists of collecting and processing hotel rent and depositing it at the bank; also I am reimbursing staff expenses. In addition to working in an office, I get to help lead a team of college students-consisting of 8 room leaders (4 guys and 4 girls) as they lead rooms of 4-5 students each. My role is to equip these leaders to assist these leaders in pointing their rooms to Christ. This involves both spiritual leadership as well as organizing project events and team hang-out times.
Although Myrtle Beach is laid back, my job is pretty crazy. I barely get any free time- but its worth it! All the financial work and organizational things that are done behind the scenes are so that people can learn more about Jesus!
The last few weeks have been crazy learning experiences for me as I try to put together the perfect schedule that allows me to do everything I need to. I began interning at Entercom Radio, a radio division that covers all the main stations in the United States, two weeks ago with the B93.7, Rock 101, Magic 98.1, and other stations in the Marketing/Promotions department. On top of this, I am taking the Statistics course daily at PC (which, if you have already taken it, you know is a rigorous, time-consuming course). Disregarding the fact that I am commuting from Greenville every morning to make it the 9:45 class, I also have to stay from 1:30-4:30 (or later) three times a week for the class lab. So, as of now, there is not much time to dedicate three hours to my internship.
ReplyDeleteOn Tuesdays and Fridays, however, I find myself at my desk in the large Promotions/Advertising office with my supervisors: Kearia and Lacey. My job description is to basically go through event tickets (like concerts and upcoming festivals) and create databases that will select listeners to win the tickets. Additionally, I have been entrusted on several occasions to drive one of the station vehicles to 'remotes' where we set up to promote the station that we are with. Other times, I do normal office duties around the building (filing, etc).
I have to say that I am excited to see what the future has in store for me with this internship. As my time at the station progresses, I have been told that I can sit-in on the actual radio shows "upstairs". Though I don't have a passion to be radio dj, announcer or host, I think the experience would be quite beneficial.
As for now, I have the next 2 and 1/2 weeks to hang out in a classroom where everything dies within you as you walk through the door! Here's to the June portion of my Summer! July, you are welcome to come as early as you please! More intern hours, more sun, more fun!
Today was my first day at Dancing Wheels. The atmosphere is very focused but laid-back in a familial way. My first week here will consist of participating in a workshop with dancers of all abilities. The workshop is very fast-paced. I love how inclusive this company’s philosophy of dance is! Even the terminology they use is inclusive. Instead of saying “disabled and non-disabled” dancers, they say “sit-down and stand-up” dancers, because all dancers are able. Their focus in dance performance is to “translate” choreography to each dancer’s body and abilities. This idea is a lot like some of the work that I did in the Inclusive Dance independent study I did with Miriam Ragland and Anna Cary last semester. However, given my experience today, I think that their dance style, like most, is very body-central. Thus, it differs in creative origin from the thesis Miriam, Anna, and I explored of dance as a spirit-central art form. The goal of body-central dance is to create visually interesting pictures and movements. Spirit-central dance strives to manifest the soul through creative means. Body-central dance is about what a body can do, while spirit-central dance is about what a body can express. Both are legitimate styles of performance and choreography. I wonder if I will continue to observe this body-centrality.
ReplyDeleteSo far, today was a wonderful experience! It renewed my love of dance. I can’t wait for tomorrow!
Derrick Overholt Said...
ReplyDeleteMy first couple of days at my internship at an accounting firm in Hendersonville NC has been a relaxed environment so far. The reason for this partly is because it is not tax season which brings alot of pressure to the office. The firm is very deadline driven which requires employees to stay on task or otherwise get behind and cause major problems furthur down the line. It has been a very positive experiance so far.
In case anyone can't tell, I am really excited about the variety of opportunities you are all experiencing this summer! Having a summer job is one thing - using it as a tool to learn more about your dreams, goals, skills, and strengths is another thing altogether.
ReplyDeleteEither later this week or early next week, I'll bring up our next topic, but before leaving the topic of workplace environment, I want to ask if anyone has any additional questions or comments about this one. (Either more reflection on your own workplace or comments to follow-up another interns observations at their own.)
Jordan Pace:
ReplyDeleteMy first week at the US Embassy in San Jose, Costa Rica was spent getting accustomed to the aspects of the job, the people who work here, and the projects that are going on currently. I've been given much more freedom during my second week and have been put in charge of 3 events on my own (of course I can ask for help). There are a total of 6 full-time employees here with 2 interns currently and one 1 more intern arriving this coming Monday. I like the workplace environment as it is relaxed and a tight-knit group.
Now that I've gotten a bit into things at my internship, I've become aware of just how much responsibility is being given to me. I am expected to handle most of the customers that arrive at my location and have a wide base of knowledge to answer questions, and since I am the only one in the building at times, this can be a bit intimidating at first! There are only two other workers at this location, and they have a very close, almost sibling-like bond that I find hard to work with if only because I don't feel that it's quite appropriate for me to have that same level of comfort with them yet. I can only hope that things will get a bit easier as my internship progresses.
ReplyDeleteTony Micklon
ReplyDeleteThe military based engineering firm that I worked at was a very relaxed organization that consisted of roughly 20 employees. My intern employer was very laid back, though he took his tasks very seriously and completely all of his task in an orderly fashion. The pace of work is fairly average. They are not in too much of a rush to complete tasks but they have to meet the timeframe given. The type of communication present in the workplace was that between friends. Everyone was friendly, and communicated non-formally between themselves. I liked that atmosphere within my workplace and I feel like i would be efficient at a similar workplace because it is a relatively low pressure area.
John Solms
ReplyDeleteWorking at Menchie's has been an interesting experience--an internship with a Frozen Yogurt chain has definitely taught me a lot more than I thought it would. In the first part of my internship I have spent the majority of my time working inside one of the franchises as a typical employee, getting to know the business. I stock the refrigerator, fill the yogurt machines, cut fruit, fill the toppings, and run the register, not to mention attempting to keep everything clean all the time. Typically two or three employees work at a time, but there is certainly enough work to keep everyone busy. There are around twenty-five employees, seven or eight of which are shift leads, and two are assistant managers. The manager of the franchise is also responsible for two other stores in the area, so typically the assistant managers are the highest level of authority around the store.
The biggest challenges have arisen in the context of dealing with uncontrollable circumstances. For instance, one day the power was out for the majority of the day, so the shift lead and I had to clean out all of the machines, throwing away several hundred dollars worth of yogurt. It was messy, frustrating, and very difficult--especially because we had to do everything in the dark. Learning to cooperate with coworkers of a variety of ages and maturity levels has been really interesting and also provided some difficulty, but so far nothing too overwhelming has occurred.
Drew Wingo:
ReplyDeleteThe energy level of my internship varies from day to day. The work load usually depends on 1. if it is a game day and 2. if there are any events being held at the ball park. On none gamedays we work the typical 9-5 hours where the work load isnt too bad but it keeps you busy. On gamedays we have to worry about having everything set up and preparing our event staff for the game. The hectic days are when we hold events on gamedays. These days require me to complete my office work as soon as possible so I can make sure all of the tables, chairs, bouce houses, etc are set up correctly. These events are often scheduled very close to the time gates open for the game. It is not out of the ordinary for us to work within 15 minutes of gates opening to tear down everything for the event and prepare for the game.
Keighley Aldridge:
ReplyDeleteAlthough ALSAC/St. Jude employ's over 800 people it is comprised of seven different regions with around three to four different offices in each region. The office in Charlotte is in Region 3 which is comprised of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. The Charlotte office is in charge of running all programs and events for North Carolina and South Carolina. There are five other people that work in the office. Everyone in the office is very friendly and right now the office seems to be moving in a medium-paced environment as their fiscal year just ended and most of the programs such as Up 'til Dawn take place throughout the school year, however there are many different marketing plans that everyone is working on to make sure that this next fiscal year will be as successful as the last. I feel very at home in the office as I have my own desk and I attend office meetings, they do a really good job at making me a part of things rather than just feeling like an intern.
Tracy Todd
ReplyDeleteWell I just finished up my internship at Back to the Basics, and looking back the biggest challenge I had to overcome was breaking the ice. I was so nervous that I actually forgot to introduce myself but everyone there was so nice and eager to show me the ropes that they themselves forgot to ask me my name. They were just so welcoming and laid-back, which is not an easy thing to do when you have 20 plus kids to look after from 6:30am to 6:00pm. The kids were even nice to me. The whole environment there was just calm and causal. Everyone was wearing t-shirts, shorts, and flip flops. It was so much fun I'm thinking about going back and doing volunteer work for them.