I remember a while ago reading in Reflective Writing the section on “Reflection for Career Planning.” This section shares how you can use the information in that book and apply it to real world situations. Specifically, it included improving job applications, sharing the need for “evidence” in an application or interview. Until reading this, I didn’t fully realize how experience isn’t just an item that looks good on a resume, but how it can provide evidence of whether someone fits certain qualities that an employer is looking for.
I fully understood what the little green book was talking about when I went on a research interview a few weeks ago. When looking through the research on the internet, the site noted that qualities they look for included “experience and comfort interacting with children” and “willingness to work as part of a research team.” Through reading Reflective Writing, I realized that it was not enough to simply say that I love children and am a team player; I needed evidence. As Reflective Writing claims, my “evidence” was my experience; during the interview I provided specific example of when I was part of a team, running track and working in a restaurant, as well as examples of when I worked with children. Furthermore, as Reflective Writing suggests, I discussed how these experiences shaped me to be a better team player and want to work with children more. I realized that this is what Reflective Writing means when it says, “through examples you justify your claims.”
I also connected my research interview to our class premise of “academic partnerships.” Firstly, because a friend of mine got me the interview, which shows the value of connections. Additionally, because at Great Day I saw at one of the posters that my Human Biology Lab Instructor is also part of the research program. I went to his poster and when I told him I had recently applied to the research, he unexpectedly told me he’d put in a good word for me. Throughout the whole semester I’ve been going to his office hours every week and he knows how much work I put into the class. It’s crazy to me throughout the semester I made a good impression on him by putting in the work and going to office hours, and this unknowingly had a benefit beyond that class. If I didn’t go to office hours I wouldn’t really know my TI, and he wouldn’t have known me enough to be able put in any word for me at all. To me, this demonstrates the importance of good partnerships in all aspects of a community and how many different partnerships in a college community can connect.