INTERNSHIP GOALS
Action Steps:
-Block out spaces in my work calendar for certain activities to keep track of time
-Create a loose routine while at work to help get into a groove
-Use the “next steps” section of Progress Reports (PRs) to help think of and prioritize tasks
Importance:
So I can get more tasks done throughout the day but keep the same good-quality work-- Especially when I work remotely. The more roles I post to a network, the more jobseekers get to see and apply to them!
Action Steps:
-Look at other people’s calendars and compare them to mine when scheduling meetings
-Practice creating clear and to-the-point Progress Reports (PRs), End-of-Business reports (EOBs), role postings, etc.
-Communicate any questions or issues as soon as they come up to quickly address them and allow me and/or others to do our assignments
Importance:
So I learn not to waste my and others' time since I am only in the office one day a week.
Action Steps:
-Practice using my discretion when drafting roles
-If and when I make a mistake, think of what I could have done instead and take advice/suggestions from Scott and others
-Try to familiarize myself with and look back at Looop trainings when confused about how to solve a problem
Importance:
So I stop second-guessing my decisions and can find solutions quicker and more independently. This will also improve my critical-thinking skills the more I practice!
CAREER GOALS
Current Goals
My current career and academic goals are to:
Get an internship or apprenticeship
Graduate with a Bachelor's Degree
Get certificates in addiction counseling
Go to school for a Master's Degree in Addictions/Therapy
I have these goals because I need an internship that relates to my field of study more for experience hours. I also need certificates to get my foot in the door and start counseling without a Master's Degree. Furthermore, I want to be a licensed therapist and need a Master's Degree to practice addiction and substance abuse therapy.
I am not 100% sure of this career option as it was more schooling than I had originally planned for, but I purposely chose Social Work for my major because of its broad nature. If I were to change my mind about being an addictions counselor/therapist, I would just go for a job in the field of social work that might suit me better.
Steps For Success
To ensure that I meet my career goals, I must:
Get an internship with a clinic or D.O.C.
Graduate from IUPUI with a Bachelor's Degree in Social work & minor in Psychology
Get certificates in addiction counseling
Work as a substance abuse counselor while going to school for a Master's Degree in Addictions/Therapy
Steps I plan to take to explore my career include going to a clinic or the Department of Corrections because they often provide jobs and internships for substance abuse counselors specifically. I also see myself visiting jails, prisons, and shelters since many of those places have addiction problems that are not getting solved-- I will be able to get a clear image of the types of situations people I will treat are going through.
LEARNING
Professional Identity
My professional identity can be described by some of my values and skills, such as being in a result-oriented, active listening, socially perceptive, investigative, and conventional workspace where there is concern for others. Based on this description, I work best in an environment where I can use past successes as motivation for future goals, where myself and others are capable of actively listening & understanding one another, where I can perceive and analyze others respectfully, and where I can have a safe space to conduct business (like an office type setting for example).
My professional identity complements my internship work by my internship conveniently aligning with much of what I previously listed above. At Ascend Indiana, I work in an office where feedback and social perceptions are encouraged as everyone wants their coworkers to succeed. Also, with my experience at Ascend, the individual dashboards are just one way that everyone keeps track of weekly & monthly results-- which is where goals are made and achieved as well. So my internship is extremely result-oriented with motivations stemming from ideas of personal improvement. The only challenge that my professional identity shows while at work is that I have a huge concern for others and while that part of me does shine when I am communicating with coworkers, it can cause my work efficiency to slow down when considering people I make roles for. So since my job at Ascend is to post jobs for people to apply to, I tend to spend too much time searching for benefits for one application, or considering how certain skills that I tag could affect people applying.
Knowing my professional identity contributes to my career goal by giving me more assurance that I chose the right field. As you may know, I want to be an addiction counselor, so having a career goal that fits so well with my professional identity shows me that I chose the right career path. A couple of years ago, I did not know what career I wanted to pursue, so having this information about what work environments I like to be around and what skills/ values I possess has helped me sift through what industries would be a good fit for me, and what industries I should stay away from.
WHAT I LEARNED
Academic & Internship Connection
Since I am currently a social work major, a lot of my assignments on campus have me practice compassion, understanding, and critical thinking among other skills. As you can imagine, this proves to be very useful since many of the general skills I learn in my social work courses tend to be transferrable soft skills for my day-to-day life. This is especially true for my internship as it requires me to have one-on-one meetings and constantly think from the employers' point of view as well as the job seekers' point of view.
My academics have helped me with my work at Ascend Indiana by school work giving me the skills of determination, focus, a purpose, etc. At the internship site, they do something called "Know Your Why" sessions, which essentially help you know your role at Ascend and why it is important for your development individually and as a team. So the initial purpose that I receive from my courses give me a head-start at Ascend Indiana in knowing how I fit in with all of the other amazing staff there.
Apart from the concepts mentioned above (compassion, understanding, critical thinking, determination, focus, and purpose), I oddly found the use of my computer science elective course when having an issue with Excel functions. My knowledge in the course allowed me to fix a function in Microsoft Excel with the help of my supervisor, and I could continue with my meeting. Another concept that I learned in my courses and applied to my internship was the idea that, even though my role may seem small, I can make a big impact. I learned this concept from my history and analysis of social welfare policy course, where my professor is consistent in letting her students know that our higher political figures will make a change if enough individuals reach out to them. This idea transfers to my work at Ascend Indiana because I may not be able to directly meet with employers or job seekers but I can provide them with the tools to make an impact.
Along with the scholarship I received from my internship this semester, I also am reminded of the flexible work hours offered, the helpful SIP course that comes with the internship, and the personalized hybrid schedule made for me. All of these aspects of the internship greatly assist me in my academics. Some more specific examples of my internship being useful to my school work would be how my typing speed has increased greatly, my knowledge of Microsoft applications has expanded, and my public speaking skills improved as well. These skills have assisted me on campus and will forever follow me into life beyond my degree.