Identity Portfolio
A self-identity wheel is a tool that gives a visual for people to explore and visualize the different parts of who they are. Some categories include race, ethnicity, education, sexual orientation, work experience, etc. It’s often used in classroom activities or self-discovery/identifying situations. Overall, it assists people in understanding who they are and how they identify.
Education and family are two identity types found on the identity wheel. They are subject to fluctuation throughout someone’s lifetime. For example, both of these are extremely important to me right now, as I am a third-year college student working towards my undergraduate degree. However, after graduation, it won’t be as important as others, unless I decide to pursue graduate school. My family identity right now is my immediate family, but this may change in the next decade as I will get married and grow my own family.
The family identity through efficacy is that a supportive family can give you confidence in your everyday life and challenges from learning problem-solving skills at home and growing up. Mattering with the family identity would be feeling important and loved within your family because again, it would give you confidence and also security in the world. Family validation and belonging boost positive self-esteem.
Education increases success in learning while academic growth strengthens your confidence in achieving your goals, which is efficacy of the education identity. The mattering aspect of education would be being recognized by teachers and staff for your contributions in school. Your identity through education increases your self-esteem with your academic accomplishments.
I believe myself to be a very family-oriented person. I grew up around many babies and children, so I have always had a love for them and knew I wanted to become someone who worked with kids daily. My family has shaped who I am as a person and have given me my love for the world around me. They have encouraged me to be confident in myself and be proud of all of my achievements. Through both of my family and educational identities, they have taught me so much about life, problem-solving, leadership, appreciation, and so much more, which is crucial in a successful career. I hope to one day use my educational degree and my love for children to become a Child-Life Specialist. My family and education identities are very important in this path!
Professional Self
What is your purpose to work?
I began working a retail job at 16, now that I am a twenty-year-old college student, my reason for working has changed a bit. My primary reason for working right now in my life (which was the same as when I was 16) is to make money so I can go out and do things with my friends. This has been at the top of my priority list when it comes to working. The money I have made goes towards dinners out with friends and the cost of gas it takes/took to get there. As I have grown older, especially now that I have an idea of what I want to do with my life, I specifically got a job that would give me experience for post college. Now that I have a clearer picture of what I want to do after college, I specifically looked for jobs that would give me relevant experience. And finally, on a more personal note, my work needs to be fulfilling. I’ve been lucky to genuinely enjoy all my past roles because I’ve made it a point to go after opportunities, I’m passionate about, steering clear of anything I wouldn’t find rewarding.
What motivates you?
Currently, I am motivated to work by the faces I will get to see at work everyday. Working at a daycare, I often find myself looking forward to going to work so I can hug my little friends who look up to me. I look forward to being their temporary comfort person for a few hours. I am especially motivated to hear their imagination come to life in conversations. Another motivating factor includes the very, very few days I am struggling to find the motivation to go into work. When that happens, I think of the money I will make from it. It feels immature to say, but I do think of the things I will be able to do with the money I made from that day. This motivation especially got me through my jobs in high school that became emotionally taxing. Furthermore, I am motivated by my family and friends. I see all of them working and I want to work hard just like them so I can not only make them proud, but I don’t want to be seen as a bum. I also just want to come home and have stories to tell them about my day(s) at work.
What jobs/experiences have made you feel fulfilled?
In high school, I worked a retail job (Old Navy) where I helped hundreds of customers shop for their children, their spouses, their nieces and nephews, their grandma, or themselves. It was always so fulfilling when I worked in the fitting room of the store, as I had numerous individuals come out of the rooms asking me for advice on what they were trying on. I heard so many personal stories in that fitting room that inspired me and made the job worth it. Coming into college and leaving high school, I still found myself fulfilled by helping others. In my sorority, I got the most fulfillment becoming a “big sister” for one of the new members in the Spring of 2025. Being someone’s mentor and someone they look up to is extremely rewarding. Additionally, I became a Rho Gamma, which is a recruitment counselor, for sorority recruitment at Longwood. This position has filled my heart, as I am helping younger girls find their homes in Greek Life. I was once the 18 year old clueless on if I wanted to join a sorority but my Rho Gamma was very helpful through the process and it left an impact on me, so I became one.
Reflect on the work/volunteer experiences you have had?
In addition to the work I’ve done to support customers throughout my jobs, I’ve also volunteered with various organizations. One organization was Healthy Chesapeake, where I supported the staff who serve seniors experiencing chronic diseases. While volunteering with Healthy Chesapeake, it felt good to help put together packages to educate clients on their lives with chronic diseases, as well as put a smile on their faces. I’ve also volunteered with my sorority at various events, including girls on the run, tabling on campus to raise money, and my favorite; participating in the Special Olympics parade. The joy and excitement that comes from walking the parades is something I will carry with me forever. I’ve volunteered with SPCA in dog walking as well, this was very rewarding as the dogs seem to be really grateful to get out of their kennels.
What did you enjoy?
I enjoyed the satisfaction I got from volunteering at so many places. Each one had its own rewards to them, but they all had one common theme, and that was how good I felt giving back to others. I got to see the benefits almost immediately from all of the organizations, which was a smile on everyone’s faces. I really appreciated the support and encouragement I received from everyone through it….
What did you not enjoy?
The hardest part about volunteering was having to leave. After meeting so many wonderful and kind people (and animals), it becomes really difficult to leave. Meeting the individuals of the Special Olympics was overjoyous. Additionally, not getting to meet the seniors who I was putting packages together for was disappointing. The worst feeling though through all of my volunteering was probably the animal shelter. Being ith animals and seeing how excited they were to be with me just showed that was probably the most activity or interaction they’ve gotten all week/month/year. Seeing their entry dates was heart wrenching, knowing how long they had been sitting in a 2×2 kennel was really sad. It felt awful driving away knowing that some of them may not ever leave the shelter. Overall,each time I wanted to give more and more at all the places, which was the hardest lesson to learn through volunteering, is always being left wanting to do more.
What hard and soft skills do you possess?
A few hard skills I’ve learned over the years was organization, leadership, and advocating for people. The soft skills I possess are empathy, ability to listen and stay engaged, communicate clearly, and I am very flexible
If someone were to describe what you were good at, what would they say?
I asked friends this question because I was unsure how to answer it. They described me as authentic, a great listener, and someone who works well with kids. They also mentioned that I’m caring and thoughtful, which I think have shaped the way I approach work and my relationships. I believe these qualities have also made me reliable and compassionate in any setting, not just work. I genuinely listen to others, even when it’s difficult, and try to make sure they know they are heard, and if necessary, respond with understanding and patience. I want to be a safe and supportive space for others no matter what.
Take the top four NACE career competencies. How has something you have done show that you have that competency?
Communication – working in childcare, you must always been in constant communication with others, such as your coworkers, your children, your director, and the children’s parents. If you are about to go outside with the children, you both must be taking a headcount to ensure safety. If a child needs to be changed but the other children are doing an activity together, you must communicate who will be stepping away to change the child while one stays with the other children. You also must communicate when you have to step out of the classroom if you are feeling very emotional or frustrated, or even just to use the bathroom.
Critical Thinking / Problem Solving – There was once a day at work in childcare where multiple children were fighting over one toy and beginning to get loud and visibly very upset. I pulled a few children away from the first child who had the toy originally. I told the children, “would you guys want to do an activity with me over here? I think (Child A) would prefer to play with that toy on her own.” We started an educational activity together and it went very smoothly, and nobody cried.
Teamwork – Being in a sorority has forced me to be good at teamwork. As well as working with others in childcare, it definitely takes a team to care for 10 toddlers at once. You must work together in both institutions in order for things to run as smooth as possible.
Professionalism – Ensuring the job gets done to the best of my ability, maintaining a clean and organized space, and handling other feelings when communicating are all things I’ve learned through my four years of employment.
My resume represents numerous parts of myself. Starting with my education identity, I graduated High School with Honors and an Advanced Diploma, which makes me identify as intelligent and dedicated when it comes to my work ethic. I also identify as a third year college student at Longwood, now double majoring in Sociology and Criminology, better classified as pursuing higher education. Being a member of a sorority has given me teamwork and community and social skills. It represents my employment identity, which is an old retail employee as well as a childcare teacher assistant.
Along with other aspects of my resume, it represents my work ethic, my dedication, my positive attitude, my control of my behaviors and emotions, my ability to learn new things like cash handling and cleaning, my reliability and willingness, and my ability to put my best foot forward.
In the multiple customer service jobs I have had over the years, it has shown that stress can come from several areas including handling difficult customers, managing cash accurately under pressure, and dealing with the physical demands of standing for long shifts or closing late at night, as well as dealing with attitudes and the wants and needs of young children. According to the Differential Exposure Model, I could experience more stress because the nature of my role puts me in constant contact with young, immature children and unpredictable situations, which increases the physical and literal exposure to stressors. While on the other hand, the Differential Vulnerability Model helps to explain how I personally respond to these stressors. For example, my patience and communication skills could make me less vulnerable to frustration when a child or customer or client is upset, while physical exhaustion from playing and diaper changing and late night retail shifts might affect me more. Both models represent how much I could be physically exposed to and how I mentally handle it.