1. What is your purpose to work?

My purpose to work is to help those in need. I was blessed to have an excellent family and childhood growing up, but others were not as blessed as me. Therefore it is my goal, in my line of work, to help children live the healthy childhood that every child deserves. Moreover, I want to assist parents in providing their children with the best possible upbringing. Another purpose for work is to financially be able to support a family of my own one day. 

2. What motivates you?

I am motivated by my family, my health and the path of helping others and kindness. My family motivates me because I always want to make them proud. They have done continuous things that have made me the person I am today, so I want to continue to strive in my life and do everything I do for them. I want to be able to support them as much as they supported me growing up. My health motivates me, being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle is very important to me. Eating healthy, doing things that positively impact my brain, working out and enjoying life is a huge factor to living a great life in my opinion. Lastly, the ability to help others and show kindness is so important. Helping others allows me to live a selfless and great life, it motivates me in so many ways. 

3. How does your “why” impact your career path? Identify at least three reasons 

My “why” impacts my career path in many ways. I have always found an interest in helping others, therefore my career will be impacted by this. Like I said previously I want to help families and children, therefore I am looking for a career that allows me to do so. As well I would like to support a family of my own, so income will impact which career I chose. I need to choose a career that will allow me to make a reasonable income to support my family. This income will allow me to afford health insurance for my family, a suitable home, groceries and allow for my children to do the hobbies they want. 

4. What jobs/experiences have made you feel fulfilled?

I have always worked on farms, including my own and for other farmers in the area. Until this summer when I got a job at my local bar, it allowed me to interact with people and learn different communication skills. I have also worked for my softball club in children’s softball camps, which allowed me to share my love for the sport with other kids. This has made me feel fulfilled since I can impact these childrens and hopefully allow for them to escape from their issues away from softball.  Since moving to Farmville I have had the opportunity to work with the people at Longwood life. This has allowed me to find an interest in helping people with special needs. They came out to the field to play softball and it made me feel so happy with the fun they were having playing softball. It fulfilled me that the thing that I am gifted to do everyday made the people from Longwood life so excited and happy. 

5. How can a future career align with those experiences?  Connect the three above with future career alignment 

Working on a farm my whole life has taught me the importance of hard work and long work. In farming there are busy days and slow days. When we are in a busy season my days can be as long as 14+ hours. It has taught me the importance and good communication especially after working long days. Working as a bartender has taught me important people skills and kindness. Especially being kind to everyone even when someone is giving you a hard time. If I want to work with troubled families, addictions with alcohol or drugs is a common problem. From working in the bar I have learned important signs of intoxication, alcohol abuse and addiction. This may come in handy when working with a family who suffers from any of these. 

Coaching softball and working with children has allowed me to learn how to teach and support kids. Sometimes an athlete will come in not having their best day, it is my goal to make sure their day is improved. As well, I hope that playing softball and hanging out with them can take their mind off whatever is bothering them. Working with Longwood life has allowed me to gain experience in helping and working with people who have disabilities. It has allowed me to gain a new perspective on life and realize how beautiful the world truly is. It has given me communication and teamwork skills. 

6. Reflect on the work/volunteer experiences you have had?

Coaching softball and working with children has allowed me to learn how to teach and support kids. Sometimes an athlete will come in not having their best day, it is my goal to make sure their day is improved. As well, I hope that playing softball and hanging out with them can take their mind off whatever is bothering them. Working with Longwood life has allowed me to gain experience in helping and working with people who have disabilities. It has allowed me to gain a new perspective on life and realize how beautiful the world truly is. It has given me communication and teamwork skills. 

I love working with children and people with disabilities. It brings a new and positive perspective into my life. I love sharing the sport that I love with these individuals. As well hopefully being a positive influence in everyone’s life. I hope to teach everyone that I had an interaction with something new and useful in their life. I like to lead by example and try to be a positive role model. 

7. What hard and soft skills do you possess?  Identify three each.

The soft skills that I have are good communication, organization and time management, leadership, problem solving and kindness. I possess other skills such as machinery operation and computer skills.

8. If someone were to describe what you were good at, what would they say? Identity three things 

If someone were to describe me in three words I think they would choose hardworking, kind and determined. I think I am a very hard worker in all aspects of my life. Whether it is in my sport, career or everyday life. I work hard to excel at my sport. As well in the summer time I work very hard to be able to afford college. I think I am very kind to all. I believe that being kind can get you many places, so I practice kindness every day. Lastly I am a very determined individual. I am determined to do many things and do them in the correct and most effective way. 

8. Who do you know that has the coolest job you have ever heard of?  Why is it so great? What about your potential career path/major aligns with this job? 

For my entire life any job in the criminal justice system has fascinated me. About a month ago I met a lady who is a New York Police Department Detective. I thought that this job would be so cool and always interesting. As well you had to be a very brave and strong person to work this job, as everyday brings something new. I think my determination would align with this career path. As well as my hard work ethic. It is a very hands on job, which I am also interested in. 

9. Take the top four NACE career competencies.  How has something you have done show that you have that competency?

I used critical thinking when coaching. There have been times in softball when I had to think critically to see what play would work in the best scenario. Critical thinking comes in handy with good coaches, it can be the deciding factor between a win and a loss. 

I have used communication when working at the bar. I used communication to effectively talk to customers as well as my boss. Effective communication is an important skill when working with customers. Always communicating kindly and agreeing with the customer is important for keeping my job, since it comes in handy with customer service. 

I used teamwork when coaching softball. I worked with the other members I coaches with to come up with effective practice plans. Effective plans to better each player, as well to keep each player involved and engaged. Allowing everyone to contribute ideas creates a better environment for the players and coaches.

I used leadership when playing college softball. I found myself playing an important captain role on many of the teams I played on. Leading by example and having leadership was very important in keeping a successful and tight knit team. I was a person people went to when they were having troubles about a coach or another teammate. I also was always there for teammates when they were having a bad day. I found myself leading in game settings by keeping the team positive even when we were in touch game situations. 

10. Identify 3 people who you can connect with to ask about their career journey.  You want to list their name, occupation, and contact information.

My cousin Brooklyn Dagg is a social worker back home. (306-873-8303) She has directed me through what she does at her job and it interests me a lot. I have a friend whose mom, Sharolyn Simoneau, is an addictions counselor. (306-873-7658) I have spoken to her and what she does in her career. It is very interesting and may be a possible option for my future. Lastly my uncle is a police officer, Chad Olson. (306-260-3005) I have always been interested in the criminal justice system and sometimes t

Reflect upon the resume’ and cover letter.  How does it represent your attempt at the presentation of the self?  You will want to talk about how it represents the different components of impression management and what we talked about with regards to the workplace and impression management.  Your grade on this section will be based on how well you connect your ideas to the ideas related to impression management. (25 points)  

The four parts of impression management are; definition of the situation, the importance of the situated identity, creating the impressions through expressions, and front stage and back stage. Definition of the situation is what self we must bring out is defined by the situation. From my resume and cover letter the self I must bring out to receive a job in social work is the self that is professional and problem solving. The importance of the situated identity is how we have to have our identity situated before we perform an action. In social work I cannot perform my identity as an athlete. In this force my identity is a caring individual who is able to solve problems in families and children’s lives. Creating the impressions through expressions are the things we say and body language we give off. This is where my kindness and people skills come into play. In the line of social work I must be very positive and kind to all families I am dealing with. Kindness and the act of understanding is key when solving problems with families and helping children. Lastly front stage and back stage is the impressions we give in different settings. For example a actor is a different person on the stage and off the stage. In my line of work I must be professional both in and out of work. I cannot perform tasks at work and say certain things, then be a completely different person outside of work.