Workplace
Expectation v. Reality
I graduated high school in 2015 when I was seventeen years old. Growing up, it had been embedded in me that I must go to school, get good grades, graduate high school, go to college, get a degree, then start my career. That would definitely be an ideal. However, how, at seventeen, eighteen, nineteen years old, was I supposed to know what I wanted to do with my life? I started college with an undeclared major because I faced that exact problem. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I developed an interest in film making my junior and senior year of high school, but that profession is highly competitive and didn't seem like a realistic career path. Though, I did decide to declare film making as my major until the fear of failing overwhelmed me. For one of my general ed courses, I took ASL (American Sign Language). I picked up signs quickly and made a few deaf friends at the college and joined the ASL club. I fell in love with the language and the culture, so it made sense when I decided to change my major from film making to ASL interpreting. Interpreting. Now that sounded like a realistic, achievable career. Though, I had no idea if I would be any good at it. As I dived into higher level ASL classes, I quickly realized how difficult interpreting really was. I didn't let that stop me. I continued to learn and grow and pass all of my classes. I passed my screening exam which allowed me to start my two-semester long interpreting internship, and after I completed my internship, I passed my final comprehension test and ultimately received my Bachelor's Degree in Interpreting in the spring of 2020. After receiving my degree, I applied to work as an instructional assistant for deaf and hard of hearing children because though I have a bachelor's degree in interpreting, I cannot work as interpreter until I become certified. I had the interview which consisted of a screening test of my interpreting skills. I got the call that I was hired that same day, I started as a substitute and by the start of the second semester, I was placed in one class. That all happened during the big year of covid, so I spent most of that year working through Zoom. The second school year I started, we were back in the classroom. I felt more confident and comfortable being in an actual classroom environment. However, this confidence must have blinded me from my flaws because by the end of this year when it came time for my evaluation, there was nothing but negative feedback. I was surprised by everything negative they had to say. I have always been a hard worker and I always strive to do my best. I'm not perfect and I make mistakes, but these mistakes were never brought to my attention until my evaluation. I sat down with the vice principal and we wrote out goals of improvement for myself. However, that list of goals are now rendered useless because instead of giving me a chance to grow and improve with them, they handed me to a different school because "they are having some problems with me and I'm not a good fit." These problems being I do not engage with the students enough, I'm not just the interpreter, but also like a "second teacher", and I forgot to make copies once which now warrants a whole section in my evaluation form where I will "follow directions that the teacher gives me". I went to school as an interpreting major. I wasn't trained to teach students. However, I'm hired on as an instructional assistant, so my hours are limited, I can't get full time, I'm only making a few dollars over minimum wage, and I have no benefits. School faculty are all about being a "family" and having school "pride" and "spirit". I've on and off felt out of place working in a school environment. Sometimes I feel as though my personality clashes with the other staff members. I am extremely introverted, which is probably where I went wrong in the first place as an interpreting major. I have reached the point where I once again feel lost and unsure of what I want to do with my life. I have distaste for the entire system of "work until you're too old to actually enjoy life". I don't want to live to work, I want to work to live. I want a job where I can feel confident and comfortable and most importantly, happy.
By Amanda Renae4 years ago in Confessions
Dude, Where's My Car?
As a rideshare driver, one of the most common questions I get asked is "What is the most interesting passenger you've ever had?" or perhaps "Tell me a story of the craziest rider you've had." Over my time as a driver, this list has grown and grown and grown, and I'd often joke that one day I'd make a book of these stories to which the response usually consisted of a gasp and a "You should!"
By L A4 years ago in Confessions
To Grandmother's House We Go
As a rideshare driver, one of the most common questions I get asked is "What is the most interesting passenger you've ever had?" or perhaps "Tell me a story of the craziest rider you've had." Over my time as a driver, this list has grown and grown and grown, and I'd often joke that one day I'd make a book of these stories to which the response usually consisted of a gasp and a "You should!"
By L A4 years ago in Confessions
Life Lessons From a Nursing Home Activity Aide. Top Story - May 2022.
*This article was originally posted on Medium. I'd just graduated from a community college. In the beginning, I was nervous about not finding work due to COVID-19. That summer, 'heroes wanted' ads started popping up more and more. Shortly after applying, I participated in a phone-call interview, and a few weeks later, I was hired as a part-time employee.
By Jasmine 4 years ago in Confessions
a tough start at a new job
May 13th, 2022 Hell is other people. - Jean Paul Sartre It is Friday and I have the weekend off at work. I worked for 6 days in a row this week and I'm tired. The work itself is not so bad, but dealing with people swallows my energy. Even at lunchtime.
By Ms. Rodwell4 years ago in Confessions
The cycle and secrets of workplace drama
I'm over this place...I can't take it anymore. 'The company does not pay me enough to do all this extra work in so little time'. I'm here everyday on time and put in so much hard work and my boss wants to believe Julia who just started working here two months ago over me!. How many more lies and drama do I have to deal with here?
By Damika B4 years ago in Confessions
Ethics in Business & Society
Ethics & economic progress are tightly intertwined. For business activity to occur, trust is essential. I am forever and a day proud of myself for taking notes! On 5/19/22 we will be celebrating our one year anniversary at The Vibe Podcast!
By The Vibe Podcast 4 years ago in Confessions
What Does the Perfect Work Day Look Like?
The contemplation instructor in me wishes this article was tied in with showing the ideal day, without the work modifier. However we are right here, most people attempting to eat and make due. My previous mission was creating a work/life circumstance that feels great, helpful, and upbeat. Presently I simply center around developing happiness, period. Yet, my long term vocation has been generally helping plan and make solid comprehensive work environments. I've observed that telecommuting forcibly has permitted me to truly become innovative and purposeful about working day plan, and those illustrations would have been truly valuable when I had less command over my workplace. So whether you are telecommuting, driving to work, or in any event, searching for work — here are the things I wish I had known sooner.
By dine4 years ago in Confessions
Learn This One Lesson to Help Turn Your Scrappy Startup Into a Growing Business
In the earliest phase of building my most memorable effective startup, I put two or three years doing all the selling of our item (a B2B SaaS item). Notwithstanding, after enough development (and some supportive VC subsidizing), I was at long last prepared to assemble an outreach group. Tragically, I had no clue about how to fabricate an outreach group, so I found a nearby business person who was known for being perfect at it. I irritated him until he at last consented to meet with me. Whenever we met, I quickly posed the inquiry I was frantic to reply: "How would I construct an incredible outreach group?" Even however I posed the inquiry hoping to figure out how to fabricate an outreach group, the response I got shown me significantly more than that. It helped me the most ideal way to fabricate my whole business.
By dine4 years ago in Confessions
