Journal #4

Connecting with the audience: In order to make the audience feel connected to my experience, I could use tactics such as telling a personal story or a funny anecdote to start off and gather their attention. Since I enjoy humor, My speech may have a satirical tone. This also is a good opportunity to look at the shortcomings of myself as a student and academia as a whole. I would focus on the balance of school/work/social life as well as how to manage bad habits. I will also attempt to deduce how others manage to stay on top of academics so well, and hopefully come to a personal conclusion as to how I can improve myself. 

Topic Selection: I chose to write about how to better myself academically for a few reasons. First of all, I don’t have much of a professional life outside of a job, but my job is one of the most unprofessional places on the planet. As for the other prompt, I made the decision to communicate as little as possible during covid, so I have very little to say about that. The only thing left that I can connect to is school. I have always been a terrible student, and sitting in a classroom doing discussion questions for hours a day makes me want to walk into the wilderness and never come back to society. I think academia has glaring structural issues, but I recognize its importance and wish to find a way to navigate it since I chose to be here. I am hoping this speech will help me flesh out issues with my work ethic and help me make some sense of my last year here in a way that is helpful to others as well.   

Outline: I might start with a sort of flashback story to demonstrate that I have always struggled to keep up with school work. I will also go over the reasons why I was convinced I did not have time for school, and did the bare minimum for a decent grade. Moving on, I’ll discuss bad habits that have kept me from doing my best, and possible ways to mitigate them. From there I’ll speak about how the academic system is a bunch of hoops we agree to jump through, and how some people are good at jumping and some are not. I’d like to conclude with more honesty about my shortcomings, and that a change of mindset as well as setting goals can make a big difference in your academic outcome.

Journal #5

One thing that I thought was interesting was the fact that under the social scientific approach, the data is “culturally insensitive.” I had assumed that people’s demographics were always taken into account when conducting an experiment. I also found the political communication under relational perspectives interesting because even though politics is a show, the people in power are forced to make relationships to survive.

Journal #7

From pages 274-281, one thing I found interesting is the relationship between speakers and audience members, which is said to be personal in nature because in both settings, people seek to inform, persuade, and understand one another. One thing I would like to know more about is how to effectively make claims of conjecture that seem trustworthy and informed. Questions: How can I balance being relatable and professional in a speech?

Journal #8

Unfortunately, I was not able to make it to class during the dry run peer review. So instead I’ll write about my experience meeting with the writing fellow, Lysle. I met with her two days before I delivered my speech, and I was nervous because I did not have a peer review session or class time to observe my classmates. Going into it blind and having to read my speech to Lysle in the Winward public study area was less than optimal for preparation, but her response made me feel better. Since my speech had both serious and humorous elements, I wasn’t sure if the tone of the speech was any good, and I always believe that 1. people won’t pick up on my strange dry humor and 2. that my writing isn’t coherent. But Lysle gave me a very good response. She didn’t have much to say about the content, but she did suggest that I include more personal anecdotes. Since I’m not much of a sharer I wasn’t sure how to successfully do this, but I think I ended with a good balance when I delivered my speech. She also convinced me to make a bulleted list of points to read off of for my speech instead of my original plan to read over it until it’s semi-memorized and then wing it. Most importantly, Lysle reminded me that I needed a visual aid for my speech, so I thank her for that.

Journal #10: Reflection of the Project

As far as school projects go, this one was reasonable for me. Even though I don’t like it, I recognize the importance of learning how to speak publically. I liked how we were given a few options, and the options were vague enough where we had the opportunity to create something completely unique. The prompts individually were honestly very disinteresting, but as I began to outline what I was going to say, I became more interested. It was unfortunate that so many people did the same speech and said similar things, but everyone delivered the information uniquely, so listening to all of the speeches was entertaining. It was also unfortunate that I didn’t get to peer review, but my experience with peer review hasn’t been very useful in the past because I don’t trust my classmates’ honesty, so I don’t feel that missing it was very detrimental to me. If I was to do this again, I would definitely work harder to deliver my speech the way I plan to, because, in both this project and past ones, there’s a great disparity between the way I want to deliver it and the way it is delivered. I also have a bad habit of completely changing the style and content of my speech right before I deliver it, so I did my best to mitigate that. When all was said and done, I felt this project was good practice for public speaking. I’m glad the class is small and full of personable and entertaining people because this would not have been as fun if it was a large class of students (more) on edge.

Journal #11

One thing I found interesting about the article is that the author points out that our minds are constantly take in information in a quick stream of particles. He compares it to a jet skier. This resonated with me because I feel that it is true and I always get distracted by the amount of information available for a topic so I just skim through it(p2Pa2). Another thing The author points out is that the internet has no actual ethics. This is certainly true because were living in an age where we have to actively decide what ethics areas we are using the newest frontier of technology (p3Pa1). Another thing I found interesting in this article was that the brain has the ability to reprogram itself even in adulthood. This challenges much of what psychology says about brain development, but it is definitely believable (p4Pa3). My questions are: How do we resist becoming pancake people? (last page) Why do we think Nietzsche changed his writing style with a typewriter? What other metaphors can we use to describe ourselves with technology?

Journal #12

Things I found interesting in the textbook are as follows: I liked that the author mentioned serving because it is a job which requires a multitude of different relationships and personality styles. I am a server and I constantly change what part of my personality to show people. For old people, its the respectful young man that my parents raised me to be, for younger people, I’m sarcastic and funny. The way you treat your customers is way more important than the food itself when I’m trying to make money. Get them drunk and tell a joke. Another thing I Understood was the portion on support for workplace performance. At my job, we constantly have to clear tables or take over tables for people so that they don’t get swamped. We also help the bartenders to varying degrees because they make our drinks and affect our timing for meals. It is in everyone’s best interest to help each other to avoid disaster and drama. Another thing I understood was disruptive friends in the workplace. There are many times where food needs to be run or a table is waiting to be greeted and I see co-workers texting or (god forbid) showing baby pictures. I came up with only two questions because it was hard to think of things to ask in a short and concise section like this. They are: On 220, the author says “Relationships in the workplace… within the workplace.” Why? and Who are Society’s Secret Agents? (212)

Journal #13

One thing I found interesting in the reading was the concept of groupthink, where people prioritize things running smoothly overhearing everyone’s voice. I believe there is a time and place. I also was interested in outgroups because our bartenders at work could be considered one. They are definitely undervalued but are detrimental to the workplace as they get increasingly mad and less efficient. I also liked the part on leadership styles because I have seen many different leaders in my years of employment. At Longhorn, our kitchen manager was very on top of procedure and efficiency, while our GM was more personable and took care of our individual needs. This was a good system that has fallen apart in recent weeks, and the consequences can be seen. Is it always good to have specific people in specific leadership roles, or should all leaders be able to maintain employee relationships while still following the procedure? Another question is; is the reward type of power healthy for the entire staff?

Journal #14

This week, my team and I began our second project. For the first part, we wanted to have an introduction, our three big lessons, and 3/5 interviews done. We started with our interviews, and I was given the job of talking to a senior. I texted my buddy Mason, who has been involved in many levels at UNE from work-study to professional staff. I felt his experience and work ethic could be beneficial for the project audience. My interview went very well, and he gave me good content to share that went beyond the stereotypical advice you usually hear. Working with my teammates is going well in my opinion. We’re all very independent and can be trusted doing our own things. That being said, the in-class work time hasn’t been extremely beneficial in any one way, but it did give us the chance to make sure we are all organized. Since I have a general problem with my organization, in-class time is definitely grounding for me. It is also good when the professor is there to answer any questions we have. I didn’t have any challenges that really disrupted the process, but coming up with interview questions was tough. I tried to tailor them so that my interviewee gave me answers that pertained to both my big lesson and his general college experience. I think I got all the content I needed, and I enjoyed the process.

Journal #15

In Class, my groupmates Montana, Logan, and I essentially made sure we were all on the same page. We looked over the work we previously did while also planning ahead about how to finish the content. We divided up the remaining sections of the project into what we thought was an equal workload, and then got ideas from each other about how to conduct our work. This was probably the most valuable thing to me because it gave us both structure and freedom to work how we need to. We also were able to have any questions answered by the professor. In addition, we got feedback from Professor Miller. It was good to hear that we were doing well, and he responded well to our unique lessons. For work, I had to write the Main Page section as well as two campus resources. I chose to do Printer locations because everyone should know where they can print their papers, and campus events because they give good opportunities for students to meet people or win prizes from the school. My group has not been communicating much, but this is not a bad thing in my opinion. We work very well together during classes, and it leaves very little to be said when we do our work. However, we have chatted on Google Drive to communicate things that we may have forgot to include, and this has kept us on track. While there is no substitute for in-person group work, I believe that a simple groupchat or email chain can be a good way to communicate. I just prefer face-to-face conversation when we are trying to figure something complicated out. Luckily we have not felt the need to do so outside of class for this project.

Journal 17

This week, we had peer review and organization. The peer-review went very well, and there appeared to be no glaring mistakes. Next is just small edits for us. It was nice to see the class and their different styles of writing. Some were very informative, some were funny, some were both. Our handbook is pretty much done as long as Logan was able to get that last interview up. Logan also put the handbook on her site, so big thanks to her for dealing with that. We need to add buttons and pages to it though since right now it is one long document. I was also able to take a picture of myself and my gourd, Gourdon Ramsey for the author’s page. I think it’s a very tasteful photo, but the quality compared to my groupmates is noticeably pathetic. I hate pictures though so I’m not taking another. My group and I need to figure out how to be able to sell this handbook to the admins, so we’ll need to come up with something good. I think our content is good but it’ll be hard to sum everything up in a 10-minute speech. Overall, we’re on track and doing well (I think).

Journal 19

Job Title:

Handbook Marketer

This Job Description details the responsibilities and duties of the faculty at Trio-Birds inc. as well as your position-specific duties. Your main is to sell the Trio-Birds handbook as a resource to incoming students. It is important that new students have a good resource to refer to when questions about the campus inevitably arise, and it is your responsibility to help them by Making the Trio-Bird Handbook available to everyone.

Responsibilities:

Major responsibilities in this position are as follows: first and foremost, you are there to sell the Handbook. Though the information in it is valuable, the Handbook Marketing Associate must also provide the Trio-Bird experience to the “decision-makers” at the University of New England. Handbook Marketing Associates must be a. Be able to successfully communicate the products and goals of Trio-Birds inc. b. Be able to market the product as both a commodity and resource c. Have good time management skills d. Other duties as assigned.

In addition to the above-mentioned responsibilities, Handbook Marketing Associates must possess certain qualities if they are able to successfully promote the Trio-Bird Handbook. These qualities include; effective time management, a positive and engaging attitude, and must be extroverted and team-oriented. Qualities like these ensure that the candidate is ready to successfully market a product to the decision-makers while also building the foundation for future marketing opportunities between the University of New England and Trio-Birds inc. When these opportunities present themselves, the Handbook Marketing Associate must be ready and willing to collaborate further with the decision-makers in a financially viable way that benefits Trio-Birds inc.

Qualifications:

Handbook Marketing Associates must possess a few important qualifications; a. reliable transportation, b. bachelors degree in business/marketing/communications, c. at least 3 years of applicable experience, d. 3 references. It is also important to know that applicants are required to complete an entrance exam. This exam will take the form of a presentation, and the goal is to sell a product of your choice to the interviewers. All of these qualifications are to ensure that Trio Birds inc. hires professional, knowledgeable, and energetic individuals to represent and expand the brand.

Key Competencies:

Handbook Marketing Associates must be personable and energetic. In addition to a winning personality, they must possess the industry knowledge required to sway the decision-makers, and take logical steps to ensure communication between parties is open and consistent. Applicants must also be willing to perform work duties outside of the office to ensure their preparedness for incoming pitches. Trio Birds inc is simply looking for passionate, articulate individuals to participate in our welcoming and competitive environment for both the companies and your personal advancement.

Journal 20

I think the project went very well. We were sort of thrown into it without much direction, and the project seemed hectic at times, but it all ended up well. The work itself was nothing too difficult, but the difficulties seemed to be with making time for interviews and getting everything done before class. I was glad I could come up with good ideas like the printer resource, and I’m glad I had connections with good people for the interviews.

Journal 21

One thing I found interesting in the section on interviews was the power of a cover letter. I did not know that some people try to tailor their resumes to be delivered to a specific person. I also thought it was interesting that many people try to plan their interview dates through their cover letters. This seems like a good thing to do as long as the interviewer looks at the resume in time. I also liked the concept of exit interviews because it is a chance for employees to give honest feedback to their bosses, and it is also a good chance for the employees to have closure when speaking to a boss because many people feel they are not listened to.

Journal 22

Something I found absolutely riveting in the section was the advice to gather information about your interview. The book says that knowing the company and job description as well as the company in and out will make you come off as professional and well-read. It is also important to have intelligent questions prepared beforehand for the interviewer. More good advice in the book was to not ask inappropriate or illegal questions. While I think it is important to know what is and is not permissible (for instance, at my restaurant, we can take sides home but only certain ones, so we have to ask what is okay to take), asking during the interview can make you seem sus. It was funny how on page 316 they came up with sensitive ways on how to ask personal and illegal questions. for example, if you want to know their religion, you can just ask them if they are free to work on weekend days, or ask them if they need to take steady breaks throughout the day. This seems shady but it’s important to understand how to navigate these situations when selecting an employee.

Journal 23

Questions for the interviewer:

  1. Is there any opportunity for promotion?
  2. What other companies would benefit from a UNE student handbook?
  3. How is “sales knowledge” defined?

Big Moments:

  1. The community Assistant work study program has given me many good professional experiences. It helped with public speaking, drafting official documents, leadership roles, disciplinary procedure, etc. I was given the opportunity to show what I can do, and the supervisor recognized my independence, creativity, and attention to detail. This led to a promotion and the creation of a new supervisor position where I was given the freedom to create something beneficial to the community.
  2. Working at Longhorn Steakhouse has given me a surprising amount of opportunities to learn more about my professional self. Starting as a host, I had to learn how the resturant flows with hundreds of customers a day. I had to learn to balance keeping the kitchen and the guest happy, and they each have polarized needs. Because Im good under pressure and don’t get upset easily, the management recognized my usefullness and quickly promoted me to ToGo. After learning the menu and how the kitchen operates, I was promoted even quicker to server. Here I am able to shine, dealing with the customers and kitchen staff at the same time. This with the opportunity to work as hard as I want to make more and more money is good motivation to continue my employment there.

Questions Likely to be asked:

  1. What makes you qualified for this position?
  2. What do you think the true purpose and value of this company?
  3. What metrics do you consider most important for measuring success?

The sample interview had all of the necessary content for the job description, but it was delivered very dryly. I was not excited to read it whatsoever. While this is okay in a sense, I think it is much better to use welcoming and colorful language to engage the applicant and make them want to go to work as soon as possible

Journal #25

I think the interview on Thursday went well. Our team’s job was to interview the fake candidate, and Jordan was our interview. I think for a dry run that was organized at the last minute, it went really well. Everybody had things they needed to work on, and the rest went fairly smoothly. The trick is to be human as little as possible during the interview. You have to plan your every mannerism and movement to try to maximize your presence. You can’t let them know you have to think before speaking, you can’t move your feet or hands around even though it’s proven to increase focus and productivity, and your questions need to be thought-provoking and complex; demonstrating that you’re smart but still have a lot to learn. I think everyone was at least a little fidgety. I thought my team spoke well. Jordan spoke well too, but she swore among a few other things, and this may reflect badly in many interviews. As interviewers, we needed to organize ourselves more, but this will come with better planning and experience. It’s tough to be the first group to go, but I’d imagine other teams will learn from us and everybody will be able to deliver when it’s time to switch roles.

Journal 27

The interview went better than expected I think. I found it natural to ask the questions and it was entertaining to see their responses. I think I could have prepared better by having a good plan for the selling exercise. Though it was meant to be open-ended and sudden for the interviewee, I feel that I could have put better context behind it to help them plan out a strategy more efficiently instead of saying “sell me this book.” I was also very impressed by my groupmates. They asked really good questions, and the interview went very smoothly due to our 6th sense. We also did a good job of covering for each other if a question or comment needed to be expanded upon. As far as the interviewees, I think they all did well. Everyone had things that they did well, and things that they clearly needed improvement in. I think that if everyone got one more chance to be interviewed (or interview in our case), their results would have been even better, so hopefully, the Trio Bird’s interview was good preparation for future opportunities.

Journal #28

In this class, I was interviewed. I went third out of fourth, but I wish I got to see the rest of my classmates’ interviews. I wasn’t too nervous, but my mind was still racing and I felt that I spoke too much when answering the questions. I also said “so yeah umm” a few times, but I felt I kept my restlessness at bay so that was good for me. I was interested to see how scripted the interviewers were, so I entered by asking their names, trying to throw them off a little. They ended up repeating their names during their introduction spiel and I assume it was the same one the rest of the interviewees got. But team Whatever Works ran everything ran very smoothly, and there was little to no awkward silence. It was also interesting to see that they didn’t have a neat order of who is asking the questions. For some reason, this seemed weird at first but I think it added a more human feel to the flow of the interview. The questions were reasonable and there was nothing out of the left-field, but I still had to think hard about it. If I did the project again, I would have prepared for more questions rather than just thinking about my working experience. With a bit more planning on how I would say things and thinking about specific questions, I felt the interview would have gone better. My brain always forms a bunch of half-thoughts, so I need to script myself a little more to follow one thought and come off more professional.

Journal #30

I think this project went as well as it could have. For me, there was still a removed quality that I couldn’t get past in order to take it extremely seriously, but I believe that the exercise helped me prepare for future interviews. The most challenging part for me was talking about myself and coming up with stories. it is hard to pick and choose different events to discuss, and because I only have 5 years of working experience, it is difficult to come up with stories that demonstrate my qualities without getting too personal. Next time, I would definitely look up more generic questions and prepare some answers for myself. Even though the interviewers may ask different questions, I feel that most of them are just reworks of basic questions, with the qualities still intact (hardworking, flexible, good under pressure, etc.). So preparing for all types of questions will benefit me, even if the interviewer throws me a curveball. My advice to people who do it in the future is essentially what I said above. Prepare for personal stories and generalized questions. I would also recommend thinking in detail about how we present ourselves to the interviewers, and maybe come up with some good small talk.