Recources

These are just some of the recources I found throughout the semester. These websites contain a huge amount of information regarding the job, pay, description, education, etc. I find myself visiting them all the time.

http://utahfutures.org/ Job info

http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm Job info

http://online.onetcenter.org/find Job info

http://www.acient.org/acinet/ Job info

http://jobs.utah.gov/jsp/wi/utalmis/gotoOccwage.do Job info

SMART GOALS

Derek Stephenson

Class 2100

Lesson 14

SMART GOALS

1. Retake classes with poor grades during summer semester.

A. Meet w/ counselor before end of spring semester to discuss these classes

B. Meet w/ tutor to discuss ways to improve on previous poor grades and how to improve.

C. Schedule the classes you struggled with the most.

2. Complete CNA course for future related fields.

A. Research all of the different CNA courses in the area to decide which is best for me.

B. Save some money to pay cash for the course.

C. Do some research on how to best prepare for the CNA course so I can succeed.

3. Visit, Intern, and job shadow for future jobs.

A. Narrow down job opportunities down to 2 by the end of spring semester.

B. Research these companies thoroughly to decide which is best for me and my family.

C. Graduate UVU and go to work in some form by end of summer 2011.

1-5 Year Smart Goals

1. Graduate from UVU summer of 2011. Associate of applied science.

2. Apply for graduate schools in desired fields.

3. Gain Employment in desired field to gain valuable experience.

4. Set career path goals with goals towards retirement. Lend my skills out to my employer to attain promotions while creating valuable relationships.

Reflections

Derek Stephenson

Career and Major Exploration

Lesson 15

Reflection Paper

When I first read over the syllabus that was offered in this class I thought to myself “is this a class I really want to take?” Of course, I’m the slacker who waits to long to drop the class so I’m stuck. Having said that I realized over the semester that not only was I extremely undecided on a major and career path but I lacked some valuable skills when it came to interviewing and marketing myself in this crazy rat race we call life. At the beginning of the semester when we had to figure out our short and long term goals I thought this would be easy, I had my future pretty well planned out. I was wrong. Everyone says put your goals down on paper that way they will be easier to follow and usually in succession. After putting my goals down on paper I realized that I was very unorganized and had no real idea of where my life and career could go. Both my school and career goals have always been in the back of my head and so seeing them on paper was like a map with clear directions. I have achieved a lot of the short term goals that I set for myself at the beginning of class and I have also added more to help keep me on track. Another valuable skill that I took out of this class was how to market my knowledge, skills and abilities to an employer. In this day and age of layoffs and outsourcing, our job market has become extremely competitive. I have learned some valuable skills that will hopefully allow me to set myself apart from the other candidates. I loved the elevator speech lesson. I think if you perfected that short speech you could potentially land any job you desire. I have not yet narrowed down what I want to be when I grow up(if that ever happens) but after doing the job shadowing assignment I have learned one job that I don’t want to do. I had plans to go to school to be a respiratory therapist because of a friend who loves his job doing that exact thing. After job shadowing for just an 8 hour day I am totally sure that is one job that I’m not cut out for. Had I not job shadowed, I might have wasted all that time and money learning something that I really might not like. I have learned to try on the shoes before you run the marathon. At the end of the semester when it came to revising the goals that I had set previously, it made me realize how important it is to look at your goals often. I realize plans can change but if you stick to your goals and work hard at your craft, you will eventually achieve success and happiness. I mean look at me it only took 5 years of night school to get an associate of applied science degree. Maybe in another 5 years I will finally receive a bachelor’s degree. I plan on continuing my education (at night or online) and hopefully get accepted to graduate school. I currently have a terrific job that I love and have worked at for the past 6 years but I want to give myself options if I need them. I may have already found my career at my current position. I have seen a lot of people who have lost their jobs because of the downturn in the economy or their position is no longer needed. For some of these people this was their only job they ever had and they don’t have many transferable skills and have trouble finding work. I want to give myself options, and the way to do that is with education and hard work.

Shadow for a day

Derek Stephenson Job Shadow

I performed a day of work as a Respiratory Therapist at Park City Hospital. My overall impression of the job shadowing experience was that this was a very valuable experience. After job shadowing for just a day I saw some things that I had no idea the job entailed. I know you don’t learn everything in one day but it made me realize there are some unglamorous things in the medical field that school just can’t prepare you for. A job shadow could save you lots of time and money as far as school is concerned. It can also develop many good relationships and potential job leads for future employment. I think I need to do some more research before choosing this as my proffesion.

Michelle Colledge

RN/RT Park City Hospital

Why did you choose respiratory therapy as a profession? The choice was easy for me because I graduated in Respiratory Therapy so when it came time to go to work I could actually use the degree that I worked so hard for.

What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy helping people and making them feel better. I also enjoy the people and environment that I work in.

What are some things you don’t enjoy about your job? Well, you make relationships with patients that you see on a day to day basis and occasionally a patient’s condition can worsen and some don’t survive and that can be difficult to deal with.

Do you find these circumstances difficult to cope with? Yes and no, in the beginning it took some getting used to, but I have learned to deal with these situations and I have learned to leave my work at work.

Is this job in your long term career plans? Yes, in some fashion I plan on continuing my job as an R/T. As an RT you can work in many different fields of medicine.

What other medical fields are available to an RT? You can go to work as a Life Flight RT, also a NICU RT a RN/RT, and there are many more fields where a Respiratory Therapist can find work.

How long did you go to school to become a Respiratory Therapist? I went to school at UVU for 3 years, going to night school trying to get accepted to Webers program and eventually was accepted. Then it was another 7 semesters or so and I finally was done. Weber State had a great RT program and I would recommend it to all.

Overall is Respiratory Therapy a satisfying career? Yes, I enjoy the work, the hours, I have a sense of self accomplishment and I feel like I’m making a difference in patients’ lives. I look forward to coming to work each day. Oh yeah and I enjoy the people that surround me each day.

Mock Interview

Mock Interview

I did my interview with Dr. Alan College MD. (Do not contact per request)

This experience was helpful because it gave me some refreshers on interviewing. I haven’t interviewed in almost 6 years. Also It gave me some hints on what to ask if I ever do the interviewing again.

The most difficult question was to name an experience where you may have failed and had to correct the situation. It’s hard to show yourself in a positive light when speaking of a bad or negative experience. I believe these questions can sometimes be the most advantageous question in an interview.

Some advice I might give to someone preparing for an interview would be to be prepared. Gather research on the company your interviewing for. It shows interest and initiative. And an interviewer will potentially ask you questions about their company just to see if you did your homework about them.

Some things I learned are to be prepared to speak on a negative experience, also be prepared to speak highly about yourself without demeaning others, another thing I learned were some ways to steer around the desired salary questions.

I need to do some more homework on the company I am applying for. Have an answer to any possible questions that may arise about the company. Also come prepared with some stories and be able to try to relate with the interviewer. Stories tend to stick in the heads of the interviewer. Be able to stand out in a good way, weather its with the way you dress, smell, shake hands, voice flection, whatever… show confindence.