This holiday weekend has been one of reflection and learning.
I checked out several of the titles on the extra credit reading list from the library and having been working my way through them. As I've made notes on the insights provided by each author, I have had a deep sense of gratitude for the learning and self-improvement opportunities I have been granted. Not every one is so fortunate.
As the semester comes dangerously close to finals, I will try to keep a perspective of gratitude. Millions of people would love to have the opportunity to earn a university degree. I hope someday to provide easier access to educational resources to the masses. Perhaps this hope is what draws me to libraries. I always leave those hallowed halls with a cheerier outlook on society.
Yesterday I had the great privilege of attending the services of a very dear neighbor. The chapel was filled with ward family and kin alike, some of whom had travelled from his native New Zealand for the funeral.
As I sat in the audience yesterday, I was thoroughly impressed with how well the family presented their tributes. I was particularly touched by the talk given by my friend, the departed's daughter. He adopted this darling girl and her sister from a Northern Siberian orphanage when he and his wife were in their fifties and had just entered empty nester status. Although she struggled to see her notes through her bleary eyes, she provided a measure of humor by explaining that she had printed off her thoughts in a font that was too small, allowing the audience a much-needed laugh.
Perhaps the most moving part of the service came when the deceased's oldest daughter, a Metropolitan Opera singer, shared the following poem (the same poem shared at her own mother's/his first wife's funeral) right before performing Weepin' Mary:
There was not a dry eye in the building after the performance. Clear, emotive communication is one of the most moving powers the human race possesses. We would be foolish not to practice and perfect such an incredible force.
A couple days ago my group had its first online meeting. The experience had a few hiccups, but we were able to accomplish what we had intended to accomplish.
The platform that we used was Google+ Hangouts. A couple of my team members had not used this before, and I had forgotten to complete a mock meeting during our last in-person meet-up. This would have eliminated a couple technical difficulties when we were setting the meeting up.
While the platform did force us to be more succinct than we typically are in person, I don't think that it was worth the tradeoff of losing body language cues. For example, there were times that we would all start talking at once, since the delay cut out indication that someone was about to start talking.
Overall the meeting went well and we communicated what we needed to, while resisting the urge to use the mustache feature. In the future, I would prefer live meetings, but I know that we are capable of using online meetings as an alternative if necessary.
Remember my last post? About practicing for what you want and not taking yourself out of the running? This week has been a surreal confirmation of just how powerful that kind of thinking, coupled with action, can be.
The position that I was applying for during the in-class interview was assistant manager in the BYU QA lab. I applied for the actual job at the last minute, knowing the position was not open to seniors such as myself. I was excited to gain some more interview practice to help me in my future job search. I prepped my PAR stories, created a list of ways I envisioned improving the lab, and reviewed my cover letter.
The actual interview was a really enjoyable experience. I used Professor Middleton's advice and infused humor into the conversation to help set a comfortable mood.
When asked what my least favorite part of working in the lab is, I shared an experience of slicing my finger on a jagged piece of metal during a product test. This began a roundtable of lab accident stories, with each interviewer sharing multiple similar experiences. The conversation created a nice ice breaker; I later learned that one of the other candidates almost passed out because they forgot to breath. The managers were still a bit on edge from the experience, so showing that I felt at ease in the situation allowed them to relax as well.
The next morning I received an email that began with "I am pleased to inform you ..."
I didn't need to read the rest of the email. I could not believe that I had received the position that I have wanted for the past year, but almost didn't apply for because I thought myself unqualified. I am absolutely thrilled to have a chance to improve the lab that I love working in so much, and to add some leadership experience to my resume before I graduate.
This experience furthered my belief that sometimes the only thing standing between me and what I want is my own self-doubt. Not every application results in an offer, or even an interview. But you never know where those experiences will take you until you get out of your own way and give it your best shot.
My online interview experience was interesting. I had never used the platform before (Facetime, which, I know, I should have started using years ago), which was a rookie mistake. The video cut out a couple times, but the call was never dropped.
However, I did remember the advice given in class and sat in front of a background that did not distract from the interview.
To be honest, the most difficult part of the experience was coming up with questions to ask my classmate.
I will have to be better at using the breathing skills that we talked about in class today. Even in low-pressure situations like this interview, I often forget to breath deeply and the pace of my words speeds up until my sentences become a tangled mess.
I will also have more concise stories to share about the experiences I choose to include in my resume.
Overall, the experience was a good one, and it helped me to target areas I can improve upon.
