and my professional growth
Personal & Professional Growth
My time at my internship has helped my become more self-assured and motivated. Previous to my time I was unsure if I knew what I was getting into and if I was capable, but from the feedback, I have been able to actually believe I have a successful career in front of me. I also had never worked in an office building before, most of my work experience came from working in a restaurant which is a very different environment, but I now feel like I will be able to quickly adapt. Below is my excerpt from my last day going through the process of leaving my internship. Rereading this months later has made me realized how much I grew that month, please take a minute to read it below.
I chose this journal entry because I was able to really reflect on my experience as a whole. It reminded me of how much I enjoyed my time and realized that work does not always have to be a negative thing. I have definitely grown in that mindset where I am no longer afraid of becoming a professional. One quote that still stands true and shows the part of my growth I am most proud of is " I have come to be prepared for coming in and knowing what is expected of me, so hopefully, in the future, I will be able to have realistic expectations and standards I can set". While I had the professional skills taught to me thanks to my business classes previously, I never was able to experience the preparation needed to go into a professional environment like ABET. I have grown to understand professionalism as valuing yourself and your employer and wanting to do right by both. There are going to be both standards I must follow, but also standards I should set to ensure that my time with a company is beneficial to both and I am continuing my growth.
Being able to see myself as a strong and capable professional is something I am incredibly proud of. I hope I continue to grow and reach my fullest potential as I am given more opportunities like this in the future.