Votive Slip folio 38 verso 1This term’s work experience was incredibly valuable for my future employment because it challenged me to work under circumstances that I had never had to work under before. The projects each of the DREAM lab employees completed this term are things that we can reference in future interviews as proof of our ability to overcome difficulties. As an employee of the physical DREAM Lab space, most of my time was taken up by serving patrons directly. Whether that was via technological assistance, scheduling future meetings or helping to set up for workshops, working in the DREAM Lab helped me to develop better communication and customer service skills. However, for this term there were no patrons to serve and thus the characteristics of this job changed drastically. Rather than helping with setup, each of the DREAM Lab employees were responsible for translating a digital project, completely independently. I think a lot of the value from this term comes from the fact that each of us as employees were given the opportunity to do something completely new and unknown. I, for example, had very little experience working with WordPress. I made the occasional post on our internal DREAM Lab blog, but I had almost no knowledge of the platform prior to this term. Now, thanks to my project assignment, I feel both competent and confident when it comes to building a website on WordPress. This term was an ideal time to learn a new tech skill because, as DSS employees, we had constant access to experts in data management, website building, and digital scholarship that could help whenever we ran into an issue with our project. Having the ability to meet with Gabriele and Azle before we started the translation process gave me an immense amount of clarity on how I should work through the project.

Even beyond the technological skills that I gained, I think the most valuable work experience this term has given me is a greater understanding of how to work independently, effectively, and efficiently. When employers are reviewing applicants, they of course look at qualifications, but they also look at how an applicant would fit into the greater scheme of the company. The flexibility and problem-solving skills that this term have taught me give reference points during interviews for how adaptable I can be as an employee. The DREAM Lab has given me experience both with patron-oriented services and independent project-based work. Both of these experiences are valuable for nearly every job that I can think of. Having had to work in vastly different environments and with vastly different focuses allows me to show future interviewers my potential value as an employee. Rather than just having customer service experience or just independent work experience, I can now say that I maintained a high standard of professionalism and consistency, even when the responsibilities of my job changed drastically. Employers are looking for individuals who will not just meet the bullet points of a job description, but will produce high quality work and will fit into the company culture. An ideal new employee will be willing to learn and willing to adapt in order to best serve the company. I believe the DREAM Lab helped me improve that aspect of my work this term. 

Image Credit: Votive Slip folio 38 verso 1