Author: sokolost

I recognize that a lot of my classmates did not complete this assignment, but the thing that I learned the most from was the “How to Play to Your Strengths” final graduate assignment. To provide context, the graduate students were required to reach out to 5 individuals in our life and ask them to tell us what they perceived as our greatest strengths were. After completion, we then analyzed the data and compiled it into a job description. However, for the purpose of what I found most important, the second half was just supplementary. 

Despite the fact that I hated asking for others to in essence tell me what they liked about me when I received my responses it made my day. The main reason why is because some aspects about myself that I did not necessarily view as a strength others saw as one of my best strengths. Even though I recognize how important knowing the laws and regulation are to be aware of and structure interviews around, I have taken other courses that have covered the implications of improper recruitment strategies, but I have yet to take a class that asked me to gather information from those around me about myself. 

By flipping the script on how one analyzes what their strengths are it allows a more holistic understanding of how to play to your strengths. I also appreciated how we were not asked what our weaknesses were (as this would be what I would focus primarily on). If you have not read this article and participated in the exercise, I would highly recommend you to do so because it has given me a new confidence that I did not have before. 

Lastly, this information that you gather about yourself can be utilized in many different ways throughout the job process and once you start working in a company. My perspective is that it will really be essential post-hire as you are able then to shine in the tasks that you do on a daily basis at the organization. For instance, one of the aspects that was highlighted about myself was that I am very optimistic. This trait can really be of use to my advancement in a company as I am able to leverage my perspective, especially in a difficult situation to how that will be a benefit to the team I am working with. 

If you have a moment this Summer I would really recommend reading over and doing the activity that this article instructs. 

Have a lovely Summer everyone! 
Link: https://hbr.org/2005/01/how-to-play-to-your-strengths

1. What am I good at? 
   1. I am really good at not settling for “less than” what I know I am capable of. This takes a variety of forms as my skills range depending on the focus, but I am persistent and give every task my all. I am also very good at time management and understanding how to allocate my time to achieve my desired results. 
2. What do I value?
   1. I value recognition for my contributions and advancements. I do not enjoy staying in the same position for long if I know that I am not able to move up. Lastly, I am pretty motivated by money as it provides stability. 
3. How did I get here?
   1. I put myself in positions a lot of other individuals would not necessarily like to do. My path really started being defined in high school when I worked hard and was able to graduate with approximately 37 transfer credits. Then in college, I stayed very focused and engaged with campus activities to allow me to graduate in 3 years. Now, I am able to teach in the Communication department (which covers tuition and gives a living stipend) and will finish my Masters next Spring term. 
4. Where am I going? 
   1. If I continue down this path, I do anticipate having career success. However, I also am trying to get more mindful to slow down and take more time to enjoy where I am at and the people around me. I am very much a workaholic but I want to try to incorporate a bit more balance in my life.

Extraversion: My score indicated that I am average in this category. This means that I enjoy being around others, but also need time alone. The test indicated avoidance of crowds, a high activity level, and expressing optimistic emotions. Agreeableness: My score indicated that I am low in this category. This means that I show less concern with others’ needs and am viewed as tough, critical, and uncompromising. The test indicated I assume people have good intentions, believe a certain amount of deception in social relationships is necessary, more likely to intimidate others to get their way, and have high self-confidence. Conscientiousness: My score indicated that I am high in this category. This means that I set clear goals and pursue them with determination and being viewed as reliable and hard-working. The test indicated I am confident in my ability to accomplish things, well-organized, strong sense of moral obligation, strive for excellence, strong will-power, and think before acting Neuroticism: My score indicated that I am low in this category. This means that I am exceptionally calm, composed, and unflappable. The test indicated I believe something dangerous is about to happen, free from depressive emotions, focused on long-term consequences or desires, and am more poised, confident, and clear-thinking when stressed. Openness to Experience: My score indicated that I am average in this category. This means my thinking is neither simple or complex. The test indicated I focus on facts, am uncomfortable with change, love to play with ideas, and challenge authority.  

If an employer were to look at these results I believe there are a few things that would stand out as “red flags”. One of these areas and I will also state I do think this looks worse than it is, would be agreeableness. If the employer is looking for an individual who will come to work and just perform as told, I would not be a good fit for that company. Primarily because if I see a way to improve efficiency within the organization I will state my opinion. Additionally, if my name is going on a document or representing me I want it to be done to my satisfaction. I firmly believe that reputation is everything in business and as a result, I want everything my name is on to be well polished and professional. 

An area I think employers would be happy to see is that I scored very high in conscientiousness and low in neuroticism. While these may not be strong characteristics in every industry, I am hoping to pursue a long-term job in consulting with Deloitte, and in this industry, it is important to establish a strong work ethic and stay steady during stressful periods.

If I was a business owner, my answer would vary depending on the job. 

In a world where I would hire Avery the job would be in a high stake environment where pay is directly tied to compensation. Now to clarify, I am not staying that the job has to be sales, but Avery would have very specific targets that directly address their skill set. For instance, if this individual was very efficient at programing, they would be required to code a specific number in order to prove useful for the company. If Avery is not reaching the targets set I would see no use to keep Avery on the payroll if they are a slacker. A companies culture could be crippled if Avery sets a standard of low effort so Avery must prove usefulness using a cost-benefit analysis in order for me to keep this individual on my staff. On the other hand, I would hire a Jaime for a role that has lots of human interaction, a great deal of teamwork involved, but low risk and low stress. The main reason why hiring a Jaime would be beneficial is that it would be a boast in moral and set the standard that one must work hard doing every task. A job I could see a Jaime excelling at is working PR for different fundraisers or hosting events to connect and engage with the target customers. These are both very important and big projects for the company but involve lots more people working them, and it is not as worrisome as say if they were in accounting and didn’t know how to balance the books. However, and this is just based on the description, I would not put anything that is new or very difficult to be handled solely by this individual. I would expect a Jamie to be efficient working in a team where another person can delegate, but not something where Jamie is in full control.

When asked: what is your brand, my response would be such: I am not afraid of public speaking; I currently have taught over 120 students. I will be the first person in the office, and the last person to leave. I am very driven; currently, I am the youngest graduate teaching assistant in my department by over a year. I am not afraid to try something new, even if I know it is not in my wheelhouse. When I was senior year, I took a business statistics course as an elective that way I would better understand the methodology being used in quantitive research papers. Lastly, I worked with upper management to develop new procedures to ensure employees would have proper avenues to use if they experience sexual harassment from customers. I did this because I believe it is my job, along with all of my coworkers, to make sure we have a workplace environment that is supportive, inclusive, and safe for everyone. 

I think a unique way to express this to future employers is through sharing short statements that support every claim that you make. For instance, if they ask you what are your strengths, have a few keywords to emphasize but after each one tell why you choose this word or what is fitting about this. While doing this I think the best approach could be through bolding keywords, or if using a video as a means of distribution, have an image appear with the keyword and then include your responses. For instance in the video, the image could appear “hardworking” then flash to you giving your short fun response to why you possess this quality. I strongly believe that it is important to show your face and if possible, hear the person’s voice and see active facials, beucase just words on a page or on a screen can’t carry the same impact as a fun video where you would receive all of those non-verbals. 

Another fun way I think this could be done is by creating a video of what other people around you think of you or how you are to work with. In this way, you build your credibility by incorporating other individuals. Additionally, I think it is often easier to talk about the qualities you love in another person than it is for you to speak about the qualities you think you do well in. 

The job that comes to the top of my mind when the question of “job description” is posed is my summers at Hills Resort. It is honestly one of the most breathtaking places in the whole wide world. Because of that, to date, I have spent three summers in Priest Lake, Idaho. 

I first heard of the job four summers back when my family and I went camping at Reeder Bay. At the time, I was a nanny (a job I don’t think I will ever do again – honestly the hardest job I’ve ever had). After my freshman year, I applied to be a waitress at the resort. I had no experience working in a resort or as a waitress, but thankfully they took a chance on me and hired me for the position of a waitress. 

In the interview, it stressed a lot about how it was a family up at the lake, and I thought I understood that. I was wrong. My perspective was that it was family-centered in the aspect that their main client was families. While this is true, it also means that everyone you work with becomes part of your family as well. 

For instance, I was placed in the “Kali House” which was employee housing they provide for everyone working at the resort. I knew about this “perk” but I didn’t know that the girls I would live with would be some of the most empowering and incredible women I would get the chance to meet. The same goes for my co-workers, managers, and the owners; they are all now part of my extended family. Another perk is we get to take out all of the paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes for free which is another highlight of the summers at the lake. 

So a job description is great; but it can only go so far.

In 2018, Victoria’s Secret Chief Marketing Executive, Ed Razek was asked why the annual fashion show did not include plus-size or transgender models. His response to why they don’t have transgender models included was such:

“No, I don’t think we should. Well, why not? Because the show is a fantasy. It’s a 42-minute entertainment special. That’s what it is” (Cadens, 2018, p. 1).

Despite the fact that I am not part of either community, this comment appalled me. What right does Ed Razek have to say what constitutes a fantasy? In fact, Nikita Dragun responded to Victoria’s Secret by making a video that demonstrates and epitomizes the “fantasy” Victoria’s Secret is attempting to sell. And as I am sure you could predict, she is a Trans Woman.

Before Razek’s comment, I shopped at Victoria’s Secret. However, once I was made aware of their beliefs, or the beliefs of a single individual it made me shift my purchases to another brand. While I recognize that not all individuals associated with the brand hold this belief, but in a market where I have agency over which companies I support, I will support a company that does not ever endource this behavior especially within executives.  

Lastly, I am asked to respond to the question if this would impact my decision to work for the company in the future. 100% it has influenced me to never work for this company. As women, society influences our perceptions of how we view ourselves and our worth. I refuse to work in an environment that continues to perpetuate these harmful stereotypes and ideologies around me. Where we work will consume a large portion of our lives. Therefore, I want to work somewhere that makes me proud to go to work everyday and upholds similar beliefs. 

Work Cited:

Cadenas, Kerensa. (November 10, 2018). Victoria’s Secret Apologizes After Executive’s Statements About Transgender and Plus-Size Models. Vanity Fair. Fashion Industry. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2018/11/victorias-secret-ed-razek-comments

Dragun, Nikit. (December 5, 2018). “dear Victoria’s Secret, you said trans women can’t sell the “fantasy” so here i am as a TRANS WOMAN selling the FANTASY!” @NikitaDragun. https://twitter.com/nikitadragun/status/1070453128321847296

I argue that marketing should be allocated more resources. The evidence for my claim is supported by their 2018 football advertisement. 

Before diving into the image, I need to provide some context on Oregon’s history. A lot of individuals have the misconception that Oregon is very inclusive, but did you know that Oregon’s constitution outlawed individuals of color. By law, any person of color living in Oregon could be brought to the town center for a public lashing every six weeks. In the early 2000s, a proposition to remove this language from Oregon’s constitution was met with great resistance. 

With this in mind, flash forward to 2018 when U of O its latest campaign: surround yourself with savages. In this ad, one can see how the backdrop was white-washed, in stark contrast to the skin color of these individuals featured. Not only does the word “Savage” have horrendous connotations, but these connotations are also compounded by the history of the state in which this image was produced: Oregon has been less than accepting of individuals of color throughout its existence as a state. 

Some critics of my analysis claim that pop culture has “redefined” the term savage to mean strong, determined, fierce, all traits you need in football. However, if the words are synonymous, why not use one of them? This is a University-sponsored advertisement for a school, it should take this into account when releasing material to represent the whole student body.  

Bottom line is that the University of Oregon’s ignorance of intercultural communication and history resulted in the creation of harmful marketing material. I recognize that recruitment and selection are important aspects of a company, however, it is a strength when more funds are allocated to marketing to stop the systematic oppression that is being perpetuated.

Work Cited:

Nemec, Andrew. (October 29, 2018). Prediction: Will Oregon Ducks add 4-start LB Jared Casey on Thursday? The Oregonian. Image courtesy of Mase Funa. https://www.oregonlive.com/recruiting/2018/10/prediction_will_oregon_ducks_a.html

UO Matters. (December 16, 2018) UO Pres Michael Schill should fire Duck Coach Mario Cristobal for cause. Image courtesy of Mario Cristobal. http://uomatters.com/2018/11/duck-coach-mario-cristobal-should-be-fired-for-cause.html

Fall term, I was attending every sort of career workshop I could find. Trying to find an internship as a Graduate student is much harder than it sounds. But, one day I went to the first of a four meeting series with Deloitte and thought that I could maybe see myself finding a place in this company. 

I ended up attending every meeting that was held and received word that I would have the opportunity to interview. Prior to the first round of interviews, Deloitte hosted a dinner at McMenamins to help ease the stress before the big day. That night, we talked about our personal lives and honestly, work was never central to the conversations.

For the interview process, Deloitte has case and personality interviews. Case interviews were difficult because they were very technical — a skill I would not consider myself an expert on. When it came time for my personality interview, I was placed in a room with the head of the Portland office. To my surprise though, we spent a large portion of the time talking about our favorite books. The next day I was invited back for round two. Later that week, I was offered a Summer Scholars Internship in the Human Capital Consulting sector. 

After being extended an offer, Deloitte invited both the students offered full positions and interns to dinner at del Alma. That night we ate incredible food and talked the night away. I recognize I just briefly glossed over the actual interview, but it was because it was the interactions that happened outside of the formal process that made me fall in love with the company and people. Because of that, I accepted the offer and will, hopefully, begin my 8-week internship in June. 

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