Job Shadows: What You Saw, Part 2

Here's a sampling of some of the various job shadows done by you all (this will be updated as job shadow reports are turned in, so please check back frequently). Take a look and see what you can learn from everyone's visits. There's a lot of good stuff here to help you decide what you want to do with your lives; what you need to be doing to get there; and what to expect when you do get there.

Please give each one of these a quick read, will you?

*****

On Wednesday, March 5, I job shadowed Promotions Director and Morning Show Co-host Tina Bree at the radio station Star 105.5 in Crystal Lake, Illinois. Tina was born and raised in the Chicago-area and studied radio at the Illinois Center for Broadcasting. Tina has worked at Star 105.5 for six years and is the Morning Show Co-host with Joe Cicero. The live Morning Show with Joe Cicero and Tina Bree is weekdays at 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. Star has a sister station 103.9 The Fox, which is in the same building with roughly 10 employees.

I arrived to the Star 105.5 station at 9:45 a.m. to meet Tina to begin my day of job shadowing a regular day in the office. Tina said the Star community is small with only 20 employees so they are very close and collaborative. Tina made me comfortable by having me meet everyone at the station right away. She handed me over to Molly Jackson, known as Mojo at the station who is the promotions coordinator and on-air at nights, to take me on a tour of the station and meet co-workers. Each office had their own computer and the building was playing the Star music over loudspeakers. Back in Tina’s office, which she shares with Mojo, I sat at an empty desk and Tina put me right to work that surprised me because I didn’t think I would have any hands on work.

Mojo had me pull airchecks that are basically a ‘check’ of what was ‘aired’ for a contest, remote, charity, interview, and pull them for clients. I jumped right into it and watched her pull one on the computer. I found it almost like editing a movie that we have done in class, but instead of iMovie they use a program called Profiler that is a recorded version of what goes over the air. It was my turn and I got the hang of it really quickly. I sent about three or four pulls to clients and right at about 10:30 was the conference meeting I was able to sit in and listen to.

The conference was held in the back conference room with six workers sitting around a large, oval shaped table then Joe and Tina started discussing their next big giveaway and concert. I was surprised to hear the name Phillip Phillips be thrown onto the table as one of the celebrities they had in mind. Star has some of his tickets to give away on-air, but they were trying to contact his PR director to get Phillips to the station and be live on-air with them in the morning. Tina said that Phillips people will not give Star a direct contact to the PR director and that they will keep trying, but to not get hopes up. They moved to discussing working on summer concert packages.

“We are booked for every Saturday event until the middle of July already, so it is going to be a very busy summer compared to others,” said Mojo.

After the meeting ended, Mojo went to record her show for that night and I did not know that radio hosts can record their shows for that day or even the next day. I learned that more goes into the live shows that can be very hectic in the 3 a.m. mornings. Tina said that in the mornings before the live show, she has interns pull news for that day to talk about on the show and also has the interns running the boards to cut to commercial on cue or if someone’s mic is low they can turn it up.

While sitting back at the desk, Tina showed me how to handle prize giveaways. If the winner answered the phone, Tina would congratulate them on their prize and let them know that their prize was for pickup at the station or they could send it to them in the mail. Once the caller’s information was taken, Tina hung up the phone and said, “It’s that easy!”

Towards the end of the day, since there was no event going on, which usually happens on the Fridays and Saturdays, Tina apologized that there wasn’t any real excitement at the station and asked me to come back again after school ends to actually get a feel for what it is like on a busy day and see how the live on-air talk works. I felt very special being asked back because it made me feel like I gave a good impression. Hopefully it could potentially lead to an internship at the radio station since I would love working in the promotions department and possibly get on-air.

Overall, the job shadow was very helpful because in the future I want to ultimately be on E News as an anchor. I have realized that you have to start from the bottom in any industry in which you learn and grow to become successful in the future, whether it be TV or radio or even newspaper. The pace and the process of the behind the scenes of radio helped me realize how much goes into a live show and preparedness is key. The job shadow will be very beneficial to my career moving forward.

*****

Out-Of-Class #3: An Excellent Final Example

(name redacted)

April 15^th, 2014

OOC #3 Rewrite: Benefits of Studying Abroad

College is all about exploring new things and stepping out of your comfort zone, and what better way to build upon this than by traveling to a different country? 

Michigan State University offers hundreds of unique and nationally-recognized study abroad programs that provide students with numerous benefits, which can better prepare them for their future career and provide a global perspective that can enhance their education on campus.

MSU is currently No. 4 in terms of nationwide study abroad participation, according to Cheryl Benner, the communications manager for MSU’s Office of Study Abroad.

About 1 in 4 undergraduate students have participated in a study abroad program at least once, which translates into about 26 percent of the entire undergraduate population at MSU, said Benner.

With about 300 different programs and 2,514 students who participated in the 2012-2013 academic year, she said MSU’s ranking is expected to move up in November when this data is released.

Other than having the opportunity to explore a different country while receiving credit for various courses, Benner said one of the most important benefits for anyone studying abroad is the set of skills they acquire.

“No matter where you travel to, you’re going to build skills that you can talk about in an interview,” said Benner. “When you go abroad, you learn to be more resourceful and adaptable, and those are skills that are going to resonate in any job.”

According to Human Resources Generalist Aaron Buchholz from Key Safety Systems, having a study abroad experience on a resume makes an individual more valuable. 

He said such experiences allow individuals to improve their communication skills and gain cultural awareness, both of which are skills that can help a prospective employee stand out from the rest.

“Knowing the cultural nuances and how to work within another culture is huge,” said Buchholz.  “You’re five steps ahead of somebody who doesn’t have this experience.”

MSU senior Logan O’Neil said after participating in a four-week program to the United Kingdom in the summer of 2012, she developed many transferable skills that have helped her to feel more confident about entering the job market in the future.

She said problem-solving skills, time management, and versatility were among the main abilities that she strengthened while on the program called Britain and the World: Politics, Love and Conflict.

According to O’Neil, her professor instilled these skills in the students by simply assigning a map with a designated time and location to meet, and challenging them to navigate through the uncharted cities on their own.

“I definitely feel more comfortable with change and adapting to unfamiliar situations,” said O’Neil.

MSU junior Bronson Herman experienced similar benefits while he studied in Costa Rica in the Ethics of Tourism and Sustainable Development Program during the summer of his sophomore year.

“Our professor wouldn’t tell us much, so we just had to observe and interpret a lot on our own,” said Herman.   

He said, “being totally out of your element” was the most valuable aspect of his experience because it allowed him to become more independent and self-reliant.

Although language barriers are another challenge of exploring a foreign country, overcoming these difficulties and gaining experience in interpersonal communication is another significant skill that students can develop and benefit from in the future, according to Benner.

While in Costa Rica, Herman said he taught at the local high school where he made several presentations in Spanish, which significantly improved his public speaking skills.

“Giving presentations in English just seems like a breeze now,” he said.

Herman said his speaking skills also improved as a result of being forced into the new culture of Costa Rica and using only Spanish while communicating and interacting with the two host families he lived with.

He said his improved communication skills allowed him to network with faculty members from the local high school and other community organizations he was involved in.

As a result of the connections he made, Herman said he was offered an internship in Panama, as well as the opportunity to return to Costa Rica and continue his instruction in the school this summer.

 O’Neil said she also utilized communication skills on her trip, which helped her to establish a good relationship with Dr. Malcolm Magee, the MSU professor who led the excursion.

O’Neil said she currently works for Magee as an administrative assistant by recruiting students, helping them organize their local travel, and making sure they are adjusting to the new culture.

After working alongside Magee, O’Neil said she was presented with the opportunity to travel to the UK for a second time in the summer of 2013 as the program assistant.

Among other benefits, a majority of students who study abroad experience higher graduation rates, along with increases in their GPA’s after returning home from overseas, according to a study called the GLOSSARI Project.

The Georgia Learning Outcomes of Students Studying Abroad Research Initiative conducted research across the entire University System of Georgia, which consists of 35 different institutions.

The research shows that students who studied abroad had a 49.6 percent four-year graduation rate as compared to the 42.1 percent graduation rate of students who didn’t have such an experience.

It was further discovered that the cumulative GPA of students who studied abroad increased from 3.24 before their trip, to 3.30 after they returned home. The control group, consisting of students who did not study abroad, experienced an increase in their cumulative GPA from 3.03 to 3.06 during this same period of time.

In addition to having a positive impact on GPA and graduation rates, MSU faculty member Cheryl Pell said another major benefit for students who study abroad is gaining a global perspective that enhances their education upon returning to MSU.

Pell, who leads students in the visual communications study abroad program to Barcelona and Berlin, said students incorporate their experiences in their work for other classes.

She said two students who participated in the visual communications program last summer utilized their new geographical knowledge and pictures to create a brochure for their graphic arts course.

“Students get to really be a part of the country, as opposed to being a tourist,” Pell said. “Students come back here with a renewed sense of themselves.”

According to Herman, traveling to a different country really allowed him to observe the world from a different viewpoint.

“I’m more motivated to discuss issues abroad, rather than just domestic issues,” he said. “Seeing how influential the U.S. is on different countries is really eye-opening.”

O’Neil shares this sentiment and said she is always finding ways to draw on what she learned in order to keep her study abroad experience relevant in her everyday life.  

“Having an understanding that the world is so much larger than just the small town you’re from sounds so cliché, but once you go and experience it, there’s really nothing quite like it,” she said.

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Sources

Cheryl Benner, Communications Manager at the MSU Office of Study Abroad

517-432-5166

bennerc@msu.edu

Logan O’Neil, MSU Student

616-540-7569

oneillog@msu.edu

Bronson Herman, MSU Student

313-574-6361

hermanb5@msu.edu

Cheryl Pell, MSU School of Journalism Faculty Member

pell@msu.edu

Aaron Buchholz

Human Resources Generalist for Key Safety Systems 

586-377-6171

GLOSSARI Project

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2010-07-14-IHE-study-abroad-benefits13_ST_N.htm

Out-Of-Class #3: Another Excellent Final Example

(name redacted)

April 1^st, 2014

College Coaches

Student-athletes are constantly at war with time, but what about college coaches who also have lives outside of practice, meets, and games?

            College coaches who have children have to learn how to balance time and they are always learning something to implement into their lives, whether it is from their families or athletes.

            Grand Valley State University head women’s basketball Coach Janel Burgess said she has a 10-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl at home.

            Fifteen years ago she started coaching right out of college and has been learning how to balance time ever since, Burgess said.

            “As a student-athlete and a coach you always have to learn how to time-balance,” she said.

            MSU Director of Coaching Education Larry Lauer, an expert on coaching development said via email “(As a coach) you're not going to have as much time for family unfortunately, so if the family is prepared it makes it easier. Also, the more you can involve the family in your team environment, it helps them (the children) feel connected to what mom or dad is doing.”

            Burgess said she learned how to balance her schedule from her mentors who all had kids of their own.

She works close to 60 to 70 hours a week, Burgess said.

Though she works a lot, Burgess said this does not affect her personal life.

“My family and I do this together, sure there are times I am gone a lot. But we make the most of our time; quality not quantity is our motto,” she said via email.

            LaKita Gantz, the head women’s basketball coach at Oakland Community College, said she also learned how to manage her time with her athletes and child from coaches she had watched before her.

            Not only did she learn from previous coaches but also from raising her 10-year-old brother, Gantz said.

            Via email Gantz said her brother began living with her in the year 2000 and she took care of him until 2006 when he moved back in with their mom.

            “I actually took care of my brother who was 10 years old. He became like my own child,” she said.

            Gantz said she took her brother everywhere she went.

            “As an assistant boy’s coach, I was able to take him to practices and spend time on the weekends with him,” she said.

            Gantz said the experience with her brother helped her to learn what she should not do with raising her own son, who is now nine years old.

            “I treated him like my son, but I pushed him really hard because he was really behind,” she said.

            She said she tried to push her brother into basketball when he did not want to do it and learned that this was harmful for him.

            “If the kid is not interested in the sport or doesn’t show initiative then you should not push them to do it,” she said.

            Lauer said coaches can learn from their experiences and implement what they learn into their parenting.

            “As a coach you should learn how to communicate with youth in ways to motivate them, to teach them for understanding, and to discipline,” he said.

            Sometimes being without her son can be difficult, Gantz said.

            “I am always thinking about the time I spend with him when I am with other people,” Gantz said.

Though she is busy with scheduling practices and games, Gantz said she does not miss out on anything with her son.

“As a mother I feel like he is my first obligation. I schedule everything with my son in mind,” she said.

Gantz said she brings her son to work with her so she does not spend too much time apart from him.

            “I’m happy to have a job where I can bring him; he’s with me the majority of the time,” she said.

            Burgess said one of her mentors taught her “you can be very good at coaching but you have to be a good mom first and a good wife first.”

            Sometimes she felt guilty knowing her husband was at home with the newborn, she said.

            She said because she is constantly moving between coaching and parenting, she learned she has to turn the switch of being a parent or coach relatively quickly.

            Burgess said she is blessed because her family is very involved in her work life.

            She said her players and children have the chance to grow up side-by-side.

            Danielle Crandall, a senior on Burgess’ GVSU women’s basketball team, said via email, “Seeing her family helps me personally to feel more comfortable. She trusts her kids with us and that’s huge.”

            Lauer said being a parent might also help someone grow as a coach.

             “I think coaches that are parents better understand what kids are experiencing and often are more patient. Coaches that are parents may be less likely to objectify athletes as pawns to be used to win games because of the emotional investment you have with your own children,” he said.

            Crandall said she notices Burgess implementing parenting skills into practices sometimes.

            “The way she deals with certain kids reflects her parenting. She is ‘softer’ with some kids and ‘harder’ on others. Sometimes she will put her arm around one of us like a mom might,” she said.

            Crandall said she enjoys when Burgess brings her family to practices.

            “I feel comfortable in this family and I would think that her immediate family feels comfortable with us,” she said.

            Burgess said sometimes she has to take time out of practice for family reasons.

            “I had to take my daughter to an E.R. in the middle of practice,” she said.

            Her daughter had an allergic reaction to something unknown, she said.

            Burgess said she huddled her team up, explained to them why she had to leave, and then left while practice continued without her.

            Gantz said she plans special things on the weekends for her and her son to do that does not have anything to do with basketball.

            She said “though I train and coach basketball, I send my kid to other coaches because I know that’s going to help him more.”

            Gantz said having a son who enjoys basketball makes it easier.

            “I’m a blessed parent who has a kid who loves what I do,” she said.

            Though being a parent teaches coaches how to treat their student athletes, both Gantz and Burgess said being a coach helps out with parenting as well.

            “As a coach you care about your student athletes as you do your own children,” Burgess said.

            Burgess said her kids learn important values from watching the athletes.

            The athletes may also learn a few values from watching their coaches’ families as well.

            “I have learned how to deal with people better and how to resolve conflicts that occur between kids. Even though we are college athletes we still have some players who act like fifth-graders. I have learned the importance of family also. Her career is a family thing and everyone in her family in involved. She has made it so that we all are a family and we all take care of each other when needed,” Crandall said.

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LaKita Gantz

Head Women’s Basketball Coach

Oakland Community College

2900 Featherstone Rd. Building H

Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Cell: (313) 682-5482

Fax: (248) 232-4518

https://www.oaklandcc.edu/

Janel Burgess

Head Women’s Basketball Coach

Grand Valley State University

(616)734-3373

burgesja@gvsu.edu

Danielle Crandall

crandald@mail.gvsu.edu

Larry Lauer Expert on Coaching Development

championshipconsulting@gmail.com

561-289-8512