Dear Teamsters Local 763,
I want to start by thanking your staff for their guidance and supervision this winter that allowed me to have an incredible internship experience with your organization. Your leadership throughout this experience assisted me in furthering my development as a public servant and truly finding an area of work that I am passionate in. This internship assisted me in furthering the development of my communication and writing skills, and allowed me to grow as an individual. The entire internship was extremely rewarding and I can't thank you enough for allowing me to become part of your team temporarily.
I am passionate about the union, and the representation of workers. As a whole, having an organization of workers that are dedicated to protecting members interests, improving wages, hours and working conditions, is something that is very uplifting and that I can only hope to do in my future. Having a career serving others is a career I want to be involved in. I admire your organization and your staffs hard work and dedication towards serving the Seattle community, and those among other states as well.
I appreciate your patience when it came to areas I did not fully understand, and the time you took out of your day to answer my questions. Thank you to the entire staff for taking time to share their expertise and knowledge on the field. It was through these times that I felt I was able to learn and grow the most in developing my skills over the course of the internship.
Thank you so much,
Renee Sullivan
Friday, April 17, 2015
Internship Recap
Hey Fellow Bloggers & Readers -
My internship with the Teamsters was one of the greatest experiences I've had! I can't express how thankful I am for having met such positive and vibrant people through the whole experience who made it all the more enjoyable! During my internship, I felt like I was able to accomplish many of the goals I had set for myself. One of my main goals was to balance and prioritize work on a daily basis. At times, this was hard to be honest. I did have a lot of school work and general work going on so some days were a bit more stressful than others. I truly believe that having a internship helped me learn how to keep my life organized and manage things more closely for a timely schedule.
Another goal of mine was to effectively analyze data to prepare for collective bargaining. I feel like this was my biggest struggle for my entire time at my internship, particularly because I am not good at math and do not feel confident in my math skills. This aspect of the internship really taught me to not second guess myself because I do have better skills that I see myself with math. My other goal throughout the internship process was to assist in the representation process for members concerning grievances or potential grievances. This included areas that were specific to layoff/reduction in hours, warning notices, suspensions, terminations, etc.
Overall, I did meet my initial goals. The internship truly allowed me an experience that was unforgettable, but also allowed me to see if I see myself in an area that I want to work in. I have also really enjoyed this blog experience because I have never been able to keep a blog consistent so I really enjoyed having to do it for this class!
Renee
My internship with the Teamsters was one of the greatest experiences I've had! I can't express how thankful I am for having met such positive and vibrant people through the whole experience who made it all the more enjoyable! During my internship, I felt like I was able to accomplish many of the goals I had set for myself. One of my main goals was to balance and prioritize work on a daily basis. At times, this was hard to be honest. I did have a lot of school work and general work going on so some days were a bit more stressful than others. I truly believe that having a internship helped me learn how to keep my life organized and manage things more closely for a timely schedule.
Another goal of mine was to effectively analyze data to prepare for collective bargaining. I feel like this was my biggest struggle for my entire time at my internship, particularly because I am not good at math and do not feel confident in my math skills. This aspect of the internship really taught me to not second guess myself because I do have better skills that I see myself with math. My other goal throughout the internship process was to assist in the representation process for members concerning grievances or potential grievances. This included areas that were specific to layoff/reduction in hours, warning notices, suspensions, terminations, etc.
Overall, I did meet my initial goals. The internship truly allowed me an experience that was unforgettable, but also allowed me to see if I see myself in an area that I want to work in. I have also really enjoyed this blog experience because I have never been able to keep a blog consistent so I really enjoyed having to do it for this class!
Renee
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Career Services Write Up
Hey There Fellow Bloggers & Readers -
I went to a career service event at the Downtown Phoenix campus titled "Identifying and Building Professional Relationships". I think this event was very beneficial because it is important to create strong and healthy relationships within the workplace. This not only makes work a more enjoyable place to be, but employees are also able to be more innovative and creative.
One thing I found important that I took from this event was that it is important to manage gossiping in a career setting. This has the ability to easily create tension and conflict within the workplace. It also has the ability to create mistrust between two employees. Occasionally, we all have to work with someone we don't like, but its important to try to maintain a professional relationship. Attempting to make a relationship stronger with someone you dislike, will only make the work environment a better place and ease your feelings and attitude.
Overall, I've really enjoyed going to a couple career service events this year. I definitely have found them to be very helpful, although sometimes seeming repetitive to information one most likely already knows. But I never thinks it is a bad idea just to refresh your mind on some general information!
Renee
(Blog 20 Career Services Write Up)
I went to a career service event at the Downtown Phoenix campus titled "Identifying and Building Professional Relationships". I think this event was very beneficial because it is important to create strong and healthy relationships within the workplace. This not only makes work a more enjoyable place to be, but employees are also able to be more innovative and creative.
One thing I found important that I took from this event was that it is important to manage gossiping in a career setting. This has the ability to easily create tension and conflict within the workplace. It also has the ability to create mistrust between two employees. Occasionally, we all have to work with someone we don't like, but its important to try to maintain a professional relationship. Attempting to make a relationship stronger with someone you dislike, will only make the work environment a better place and ease your feelings and attitude.
Overall, I've really enjoyed going to a couple career service events this year. I definitely have found them to be very helpful, although sometimes seeming repetitive to information one most likely already knows. But I never thinks it is a bad idea just to refresh your mind on some general information!
Renee
(Blog 20 Career Services Write Up)
Saturday, April 11, 2015
ONE MONTH till Graduation!
Hey Fellow Bloggers & Readers, and probably a couple of Seniors -
ONE MONTH FROM TODAY IS GRADUATION! Can you believe it?!? Holy cow!! I know I can't! I have been waiting forever to say this and I truly cannot believe that the final stretch is here! I can see the end...
...the end though...boy does this require a lot of work, effort, and coffee! I swear for this last month I have the most essays, projects and homework assignments I've ever had due! And it does feel like they are all due at once! I've been working so hard that I'm on track to receive a 4.0 and if not very close to it!! Now I'm not one of those straight A, 4.0 students! I've never even been on the deans list (I have been .02 away if that counts for anything) Even in High School I never had straight A's....I always had that one class I struggled with every semester! I've been trying my hardest to get a 4.0 so I can just say I did it and accomplished it! I think I would be the happiest person alive if I could receive straight A's for the first time in my life, and especially doing it my last semester!
It's important to follow your goals throughout life and I'm really trying to stick with mine this time!! Especially since its so close! I know my parents would be crazy proud of me, and thats what keeps me trying to accomplish this specific goal! This coming Wednesday I am going to have 3 weeks off work because the family I nanny for is going to Japan. I am using all the time I have off from work to dedicate to my school work!
Here is my cap that I decorated! :)
Renee
(Blog 19 Free Write)
ONE MONTH FROM TODAY IS GRADUATION! Can you believe it?!? Holy cow!! I know I can't! I have been waiting forever to say this and I truly cannot believe that the final stretch is here! I can see the end...
...the end though...boy does this require a lot of work, effort, and coffee! I swear for this last month I have the most essays, projects and homework assignments I've ever had due! And it does feel like they are all due at once! I've been working so hard that I'm on track to receive a 4.0 and if not very close to it!! Now I'm not one of those straight A, 4.0 students! I've never even been on the deans list (I have been .02 away if that counts for anything) Even in High School I never had straight A's....I always had that one class I struggled with every semester! I've been trying my hardest to get a 4.0 so I can just say I did it and accomplished it! I think I would be the happiest person alive if I could receive straight A's for the first time in my life, and especially doing it my last semester!
It's important to follow your goals throughout life and I'm really trying to stick with mine this time!! Especially since its so close! I know my parents would be crazy proud of me, and thats what keeps me trying to accomplish this specific goal! This coming Wednesday I am going to have 3 weeks off work because the family I nanny for is going to Japan. I am using all the time I have off from work to dedicate to my school work!
Here is my cap that I decorated! :)
Renee
(Blog 19 Free Write)
Difficulty of Finding Jobs Out of State
Hey fellow Bloggers and Readers -
If any of you are out-of-state students, like I am...you might have come to the realization that it is actually really hard to apply for careers in a completely different state than the one you're living in at the moment! It wasn't until recently that I experienced the hardship of this, but I wanted to share a recommendation that I think I have found to be pretty helpful!
I plan to move back to Washington hopefully by the end of May and have been looking into areas of work that I want to really focus on. I've come to the conclusion that I'm really interested in working for "Human Resources Department". After narrowing down which department of a company I was most interested in, the hunt for a career became a little bit easier because I had a little bit more specifics and the job hunt wasn't so broad.
What I found to be extremely helpful was that I googled "companies based in Washington state" rather than "jobs in Seattle" or something along those lines. When I googled "companies based in Washington State" I got a wide range of options. Starbucks, Amazon, Alaska Airlines, Zulily, Expedia, Nordstrom, A Place for Mom, and many others. Most of us have heard of at least a few, if not all of these companies. It wasn't until I goggled this that I realized just how many LARGE companies were based out of the state that I was moving back to. I then went to the each of the websites I was interested in and looked at job positions through the company specifically. For me, it was easier to look up what large companies were based in the area that I would be interested in working for, and go from there.
If you plan on moving to a different state, I suggest googling "companies based in [whatever state]"...it was really helpful and allowed me to find a ton of other companies that I've without d ruby heard of, but did not even know their headquarters were based where I was moving to!
Renee
(Blog 18 Free Write)
If any of you are out-of-state students, like I am...you might have come to the realization that it is actually really hard to apply for careers in a completely different state than the one you're living in at the moment! It wasn't until recently that I experienced the hardship of this, but I wanted to share a recommendation that I think I have found to be pretty helpful!
I plan to move back to Washington hopefully by the end of May and have been looking into areas of work that I want to really focus on. I've come to the conclusion that I'm really interested in working for "Human Resources Department". After narrowing down which department of a company I was most interested in, the hunt for a career became a little bit easier because I had a little bit more specifics and the job hunt wasn't so broad.
What I found to be extremely helpful was that I googled "companies based in Washington state" rather than "jobs in Seattle" or something along those lines. When I googled "companies based in Washington State" I got a wide range of options. Starbucks, Amazon, Alaska Airlines, Zulily, Expedia, Nordstrom, A Place for Mom, and many others. Most of us have heard of at least a few, if not all of these companies. It wasn't until I goggled this that I realized just how many LARGE companies were based out of the state that I was moving back to. I then went to the each of the websites I was interested in and looked at job positions through the company specifically. For me, it was easier to look up what large companies were based in the area that I would be interested in working for, and go from there.
If you plan on moving to a different state, I suggest googling "companies based in [whatever state]"...it was really helpful and allowed me to find a ton of other companies that I've without d ruby heard of, but did not even know their headquarters were based where I was moving to!
Renee
(Blog 18 Free Write)
Strengths of my Organization
Good Evening Fellow Bloggers & Readers -
I feel that within my organization for my internship there are many strength! One of the strengths I think I noticed the most was how important good communication within the workplace is. Without good communication, you are not able to effectively communicate ideas or plans to an individual or group setting. Another strength I noticed within my organization was how effectively people worked together. Much of being a public servant is involved working with others, often in groups. Team work makes an organization more effective because you can come together as a single unit and realize you are collectively working towards the same goal.
Honestly, If I was in charge of a similar organization, I wouldn't do anything differently. I would actually strive to be an organization just like them. The Teamsters were a strength-based organization and created employees who not only worked together effectively, but were emotionally engaged in their work. Their productivity level was very strong as a whole and all the employees had positive attitudes on a daily basis.
Renee
(Blog 17 Strengths)
I feel that within my organization for my internship there are many strength! One of the strengths I think I noticed the most was how important good communication within the workplace is. Without good communication, you are not able to effectively communicate ideas or plans to an individual or group setting. Another strength I noticed within my organization was how effectively people worked together. Much of being a public servant is involved working with others, often in groups. Team work makes an organization more effective because you can come together as a single unit and realize you are collectively working towards the same goal.
Honestly, If I was in charge of a similar organization, I wouldn't do anything differently. I would actually strive to be an organization just like them. The Teamsters were a strength-based organization and created employees who not only worked together effectively, but were emotionally engaged in their work. Their productivity level was very strong as a whole and all the employees had positive attitudes on a daily basis.
Renee
(Blog 17 Strengths)
Monday, March 23, 2015
Due Dates!
Hey Bloggers & Readers -
Since I struggled thinking of what I would write about for next free write blog post, I decided to write about due dates after I looked at many other students blog and came to the realization that a lot of people are a bit behind. Now obviously this isn't intended to rag on anyone or judge, because we all know life happens and emergencies and things come up that, frankly, just take up a lot of our time. And lets be real...a lot of us may have some of that senioritis going around!
The only reason I wanted to write about due dates is because when I went to comment on many other students blog posts for "group 5" for my own grade, it was apparent that on many blogs there was just nothing for me to really comment on! I was a little surprised by this just because many people only had a couple blogs on their page.
I feel like at this point in our academic it is really important to stay focused no matter how tired of school work or work in general we are. We all have busy lives, but we've made it this far and can't afford to let it slip from our fingers!! Staying on top of things will only allow you to feel better and less stressed in the long scheme of things.
49 days till graduation guys...we got this! Good luck with the rest of the semester and lets all finish strong!
Renee
(Blog 16 Free Write)
Since I struggled thinking of what I would write about for next free write blog post, I decided to write about due dates after I looked at many other students blog and came to the realization that a lot of people are a bit behind. Now obviously this isn't intended to rag on anyone or judge, because we all know life happens and emergencies and things come up that, frankly, just take up a lot of our time. And lets be real...a lot of us may have some of that senioritis going around!
The only reason I wanted to write about due dates is because when I went to comment on many other students blog posts for "group 5" for my own grade, it was apparent that on many blogs there was just nothing for me to really comment on! I was a little surprised by this just because many people only had a couple blogs on their page.
I feel like at this point in our academic it is really important to stay focused no matter how tired of school work or work in general we are. We all have busy lives, but we've made it this far and can't afford to let it slip from our fingers!! Staying on top of things will only allow you to feel better and less stressed in the long scheme of things.
49 days till graduation guys...we got this! Good luck with the rest of the semester and lets all finish strong!
Renee
(Blog 16 Free Write)
Friday, March 20, 2015
Public Service
Hi Fellow Bloggers & Readers -
In its entirety, the International
Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) consists
of over 1.4 million members and is America’s largest and most diverse union.
The IBT’s goal is to help millions of workers achieve the American dream. The
union represents people of all sorts including airline pilots, truck drivers,
grocery workers, and teachers, who are just a few among the various other
careers represented through the IBT. In fact, the public sector is the largest
division inside the Teamsters union. The IBT is structured from local unions,
joint councils and trade divisions and conferences. The local unions are
considered to be the “heart and backbone of the union” (Teamsters Structure).
They include clerical staff, full-time business agent, organizers, certified
public accountants and expert labor lawyers. Joint Councils are set up in areas
that have three or more local unions. “Joint Councils help coordinate Teamsters
activities in those areas. They also help solve problems and decide some
jurisdictional and judicial matters” (Teamsters Structure). Trade divisions and
conferences “aid the Teamster leaders throughout the country who share common
interests and problems” (Teamsters Structure). The IBT is considered the
union’s headquarters in Washington, D.C, supporting coordination of contract
negotiations, organizing and political action. Also, they offer training and
educational problems for officers, business agents, stewards and members
(Teamsters Structure).
There are many local unions across
the United States. My family works for the IBT located in Tukwila, Washington.
Specifically my internship was with Local 763, a diverse union that serves both
the private and public sectors, representing governmental agencies of all
kinds. Local 763 fights for fair wages, safe working conditions, good benefits,
dignity and respect. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and
specifically working with Local 763, I can without a doubt say represent public
service to the highest standard.
Teamsters Structure. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 20, 2015, from International Brotherhood of Teamsters website:
http://www.teamster.org/content/teamsters-structure
Renee
Renee
(Blog 15 Organization Public Service)
Ella!
Throughout my college career, I have worked at many jobs to
allow myself to earn any sort of an income while attending school. I have to
say, the most rewarding jobs out of all of them has been being a nanny to a
little girl named Ella. Immediately when one reads the word “nanny”, they may
think of it as an easy, stress-free job, which I can assure you sometimes it
is, but it is also a lot more work than people may think!
When you look at the bigger picture, I am taking care of a
human being. Not only that, but these parents trust me with their daughter,
their most prized possession! On a daily basis, I am teaching a little girl new
aspects of life. New letters, new numbers, new words! I am teaching her
respect, and simple things like how to say “please” and “thank you”. I am teaching her routines and manners, like
cleaning up toys before grabbing new ones and how to successfully nap in her
crib on a daily basis.
In the smallest way, I am a leader to this little girl.
Someone who greets me at the door and says “NA NA!! (my nickname) as I enter,
only knowing we are going to have a great day with lots of fun and excitement!
It feels incredible knowing that (hopefully) this little girl looks up to me
and I can make an impact on her life, even if she doesn’t know it yet! I’’ve
taken her as my own and I’m so thankful I have got to work for this family my
last year of college! I can’t imagine not getting to know this little girl!
Renee
(Blog 14 Free Write)
Spring Break Recap!
Wow! It is crazy to think that just a few days ago marked my
last spring break of my undergrad career! It is a bittersweet moment as I think
about how many “spring break weeks” I’ve gone through just to get to this one
at this point in my life. Throughout middle school and high school, my spring
breaks actually consisted of traveling to Arizona from my hometown, Seattle. Looking back, it is so funny to think how much I looked forward to those
vacations coming here, and now I live here!
This Spring Break consisted of my boyfriend, Andre, coming to
Arizona for 10 days, which was so fun! The time really allowed us to do a great
amount of activities and not have a rushed feeling throughout the entire
week. We spent a day going to a Mariners
spring training game, which was a lot of fun although our team unfortunately
lost! We went to a small fair at Arizona Mills mall that we randomly stumbled
upon. My boyfriend actually won a goldfish at one of the games we played! We
went to several movies including “Focus” and “Unfinished Business”, which were
both great to see and I would highly recommend!! We love going to the AMC on Mill Ave to enjoy the
recliners! We also went bowling on a Monday and played 6 games off of $20! This was
really enjoyable because I don’t go bowling too many times throughout a year, but it is always a fun activity and you can get a nice little competition going haha :)
Oh boy did we eat! Going out to eat several times throughout
the week gets a bit filling and quite a bit exhausting actually! We went to a
lot of our favorite places including Lo Lo's Chicken & Waffles and Chuckbox. We are both
obsessed with good cheeseburgers and needless to say I feel like I gained 10
pounds while he was here (probably because I did…no lie!) I need to get back on
my workout grind. I am sad that spring break went by so fast and I miss Andre already!
Thinking about how many Spring Breaks we’ve all gone
through…time does sure does fly! I am so excited to be so much closer to
graduation and I can finally see the finish line! I am counting down the days until I can move back to Seattle!
Renee
(Blog 13 Free Write)
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Leadership
Good Morning Fellow Bloggers & Readers -
In the Public Administration field, leadership plays a large role in daily job duties and functions. Specifically within my internship, you are expected to hold many leadership values and attributes on a daily basis. The expertise from my co-workers and supervisors, built a solid foundation of what leadership looks like and allowed me to further develop as leader not only within a community, but within myself.
Within my internship, it was important that I was an effective communicator, enthusiastic, respectful, open-minded and proactive. Being an effective communicator involved speaking up when I was unsure and asking questions when needed. This also meant voicing my opinions where I thought was appropriate and allowing others to be open to change and evaluate the ideas I brought forth. Being enthusiastic meant having a smile on everyday and being motivated. Your attitude that you present to others is contagious, and that is an important aspect within the workplace. Being respectful meant treating my uppers and peers with diligence. It was also important to be open-minded and take other peoples thoughts and considerations into evaluation, instead of boasting off my own ideas. And lastly, it was important within my internship to be proactive. If I wasn't told to do something, I would find something to do and try and utilize my skills at any moment. This also shows that you are engaged and willing to learn and take initiative without being told to do so.
My co-workers and supervisors display leadership capabilities by knowing the organization and building team goals/tasks and by being responsive to my needs and the needs of others. One thing within my internship that I really appreciated, was the feeling of not being a burden. If I was not 100% sure of something, I was not afraid to ask...and this was because my co-workers and supervisors made me feel like I was able to ask them anything despite what it was. They were also really responsive to my needs in the sense that they used my attributes and values in areas that would strengthen the group as a whole. Lastly, they built team goals and tasks by defining what the goals were for that day and what we would hope to accomplish by the end of the work day.
Have a great day & be a leader to all! You never know who looks up to you!
Renee
(Blog 12 Leadership)
In the Public Administration field, leadership plays a large role in daily job duties and functions. Specifically within my internship, you are expected to hold many leadership values and attributes on a daily basis. The expertise from my co-workers and supervisors, built a solid foundation of what leadership looks like and allowed me to further develop as leader not only within a community, but within myself.
Within my internship, it was important that I was an effective communicator, enthusiastic, respectful, open-minded and proactive. Being an effective communicator involved speaking up when I was unsure and asking questions when needed. This also meant voicing my opinions where I thought was appropriate and allowing others to be open to change and evaluate the ideas I brought forth. Being enthusiastic meant having a smile on everyday and being motivated. Your attitude that you present to others is contagious, and that is an important aspect within the workplace. Being respectful meant treating my uppers and peers with diligence. It was also important to be open-minded and take other peoples thoughts and considerations into evaluation, instead of boasting off my own ideas. And lastly, it was important within my internship to be proactive. If I wasn't told to do something, I would find something to do and try and utilize my skills at any moment. This also shows that you are engaged and willing to learn and take initiative without being told to do so.
My co-workers and supervisors display leadership capabilities by knowing the organization and building team goals/tasks and by being responsive to my needs and the needs of others. One thing within my internship that I really appreciated, was the feeling of not being a burden. If I was not 100% sure of something, I was not afraid to ask...and this was because my co-workers and supervisors made me feel like I was able to ask them anything despite what it was. They were also really responsive to my needs in the sense that they used my attributes and values in areas that would strengthen the group as a whole. Lastly, they built team goals and tasks by defining what the goals were for that day and what we would hope to accomplish by the end of the work day.
Have a great day & be a leader to all! You never know who looks up to you!
Renee
(Blog 12 Leadership)
Scams!
Good Evening Fellow Bloggers & Readers,
I wanted to use this free write post to talk about a babysitting scam that I just barely avoided! As a college student, I have used Care.com, a reliable and reputable website to find babysitting and nanny jobs within any local area. Throughout my entirety of using the site, I have met many great families and have never c ome close to almost getting scammed. Here is what happened:
I was texted by a family that inquired about me babysitting for them with the pay at $18/hr. In the text, it was asked for me to forward my resume to the specified email address if interested. I kindly replied and said "I'm currently away from my computer, but I will email my resume over when I get a chance!" She replied with a "Thanks!". Later that night, I sent my email over with a brief message. Their reply back to me was quite quite, and I was surprised, but after reading the message I understood that this lady has been through trouble times. She stated in the email that she was deaf and had just recently lost her 4 month old and husband in a car accident. She then stated that she was relocating to Phoenix from Colorado because living in that area brought back sad memories. After mentioning this detailed information, she stated that she would be sending a check beforehand to ensure that I would present on the days asked. I stated to her that that was not necessary, and that I am not the type of person to back down from an arrangement unless I was in an emergency of my own. She stated again that it was necessary for her to send the check because she has had troubled times.
She asked for my address and I reluctantly gave it to her, even though it was in the header of my resume that I had previously sent her a few emails ago. When she typed my address out in the next email, I noticed that she had forgot to put my apartment number, however, I did not contact her back mentioning this error. A few weeks passed, and I texted her asking her what time she would like to meet this coming Friday because we did not have a scheduled time planned, just the date. I got no reply. On Thursday, the day before we had planned to meet I decided that I would try emailing her instead of text. When I sent the email they were undeliverable to the email address. I was confused by this because when she stated that she was deaf, she also mentioned that her only form of communication is really writing by text and email. I texted her again but no response. I decided to contact the community she told me she was living in, which was Scottsdale Gateway. I contacted the front desk and they told me that no one by the name that I mentioned was signed to a lease there, nor did anyone by that name move in there this week.
I was shocked and scared. How did I fall into this trap?? All I knew was that someone, somewhere had my address and my phone number and I had no idea who. I didn't know if this person lived close to me, lived far from me, or let alone lived in another country. I felt unsafe to go back to my apartment. What if this was a man who had still planned to meet me, but had my address? I called my mom and dad crying because I was so confused and scared. I literally had taken time off of my current babysitting job to help this family that I had planned to babysit for the entire weekend. My mom found a blog online after doing some research about this SAME EXACT SCAM happening to other girls my age! Basically what this person was trying to do was to get me to deposit their check and get some of my bank account info after doing so! I am SO thankful that this person forgot my appt number in the email sent back to me, although I don't think I would have deposited the check until after working for them. I knew that wouldn't have been right. Either way, I barely avoided a scam. Whoever is sending these checks around is sending fraudulent money around and trying to get more. Watch our for scams, because it is really scary just barely avoiding something that could really affect you (and your bank account!!)
- Renee
(Blog 11 Free Write)
She asked for my address and I reluctantly gave it to her, even though it was in the header of my resume that I had previously sent her a few emails ago. When she typed my address out in the next email, I noticed that she had forgot to put my apartment number, however, I did not contact her back mentioning this error. A few weeks passed, and I texted her asking her what time she would like to meet this coming Friday because we did not have a scheduled time planned, just the date. I got no reply. On Thursday, the day before we had planned to meet I decided that I would try emailing her instead of text. When I sent the email they were undeliverable to the email address. I was confused by this because when she stated that she was deaf, she also mentioned that her only form of communication is really writing by text and email. I texted her again but no response. I decided to contact the community she told me she was living in, which was Scottsdale Gateway. I contacted the front desk and they told me that no one by the name that I mentioned was signed to a lease there, nor did anyone by that name move in there this week.
I was shocked and scared. How did I fall into this trap?? All I knew was that someone, somewhere had my address and my phone number and I had no idea who. I didn't know if this person lived close to me, lived far from me, or let alone lived in another country. I felt unsafe to go back to my apartment. What if this was a man who had still planned to meet me, but had my address? I called my mom and dad crying because I was so confused and scared. I literally had taken time off of my current babysitting job to help this family that I had planned to babysit for the entire weekend. My mom found a blog online after doing some research about this SAME EXACT SCAM happening to other girls my age! Basically what this person was trying to do was to get me to deposit their check and get some of my bank account info after doing so! I am SO thankful that this person forgot my appt number in the email sent back to me, although I don't think I would have deposited the check until after working for them. I knew that wouldn't have been right. Either way, I barely avoided a scam. Whoever is sending these checks around is sending fraudulent money around and trying to get more. Watch our for scams, because it is really scary just barely avoiding something that could really affect you (and your bank account!!)
- Renee
(Blog 11 Free Write)
Interview
Hey Fellow Bloggers & Readers -
I hope you all are having a great week, especially with Spring Break right around the corner! One of my interviews was with my father, who is Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 763. My parents, and family, have all worked for the union at some point in their lives. My father has a career that I aspire to, and he has proven time and time again that he is a leader every day that he steps into the office.
When interviewing my father I asked him directly how he is a leader in the public sector. He responded, “By representing about 4,500 people who work in the public sector and having to engage in conversations with their bosses who are at the lowest level, supervisors and some who are at the highest level, mayors”. I also asked him how he defines himself as a leader. His response was “I guess when you are elected by the members, they elected you as a leader. It’s not how I define myself. When you have to go out and represent folks to the best of your ability, and they have the confidence in you to do that, and you check back with them regularly saying this is the road we are going down, these are the proposals we have on the table as we are bargaining a new contract, am I hearing you right? Is this the direction you want to go? And they tell you yes, and we go back and get that deal and bring it back to them and get it ratified. They pass it. That tells you you’re a leader”
Attempting to stump him, my next question was “As a leader, how do you become a better leader?” He responded, “I believe the best way to become a better leader is to study history, pay attention to the people who you work for, and if you do the best job you can of listening and the least job of talking, you’re going to get the feedback you want”. Being a leader comes with a load of responsibilities. I later asked, “When you got your job, did you know you would have the responsibilities that you do?” My dad replied, “The job has more responsibility than I was aware of and I had a pretty good idea of what the job entailed. But it was more responsibility even than that”. “What is one characteristic you believe every leader should possess?” I asked. “I think being a good listener. Being a good listener, being a good communicator. Being a good communicator starts with listening” my father states, “always try do to the right thing for the majority of the group you’re leading. Because as a leader, no matter what, you’re not going to please everyone all the time. You have to do the right thing. Not the thing that pleases a person.”
I hope you all are having a great week, especially with Spring Break right around the corner! One of my interviews was with my father, who is Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 763. My parents, and family, have all worked for the union at some point in their lives. My father has a career that I aspire to, and he has proven time and time again that he is a leader every day that he steps into the office.
When interviewing my father I asked him directly how he is a leader in the public sector. He responded, “By representing about 4,500 people who work in the public sector and having to engage in conversations with their bosses who are at the lowest level, supervisors and some who are at the highest level, mayors”. I also asked him how he defines himself as a leader. His response was “I guess when you are elected by the members, they elected you as a leader. It’s not how I define myself. When you have to go out and represent folks to the best of your ability, and they have the confidence in you to do that, and you check back with them regularly saying this is the road we are going down, these are the proposals we have on the table as we are bargaining a new contract, am I hearing you right? Is this the direction you want to go? And they tell you yes, and we go back and get that deal and bring it back to them and get it ratified. They pass it. That tells you you’re a leader”
Attempting to stump him, my next question was “As a leader, how do you become a better leader?” He responded, “I believe the best way to become a better leader is to study history, pay attention to the people who you work for, and if you do the best job you can of listening and the least job of talking, you’re going to get the feedback you want”. Being a leader comes with a load of responsibilities. I later asked, “When you got your job, did you know you would have the responsibilities that you do?” My dad replied, “The job has more responsibility than I was aware of and I had a pretty good idea of what the job entailed. But it was more responsibility even than that”. “What is one characteristic you believe every leader should possess?” I asked. “I think being a good listener. Being a good listener, being a good communicator. Being a good communicator starts with listening” my father states, “always try do to the right thing for the majority of the group you’re leading. Because as a leader, no matter what, you’re not going to please everyone all the time. You have to do the right thing. Not the thing that pleases a person.”
Until next time!
Renee
(Blog 10 Interview)
(Blog 10 Interview)
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