Hard Skills
Research: Beginning spring semester of my junior
year, I got involved in Dr. Raynor’s Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory
(HEAL.) After completing the CITI certification, I began by assisting a lab mate
in her basic eating study dealing with portion sizes and their effect on mood.
I learned the basics of research including study and protocol design,
participant recruitment, preparing session materials, taking anthropometric
measures, weighing out foods, and data entry. The following summer I was chosen
to participate in the Undergraduate Student Research Internship, a program UT
offers every summer to undergraduate students who are interested in research.
Dr. Raynor helped me choose and design a basic human-subjects study on food
habituation, which I began that summer and am conducting currently. I continue
to assist my lab mates in their respective studies and have been trained on
running participants through sessions. I hope to build upon the knowledge I’ve
gained through HEAL in my future research endeavors as a graduate student.
Nutrition Education: I volunteer in the
Nutrition Education Activity Program (NEAT), a program headed by the Knox
County Health Department to provide nutrition education to various after-school
YMCA programs in the surrounding areas. As a site leader at Hardin Valley
Elementary School, I teach weekly lessons to grades K-5 on topics such as
healthy eating habits, the five food groups, and the importance of physical
activity. Each lesson includes an interactive game pertaining to the topic
discussed.
Food Safety, Preparation, and Purchasing: I am
Servsafe Certified and have first-hand experience in practicing food safety and
preparation via work and volunteer experience. I have worked in settings that
required me to know how to follow recipes, operate kitchen machinery, and
prepare food. Practicing and perfecting these techniques allows for
optimization of the resulting creation. I also have experience in assessing and
purchasing inventory. For example, my part-time job required weekly orders of
ingredients such as ice cream mix, sugar, toppings, and the like, as well as
everyday essentials such as cups, spoons, cleaning products, and marketing
materials.
Treasury: As a Shift Manager at my part-time
job, I had the responsibility of counting out drawers at the beginning and end
of every shift, ensuring the correct amount was present, and obtaining change
for the drawer if needed. I was also involved in making weekly deposits.
Computer/Software Programs: I am efficient in Microsoft
Office, including Powerpoint, Excel, and Word. I have practiced with SPSS
software and data analyzation.
Soft Skills
Customer Service: As mentioned before, my
part-time job at a local ice cream shop has allowed me to develop the skills
necessary in conducting excellent customer service. I was able to practice and
strengthen my public speaking skills along with the respect, patience, and
product knowledge needed to optimize customer satisfaction, one of the biggest
factors in a successful business.
People Skills/Communication: I have developed
efficient communication skills through my education, work, and volunteer
experience. Being available to answer questions and answer those questions
adequately as well as having the ability to ask questions oneself is key in
interacting with others. I have given a number of oral presentations over the
past few years. This task is not easily perfected, but being able to
effectively and excitedly communicate information to others is crucial; how
else are we going to educate those around us? I have learned that assessing the
individual or audience and modifying the communication tactic is important;
everyone is different in terms of opinions and learning styles.
Multi-tasking: Multi-tasking is important in all
aspects of our daily lives but especially in the workforce. The ability to
perform and complete tasks adequately and efficiently is key in maximizing
performance in the workplace. In my experience, there have been few situations where
multi-tasking was not involved; we do, after all, live in a very fast-paced
society. I have been provided sufficient practice of this attribute, and I
strive daily in continuing to perfect this practice.
Time Management: In the past few years, it has
become more evident than ever that certain things must be done before others;
prioritization and self-discipline are key. Being a full-time student and
working a part-time job, plus juggling extracurricular activities and one’s
personal life, helped me in learning to prioritize and maximize daily tasks.
During my time as an undergraduate student, a part-time job was essential in
being financially stable; with time, I have learned to balance my 25 to 35-hour
work weeks with my educational endeavors, including optimizing study time and allowing
sufficient time to finish assignments. I am a firm believer in setting aside at
least a small amount of time for personal activities; being an avid runner, I
make time every day to squeeze in exercise. Last but not least, it is a point
of mine to make time to maintain and build personal relationships with family
and friends.
Self-driven: Through my work experience, I have
realized that those who are successful are always proactive and self-motivated.
I am an advocate of "getting ahead," i.e. not procrastinating and
completing tasks and projects ahead of time. I am constantly thinking of what I
can do in the present time to make things easier in the future, whether that be
starting a school project early or arriving to work early to knock out opening
tasks. I don't have to be told what to do before starting a task; I enjoy being
busy, and I prefer being active as opposed to sitting down. Pertaining to my
self-drive is my proactive attitude and ability to assert myself in any
situation.
Leadership: (Training others, Delegating, Negotiating,
Planning, Prioritizing, Organizing) As a Shift Manager at my part-time job, I
have gained much experience not only in terms of leadership but also in holding
higher responsibilities compared to my peers. I train new employees and oversee
employee relations; I am expected to teach various tasks and operations so that
the business runs smoothly and consistently as well as acknowledge and correct
mistakes. I am in charge of delegation, as this ensures tasks are
completed promptly and efficiently. I am also expected to set an excellent
example in terms of assembling products adequately and consistently as well as
assisting customers. I am constantly assessing myself and watching my moves as
I know that my fellow employees will take after my actions. Any mistakes or
signs of slacking reflect on me, and more importantly the business, so it is my
job to ensure things are done properly.
Other: I have been involved in many group
projects and teams (both educational and sports); my teammates would agree that
I work well with others and am an excellent team player. As I have been
involved in sports my whole life, I am very self-disciplined and exert as much
effort and time as needed in accomplishing tasks. I work well in high-stress
situations, enjoy fast-paced environments, and strive to reach my daily tasks
adequately and efficiently. The aforesaid attributes require organizational
skills.