Career Management - Learning Journey

My Barcelona experience really has been a once in a lifetime opportunity, which I will forever be grateful for. It started out a bit rough, if I am being honest, as I had difficulty adjusting to a new environment, let alone a new country! I thought it would be easy for me, since I already attend a University in the U.S. 10 hours from home, but I underestimated my fears. My airline also lost my luggage for the first week I was here, and my class schedule got messed up, so I was in a "full-on panic mode" when I got here. What didn't help was that I came here with high expectations, hearing about how great other peoples experiences were abroad. It didn't help that my roommates all knew each other prior and already had an established group, so I felt lonely and defeated. However, I knew I only got to live in another country for a limited time, so I didn't let that impact my experience. Although it was rough at first, I managed to make some new friends, some of which I...

  One competence I have developed during these three months is collaboration. We have done many group exercises where we had to come up with an agreement, come up with solutions or business designs, and make decisions together. Even on individual assignments, we would collaborate with classmates to receive feedback. This will help with my career management, as my past internships have consisted of mostly individual or partner work, so now I have gained experience working as a team for a business-related project. This has also provided me with insight on hearing and learning about other people's experiences and ideas, to give me exposure to how other businesses may operate. Collaboration is also very important for innovation and maintaining strong company culture, two areas I may have to manage one day. Overall, I have enjoyed working with various classmates within this course, and am looking forward to apply my enhanced collaboration skills to my future career.

  AI has already made an impact on mine and other students' lives. I used AI to help me learn by having them elaborate on concepts I don’t understand. For example, if I do not know how a math equation was solved, I will put it into AI to learn the method used. However, some people are a little too reliant on AI, which I have been guilty of catching myself doing a few times. People will use it to write essays and material, which only makes their content unoriginal and prevents them from understanding concepts they are learning in class. AI still has benefits of enhancing my career, however, by giving suggestions on how to improve my resume, helping me prep for interviews, etc. There are still barriers that come from AI towards my career. I want to work in Human Resources, and there is a possibility of lower HR careers in the recruitment sector, as many companies will replace their talent acquisition jobs with AI. Since we already have AI in our world, I might as well plan to use it ...

  Today we watched a video about the comfort zone and the magic zone. A classmate said she liked it because it reminded her of what her dad always told her, which is to be humble and that there are a million first days we will experience, and we can’t go in with a scared mindset. We then looked at and developed a Vision Board. My vision in 5 years is to graduate from college, to live in a city, have a stable job in Human Resources, working out everyday (have an established routine). I would like to learn to get into the habit of a healthy routine, consisting of working out every morning, cooking healthy meals, and connecting with loved ones. I need to let go of worrying so much. Hopefully I will have a better mental state. I should continue to rely on family and friends, who have always been there for me. We ended our last class together by going around the room saying one word summarizing what we got from this course. I really liked what a classmate said, which was Self-Awareness,...

  Today we went over last class’s activity. We then closed our eyes to think about a moment you felt confident. We imagined we were seeing ourselves through another lens or a little hole, and described ourself in the moment. We then went over the root cause analysis, which involves indicating a problem, determining the causes and what is happening. Taking this new model, we got into groups for an exercise. The task was to come up with a way to improve the University for next year, using autocratic leadership style. Our proposal was that the library is dull, not a ton of natural lighting (bright, artificial lighting), and no Wifi. With 1000 euros, we would put in more windows, more plants, more comfortable chairs, and improve Wifi. When we received a new budget of 300 euros, we prioritized installing windows. It was fun to present and compare ideas with other groups. When asked how we would have enough money for windows with only 300 euros, we developed the idea to prioritize the ma...

  Today we got into groups to define leadership. Our definition was “the ability to guide and influence others to work toward a common goal or vision.” We then went over what leadership is, learning definitions from CEO’s of different companies, all which varied. We then discussed the question whether or not leaders are born or made. In my personal opinion, I think leaders can be both. There are people born with natural traits that are meant for leadership, but there are skills people can practice and obtain to become a leader as well. Two other classmates seemed to have the same viewpoint as me. We then watched a video, where we learned what challenges a leader faces, which includes making tough decisions and deciding between what is right and what is popular. After, we did a group activity, where we were stranded on an island and we could only choose three items. We chose an axe, first aid kit, and radio. Our reasoning was that axes can be used to make shelter, cut food, and buil...

  Today we went over interview preparation, and got into the mindset of being an interviewer. This lesson was interesting to me, as I conducted many interviews myself at my internship over the summer. We went over questions, such as "why are you interested in this job position?” and “why should we hire you over our other candidates.” I learned about the STAR method, which I have never heard of before. It’s purpose is to help you prepare for behavioral questions. First, you lay out the s ituation, then highlight your t ask, after you share how you took a ction, and end with discussing the r esults. Another thing I already knew but I am glad it was emphasized because I tend to forget, is how when you talk about yourself to an interviewer, you should make sure to note what you are doing in the present, what you have done in the past, and your action plan for the future. Overall, today was very insightful.

  Today our guest speaker came in to talk about Artificial Intelligence and its impact on recruitment. Carlos first off mentioned talking about how he went from working at a big firm, HP, to becoming a CEO of his own company, ChattyHiring. He talked about the pros and cons, and how his life is much busier now and he doesn’t make as much as he used to, but he is still happier and passionate about his development. He talked about how currently, screenings used to detect AI vs Human created resumes are not always accurate, and can prevent successful and qualified candidates from obtaining jobs. I am biased, because I am in HR, and think we should continue to look at resumes through human eyes, rather than trying to develop AI to work correctly. I feel that makes the process more personal, which is more stressed than being less difficult.

  Today we went over how to build onto and stand out with our resumes. We discussed Artificial Intelligence, and now more companies will have “robots” read our resumes before humans. The downsides of this, on the recruitment side, is that you may miss out on a great candidate just because their resume didn’t contain a particular word or phrase. We went over content that should be in resumes, such as contact information, education, work experience, and summary statements. One thing I found interesting in today's lesson was watching the “video resume.” It is interesting to me because, like one of my classmates said, that is not something that someone would submit in the U.S.. However, my professor did point out that it would make us remember them, which I do agree with.

  Today, we had a guest speaker who works for HAYS. I was intrigued by her, not only because she works in Human Resources, which is my preferred field choice, but also because she went from being an engineer to working in Human Resources: HUGE JUMP! She talked about our younger generation and the potential effects of Artificial Intelligence. We also discussed remote work and its difficulties shifting back, as well as how we should sell ourselves in interviews, which we have been learning about lately. Our guest speaker was great and it was so nice of her to come in to present to us!

  Today we looked at resources to define our pitch. Resources include hard and soft skills, what I am most proud of myself for, which last class blog, I mentioned my volunteer experience. I think what makes me different is that I am determined to make both the company and employees have satisfaction, when it comes to Human Resources. I care about everyone without effort, but potential beliefs that may hold me back are not having that sort of power. We worked on putting a pitch together, and this is what I came up with: To Whom It May Concern, Problem-solving is at the heart of my approach, whether it’s resolving workplace conflicts, improving team dynamics, or optimizing recruitment processes. With two years of hands-on Human Resources internship experience, I thrive in environments that challenge my ability to think critically and adapt quickly. My organizational skills allow me to manage multiple priorities without losing sight of the bigger picture, ensuring that each task is co...

  Today we focused on our personal brand, starting out by looking at our Linkedin profiles. Looking at mine, I see that mine needs to be updated and more organized. We learned that personal branding is how you promote yourself, so it is important to represent yourself as best as possible on platforms like Linkedin. We looked at the six steps of the personal brand strategy, with the additional notes to always keep it updated. Something I would want highlighted the most is my volunteer experience, as it is related to my field of interest and is something that I value and am proud of. I liked today's activity, as it made me realize there are many ways I can represent myself better to hiring companies.

  Today we looked at our personal vision and goals. In the exercise, I said that my vision in a maximum of 5 years is that I plan to have a career in a fied where I can demonstrate my problem-solving and communication skills, specifically in Human Resources. The main challenges I identified were the competitive job market and the development of Artificial Intelligence. Strengths I have are being hardworking, personal, and determined, however, I needed to improve on my confidence and being open to other fields. My first goal is to build more connections, and actions include being more active on Linkedin and reaching out to companies personally through emails. Another goal is to expand my interest, by applying for jobs that may not be in HR but still align with my skills. Lastly, I would like to build my resume, by continuing to get more volunteer experience as well as engaging myself in industry conferences and events. I really like the quote from the slideshow from Zig Ziglar, “Dre...

  Today we presented our business ideas and went over the Self Development Plan. Feedback we got from the professor was to limit our target audience, to a specific group of high schoolers. When we presented our pitches, we discovered that all the other groups also based their idea on app development. The idea I liked the most, and what the majority of the class seemed to also like the most, was an app to connect to all metro stations in Europe. However, one of my teammates pointed out that that idea isn’t realistic to achieve, as we cannot even download Spain’s metro card onto our phone, unless we have a Spanish Apple ID. Examples we looked at for the Self Development Plan included Canva slideshows and blog-site examples.

  In today's class we discussed entrepreneurship. We compared the pros and cons: pros being potential to high rewards, flexibility and independence; cons being high risk and an overload of responsibilities. We then discussed what traits and skills we would need to be an entrepreneur. One classmate said adaptability, which I think would be the most important skill to have, has the outcome that can result or change in various ways. We also did a group exercise, the Business Idea Development Worksheet. Skills I wrote down for myself were problem solving, organization, and interpersonal communication. For knowledge I put mathematics, networking, and recruiting. My interests/passions are human resources and travel, and my values include loyalty and kindness. The business idea we came up with was a networking app for highschool students, which would also help them connect with potential college classmates and teach them life skills not emphasized in school. The concrete problem is that t...

  Today in class we talked about the concept of entrepreneurship. We compared the pros and cons in groups, and one pro that stood out to me that a classmate shared was “getting the chance to explore a passion.” This is what I think is the key factor on what pushes people to become entrepreneurs. Other pros include getting to be flexible, curious, and having a chance to make an impact. We also came up with many potential cons, such as risk, taking away work-life balance, and having an overload of responsibilities. Skills and traits that another group and I came up with were courage, leadership, dedication, flexibility, etc. We ended up defining entrepreneurial attitude as “a leader who has the courage to bring their passion to life.” Today's lesson was beneficial to me because I am a very curious person with tons of ideas, however I realized that I don’t think I have the skills or traits to become an entrepreneur. Work-life balance is very important to me, and many classmates shared...

  Today we learned about “finding our IKIGAI.” We first wrote down things we love to do, and then things we are good at. I love to write, listen to music, walk my dog, travel, and hang out with friends and family. I am good at math, organizing, research, and listening to people’s problems. Two are useful as the world needs more people willing to understand each other, and more research to develop our planet. I can get paid for research and listening to people's problems, as well as jobs related to organizing/managing and involving mathematics. Potential jobs I came up with were psychologists, mathematicians, researchers, and data analysts. This surprised me because I am currently studying business, which none of these are related to.

  Today we learned about saboteurs, which are patterns of thinking, reeling, and reacting. The aim of Saboteurs was to help us survive the real and imagined threats to our physical and emotional survival as children. As we grow up, we no longer need them, but they have become invisible inhabitants of our mind. In the exercise today, we identified our main saboteurs. I chose pleaser, restless, and hyper-vigilant. I think the saboteur that impacts me the most is being a people pleaser. I often tend to put others' needs before my own, which gets in the way of my own personal growth and opportunities at times. Today's lesson was beneficial, as it opened my eyes to see how impactful saboteurs can be on our lives.

  I really liked today's activity, “The Mirror Exercise.” I thought it was interesting to recognize how a trait we may not necessarily care about in others may actually be something that we should try to portray. I shared in quadrant 2 that a behavior some people have that I don’t like is when they act conceited. To me, it can come off as bragging at times, which I feel is “annoying” or in some cases, rude and arrogant. However, responding in quadrant 4 made me realize that sharing my success and being more proud of myself could boost my confidence. Receiving reassurance and support would raise my self-esteem, which would encourage me to seek more achievements and push myself to work harder.  I also enjoyed the Holland Code activity, which I was SIA (social, investigative, and artistic). The suggested occupations I got in the website were music therapist and sociologist, which is a bit far off since I am majoring in Human Resource Management. However, it was interesting to se...

Today we learned about SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. We did an exercise using this analysis, and how it can be applied to our career. For leverage on strengths, I would use my interpersonal skills to network and build connections. To address my weaknesses, I would seek mentorship to help improve confidence to put myself out there. I would capitalize on opportunities by taking advantage of platforms such as Linkedin, as well as attend industry events and conferences. Potential threats to mitigate include unexpected outcomes, which I would then apply my adaptable skills to help mitigate through it. Overall, I find today's lesson to be very helpful for the future.

  Today's class was focused on lifestyles, where we considered what we want to do versus how we want to live our lives. I am studying Business, and want to work in Human Resources or as a consultant. I want to have a 9-5 job, so I can create a structured lifestyle with a followed daily routine, consisting of working out in the morning, cooking fun dinners at night, exploring where I live or travel on the weekends. Pretty simple, but it is what I would feel most comfortable and happiest in. We also learned about callings. I enjoyed Steve Jobs' speech at the Stanford graduation, and found it inspiring.I had no idea he initially was fired from Apple, and his spiral path calling was reassuring to know that you really can achieve a greater outcome, even with negative barriers. My 3 favorites out of listing 20 jobs or ways of living include an HR generalist, stay at home mother, and food critic. My everyday life as an HR generalist would consist of a standard 9-5, where I seek to liv...

  We began the class sharing what comes to mind when we think of “skills.” I really like one of my classmates perspective’s, who shared that when they think of skills they think of it as something that differentiates people from one another. I like this because it dives deeper into the purpose of skills, beyond them just people traits or behaviors people a person excels at. The definition of skills according to the video we watched is the ability to obtain knowledge, to do something well. Professor Sanchez added that you may love something, but not have the skills for it, which I agree with, even though it can be unfortunate at times. For example, I love to play volleyball even though I am not good at it. We also learned that there are soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills are interpersonal skills that can be used for any job, but must be practiced and are harder to evaluate. Hard skills are skills required for a specific job, can be learned from school and are easy to measure. ...

  Today in class we discussed our “why” (aka, our purpose or mission). I liked the life purpose video we watched, because it was used for our following class activity and helped me better grasp what we were trying to do. In the video, the speaker talks about the five elements used to discover our person: who we are, what we do, who we do it for, what the people we do it for need, and what those people get out of it. I structured this activity around my future occupation, Human Resource Management, and proposed my purpose to be helping my fellow coworkers within the company. However, I feel like outside this exercise I would say in general that my purpose and everything I do is for my loved ones. I still think the activity was useful, because it broadens my perspective on how I contribute to society.

  Our first class was based on learning the concept of values. I define values as principles someone considers to be the most important. I really like the quote by Symon Dolan, “Values are just words if you don't put them into action.” I agree with him that statement, as how can someone consider something important to uphold if you don’t even do it yourself? I think personal values are values a person clearly expresses. My five main values are well-being, honesty, family, generosity, and gratitude. Well-being is important to me because I believe it leads to healthy habits that generate a happier lifestyle. Honesty is important to me, because I consider it morally correct, and family is a value of mine because they are my support system and loved ones I care deeply about. Generosity is also an important value to me, because giving back not only feels good, but is also considered ethical in my eyes. Lastly, gratitude is a value of mine, as reflecting and appreciating everything I hav...