Back office Assistant for BuildStar Technologies
Description:
My responsibilities while working for BuildStar Technologies (a construction management software business) included managing the expenses and back office work for BuildStar’s Clients. I worked from my personal computer at home which was very convenient and helpful as I was a full-time college student who didn’t have access to a vehicle. I was responsible for entering bids and quotes into the BuildStar system, entering bills and attaching invoices, preparing Draw Requests for the clients, working with the clients’ QuickBooks, and meeting with the clients to clear up questions and to stay in contact. I had no employees working under me. I got all the information I needed to complete my responsibilities by talking to my boss, the clients, and an email account that held all the invoices and quotes. From the email, I took the documents and created expenses and attached documents.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I actually got the employment from my father. He started the business called BuildStar Technologies and he needed my assistance in the organization and back office work. He suggested once that he might need some help and from there I encouraged him to hire me as a BuildStar employee. It started out as temporary summer work and turned out to be great college employment.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
It turned out that the job had times that were a bit stressful as I was also a full-time college student. About once or twice a month, I would have to prepare a Draw for the Client to send into the Bank, requesting money to make payments. This time was a little crazy and sometimes it would fall around the same day as a test or large project. I would have to manage my time and sometimes give up sleep to finish both the Draw and the required study to get good grades.
What I learned:
I have learned so much from working for BuildStar Technologies. First off, I have learned a lot more about construction and the behind the scenes that go along with it. BuildStar is a construction management software program and being able to work with it has given me a lot of insight into the construction world, furthering my interest in that career. I have also learned a lot about QuickBooks, something that could boost my resume as a look for further employment. I also learned a lot about responsibility, seeing as I had a lot on my hands. If I didn’t get my work done, bills weren’t paid and needs weren’t meet. It was something that I had to stay on top off and it taught me a lot about perseverance and being reliable. I also learned more about working with others. Sometimes it was hard to talk to clients who were confused and it was sometimes hard to explain certain things to them but it was also fun working with them and being able to communicate. I expanded my people skills.
Bank Teller
Description:
1. Functions as Teller, receiving and processing Teller transactions accurately and timely. Follows Bank procedures when performing transactions.
2. Cross sells and/or refers Bank products and services to specific customers through needs identification, maximizing profitable relationship.
3. Verifies and balances assigned cash drawer daily with minimal cash variances. Assists in reconciling errors or discrepancies for self and other tellers. Maintains adequate cash and/or cash drawer limits as required by Bank policy.
4. Issues cashiers checks, money orders and bank checks. Redeems savings bonds and prepares and accepts treasury tax payments. Processes incoming mail transactions and counts, wraps and bags coin.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I know that being a teller is not an ideal job, but when you are putting yourself through college, what better way than to work as a teller and move your way up? I have always wanted to work at a bank or credit union, but I never knew how much I really would enjoy the experience and benefits. I found the job through networking with a mutual friend.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I first experienced feeling lonely and not knowing very many people in the work environment. I overcame that by going out of my comfort zone and reaching out to others. I also had to overcome my fear of helping people face to face. I overcame that with practice and now I love doing it. I also had to overcome the fear that I would mess up or not learn very much. I overcame that by asking lots of questions and seeking help from my co-workers who knew more than me.
What I learned:
I learned that the even the things that seem so big and not doable, are a challenge and that I can do it. I learned to put my trust in others to help me succeed and progress in the work force.
Document Clerk
Description:
Over the summer I worked as a document clerk at Jones Waldo law firm in Salt Lake City. My job was to prepare documents to be taken to court, looked over as evidence by a lawyer, or given to the opposing party. Often my assignments were urgent and had to be finished by strict deadlines. I was given my projects occasionally by lawyer’s secretaries but more often by the lawyer themselves with strict instructions concerning how and when they were supposed to be completed. Often the work that I completed had to be packaged and prepared for the firm’s runners to deliver or mail by the deadline. I also spent any extra time training myself on the tasks that the runners performed so that when they were all occupied I could make myself useful and help fulfill their duties. This included processing the mail as it arrived or left the firm, sending or receiving faxes, preparing copy jobs, responding to phone calls, or retrieving projects from secretaries.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I found this employment because I knew people that had worked as runners at the firm and enjoyed the atmosphere as well as the pay. I was looking for a job that would be more impressive on my resume than the array of things I had done previously. I was more interested in working in a professional business atmosphere than in a retail or secretarial job like those I had already had. I was looking to work every day instead of random scheduling. I didn’t want to rely on getting a certain amount of shifts per week or have to fill in or cover for others if they weren’t able to make it to their shift.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I hadn’t known previous to taking my job that I would be expected to stay and finish my projects regardless of what I had planned after work. My hours were often flexible but at times I would get to work and not have anything to do until I was scheduled to leave and then something would come up and I would have to stay or come in early the next day in order to finish things by a deadline. Also I was in a fast paced atmosphere where it was expected that I would understand and fulfill directions after being told one time quickly what I was supposed to do. This was probably the most valuable skill that I acquired while working there because I will be a more proficient employee in the future. There were many times when I was unclear what the instructions were and I would have to redo projects because I had misunderstood. These types of situations were very stressful for me because at times I felt that I had not been given adequate information in the first place that allowed me to complete my tasks so I would become frustrated with the lack of communication that was always assumed to be my fault.
What I learned:
I learned how to work underneath people in a way that I hadn’t experienced before. There were times when I would glimpse words from the material that I was responsible for and I realized how important my accuracy was to those parties involved. There were thousands of dollars and a great deal of emotions involved in the success of the lawyers that I worked under and if they didn’t have the proper materials at the proper time their clients would suffer. I really felt that I was valued because the timeliness of my execution affected the well being of families in a serious way which motivated me to do an excellent job. I learned how to take and follow instructions in situations that placed a lot of pressure on me as there were times when inquiries would be made several times during my project if I was finished yet when I still had a sufficient amount left to do. I learned how to take things completely on myself even if someone in the process had made a mistake before I was involved. It was valuable to me to be in an environment where I felt that everyone was working together for a common goal. There were times when I felt put upon but then I would inquire for help and there were always people eager to help me accomplish my task because it was for a common good that we all wanted to achieve.
Office manager over finances
Description:
Used expertise from my education to perform the normal financial operations of a company. I kept track of contractors and their invoices and getting those invoices paid. I kept track and paid insurances. I also created any paperwork needed. I also created a website for the company.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
How I got the idea/ found the employment: My brother-in-law, who is a general contactor, was tired of his wife being in the office doing the finances. So I mentioned I’d be glad to provide the service of taking care of his books, insurance, and all other paperwork for a fee. He accepted and for a year and a half I did that for him. It was just him and I running the company
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I was paid hourly and I found that since I only had certain responsibilities and it was a small company, there were times that I didn’t have anything to do. I had to be creative.
Another challenge is that when a company is so small, the company is very volatile and there are many risks in projects. My brother-in-law is currently going “under”. It was also difficult learning the current situation of company so I could put a plan together on how I would put a system in place to perform duties.
What I learned:
When in a small or risky business, you have to keep your eye open for possible future employment; staying informed on your options becomes very important. I also learned when small business owners need funds, they are more apt to be unethical. Without rules or regulations, normally found in large companies, they are more open to being unethical.