Best Buy Media Specialist
Description:
This job is a non-commission sales position. The media specialist at Best Buy assists customers with music, movies, computer software, and video games. It involves stocking product but there is more emphasis on serving the customer, and selling the appropriate accessories. One must be familiar with the current media and entertainment (great for teenagers) to help parents and others out of touch with what is new and popular with their purchases.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I always loved technology, electronics, and entertainment. As soon as the Best Buy in my neighborhood opened up, I applied there over the internet. I applied for a department that I knew well and would have fun working in. I loved music and movies and was excited about the new releases and the idea of talking about them with customers.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
One challenge was going to work at 6am in the summer to put up new product displays and new releases. I taught myself good time management, getting to bed early. The biggest challenge was overcoming a natural shyness. This job forced me to open up and talk to everyone in the store, and after a while it became easy and even fun.
What I learned:
I learned how to communicate well. I began speaking with everyone, building rapport. I became a people person and enjoyed talking with them and helping them with what they needed. As I now prepare to be a physician, I realize this job helped prepare me in getting me comfortable with people. It was also a great precursor to a mission, where you must confront everyone and speak to total strangers. I also was exposed to managing principles and how a business was run. Our department had daily goals for revenue and specific sales, including accessories. I learned how to measure performance and meet goals.
Computer Repair Technician
Description:
Repairing other peoples computers and custom designing packages to fit customers’ needs. This includes mac and pc’s.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
Ever since we got our first family computer, I have been interested in them. This often caused problems for my parents because I learned how they work by actually experimenting on them. I remember one time, my dad had to call in one of his friends because after I had tried something, it was no longer working properly. Of course, I was only eight or nine at the time, but still, I was interested. As time went on, I grew and learned a lot about computers and how they function. It got to the point where I realized that I knew more then the average user about trouble shooting and fixing problems present with the computer. At first, it just started out as helping out friends, but as time grew on, people started offering to pay me for my services.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
One of the biggest challenges that I face was becoming a certified technician. I know how to fix computers, but taking a test which cost a lot of money, made me very nervous. I wanted to know everything possible before actually sitting down and trying to take that test because I didn’t want to even dream about possibly not passing that test and losing all my money.
I didn’t have to worry about advertising because it just sort of spread by word of mouth. Someone would say that one of their friends children were really good with computers and pass along my phone number to them. This was nice because I saved money in advertising and I wasn’t too overwhelmed with work and school and sports. They also knew that I was cheaper then the retail places out there and would be upfront with them. They were more comfortable with not having to move their desktops as well, and instead leave them setup at their home.
What I learned:
One of the main things I learned was to be personable with the customers. If I did that, they were more likely to pass me on to their friends. It taught me as well to set up schedules in my life and plan to be ahead instead of waiting to the last minute to complete an assignment. Because I was ahead with everything I was doing, I was able to take breaks and go to customers’ houses and help them with their computers.
Insurance Center, Web/Graphic Designer
Description:
I first discovered the employment as a web designer through a friend of a friend, and like any other job, interviewed and was accepted. As a web designer, things went pretty slow at first; for at least a year I was doing menial work and was content. Luckily I smartened up and realized early on in my Senior year of High School (a year into my employment) that I could be doing so much more with my position. So I began to investigate more I could do within my role, and realized I could help with graphics design and tutor myself to help with marketing and ads. I essentially created my own jobs just by asking questions and using my free time or off-time to investigate.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I first received the employment as a web designer through a friend of a friend, and like any other job, interviewed and was accepted. As a web designer, things went pretty slow at first; for at least a year I was doing menial work and wasn’t very content with my role. So I began to ask questions and ask myself, “What other skills do I have that could benefit this organization?” By asking around and asking my supervisor about projects that I had proposed or that needed work, I proved myself to my supervisors as an intuitive, and at the time, underused employee. They quickly found more for me to do outside of web design and I began to develop ads, yellowbook inserts, and flyers.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I faced the challenge of creativity and trusting myself; I wasn’t sure some of my ideas would be useful, such as the yellowbook pages. I just didn’t have the experience. But I researched marketing and communication and essentially performed on-the-job, self-applied training. I talked to the marketing reps in the office and some that I knew from other companies that were friends of friends. I learned how to ask questions and how to effectively figure out how I could carry an idea forward. It wasn’t easy; sometimes I would talk to someone and they would make a point I couldn’t argue with, and sometimes it was true—that was a dead end. But other times, I could find with research that they were wrong and point it out (lovingly, of course) and with that argument I could proceed. I really learned to trust myself and to backup my hunches or ideas with arguments, and this allowed me to provide more services to the company.
What I learned:
I learned that I could be an entrepreneur within a preset job. I learned to not be content with the status quo and to ask questions, and to not slack off; the quicker I got my work done, the more time I could devote to other projects that sometimes didn’t exist right then, but would if I could just find them. I learned that being a valuable asset to a company is to be innovative and not lose myself in the routine, to be curious and not content.
Network Technician
Description:
As a network technician I worked with the physical side of a campus network. I built ethernet cables. I troubleshot and fixed network connectivity problems with computers, phones, switches, and other network equipment. I installed network cabling and jacks. I worked with network engineers to troubleshoot, fix, and build completely new network systems. I became a “lead technician” and oversaw installation projects. As a “lead technician” I was also in charge of other technicians, teaching and overseeing them.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I found the employment through my father. My dad works as a network architect at a University, and he was able to inform my siblings and me about the network technician position. Essentially it was through 'social networking' that I found out about the job (not only knowing my father, but him knowing others who knew about the job opportunity).
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
As a network technician I faced a few challenges. The job itself doesn't require a lot of initial networking knowledge. One thing that I found is that many of the technicians didn't really care to learn the “how” and “why” things worked the way they did. I wanted to overcome that, and learn as much as I could about the network and how things worked. I made sure to ask questions to those who had knowledge as I came upon and worked on different situations. Another challenge that I faced was leading and teaching other technicians. I learned that I needed to be patient and teach them step by step how to do different things. I was also in charge of installation and repair projects. Overseeing technicians while doing this was sometimes difficult. I had to make sure they were doing things correctly. I also had to make sure that they stayed on task and didn't slack off. To overcome those challenges with my coworkers wasn't too difficult. I became their friend and earned their respect as I was patient with them and answered any questions they had. I learned that it was important to be their friend in all cases, not just on the job.
What I learned:
I learned a few things from the job that I have since been able to apply in not only employment opportunities, but also in general life. I now work as a Communications Engineer within the same organization, and I have been able to apply the knowledge I learned from being a technician – especially troubleshooting skills that I learned. I also learned how to work within, or even over, a group of people. I learned how to gain the respect of those around me. I can use those skills in my current employment, and I know that I will be able to use those skills in future employment opportunities (specifically my future career).
Summer High School Intern at HP
Description:
Over the summer, I worked a full, 40 hour a week job at Hewlett Packard. My assignment was two fairly major projects. One was testing screw strip torque for printer parts. The other, larger project, was competitive testing. I was asked to select various competitive units to my department’s printer, and plan a test to discover how each preformed at different tasks. Reliability was the main concern, and the test I created had to test how reliably they could print on various types of media. The test finished my last week at work, and the test plan I created will be modified and used for further testing in this area. The hours were longer than most high school jobs, but the pay was well over minimum wage. The real life office experience I gained taught me a lot about the corporate world.
How I got the idea / found the employment:
My dad works at HP, so some of his coworkers mentioned the high school intern program to him. We decided I should apply just to have the experience of filling out an application and completing an interview. I was very pleased to receive the offer, although I was slightly surprised.
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I was not used to spending 40 hours a week inside. Especially at the very beginning and ending of summer I didn’t want to work my full hours. Usually about four in the afternoon, I couldn’t concentrate anymore. Because my mentor only required that I be at the office from ten to two, I could chose when I started and left work. I learned that if I got up earlier, and got to work quickly I could complete my eight hours and be home before five.
I also didn’t know, at first, how to act with all the adults at the office. As I got to know them, my mentor and Dad helped me know how to interact respectfully, but as an equal. This was a major learning experience that will carry into many aspects of my life.
What I learned:
I learned that I should take credit for my work. When speaking to coworkers, I should show confidence in what I have done. Take responsibility for the good and the bad.
I also learned good time management skills. When I worked earlier, I was more productive, so I made the choice to get to work early. I also learned how to time manage the steps of two major projects at once.
As I mentioned above, learning how to interact as an adult was also an important lesson. As I move into the college world, it plays a major role in how I treat my professors. I am sure that it will be a great help when I get jobs later in life.
Virtual Tour Photographer
Description:
I worked for a mortgage company that also housed a title company, and a small real estate company for about a year and a half before my mission. I traveled all across the DFW metro-plex to homes that were listed by realtors for sale, and took photographs of them that allowed people to view the interior of the home 360º in every direction from the most important rooms in the house. I also did marketing work for the company, and created new business for the company by getting other realtors involved. I had a keen interest in learning as much about real estate as I possibly could, and this was a GREAT place to do it. I rubbed shoulders with loan officers, appraisers, Realtors, home-owners, and other investors, dealing with all kinds of residential real estate. I photographed over 1,000 homes in the time I worked there, and formed great friendships with realtors all across that area. It was a great opportunity to learn the mechanics of how a real estate deal goes together, and what is required to sell, and to buy real estate through a mortgage broker, realtor, etc. I also learned a great deal about photography and graphics work as a direct result of the work that I did.
When I came back from my mission, I was offered the chance to sell the service that I provided to realtors as a franchise (http://www.lookintomyhouse.com). I turned it down because I knew I was going to pursue university studies full time, but it would have been another great opportunity to learn more sales skills and make more connections in the field of real estate!
It paid much better than the job I had before, I could set my own hours, I got to see lots of the DFW area
How I got the idea / found the employment:
I had worked for a Temp Agency in the Fort Worth area, doing data entry for loan applications, and while doing that I found out that a friend of the family had started up his own mortgage brokerage, and I decided to see if he would hire me on as a full-time loan officer (loan officers had the opportunity to make commission on loans that went through). Instead of working as a loan officer, I was offered the opportunity to work as a Virtual Tour Photographer, and it sounded like a great opportunity. It turned out to be a real education, and allowed me to get broad experience in the area of real estate. I also learned the lay-out of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metro-plex extremely well, I could navigate myself nearly anywhere within 100 miles of Fort Worth without looking at a map.
Though the real-estate market is suffering from economic woes, there are still opportunities to offer services to realtors looking for help in getting their listed properties more exposure. When the market recovers, those opportunities will become more plentiful, and working with realtors, homeowners, and lenders will give you invaluable experience and exposure to the workings of residential, perhaps even commercial real estate!
Challenges I faced, and how I overcame them:
I had to learn how to deal with the picky nature of some realtors and home owners… and I had to learn how to manage my own schedule. I basically operate a one-man-band arm of the mortgage brokerage. I was the photographer, graphics-artist in marketing, and production manager for the website. I had to figure out a way to get the real estate photographed, get back to the office, format photos, upload them to the website, notify the realtor, and make sure the marketing materials for the office were still available to loan officers. There were a few times when it seemed like there was too much to do just for one person, but as my time-management abilities increased, and my people-skills improved (with realtors and home-owners) the job became really enjoyable, and I learned incredible amounts from everyone that I had the pleasure to work with!
What I learned:
I learned that people skills are probably the most universally applicable job skill that you can acquire. I wish I would have read “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie while I worked at this job! I dealt with a lot of different home owners who owned homes within an incredibly wide price-range… and none of them had exactly the same ideas about how they wanted their house presented. I had to learn how to cater to everyone’s preferences, and help them to feel understood.
I also learned that it can feel overwhelming at times when you are doing everything by yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from others, and don’t be so quick to refuse help when it is offered. In the field of entrepreneurship, you will often find that there are lots of “older and wiser” people who are more than glad to offer some helpful hints and friendly advice.
I learned that creativity is a highly-sought after talent -- provided that you can present yourdeas diplomatically! People are more open to ideas, and more likely to find themselves in agreement with you, when you present your good ideas as though they were their good ideas.
Write things down! If you make an appointment with a client, you are much more likely to forget the appointment if you don’t have it written down. Set goals, make commitments, and keep everything written down in a place where you look several times a day.