Hailey Haas - CNS 220 Final Project

Part 1: Personal Action Plan

If you have a dream, you can spend a lifetime studying, planning, and getting ready for it. What
you should be doing is getting started.
-Drew Houston, Founder/CEO of Dropbox
I enrolled in this course for this primary purpose or because: I was unsure about the process of
pursuing different opportunities such as job shadows and informational interviews therefore thought this
course was the perfect scenario to learn. Additionally, I wanted to learn more about the specific industry
that I am interested in.
When I started this class, I was considering this/these options in the world of work: At the
beginning of this class I was considering options such as marketing, consulting and management. Now I
have a stronger interest in careers such as a financial analyst and consulting due to my strong interest in
problem solving and math which I learned about through the strong interest inventory.
At the beginning of our course, these were my initial assumptions/thoughts about myself and the
world of work as it related to me
1. I am limited to only business careers if I get a major from the business school
2. My success in getting a career relies primarily on the grades that I earn in college
3. In order to do something such as consulting, I need a major from the business school
What are the key points you have learned about yourself as it relates to your current ideas related
to career goals? Which projects, experiences or readings provided this learning? List 3-5 key
learnings and the rationale/or sources for class that help clarify this self-assessment.
1. I learned through the strong interest inventory that my interests lay within the conventional, enterprising
and investigative learning profiles. I expected to primarily fall within the investigative profile due to my
strong interest in problem solving and math.
2. Though my informational interviews and job shadow opportunity I learned that I more interested in
careers such as consulting and management rather than marketing
3. I learned the benefits to attending graduate school from the graduate/professional school panel. What
struck me most was the emphasis on gaining work experience before attending and the opportunities
than can come if I am to attend further schools.
What has been the most valuable piece of information you have learned about yourself as it relates
to opportunities of value to you? How did you learn this as part of our course?
During this course I found the job shadow opportunity to be the most valuable experience to learn
information about an industry and myself. The research that I conducted through my job shadow
opportunity proved to be much more useful than I originally expected. I was able to shadow a local
consultant who gave me first hand insight into the industry and helped solidify my interest in the field. I
found that the industry can often be a combination of helping others and analytical skills which are traits
that I feel I have and strive at.
How did you explore and research career-related opportunities and options? How would you
summarize the resources/experiences that have been most helpful?

During the applied research project I was able to understand the practicality of living in different places.
Specifically, I compared living in New York City with Boston while working as a consultant. I was able
to determine that living in Boston is not only more economically suitable but would be my personal
preference due to the proximity of family and familiarity with the area.
What do you need to be doing now based on your class year at Wake Forest and the options you
are currently exploring? hint: take a look at the OPCD site (it lists activities by year and the
explore careers tab here: http://career.opcd.wfu.edu/explore-careers gives a timeline for specific
career fields)
As I am still a sophomore, I am in the early stages of following a timeline for a career. The most
important task right now is for me to be able to determine my major and figure out classes that will help
support whatever major I choose. Similarly, it is important to me that I can get an internship to broaden
my skills. Next year, the timeline for my career interest will come more into play, for example
interviewing for jobs/internships at specific times.
My plans for growth are:
Explore industries through informational interviews, job shadows and eventually internships
Take classes relating to my interest to expand on skills that I can use in internships and demonstrate in
job shadow experiences
Options in the World of Work: Career Action Plan
[December 2nd, 2015]
Step 1: Self-Assessment
Self-Assessment/Career Related Knowledge

Course Citation/Experiential Source

Passionate and drive towards tactical hands on Similarly to my relatives revealed in my genogram, I am
learning
a very hands on learning and interested in pursuing a
career that allows me to create a product
Emphasis on careers that allow me to problem The strong interest inventory revealed that my strengths
solve and help others
lay in the conventional, enterprising and investigative
learning styles.
Acceptance of not knowing what my path has in Journal entry #1 and Job shadow with Cliff Pennell
story but knowing the importance of striving to
allowed me to recognize that passion is more important
succeed in what I am presently doing.
than success because it will bring success eventually.

Step 2: Short-Term Goals for the Next Thirty (30) Days

Short-Term Goals for the Next Thirty (30)
Days

Rationale/Source from Course or Exploration

Goal 1: Research business related internship

opportunities for summer 2016 that allow me to
expand my skills on a broad level If possible,
apply to 5+ positions in Boston

1. I need to expand my business skills and abilities in

order to explore my interest in the consulting, marketing
and management industries. (Source: strong interest
inventory, job shadow, informational interview #3)

Action Step a. Look on handshake, LinkedIn,

and company websites for opportunities

1a. I should reach out to alumni and look for different

internships that can give me a broad range of skills
(guest speaker Patrick Sullivan from OPCD, Graduate
panel)

Action Step b. Network at home over winter

break to look for opportunities

1b. Networking through informational interviews can

give me opportunities that are not advertised openly
(informational interviews)

Goal 2: Complete 2 informational interviews or 1

job shadow over the winter break

2. Informational interviews and job shadows give me

first hand experience with the careers I am interested in

Action Step a. Reach out to friends parents

easily accessible to me

2a. Parents can be very involved in my industries of

interest and can also help me form more connections
with their fellow colleagues

Action Step b. Reach out to wake alumni and

2nd connections on LinkedIn for the
opportunities

2b. Wake alumni are very supportive and willing to

help other wake students additionally a great
opportunity to learn about a students path

Potential Obstacles to Completing Short-Term

Goals

Resources to Overcome Potential Obstacles

1. Lack of accessibility to obtain informational

interviews/job shadows while at home over
winter break

1. Alumni network from wake on LinkedIn, friends

parents in the industries that I am interested in

2. Not having enough skills in business fields to

get an internship yet

2. Look for broad internships, class selection in the

spring, job shadows to see what skills are needed in
different scenarios

3. Wanting to relax instead of do anything school

related over winter break

3. My dad will encourage me to do research about

internships, motivation of the payoff of getting more
experience to benefit me when later getting a job

Step 3: Long-Term Goals for the Next Three (3) Months

Long-Term Goals for the Next Three (3)
Rationale/Source from Course or Exploration
Months

Goal 1: Take accounting 111 and advanced

statistics next semester and achieve grades
exceeding my expectations

1.While applying to internships it is important that

companies see my commitment to learning skills prior
to the experience (genogram project, internship
presentation by Patrick Sullivan from OPCD, job
shadow)

Action Step a. Study accounting over winter

break to get ahead/do extra preparation

1a. Preparing before the class will be useful because it

is primarily self-taught therefore I can come into the
semester with a prior understanding.

Action Step b. Get extra help tutors,

assistance from friends that have taken the
class, take detailed notes/ask questions

1b. I often have a fear of seeking extra help and try to

solve problems by myself seeking help will allow
me to succeed in both courses.

2. In the spring I will need to determine my major and

Goal 2: Declare a major based on interest and
feel that by taking accounting and economics alongside
passion rather than societal influence of the desire each other I will be able to determine what is the right
to achieve money
choice for me. (OPCD speaker, luck is no accident)
Action Step a. Meeting with department
representatives to figure out what classes are
available to me within the major

2a. By discussing the opportunities that different

majors entail, I will have a better understand which
major will allow me to explore my interests

Action Step b. Speak with students in each

major to find out about different internship
opportunities that they have had in the field of
the major

2b. Students will give their personal unbiased opinion

whereas some teachers try to promote majors therefore
talking to students can help me understand the majors
from a similar point of view.

Potential Obstacles to Completing Long-Term

Goals

Resources to Overcome Potential Obstacles

1. Struggling with accounting class not getting

a strong enough grade to be admitted to the
business school

1. Getting extra help via free tutors and peers that have
taken the class previously

2. Laziness over winter break not being

motivated to study due to desire to rest and

2. Motivation/encouragement from my dad (previously

mentioned) Long time home will get bored of being

socialize

lazy and catching up on sleep fill time with studying

3. Not getting a good enough sense of what major

I want to do and feeling too pressured by time
restraints of choosing

3. Office hours with professors to discuss classes

involved in major, meeting with advisor, OPCD sessions

Accountability Partner (with whom will you share

this plan):

My roommate Lauren

Part 2: Meta-Reflection
BIG PICTURE
During this class I have been able to focus on the actual world of work and look and individual
components of this world. Specifically what has stood out most to me is the lack of strict guidelines that
are constantly drilled into our heads in school settings. While speaking with professionals, I learned that
your major does not matter as much as some believe but rather your passion and drive to learn about the
career and industry is most important. My education is helping to prepare me for my professional
aspirations because it gives me a reality check of what subjects I can strive in due to the rigor of the
curriculum. I have already been able to determine that I excel in more quantitative classes such as math
and economics and business where as I struggle in philosophy and English classes that involve a lot of
essay writing and reading. After I choose my major in the spring, I hope for the remainder of my time at
wake forest to be focused towards building a broad range of skills that can be applied to a variety of
skills due to the expectation of our generation to change careers much more frequently than individuals
before.
THE PROCESS

The ePortfolio has been a useful tool throughout this course for me due to the ability to have a constant
visual presentation of my work, progress and goals. The most significant part of the ePortfolio for me
was the Job campaign aspect. Specifically the applied research project used to explore a particular career
path was very interesting and beneficial to me. The ePortfolio not only allowed me to constantly be
reminded of the work that I put into the project but also visually presented what being a consultant really
entails. I found it helpful to have quick access to the research while preparing for my job shadow with a
current local consultant. Another critical part of the ePortfolio was the accessibility to my previous work
in order to track my success and goals. Specifically, the research and career exploration section of the
portfolio demonstrated my progress in this course. While looking back on my first informational
interview I am able to recognize the uncertainty that I felt towards different careers. By the third
informational interview I realize my confidence in both my passion and dedication to pursuing a
business career that combines analytical skills and helping others. The most intriguing project for me
during this class was the genogram project, found within the self-assessment sector of my ePortfolio. I
had never realized that you relatives careers could help you understand what strengths you have and
what career path you may end up in. This was something that I often referred to while choosing who to
speak with for my informational interviews. My interest in business comes from my dad and grandpa
and the constant reminder of their paths through the genogram project helped me narrow down on what
careers I should investigate and what I am passionate about. I did not realize how much self reflection
would be involved in this class however I appreciate it because it has helped me solidify my interests
and future goals all which I was able to constantly refer to due to my ePortfolio.
GROWTH AND VALUE:
While going through the process of completing informational interviews I was surprised at how much I
was able to learn about my personal interest in different career paths. The interaction with someone that
has everyday hands on experience was intriguing and useful for answering the questions that I had. For
example, my first informational interview with Jonathan Reckford allowed me to discover my interest in
combining service work and business. Similarly, my job shadow experience with consultant Cliff
Pennell enabled me to understand specifically what consulting entails. This opportunity helped me to
recognize how my strengths as a learner and student can be used in the working world and applied to
careers such as consulting in the future. This course also allowed me to understand the multiple factors
that are involved while making a decision about an internship or job. For example the applied research
project allowed me to comparing the costs of living in New York City and Boston to establish which city
would make most economical sense based on the same career in both cities. These skills will be useful
for me after graduating and determining where I go with my career. Coming into this course I hoped to
learn about different professional skills involved in entering the professional world and the LinkedIn 2.0
project as well as OPCD speakers helped me to do this. I now understand what a strong LinkedIn profile
should include and recognize the importance of making connections through networking while obtaining
an internship in the future. All of these skills and process can be helpful to undergraduates because even
if you know what major and career you want to pursue, this class allows you to grasp different means of
reaching goals. In contrast for those unaware of what lays ahead, this class reassures through books such
as mans search for meaning, that not knowing is okay and that passion and meaning are most important.