Wrapping Up

I just turned in my final report to the dropbox, and I hope I get at least a B in this class; otherwise, I would have let everyone down by saying I'm graduating this semester. Hopefully I will be graduating this month and not waiting an extra semester to do so. I read the comment in the dropbox about the 200 points and the grade of B, so now I'm getting anxious… :/

Anyhow, I've been researching telecommuting jobs online in hopes of being able to work from home. In this case, I can be flexible like I was during this entire program, and I think I have done a lot better academically because of it. When I went to Sac State for my undergraduate degree, I was spending valuable time commuting back and forth and sitting in a classroom while I listened to a lecture. Judging by many online articles I've read, more and more people are ditching the commute approach and switching to working at home. It saves time, money, and energy.

Week 13: The Hiring Process

My virtual internship report is basically done. I'm pretty sure I've covered everything I learned in Second Life and in this class. I was using the sample paper as a model to help me through the process. Looks like I ended up with more than enough hours in the actual internship. I posted a discussion on the Ning for LIBR 287 that was addressed to everyone in the class: it basically says that we should all keep in touch after the semester's over.

Week 12: Job Search Goals and Tips

Lately I've been almost overwhelmed with job search tips, mainly because I've applied to so many positions. My name is on a zillion job search email lists, and I occasionally read the career news that sites like Monster post in my emails. Topics have been making your resume stand out in the crowd, what not to say at a job interview, the top 10 things that can get you fired, etc. I have found some really interesting jobs that I think I might qualify for, on sites like GetArchivistJobs.net, Indeed.com, and SimplyHired. Many of these sites are listed on the careers page for SJSU SLIS, and I bookmarked it so I could return to it if I needed to. I even have an app on my iPad called Super Job Search, which offers websites filled with job listings, tips, and tricks to landing that perfect job.

As of right now, all I can think about is applying for a job that I will actually get. As I stated in my discussion post for this week, I've gotten a lot of rejections from jobs I've applied for because of my experience level. As much as I understand that getting rejected is just part of the application process, I can't help feeling angry and hurt that I was not good enough.

Week 11: Team Players vs. Self-Starters

After reading the articles for this week, I can definitely consider myself a self-starter. I have already begun working on my final internship report, using the sample paper as an outline, and I have written up to 10 pages. That would be halfway for a traditional 20-page research paper, not including the references. I found out yesterday that I (finally) passed my ePortfolio, so now I can focus entirely on my internship for the rest of the semester (yay!) As of right now, I've completed the first two SLOs, which are becoming familiar with Second Life and its immersive 287 course, and developing the small virtual collection that is going to remain in Second Life. Although I think SLO 2 and SLO 3 are works in progress, of course. SLO 3 involves writing a term paper and creating a slideshow that is supposed to inspire future virtual interns in other 287 courses.

As for being a team player, I am no stranger to that, either. I was assigned my group members for LIBR 202, and I felt it was easier for them to be assigned rather than me asking people to be in a group myself. (I never brought out my best self in social situations). Then again in LIBR 204, I was assigned a group for the strategic plan, and both times, I was lucky to have gotten those people, since there were hardly any problems. I have been in groups in the past where I was the one who hardly did any work or I got caught up with at least one person who didn't get along with anyone. I believe people change as they get older, or at least most people. Sadly, some of the "bullies" in this world have remained bullies their entire lives and have had no chance of changing.

Week 10

This week we covered general questions about assignments coming up. I have already begun working on my final report for the internship, and it has been a good way to relieve the suspense of waiting for feedback on my last 3 ePortfolio comps. I have also logged into Second Life a few times and chatted with Snow about possible upcoming projects for the virtual collection. I created a book featuring the bios and photos of the students in LIBR 287; everything I have done so far is on display on the second floor of Hampton Court Castle.

Last night, I attended the class meeting in Second Life and they discussed the upcoming Renaissance Faire. Each student will be presenting an exhibit at the Faire and will also be doing activities like jousting and listening to musicians perform. I suggested having the students provide links to their machinima presentations so I could document them for the collection, and Lori and Snow thought that was a good idea. So far, the collection has progressed extremely well, and has gotten a lot bigger since when I started. I hope to assist with presenting the final work at the Renaissance Faire when visitors arrive, and I also hope to continue with similar Second Life activities in the future even after I graduate.

Week 9: Personality Types=Career Match?

I first got introduced to the whole personality test idea as an undergraduate student at Sacramento State University. I visited with the career counselor and she suggested I take a test to determine my personality type so I could find a good career. My results ended up being Introvert, Intuitive, Thinker, and Perceiver. Then I went to this week's discussion--many years later, another personality test--and got the same results. There's something about the networking-with-others idea that keeps popping up, basically saying that I'm afraid to ask for help, which, I'll admit, I am. I remember one thing from the undergraduate test that said "people will enjoy helping you." Really? I always thought I was coming across as a nagging dummy when I asked a lot of questions. In the words of my mother: "you can't get a job unless you learn how to communicate with people." Blah, blah, blah. Coming from her, it was annoying and frustrating, but when a friend or a mentor tells me that, my reaction changes; I'm calmer and more willing to let them walk all over me. It's true what I've heard: your relationship with your classmates and friends is different from that with your family.

As for finding virtual work, which is obviously the type of career I will excel in, all the job searches I've performed through apps and the Internet have led me to jobs suitable for engineers and computer science majors. My post for the week 9 discussion says a little more about this, and all I can say is that I keep thinking I chose the wrong major for virtual employment. (I've told my parents a couple times that I should have majored in business or engineering so I could get a job).

Week 8: Self-Motivation

I'm really liking the topic for this week's discussion. As I told a friend of mine yesterday, I'm currently taking virtual work very seriously at the moment, and when I say 'virtual work,' I mean virtual employment, not just an internship. I believe I am somewhat self-motivated, since after taking the quiz, I found I scored in the 'okay' department. Turns out I can achieve more than what I am doing, and surprisingly, I believe it with everything that's gone on in my academic life right now.

Last night, I met with Dr. Simmons, my ePortfolio advisor, in her online Collaborate office hour, to talk to her about the comment she made on my Comp N. I had to revise it because my explication was nowhere near being related to the library science field, and it sounded like I had just done a general Internet search for a few keywords in the comp and wrote a mini research paper on it. The real idea is to use my own knowledge from the program, use outside sources to back up my ideas, and apply what I have learned in the evidence section. As of yet, I have 9 passed and submitted number 10 (Comp N), so I've got 4 to 5 more to turn in and pass. After speaking with her, I motivated myself to go back and look at all the PDF files I had downloaded from past semesters and read through them. I also logged into the King Library website to use the EBSCOHost database and look into some articles there.

One thing I did mention last night, too, was the Ken Haycock Portable MLIS. I found it on Amazon, but I was thinking more along the lines of borrowing it from somebody so I don't have to buy it. Just wondering if anyone has it...

Week 7: Networking

I was able to attend the Collaborate session last week on networking, which is the first one in a long time. I've been stuck on my ePortfolio lately, having to write 14 comps by Nov.18, and that's all that's been on my mind. So far I've passed C, D, E, F, G, H, L, and M, and recently submitted K. Now all I have left are A, B, I, J and N, and I think those are going to be the hardest. For K, one of the artifacts I submitted was a Thomas the Tank Engine fan fiction that's supposed to educate children about drinking and driving, so maybe that will count as teaching...?

For this week's topic, I noticed that the content contained something about LinkedIn being associated with networking. I actually have a LinkedIn profile, which I've updated recently to include my current work experience as a Student-at-Large on the SJSU Programming Board Committee and as a virtual intern with VCARA in Second Life. Some people might believe that the definition of "networking" means face-to-face contact and finding employment through word of mouth, but I believe it extends beyond that. Networking can take place anywhere, virtually or not. I've connected with previous supervisors and volunteer coordinators through LinkedIn and Facebook, and I've sent out requests for recommendations to many people on LinkedIn. Right now, I have about 6 people who have responded, so now I have 6 recommendations displayed on my profile.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/humanitiesgrad2008/

Week 6: More About Virtual Work

I consider myself a real virtual worker due to my self-motivation and ability to work with little or no supervision. I prefer virtual work over physical classroom or office work because I can be flexible and spend more time on projects, thus leading up to my goals of wanting to do a good job without rushing through something. Besides, working virtually creates a much easier commute than having to get in the car and drive 40 miles in one direction to work 9 hours a day. I was excited to read the articles about the rise of virtual employment and how more companies are creating remote jobs for workers.

There is also effective communication. Tools like Collaborate, Google Hangouts, email and Skype are available for contacting instructors and fellow students. Last night, my ePortfolio advisor held online office hours, and I visited with her on Collaborate to chat in real time. It was only done through audio, but I still felt like I was actually there with her rather than in my dorm room at SJSU. I like to view virtual employment as being in two places at once.

Week 5: Communication

What I found somewhat coincidental about this week is that we're discussing communication, and I just finished a competency essay for my ePortfolio which covered that topic. A lot of the tips in the articles this week were ones that I had already heard before, since I experienced a lot of it already in the SLIS program. Part of effective communication is responding promptly to your boss or coworkers about a project, or if you have a question that needs to be answered at that second, it's also a good idea to call.

Yesterday, I met with my mentor in Second Life for my internship, and she taught me how to build objects and add pictures to them. We communicated both through voice and chat, so we were on the same page, and I could send her an IM or ask her through audio if I was stuck. I'm also adding my progress on the Google Doc she created for me to write my hours down on, and I've been providing a brief outline to what I'm doing each day, even if I go into Second Life by myself. I consider myself a fast learner, so it didn't take me long to pick up on the building techniques and open up the proper window to add texture, rotate, stretch, etc. To test out my knowledge, I put up a picture of Catherine of Aragon (me) on the outside of my virtual house, using the building methods I was taught and a program called Jing to take a screenshot of the picture I wanted.

I had never heard of Jing before all this, but it was surprisingly easy to install and use. It just sits up in the corner of my computer screen doing nothing until I'm ready to use it.

Week 4: Time Management

Welcome to week 4 of my blog. For this unit, we are discussing time management, which has been my primary focus since starting the SLIS program. I've based my academic schedule around time management, because when I get my first career, I want to make sure I have the balance between work and me-time. I do a lot of extra-curricular activities, like swimming, bike riding, writing, playing Tetris, and spending time on my violin, and I do not want to give up any of those things for work. I have been keeping a Time Management Sheet, a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet displaying different times of the day for me to fill in my daily activities, and I've filled in the times for things that I know for sure I will be doing this semester. The rest is up in the air. I have time set aside for swimming, meetings, and violin, and the rest is empty, which I can use towards schoolwork and what not.

As of right now, I've been going in and out of Second Life, adding furniture to my new house in Hampton Square, and teleporting to all the locations I visited with the LIBR 287 students in order to take snapshots of them for my virtual collection. It is a great thing to work on as I wait for the feedback to come in from my ePortfolio advisor, since I'm spending most of my time writing the essays for that. I'm supposed to write 14 competency essays by November 18, and so far, I've passed 3. I completed number 4 a couple days ago and sent my professor the link, and I'm waiting to hear back on it. My philosophy is "revise, revise, revise, until it's perfect."

Week 3: Virtual Internship Tips

This week looks interesting so far. I read 3 articles relating to virtual internships, and I was not surprised with some of the items that were listed, since I already knew quite a bit about virtual internships before starting this course. For example, I knew that it didn't require commuting; the only commute the student is expected to do is get out of bed and walk to the computer.

Virtual internships aren't for everyone, however; people who are more on the extroverted side recharge their energy from being around other people, so they would possibly crave the face-to-face contact from fellow interns, instructors, and other clientele. On the other hand, people who are more introverted, like me, recharge their energy from being alone, or spending time away from others for a while. I feel I have been able to motivate myself a lot easier by working from the comfort of my dorm room; it saves a lot of gasoline, time, and money, and like the articles stated, I can set my own hours and communicate with the site supervisor through email or Skype.

Experiences (So Far)

This week I learned about working in an entirely virtual environment such as Second Life, and I was fascinated with the variety of avatars and names each student had come up with. There was even an avatar that closely resembled my own!

The Living in Tudor Times is a really interesting course. I had my first meeting with Snow Scarmon on Saturday, and we walked around to different locations in SL that were beneficial to the course. From the worlds I visited, I'm getting a feeling for what to expect from the course and the project I'm currently working on.

Today I did some more research on the people connected to the House of Tudor, using Wikipedia as my primary source, and found out some fascinating information on them. I used the list provided by the instructor for week 1 and added my facts to it. Some of the pages had images of the people, and I wrote down the pixel size, the artist's name, the medium, and the date, if any of them were available. Other pages had no images, so I didn't have a source for them. I listed the link to the pages I had gotten my research from and entered it below each person's name.

I decided on my character name and residence for this week. I'm going to be Catherine of Aragon and live in Hampton Court.

This fall will be my last semester as a graduate student at SJSU. With this course, I hope to get introduced to possible virtual career opportunities, where I can work remotely from anywhere in the world as an archivist. As of right now, there are not a lot of virtual careers available in my field of study (Archives and Records), but I hope that there will be in the very near future. Some of the goals I am aiming towards learning about:

I. Requirements and expectations in a virtual career

II. What types of virtual careers are currently available

III. How to continue on in an internship after graduation

IV. The probability of students getting full-time jobs through internships

V. How to incorporate Second Life into a possible career

I hope that with my VCARA internship, most or all of these questions can be answered. Since I started the MLIS program, I have become much more comfortable working in an online environment instead of a physical one, because I can take my time on assignments in order to do well, and the schedule is more flexible.