Over the past 15 weeks, I have worked in 6 different building on 9 different projects with too many people to count. I have done project work and process work. Project work is more of the "here's a problem find a solution" or design work. Process work is like the design of experiment (DOE) and trial I ran. While I liked both, I think I liked the project/design side of things more. However, I would be happy with doing something like either in the long run.
This afternoon I had my performance review with my supervisor. He made me tell him what I thought my strengths and weaknesses were and rate myself. He then told me what he thought my strengths and weaknesses were and gave me some tips for future assignments.
Weaknesses:
He said I need to be more assertive when dealing with people, I need to work on conflict resoultion because I don't like confronting people, and that I could have communicated with him better though he knows that I was working closer with someone else in the group who was always in the loop. He also suggested I keep an excel spreadsheet with the progress of my projects as I go so that if he were to ask where everything was I could just send him the spreadsheet then.
Strengths:
He said I did a good job taking initiative in getting new projects and finding different ways of doing things. If I didn't know something, I tried to research it myself before turning to someone for help. He also thanked me for being very flexible this whole term. The first week when I didn't have my work computer yet, I brought in my personal laptop and did some research into valves. When he was unexpectedly out for a month, I found other ways of doing things so I didn't need his help. When I did hit road blocks that required him, I worked on what I could do without him and asked for his help when he returned.
I laughed when he told me I was quiet. Anyone that knows me knows that the only time I'm quiet is in a new or uncomfortable situation. I'll admit I definitely have not been completely "myself" throughout this whole term, but I have become more comfortable with the people in my group and have begun having more conversations that don't revolve around work.
One of my goals for this term was to use the phone or talking to someone in person more for communication and not rely so much on e-mail. It was hard to do so becuase I didn't have voicemail, but I feel as if I have gotten better about using the phone more. If someone offered me their e-mail I usually wouldn't take it because if I had it I knew I would want to use it. I feel like overall I have gotten better about it and will keep this on my list of goals so I can continue to improve my communication skills.
Another goal of mine was to get a better idea of what I want to do after graduation. I now know that I would enjoy doing something similar to what I have done this term. I have also confirmed my thought that I want to live near home. Being only an hour away was nice because I could still attend family events but I was still far enough to be on my own.
I feel like the projects I have been assigned this term were actually beneficial to the plant. There are tangible things that I can say I did and I learned many things along the way. I definitely feel more accomplished than I did after my summer term.
My last day of work is this Friday. I will be going up to PSU Friday through Wednesday for Blue-White weekend, the Blue in the FACE concert, and to see friends. I will then be home for about 3 weeks before I will leave to go to Freeport, TX for the summer to complete my third rotation.
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