Welcome!
Choosing your future profession is a difficult decision that some people know instantly and takes others years to decide. Often times individuals change their field of study because once inside the field, they realize this path was not meant for them. I was recently given the assignment of preparing my professional philosophy, or summary of personal beliefs, attitudes, and values. By reflecting on myself, I was able to consider my own background and personality to decide why I am interested in a given field and how my personality will fit into that environment. After deliberating over my personal attitudes and way of thinking, I have come to be even more comfortable with my decision to copmplete a degree in communication and pursue a career as a corporate trainer.
In retrospect, my parents were very poor communicators, and I believe our relationship suffered because of it. Growing up in an especially old fashioned family, children were not to question what was told to them as any sort of ‘talking back’ was inappropriate. We did not discuss family issues or celebrate with congratulatory words. As I entered the adult world, I realized that my ‘keep your mouth shut’ upbringing was more conducive to the house wife lifestyle my parents wished for me and not the innovative and interactive world I felt more comfortable in. I chose communication as a major, despite my past, because I enjoy sharing ideas, networking, and developing though interaction and I knew I did not have the proficiency to support a career in that field. Through personal experience I have learned that lack of communication in any type of relationship, familial, romantic, friendly, or professional, does not lead to agreement or understanding.
I believe that this choice demonstrates independence and self-awareness on my part. After feeling disappointment in my interactions for so long, choosing a major that corresponds with my own personal ideas of association, rather than those of my family, I have discovered a new part of myself that I did not realize I had been holding back.
My Communication History
Professional
Goals
'Fit' for My Profession
As a communication major I hope to become some sort of corporate trainer, possibly in the area of small business initiation. I believe that I am ideal for this professional field due to my ability to assess and control an audience, creatively and quickly solve problems, and particularly the way I easily relate to people and adapt to the way they learn. In the art of training, one must not only be knowledgeable on the presenting subject, but more importantly be able to transfer a concept from one mind to another. During my educational journey, I have learned this process to be message encoding, sending, and decoding, but even before I learned the proper terms, I highly valued the notion that not all people learn in the same way.
I have coached competitive gymnastics for ten years now, and throughout my time training athletes I have found that no matter how experienced and educated I might be on any given skill, the athletes will not all learn by merely speaking at them. I have fine-tuned several ways that I now teach my athletes so they will fully understand all aspects of the skills being taught. I instruct with proper terms for those who learn verbally, I physically demonstrate for those who learn visually, I stop and adjust bodies mid-skill for those who need to feel the correction, and I let the students ‘fix’ areas on me so they can visualize the proper and improper forms. I know that if I combine and utilize the training skills I have learned coaching and the communication competences I have learned in my education, I can become a successful corporate trainer.
1). Adaptation: I strongly believe that in any matter, no one methods works best for every instance. Be it the example of different learning styles, to work process methods, or creative progression, no two minds think exactly alike and therefore the idea of ‘best practices’ are more of suggestions. By enhancing self-awareness, each employee will come to discover the methodology that they can individually be most efficient with.
2). Innovation: I am not arrogant enough to believe that because I am the trainer, I will automatically know the best way to handle each situation. Innovation is the key to development and improvement and it must not be suppressed or disregarded.
3). Optimism: Realistically, problems with arise and challenges will need to be faced. I have always valued optimism as the alternative route does not enhance a situation in any way. Pessimistic individuals not only doubt themselves, but bring others down with their cynical and unenthusiastic energy.
4). Reciprocity: I have always been taught to treat others the way you would like to be treated, and I strongly believe that following this one rule will eliminate multiple ethical concerns. Values such as honestly, integrity, respect, and trust can all be included in the concept of ‘would you want that to happen to you?'
5). Professionalism: In the workplace, one must be the best version of themselves; you treat your employer differently then you treat your siblings. Being a profession means honoring your commitments, being friendly and approachable with your attitude, and maintaining a distinction between your work and personal life.