c0867974 Natalia Hurtado

C0867974 Natalia Hurtado
Career Ready Personal Reflection

For the WIL term, I will be completing my co-op in the position of eLearning Designer and
Developer with Sault College, which will be remote. Based on the process I went through in the
search for this co-op, and on my work and future aspirations, I will make this reflection.
Goals/Skills/Personal Brand:
1. What are three career goals for the upcoming WIL term I would like to focus on? Why?
Analyzing my weaknesses and what I would like to improve in my professional profile, the
three objectives I would like to focus on are:
• Improve communication skills: since clear and effective communication is essential in
instructional design, I must be able to convey ideas, instructions, and concepts. Improving
these communication skills will enhance collaboration and ensure that instructional
materials are easily understood.
• Improve project management in instructional design: Project management is crucial in
instructional design to ensure that projects are completed on time, on budget, and with
high-quality results.
• Develop proficiency in storyboarding: Since this topic has not been worked on in-depth
during the term of study, it is essential when working with real clients to show a visual
representation of the learning content, and a well-structured storyboard is essential to
guide the development of multimedia elements and ensure alignment with the didactic
objectives.
2. What are some of the most interesting discoveries I made related to job search/career
preparation in this course? Why?
While I was searching for my coop position and taking this course, I realized some important
things that I didn't know before or didn't know in-depth, such as:
• Importance of networking: Networking has a great impact on the job search since we can
take advantage of these professional connections to find opportunities, obtain
information about sectors, and learn from the experiences of others.
• Personal branding and online presence: I understood the importance of personal branding
and how maintaining a strong online presence on platforms such as LinkedIn can
significantly improve employment prospects.
• Recognition of transferable skills: I learned a little more about those skills that we acquire
and often overlook, and how important they are when applying for jobs as they can be
applied to different roles and sectors, broadening employment opportunities.
• Effective writing of resumes and cover letters: Learn how to properly write a Resume
according to the Canadian working world, which is very different from our country of
origin. In addition to the Cover Letter, it is adapted according to the position to which we
are applying to present ourselves and explain why we are suitable for the position.
• Interview preparation strategies: Discover the different strategies available, the common
questions asked in interviews, how to approach them, and practice to increase confidence
in the interviews.
3. What do I do in everyday life that I can bring to a WIL experience? How will this benefit me,
my colleagues, and the organization?
I like to be able to communicate clearly and effectively in my personal life, which is a skill that
will be beneficial to me at WIL term as it helps me foster collaboration and understanding with
other team members. Clear communication can avoid misunderstandings, improve teamwork,
contribute to a positive work environment, as well as streamline project processes, and ensure
that everyone is on the same page.
Another daily practice is collaboration, as this is essential for the success of a team.
Demonstrating the ability to work well with others, share ideas, and contribute to a positive
team culture.
4. What have I done this past year that I am especially proud of, and why?
This year I set a goal to stand out in my program with my design skills, which I saw reflected
and I felt very proud of my grades. I also made my portfolio, and I applied for an Internship
opportunity with the college, to which only 6 people passed, which was a reason for much
pride and motivation.
5. What's the one thing about myself I would like to work to improve, and why?
I must improve my communication skills because it is crucial in personal and professional
relationships. I must learn to better express my ideas clearly, and listen actively, because
sometimes due to my introversion, I tend to leave ideas to myself.
I must also improve my time management to increase productivity, help reduce stress, and
achieve a better balance between my work and personal life.
Job Search/Networking:
6. What are some of my most important learning moments during the CPS-1001/2001 courses
and what made them so? Why?
After taking these courses, I have learned how to create my personal brand. It helped me to
better understand the job search strategies, in my particular case, in the search for the coop.
Even after finding an offer, it helped me in the elaboration of my resume and cover letter
which would be my letter of introduction to employers, then in the preparation for interviews,
providing strategies, and techniques, and practicing the answers, which increased my
confidence and performance.
7. How do I consider/evaluate my job search and networking efforts to date? What can I do to
become even more successful?
My coop search was very successful since I currently have an offer from a good college, which I
think was due first to my personal brand, which I made stand out with my portfolio, my
resume, and my cover letter, which I developed it in such a way that it showed my skills and
how they aligned with what they were looking for, which is why I had previously searched for
the college I was going to apply to. One way to improve is by reviewing and updating my
LinkedIn profile because through it I can create a network of contacts in my field that can help
me in the future.
Professional Conduct/Presentation:
8. What habits did I learn that I want to keep doing? Why?
Maintaining a clear communication habit helps me to promote good understanding,
collaboration, and good relationships with others in the workplace. Also creating and
maintaining a personal brand, presenting myself consistently on various platforms, showcasing
my expertise.
9. How am I lining up my actions with my values? (Integrity is about matching up your actions
with your words and values).
Every decision I make is linked to my way of being, which in turn is related in one way or
another to my values. For this reason, I always have to respect myself first, because if they ask
me to do something that goes against me, I think I would first discuss it with my work team,
and I would try to ensure that everything is done by common agreement without affecting
others.
10. How honest am I with myself right now? (Open to consider my actions and consequences of
the decisions you make)
Certainly. I believe in maintaining a high level of self-awareness and honesty with myself. I
regularly do self-reflection to evaluate my actions and decisions. An example that comes to
mind is a project I recently completed where we faced unexpected challenges. Instead of
attributing difficulties solely to external factors, I took the time to reflect on my role in the
project.
I considered whether there were aspects within my control that could have been handled
differently. This introspection led me to identify areas of improvement in my project
management and communication skills. I openly discussed these reflections with my team and
sought feedback, demonstrating my commitment to continuous improvement.
I understand the importance of being responsible for my actions and decisions. This
experience reinforced my belief in being honest with myself about successes and areas of
growth. I am open to recognizing mistakes, learning from them, and using those lessons to
make more informed decisions in the future.
11. What are my personal growth opportunities for the next year? Please be specific.
For the coming year, I expect to improve in aspects such as autonomous time management, to
develop skills that will allow me to improve my productivity remotely. With my remote coop, I
must set specific schedules, and establish boundaries between work and personal time.
Another aspect of personal growth is keeping up to date on industry trends in instructional
design and storytelling. and actively participate in meetings and discussions with clients and
the team.
Collaboration/Teamwork:
12. What are some things my classmates do that help me learn? Please be specific
Some things I noticed from my peers that can help me are the collaborative way they share
relevant resources such as articles, and books which expands the set of learning materials.
Also, the way some of them gave constructive feedback on the work, allowing me to identify
areas for improvement, helping me to refine my skills and obtain different perspectives.
13. What are three tips I want to give myself about how to be successful in a team environment?
Foster positive relationships with team members to create an atmosphere of support and
collaboration. Getting to know my teammates, understanding their strengths, and finding
common ground.
Demonstrate initiative and contribute proactively, since you should not always wait to have
instructions to contribute to a project. You can take responsibility, offer help, and suggest
improvements.
Remain adaptable in the face of challenges, focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on
problems.
Career Readiness:
14. How ready do I feel for the upcoming WIL term? What do I need to do between now and then
to ensure I have a successful term?
I feel very confident and qualified in terms of the concepts I learned in my program and what I
will develop in my WIL term coop, but there are some things I need to improve or do, such as:
• Clarify expectations, better understand specific goals and responsibilities, and seek
information about the work environment, specifically what remote work is like.
• Identify which skills are relevant to the position I should improve, and conduct online
courses or workshops to improve the identified area of weakness.
• Establish connections that can facilitate the transition and improve collaboration,
connecting with employees on professional platforms such as LinkedIn.
• Stay informed about industry trends, updating myself on tools through opinion leaders
and prominent organizations.
• Prepare for remote work, setting up a dedicated and ergonomic workspace, and
familiarizing myself with communication and collaboration tools used remotely.

c0867974 Natalia Hurtado - Career Ready Personal Reflection

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

c0867974 Natalia Hurtado - Career Ready Personal Reflection

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

c0867974 Natalia Hurtado - Career Ready Personal Reflection

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Career Ready Personal Reflection

You might also like