and 1. How has this experience (the internship) helped you think about your path after high school? What steps do you want to take as you start your journey towards your future career? Consider what you have observed and learned about your mentor or other employees at your site, your academic and personal experiences in high school and your 11th grade internship experience.
I feel like this experience has broadened my scope of what I want to do in the future. I recently found an interest in skin care, my face hasn't been the nicest as of recently, and I found that this type of work and environment is something I want in my future career. I like the aspects of teamwork between the co-workers and the relationships they share with the clients/patients. It's the newer additions to the job that break the repetitiveness of the work and brings different challenges to think about when consulting them due to the uniqueness of every person's skin. Estheticians also aren't required to get a degree, they instead apply for a license to work with the surface of the skin or hair or other add ons without the commitment of extra schooling but it does come with limitations. They can't work beneath the surface for more aggressive forms of treatment compared to dermatologists and the pay is weighted differently as you can't study for certain services beyond aesthetics. I want to find a middle ground, by getting both an esthetics and clinical/medical license, so that I'm free to do the most efficient job of taking care of skin in both departments as well as a have a back up plan if one or the other doesn't work out for me. I hope I have the chance to multi-task through the two paths, even if I have to commit to community college to get an esthetics license first before moving up to Med/nursing school, and I hope that I find a way to sustain myself if this is the final path I chose to walk on. If this doesn't work out, I hope that I'm able to bounce around and observe other types of work spaces related to people or even animals.
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Date/Time of Meeting:
1/29/2020, 8-9 pm Source of Communication: Instagram Group Video Chat People in Call and Information shared: Melia Domingo Internship Description: -Elementary school Art Room -3rd, 2nd and Kindergarten for first half, 4th and 5th in the second half Work they're doing: -TA, teaches class or assists in teaching, curation in free time Internship Project: -Curation of past project in progress, due to class time delaying independent work time. 2 striking things about their Internship: -The job was more difficult than she originally thought (compared to personal experience with teacher parents) when it came to planning or lack thereof in lessons -She liked the kindergardeners the best surprisingly, compared to the other grades Kaycee Stiemke Internship Description: -NOCE (North Orange Continuing Education), Janet -Three main campuses, She worked in Cypress College -instructors to teach basic skills to people with disabilities (physical, verbal, or otherwise) Work they're doing: -Research on online programs for reference -Aesthetics work -Organizing similarities and differences for comparison to create website Internship Project: -Creating website for online classes 2 striking things about their Internship: -The faculty of NOCE have less benefits than the faculty of the cypress college itself. -There was a lot of candy in the lab/academic coaching room that she was working in -It was a quiet work space, or quiet in general, despite the students on campus Photo EssayInternship ProjectFor my internship project, I was assigned to create digital records for their old clients onto their google drive as well as update their waiting room Acne Before & After photo book. It's a somewhat significant part of their routinely check ups within the office space and their daily duties as it plays a role in organizing their relevant/active clients from older and 'finished' clients and clearing the accumulation of paper in the office as well as advertising the effectiveness of their acne program, products, and consultants/estheticians.
Transferring the old data from paper folders to google drive was pretty standard work. It didn't require too much instruction or variables to hinder my work process, I just had to separate the clients who's last appointment fell outside of the 6 month limit and the right forms and notes with their matching sides on the folder while scanning them individually or together into pdf form and quality checking the scanned items for legibility. There was some difficulty in properly scanning each form as well as finding an effective way to scanning, organizing and checking the files without wasting time to do the other daily responsibilities I have as an intern but I managed it just fine and finished it in 5-ish work days. (30 hours) As for the Acne Before & After photo book, I had a lot of trouble in the beginning as well as for the duration of the creation of the book as I had to work with my co-workers to find out who signed their photo release forms, which clients were the most recent, and which shared the most noticeable differences in their skin for a desirable influence in the products' effectiveness. They already provided the photos but it became an independent project as I have to figure out what programs I should use to format the photos as well as publish it into a real book for their waiting room. My main mentor was absent for the majority of the internship so I relied on the passed along instructions as well as my own observational research on their aesthetics to procure a template of what I wanted the product to look like. I have yet to finally publish the book as I'm still waiting on many variables for permission but the draft is completed and ready to print. (I'll provide a link below of the digital copy) 1. How did you measure the success of the work you did while you were an intern? What did you learn from this?
For my work, I was assigned to a more back room role in cleaning and maintaining the space with the other estheticians. I can't necessarily interact with the clients or intrude on their appointments so I make up for it in making sure the laundry and the 'dishes' are completed, that supplies are stored properly in each 'room' or chair, and helping in any way I can from the back. I find success in keeping the space clean and making sure that no time is wasted in cleaning the sheets or the dishes/tools the estheticians use per client. It's a lot of their down time type of work but if I can do it, it makes the whole process of time and supplies needed between appointments less stressful for the professionals. 2. What did you learn about your own work from your internship project? So far I focused on the side project I was assigned, which is transferring old client folders onto the company's google drive. It's a systematic part of the job that I found to be important because it carries all of the important observations, procedures done/products used, and descriptions for each client that the estheticians in charge need to keep track of for effective results. They build on their progress through new additions to their folders but it clutters the space of the folder itself so finding a way to compact that information and keep it paperless/digitally is convenient for the company and the clients' faces. As for my main project, which has been on hold due to the lack of photo release contacts forms and visually drastic before and after pictures, shows that visual aesthetic is important for the job, In upholding a clean, professional space as well as promising results of our products and programs, the probability of clients coming in AND staying committed to our company is raised significantly. 3. What new appreciations did you develop while working as an intern? Why? It's a lot of busy work to keep you on your toes, even if it's repetitive work like doing the laundry and the dishes. They do a lot to keep the place and the tools they use clean and professional looking for their clients and it's a lot of dedication that raises the expectations and realities of what the Acne Spot/Taylor'd Skin Studio provides. There's also a warm and close atmosphere that the employees share with each other and their clients, being such smaller spaces with a main group of estheticians and the same (or new) clients who come in every other week. 4. How did interpersonal relationships and/or collaboration at work influence your understanding of life outside of high school? Relationships and the ability to work together is a requirement for a place to function. If clients AND the employees are happy, the rest will fall into place without unnecessary trouble or stress. The estheticians rely on each other for a good space to relax with during breaks and off work hours and for new perspectives when it comes to handling certain client diagnosis. They need to communicate to keep the place running and if if they can't work with each other, the place won't last long, no matter how well the products work. Plus, client to employee relationships ensure that they come back so the estheticians can keep their job and the clients get the care they need for their face. Date/Time of Meeting:
1/16/2020, 7:00-8:00 pm Source of Communication: Instagram Group Video Chat People in Call and Information shared: Mariana Alverez Internship Description: -Angelica Perez -Lincoln Elementary -It was an option and she took it and she had past experience with elementary kids, She also wanted to utilize the space for Spanish practice Work they're doing: -Organizing and testing kids on knowledge, back of class kind of work, T.A., basic Spanish translator Internship Project: -Testing kids who are behind in class 2 striking things about their Internship: -Kids that WANT to learn things and excitement for reading and tests -The class learns in Spanish first but barely focus on an English explanation. Mariela Alverez Internship Description: -Same as Mariah's, they're intern partners Work they're doing: -More worksheets, behind the scenes work that isn't too involved with the kids. Internship Project: -Still in Progress 2 striking things about their Internship: -Kids are great listeners but reading for them is an issue -Patience is necessary with kinder gardeners -No time for yourself Mariah Perez Internship Description: -Mrs. Williams -Paloma Elementary -She wanted to do something internship-related in the duration of the internship period and she got an opportunity to join up with Mariela's Internship Work they're doing: -T.A. basically, activity-focused work with the kids Internship Project: -Unsure, Still in Progress 2 striking things about their Internship: -Kids are surprisingly advanced -Patience is key when handling kids What are you learning about yourself as a worker in a professional environment?
I'm willing to do a lot of the tedious, practical work to keep me busy. If I'm given instructions or if I'm told to maintain the space, it's easy for me to start and do the work. I don't think I would be comfortable with working as a leader in charge of certain people or tasks but I've yet to find myself in such a position. I'm also more practiced in creative roles or organizational work. What are your strengths? I don't think any job is below me, which could be a bad thing if I consider my tolerance or standards for my work or time, and I'm willing to do a lot if it's asked of me. I'm good with creative aspects of work and I like organizing or cleaning things. What do you enjoy most about your work? I like being busy and walking around if I can, I don't have to interact much with other people and do something to help instead of just sitting with computer and working on my internship project (which hasn't officially started) or other school work. The staff, too, are very nice and close together, I hope I can find a community like this when I have a solid career in the future. I might be a face model for one of their newer estheticians so the free facials or treatments are something to look forward to. What do you dislike about your work experience? (This doesn’t necessarily mean you dislike your work; however, maybe you are learning that you prefer to be active or like office work. We want you to identify types of work that you enjoy with the hope that this helps you identify jobs that may be a strong fit for you) I did have a lot of repetitive tasks to do, such as cleaning the dishes/brushes/tools, washing and folding the laundry, and setting the rooms, but it's better than doing no work at all or sitting at a table for 6 hours. I would like to have more hands-on or observational aspects to mix up the day and keep me active or even organizing and filing for some mental stimulation. I also need to very very careful with how I do my work, my hands have gotten pretty dry from all the washing so I need to use more gloves (which equals more trash) and how it looks to my colleagues' standards and clients. What areas of your work do you want to continue to improve? My ability to speak out or be more communicative with my colleagues and mentor. I need to find the line between friendliness and professionalism when it comes to meeting in the back room because it's very casual back there and I don't want to overstep my boundaries. I also have questions I want to ask but can't get out unless absolutely one-on-one or if they initiate the conversation. It's affecting my ability to connect with others and my level of teamwork in the office. How would you compare your current experience to last year’s internship? What type of work are you doing that is similar or different from last year? I am a lot more talkative and active with this internship. While the space and regulations are very similar, with the exception for the use of towels and purpose, I'm free to do the basic work of cleaning and maintaining the space (which happens frequently due to constant flow of clients and single towel/tool usage) and it's a lot more engaging than just observing my mentor consult with patients or working on my internship project. How is your experience shaping your thoughts about your future career path? I like the repetition, the work that the estheticians do when it comes to skin care, and the overall atmosphere of the space with and without the patients, it's the same for most clinical spaces so I'm looking forward to furthering my studies into the medical field (esthetician, dermatologist, family doctor, nurse practitioner, etc.). Though I'm being open to the idea of cosmetic clinical spaces as well if I can't fully commit to the medical field. What are you doing/creating for your project?
-Acne Before & After Look Book -Paperwork scanning (Going Paperless in the office) What skills do you need in order for it to meet/exceed your mentor’s expectations? -Design & Creativity -Efficient Work Ethic -Scanning and Transferring Data from Paper to Google Drive -Organization -Time Management and Multi-Tasking -Production of Final Product and Communication with Mentor about critique or otherwise What support will you need and from whom? -A scanner and the data and pictures from my Mentor to start my actual project(s) -Possible critique in the future and instructions for how they want their documents to be filed and visuals for the look book So far, I've started the template for the front book cover and the before and after pages but I need to estimate how many pages I'll need from how many pictures they want in there and find out which online publishing websites to use. GMentor(s): Raquel V. Occupation: Esthetics Manager and Esthetician Duties and Responsibilities: -It changes frequently, depending on the day or task -On Tuesday and Friday, She's the shift lead/manager and she's in charge of getting the team ready for set up and prep work as well as contacting clients or answering their questions through email in the morning, She also does inventory/restocking products and helps both employees and clients when it comes to questions about products, functionality in the work space, etc. -As an Esthetician, taking in clients, customizing facials for clients and giving recommendations training and management for goals, responsibility to do one on ones with employees Occupational Passion or Favorite Moments: -She struggled with acne at young age and the dermatologist she saw didn't do it for her (Prescribed medication only and said it was hormonal but it persisted in college so she wanted to figure out her skin and help others in the same situation as an esthetician) -She loves seeing the results of the regiment when it works to create clear skin in clients (which is a pretty consistent result) and she likes working in an atmosphere of colleagues with similar passions in skin care Education and Skills required: -600 hours of ethetics school (pass state board test) -any additional education to specialize in (field of expertise within esthetics, waxing, cosmetology subgroups most likely, etc.) -Skills: bedside manner when speaking with clients, phone etiquette, proper extractions, proper sanitation, skin analysis, communication, product knowledge, fine motor skills, somewhat heavy lifting (50 lbs or more), organization, particular computer program skills, social media marketing, customer service, interior design/eye for aesthetics and management, conflict resolution, defusing difficult client situations, housekeeping, etc. Organization: The Acne Spot/Taylor'd Skin Studio Typical Work Day: -Make hot towels -Re-check appointments and check inventory -Open rooms and Greet clients -Complete facial -Flip rooms -Repeat -Clean and Maintain rooms (laundry and dishes) throughout the day -Close rooms and turn off all equipment (salt lamp, hot towel warmers, fake candles, lights, etc.) -Close up Purpose: -Improve skin! Advice for working here: -Grow tough skin (precondition yourself) -Put on sunscreen -Learn to appeal to clients (they're always right) -Don't mix implements in rooms -Learn to do your taxes Internship ReflectionWhat questions do you have about your internship?
I'm curious about the process of being an esthetician. From what I was told, the brand/company they use in their clinic specifically trains professionals---for a license certificate as opposed to just a bachelor's, master's, so on---and works with their products in addition to abiding by the standards of cleanliness and regulations from their medical association (have to ask the name of later, it keeps slipping my mind). It seems like a lot goes into maintaining the space and knowledge but there's a sense of individuality or specialty in the brands they approve of, they are able to choose or prescribe what products to use per client and customize a regimen for people struggling with skin. It does go into cosmetology as well as dermatology and I find it to be a cool mix between the two. Though I'm wondering how I'll be able to make a living off of being a esthetician, because from what I've researched (I can't just ask them how much they make really...), it's not as well off as other jobs or careers in the same-ish field and I don't know if I'll be able to survive in California. (for example, dermatologists can earn up to 450,000 while estheticians are estimated to earn up to 45,000-50,000) What connections can you make between this internship and what you've done in school? I'm not sure about school but I have been practicing my at-home skills, such as laundry, washing the dishes, setting the bed, restocking the towels and dishes, and in the future, filing and scanning documents. There's not much that connects the knowledge or skills used in school because I'm doing mainly the practical aspects of the job but if I were to push for a connection, I would say biology and chemistry play a role in figuring out the best products to use for the face (in regards to different variables affecting it) and the best techniques to clean and reduce symptoms of different types of acne. This probably connects to skin care in general for what works best for your skin and what compromises it. Has anything happened that's worth telling us about? Funny stories? I don't have much to say but there's so much drama and deep conversations that spring up in the back room when everyone is on "down time" before the estheticians' next clients. It feels very much like listening to high schoolers talk about drama and I just happen to sit there to listen. It's a very close environment and it's very supportive when it comes to proposing questions about their situation or otherwise. I have yet to see them in the workspace with their clients during treatments or consultations but this aspect of work seems nice when it comes to passing the time and building connections with each other. They also talk a bit about their clients when it clashes with their personal lives or when there was a memorable moment during their appointments. Also, apparently, they get some patients with weird characteristics (around behavior, recreational drug use, parents coming for 'therapy', etc.) and they just reflect on them in the back room when discussing their current clients. I also remember that they were all panicking about smelling weed in the acne spot section of the room and didn't know when to air out the room, just in case clients walk into the clinic, so that was fun. What have you learned about your organization's mission and purpose? From what I can see, their collective focus is on improving your skin in a way that tailors to your skin's needs and doesn't use harsh chemicals or treatments to get the best results. ("...clearing acne, reducing pigmentation, softening fine lines, slowing the appearance of aging, and giving your skin a vibrant, healthy glow...") They also place an emphasis on general skin care and maintenance, as shown in their skin studio aspect of the clinic, through TLC, maintenance, hydration or correction. It's a blend of clinical and cosmetic without being too much of either as they stand by their products and provide many services for their clients of any ages. What new skills are you developing (or will you need to develop) for this internship? Mainly I re-learned the basics of household chores but there's a level of flexibility in learning how they do things in a specific way to satisfy their workflow system as well as what is labeled as clean in the professional association for skincare, dermatology, etc. It seemed from when I started, they're trying to change a lot of their own systems with supplies and organization so both the professionals and I are adjusting to switch around the best ways to do things and how to do it. Maybe it's because I'm new and scared to move around but I also need to learn to take the initiative and join in on the basics of what estheticians do outside of handling clients (cleaning and maintenance), because I've been mainly stuck in the back room, when I should also check in with the other rooms' laundry and QUAD (disinfecting) buckets/dishes. How would you compare your experience thus far to what you experienced last year? It's relatively the same work as the dental office surprisingly, I'm thinking it may be the same standards or a similar association regulation, because they use chemicals/disinfectants to clean their tools, have a heavily labeled and organized set of cabinets, and use a lot of laundry or plastic coverings to protect the space/chair for each incoming client. I'm glad that I'm doing more practical work and interacting with my co-workers more here, it's nice to be busier, even if it's doing tedious work. (because they do the same thing too!) I have yet to start my project, because it's still in progress right now, but I'm hoping I'll get it done fast with good quality and a bunch of effort! What strikes you most about your workplace? I found the Acne Spot's similarities to my last year's internship with the Sun Smile Dental Office to be the most striking. Their regulations, cleanliness, staff room, office and so on share a similar atmosphere that makes me both nervous but safe to be in when working with their wonderful but seemingly imposing staff. Though here is rather tasteful in decorations (looks like it came out of a home's furniture magazine with a Forever 21 sponsorship) and they market their own skincare products as well as various other brands for retail at the front desk. It's very fancy and expensive but the care and service provided seems to be worth it (with good results in about 3 to 6 months, it's not a fast process!). I'm also fixated on the facial bar they provide at the front desk/reception area because it, as described in the last post, looks like a hair salon with chairs and products and it's just very modern-looking compared to other clinical spaces (dental offices, doctor's offices, hospital rooms, etc.) What strikes you most about your colleagues? It's a female-dominated space (as cosmetic and dermatology interests seems to influence) but their image is very striking. My colleagues wear professional black scrubs and they're all naturally pretty with good/clear skin (as advertisements or representation of their own products, values in cleanliness, and overall job description). It's been shown and emphasized that visual present-ability and professionalism is very important to the work space and it does seem very reassuring to the clients. I find all of them to be very nice or good with people, especially when it comes to skin because that can be a very sensitive subject to talk about (personal experience), and I can't wait to learn the flexibility or skill used in handling others when it comes to the professional work space. What strikes you most about the job you're doing? My job consists of assisting the estheticians in their clients as well as doing the "down time" work when I can with/without supervision, which is basically setting up/cleaning rooms, laundry, cleaning, being a practice dummy, and an overall shadow for check ups or maintaining the space. It's definitely more hands-on and busy than my last internship so it'll be an interesting experience to get used to their routine. I'll also be scanning a lot of documents to help them go paper-less in the office so if I ever get a corporate office job with low pay, bad coffee, and no opportunity to promote, I'll be good at getting those papers C O P I E D. What are you looking forward to during your internship? I'm looking forward to the free facials I might get during our down time---Just kidding, maybe, I'm not sure. I am really excited to start actual work though, it sounded pretty standard when we went over the basics but practicing it under the eyes of my new colleagues was nerve-wracking. I hope I can do well on my own before the week ends! What wonderings do you have about your role and/or your workplace? I'm not too sure how I'll function yet as an unofficial member, it'll flow better with time I hope but I just need to memorize where everything is and how to do everything that doesn't require consulting the patients or handling important details myself. I might have more questions later on, who knows? |
IntroductionA month-long bi-weekly update on my internship with the Acne Spot/Taylor'd Skin Studio in San Marcos. ArchivesCategories |