Technology improving communication

Over the duration of the semester our group members have taken advantage of technology to get a hold of one another. The black board group pages were helpful because it allowed everyone to see certain documents that were posted by a particular member. Once the document is posted on black board all group members can view the papers at their discretion.

The main line of communication that our group used to contact one another has been through e-mail. It is effective because everyone generally checks his/her e-mail several times a day. Overall, the group worked well together and the line of communication was always open. With the use of e-mail, facebook, black board, text messaging and so forth, it seems as though there are endless ways to take advantage of technology.

Ethical Lapses

After discussing the memo in class pertaining to the Holocaust, it seems apparent that dehumanizing information has been around for awhile. The problem is that it is often difficult to identify the the underlying meaning in some of these memos. The people writing these documents are deceptive and able to hide them from the public more often then not. While the case dealing with ford pinto was many years ago it is still upsetting that they would allow people to die knowingly because it would be cheaper than fixing all the cars.

Unfortunately it seems that issues like this are prevalent throughout the big corporations in business today. As an accounting/finance major the Enron scandal has been the biggest example of an ethical lapse. The Enron scandal has allowed the public to view a lot of the deceptive information conveyed to employees as well as to investors. It is amazing how all these hot shots got away with all their corrupt schemes for so long.

The future work world is approaching fast. I will be working with a multi-billion dollar company in less than a year. There will be many ethical dilemmas that come my way, but I feel confident that I will be able to make the correct decisions.

Communication barriers in the work setting

After experiencing a co-op in Boston Massachusetts for eight months, there was time for many problems to materialize between upper and lower management. As a co-op, I had the opportunity to view these issues in an unbiased way. The main example that comes to mind when dealing with communication problems occurred between the district business manager and one of the lower financial managers.

Every month, the financial managers are responsible for creating cost reports for each of their individual jobs. Once these cost reports are complete, the business district manager presents the new budgets in the District Operation Review. The new financial manager was unaware of the company policies for creating these cost reports on time and was heavily chastised by the district manager in front of his co-workers. The new employee was never told about the deadline, so it was only assumed that he knew the proper date.

This reflects a poor effort from the district manager as well as the other surrounding employees, who should have been guiding this employee. Not having the data to present at the big meeting made the district manager look bad, but he should have been more frustrated with himself than the employee. After serious thought, the district manager realized he was wrong a gave a public apology to the employee. The District manger made it clear that all new hires in the future will be clarified on these details from the get go.

Presentation/Portfolio

The presentation William Weatherly gave on guitar tops was effective and informative. He established good will towards the audience by referencing other presentations in his power point. William discussed the structure of the guitar and the braces that support the top. Prior to the presentation, I was unaware of the significance of the different types of wood used for the guitar. I did not realize that the unique sounds that guitars have were attributed to these different wood types. The power point re-instated the main ideas that Will discussed and were not too cluttered with unnecessary and confusing information.

The on-line portfolios I have done in the past have been through Clemson University with the use of blackboard. The e-portfolio that is required for all Clemson students has been easy to use and maintain. The portfolio wizard makes the portfolio easy to set up and is a fairly quick process. I have some experience with publisher’s online portfolio and am willing and open to learning how to work with any other programs that may be better. So far, I have not had any bad experiences with online portfolios and hopefully there will be no issues in the future. In order to be prepared for the portfolio due on March 23rd , a demonstration or example of an ideal portfolio would be best. This would be a good reference when trying to complete the portfolio due in class by March 23rd.

Class Presentations

As a whole, I thought the open topic was a great idea for the presentations because it allowed the class to get to know everyone a little better. The first presentation that I really enjoyed was David Gordon's on the best active athlete. I am a huge sports fan, and was immediately drawn to this topic. David used interesting photos and good humor to entertain the audience. While I think Tiger is the best active athlete, Usain Bolt who David selected as the best is no slouch. The face-off idea kept the attention of the audience because everyone wanted to know who would be matched up next.

The presentation on Racquetball by Ryan Cromer was also one of my favorites. I have been playing racquetball for about six years and am always interested in seeing how other people feel about the sport. I thought the presenter was loud and clear and used good visuals. The picture at the end with the bloody eye has made me consider wearing goggles. It only takes one time to get hit with the ball in the eye and loose your sight. The presentation has inspired me to play more at school, I did not realize Clemson had so many courts.

The third presentation that was one of the most entertaining was Ryan Sullivan's on Lacrosse. I thought it was pretty cool that he was drafted in the first round of the Major Lacrosse Association . He brought in his stick to class and demonstrated some different moves that were unfamiliar to me. The utube clip was amazing too, I did not realize how intense lacrosse can get. Lacrosse is the one sport I regret never getting into, it seems like a lot of fun.

Cover Letter

The advice given from the tutorial about cover letters was helpful as well as truthful. However, the main point which I did not agree with is the recommendation to use a handwritten P.S. at the end of the cover letter. This seems to be a distraction from what you are trying to convey in the body of the cover letter. Perhaps it may be useful for certain situations, but I would not recommend its use often.

The example demonstrated on the tutorial seemed to be the most beneficial because it reinstates all the important aspects that need to be included in your cover letter. The layout is also clarified and gives a better idea of what a typical cover letter looks like. The checklist was helpful as well, this just puts your mind at rest, because once all the items on the list are complete you know that there is nothing missing. Many times when I have a lot on my mind and am having trouble sleeping, I make a checklist. This helps clarify as well organize my thoughts, the checklist will always be there in the morning.

The actual content of the body for the cover letter makes more sense after viewing the tutorial. Before, I thought the cover letter was more about the individual rather then the company. However, now I realize that the cover letter is more about the knowledge you have about the company. Also, I did not know that the resume was the first thing that employers look at for the hiring process. It seemed as though the cover letter would be viewed first, but this is not the case.

Client Project

Last week, I accidentally answered the blog topic about my ideas for the client project. I mentioned creating a humorous video or perhaps a music clip of some kind. However, after further discussion with my group members we established a more concrete theme for the project. Kristin came up with the great idea, which involves the creation of a recipe booklet for healthy cooking. This would work really well because it can have many different aspects to it that would allow our group to effectively target our audience. An example may be a demonstration of cooking one of the recipes on campus as well as posting video footage of it online for many others to see.

Everything seems to be going great with our group. There are no schedule conflicts, so everyone is able to meet at the same time and contact each other easily. I think the recipe booklet will allow all of our group members talents to emerge. If we do a demonstration, I could try to make it humorous. Laughter is the key to success in my opinion because it gets everyone's attention and makes the experience memorable. While we have agreed on this idea as a whole, we are always open to suggestions for improvement.

Most of the questions that I originally had were answered after Jennifer's visit on Monday. Basically, she wants to promote a healthier style of living which involves all aspects of life, including areas such as health, social behavior, environmental surroundings, as well as economical forces.

Interview Mistakes

While the mistakes listed in the article are critical too avoid, they are not the end of the world. When I make a mistake in an interview I try to learn from it so it will not happen again in the future. I do agree with the statement that says you must practice in order to improve you interview skills. However, it is not good to sound too rehearsed. Employers are looking for someone who is confident and can think on the spot. There are obvious things that can be improved upon with simple practice though. For example, nervous habits such as chewing gum, speaking too quickly or too slowly, moving around too much, and speaking too softly, just to mention a few.

When I interned at several different golf courses, a face to face interview was always required. I always looked at these interviews as opportunities to practice and fine tune my skills as well as to allow the employer to get to know who I am. The first interview I was on was quite nerve racking, I did not know what too expect. However, I tried to use one of my strengths, which is my corny sense of humor to break the ice. This strategy has worked well for me in the past as long as it is appropriate and tasteful.

Another mindset I had going to the interview was that it was a two sided process. The employer needed to sell me the position as well, it was not just me that had all the pressure. Make sure all of your needs and questions are answered while being interviewed because you are there to learn if the position is right for you as well.

When I went on my interview, I made sure that I had a note pad and pen, which showed that I was organized and able to pay attention to detail. Asking intelligent and legitimate questions during and especially at the end of each interview is essential.Proper dress can not be more emphasized. Employers are always looking for people that fit their company image as well as individuals that will make a smooth transition into the company atmosphere.

Group Project

Our group has been contemplating working on either a video or making some sort of music clip as our theme for the presentation. We want to create something that is effective, but not too annoying. Humorous videos and songs always seem to make a lasting impression in a positive way.

Either of these two ideas will allow all of our group members to display their creative abilities. I have completed group videos in the past, and while they may be difficult and time consuming, it always ends up being fun. Since the project has a positive message, which is to promote a healthier standard of living, our efforts as a group will not be wasted. We were also thinking of creating brochures and other handouts to inform our audience as well as convey our purpose.

The only concern is the difficulty of editing video footage. However, as a group I do not think it will pose too much of a problem. Our group has a lot of similar interest, which makes all the tasks easier to complete. Everyone has similar schedules and seems to be on the same page, which will save everyone their valuable time.

The project seems to be fairly straight forward. However, I was wondering how long our segment is suppose to last. This may be influential in what kind of video or music clip we decide to make.

Super Bowl Sunday

I do not know about everybody else, but I am tired of all the build up for the Super Bowl. Every year a lot of drama is built up about nothing, just so the analysts have something to talk about. Even though I am a huge NFL fan I can only handle so much. There are so many other things to discuss in the sports world such as the NBA, NCAA basketball, hockey, golf and so on. However, all these sports seem to be invisible for the two weeks prior to the Super Bowl.

On the positive side the Super Bowl attracts all types of viewers. Many watch for the for the sheer competitive aspect of the game while others are more interested in the commercials. To be honest when the Patriots are not in the Super Bowl my interest in the outcome of the game is not too high. It is kind of human nature to not care too much about a huge game if you do not have your team to route for.

Although, I have to say that this particular Super Bowl game sparks my interest. Kurt Warner the quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals shows that longevity in Football is possible. This is a man that is thirty seven years old and at the pinnacle of his career. Regardless of what team or specific player that may be of interest to you, it is kind of difficult to route against this guy.

Overall, the build up to the Super Bowl may be agonizing, but the game is never a disappointment. The best part of the game has to be the enjoyment of watching the game with friends. The constant trash talking and bashing of your buddies team is always a must. But the icing on the cake is when your team wins because for a little while it is almost as if you share the win.

My Future

It is difficult to grasp the thought of almost being done with school. With these thoughts come the expectations of what I will pursue in the near future. After completing my Co-op in Boston, I was offered a full time position as a financial manager. While I am not quite sure whether I would like to work for this particular company, it is assuring to know that there is something there. The increasing unemployment rate and hiring freeze going on today, make me thankful for at least having a job available after my school graduation.

In ten years hopefully everything will be stable as well as optimistic for our society. I envision myself as a career oriented person; therefore I can see myself as a possible Chief Financial Officer down the road. Through hard work and commitment this goal should not be out of reach. I am a strong believer in earning everything you have, instead of being given everything for free. A prime example in my life would be paying my way through school. This has allowed me to take on more responsibility financially and has given me the opportunity to become more mature as an individual. Outside of the working world, I can see myself starting to develop a family. Ten years is ample time for me to establish my career and will allow me to support my family. Growing up I did not have a father, which was disappointing for me as a child. I made the best of it and was fortunate enough to have a loving mom to make up for the lack of support from my father. However, this made me realize that I would never do this to any of my children. Regardless, of how my life may be going financially or emotionally, I would never be an absent father.

I have been part of the Big Brother Organization since my senior year in high school. I have been the Big Brother to two fatherless boys, which has been nothing but great. Just playing basketball or playing catch can make all the difference in the world. I think it has been easier for my little brothers to accept me as well because I can relate to how they are feeling. I know exactly what it is like to have your father not at your basketball game or to just not be there at all in your life.

Most of the opportunities in the financial world would lead me to New York or somewhere up North to live. However, if possible I would love to live in California because the weather is great which equates to a lot of golf. I believe that you have to do the things that make you happy in your leisure time to become successful as well as pleasant to be around. While it would be great to be a millionaire it is not a must for me to be happy. As long as I am comfortable, able to support my family and do the things that I enjoy, my lifestyle will have no regrets.

The Power of the Web

Perhaps "The Machine is Us/ing Us" is referring to our lack of control over the computer. Many people browse the internet and explore their computer, but do not realize how little they are actually in command. Everything that an individual does online can be traced and watched by millions of unknown strangers. This can be a very overwhelming thought to digest because it easy to forget.

Many times the primary purpose for which a person goes online is lost. There are so many distractions on the web, which we can rarely stray away from. While, the web does not possess our human thought it does tend to direct our minds towards certain areas. For example, simple Google search engines tend to result in countless responses to our simple initial inquiries. Sometimes it is a good thing, but most of the time it results in answers unrelated to what is being searched.

The web 2.0 is affecting new job applicants all over the world. Anything that is posted about an individual on-line is available to everyone. While going on a Co-op interview in Boston, the person who went before me was viewed on facebook by the Human Resource staff. While, there was nothing negative about this person, it very well could have worked against their favor.

The people already in the workforce have to be cautious as well. If an individual is acting strange at work, this may lead to research on that person. It is a simple process to find anything ever posted about someone. Therefore, people who are high up on the corporate ladder must be intelligent and weary of what is revealed about them online. Examples may include, ( inappropriate videos, pictures, quotes...).

Perhaps "we will have to rethink everything" is referring to the change in times. We are no longer in the primitive era before the computer and the internet. We must never assume and always be prepared when it comes to technology and the information it can reveal.

Introduction

My name is Nathan Kaufman and I am from Providence, Rhode Island. Currently, I am a senior majoring in financial Management. I initially came to Clemson for the professional golf management program, however after a summer internship at the Agawam Hunt Club in R.I., I decided it was no longer the dream job I envisioned. I will always love golf, but I came to realize that I'd rather be a member of a distinguished club rather than serving one.

My family is small but I think that just makes us closer. My sister Eve is eight years older than me, but as I have gotten older we have grown closer. I will always be her little brother, but I feel we can relate more, now that I am an adult. Eve is the more creative child; she is currently working for the Lifetime Channel, while I am the accounting and numbers guy. My mother is a photographer which can get rather annoying if you don't like your picture being taken all the time. My grandmother lives with my mother and is almost 88 years old. However, you would never guess her age by her lifestyle as well as the way she looks. She takes a two mile walk every morning to get a cup of coffee and is always finding different activities to keep herself busy.

I just finished an eight month Co-op in Boston Massachusetts, working for the accounting department of an electrical construction company. Boston is a great place to work because there is always something to do, whether it's going to a Celtics or Sox's game or just walking downtown. The only downside is driving around the city everyday, which can make any sane person go crazy. If there is one thing I can recommend it would be to experience as many Co-ops/internships as possible before you graduate. The job market is extremely competitive right now due to the struggling economy, so any advantage you have will help.