Yesterday was my last day at Wingteam. I was so excited that it finally came to an end. I felt closer to feeling accomplished. Vanessa and I had last minute questions regarding our final paper and our supplier diversity project. We also gave Yvette our updates from past projects and expressed our interest in the continuation of on-call hire.
There was a sense of reflief among all of us. We had completed the internship and took away new relationships and new basic skills and knowledge of the industry. The interns and I decided to buy a gift for Yvette as a token of appreciation. Eventhough we all interned with Wingteam, we all had various experiences that taught us about ourselves and the industry.
As I reflect on my experience, I am not sure if I would change it even if I could. The connection with the other interns would never had existed. I would not have realized that sales is not my thing. And, I would not have learned what it takes to be a small business owner.
Congratulation to all of us who made it to the end!
You can visit Wingteam at www.mywingteam.com .
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Cardinals Game
On January 3rd, I was hired to work with Gameday Management Group for the Cardinals game. My area of focus was transportation. After the pre-con meeting, we were assigned to work in partners. My responsibilities were to direct fans to the shuttles, make them aware of bus/stadium rules, count the number of individuals loading the bus, and keep a log of bus departure times and the number of fans on the bus.
Fans were excited! Some fans tried to sneak their beers on the bus. Many of the ladies got upset at us, because we returned them to their vehicles to leave their big purses behind. The stadium has this rule that states a ladies' purse has to be within 12 inches tall and wide. I handled these grumbles by stating that it'd be best to be on the safe side rather than having to come back. We greeted and transported way over 600 fans. There were fans complimenting our good and fast service. I recall one fan stated that other stadiums need to take a look at how we organize and execute our transportation system for these types of events.
After transporting the fans to the stadium, we all headed over to the brown lot for our break. It was so boring waiting for everyone to get out. I didn't bring any reading material. We couldn't go to the restaurants around the Jobing.com Arena. However, we did get to enjoy a couple of slices of cold pizza. We simply sat in the cold weather hoping for the time to fly by.
Soon we were gathered once again for a briefing. We were told to quickly load as many people onto the bus at the same time. In order to make loading a smooth process, we had to pay attention to the staff in front of us. Once they signaled to stop allowing individuals from boarding, everyone was to do the same and close the doors so that the bus can be on its merry way. The purpose of this was to have all busses leave at the same time and have 6 new busses line up at the same time. The same amount of people, if not even more, were taken back to their vehicles in less than an hour. We then began to break down the barriers and grouped them together.
It was a long night, and I was ready to go home. My feet were killing me and I was a bit cold. It was great to learn some of the logistics invovled in transportation. I would never had guessed one would save time by loading at the same time. We were no longer concerned with filling up the busses. Although this strategy may not be the greenest, fans were happy to make it to their vehicles fast.
Fans were excited! Some fans tried to sneak their beers on the bus. Many of the ladies got upset at us, because we returned them to their vehicles to leave their big purses behind. The stadium has this rule that states a ladies' purse has to be within 12 inches tall and wide. I handled these grumbles by stating that it'd be best to be on the safe side rather than having to come back. We greeted and transported way over 600 fans. There were fans complimenting our good and fast service. I recall one fan stated that other stadiums need to take a look at how we organize and execute our transportation system for these types of events.
After transporting the fans to the stadium, we all headed over to the brown lot for our break. It was so boring waiting for everyone to get out. I didn't bring any reading material. We couldn't go to the restaurants around the Jobing.com Arena. However, we did get to enjoy a couple of slices of cold pizza. We simply sat in the cold weather hoping for the time to fly by.
Soon we were gathered once again for a briefing. We were told to quickly load as many people onto the bus at the same time. In order to make loading a smooth process, we had to pay attention to the staff in front of us. Once they signaled to stop allowing individuals from boarding, everyone was to do the same and close the doors so that the bus can be on its merry way. The purpose of this was to have all busses leave at the same time and have 6 new busses line up at the same time. The same amount of people, if not even more, were taken back to their vehicles in less than an hour. We then began to break down the barriers and grouped them together.
It was a long night, and I was ready to go home. My feet were killing me and I was a bit cold. It was great to learn some of the logistics invovled in transportation. I would never had guessed one would save time by loading at the same time. We were no longer concerned with filling up the busses. Although this strategy may not be the greenest, fans were happy to make it to their vehicles fast.
Medical Dinner
The second week of February mostly consisted of organizing papers. My days are a little bit slower now that I have just finished my big project with Driver Provider. However, I did take on a small project which helped to make the week a little more educational.
On February 12th, I assisted a meeting planner with a medical dinner she was organizing at a restaurant in Phoenix close to the Arizona Biltmore. We had about 40 professionals attend the dinner. My responsibility was to check in those who had RSVP'd and write the names of the walk-ins on the waiting list. Some lady did not want to wait for 30 minutes to find out whether or not she would be able to attend the dinner, so she left unsatisfied. Prior to opening up registration, I helped place materials on the chairs. There was an instance where we were trying to figure out how to prevent people from sitting at the booths. I suggested to put a placard on the table that read "Reserved." I also collected Speaker Evaluation Forms.
It was a pretty long 4 hours, but easy money. I happened to bump into some nurse practitioners that I used to work with at a cardiologist's office. At the end of my shift, I received a free meal and dessert. Plus, I made one new contact in the audio and visual field. I hope that I get to work more of these medical dinners!
On February 12th, I assisted a meeting planner with a medical dinner she was organizing at a restaurant in Phoenix close to the Arizona Biltmore. We had about 40 professionals attend the dinner. My responsibility was to check in those who had RSVP'd and write the names of the walk-ins on the waiting list. Some lady did not want to wait for 30 minutes to find out whether or not she would be able to attend the dinner, so she left unsatisfied. Prior to opening up registration, I helped place materials on the chairs. There was an instance where we were trying to figure out how to prevent people from sitting at the booths. I suggested to put a placard on the table that read "Reserved." I also collected Speaker Evaluation Forms.
It was a pretty long 4 hours, but easy money. I happened to bump into some nurse practitioners that I used to work with at a cardiologist's office. At the end of my shift, I received a free meal and dessert. Plus, I made one new contact in the audio and visual field. I hope that I get to work more of these medical dinners!
1st of Week of April May Have Brought Me Good Luck!
So during the end of March and beginning of April, I was given the opportunity to set my basic office work aside and do something that would be beneficial to me. The owner gave me time to do a career search. She knew she had nothing lined up for me. So, she hoped that by giving me time to search for career opportunities I would have a position established by the time my internship came to an end.
Of course I was excited to shift my task onto my career search. I wanted my career path to involve community relations, meetings/events and/or sustainability. I targeted professionals I already knew, used MPI's website, and did a little research on the internet.
Looking for a career was time-consuming. Many of the positions I came across required at least 2-3 years of experience. Plus, many were out of state. Relocating was my last resort, but if I had to do it then I would. I polished my resume, with the help of professionals, and submitted to a few companies such as CompTIA. The worst part of a job search is waiting.
But that 1st week of April may have paid off. Few days ago on May 1st, I received an e-mail from the Suns organization. Although I was not asked to come in for an interview, I was asked to forward my resume so that I can be directed to the right individual for a career opportunity. I was so excited to hear from my contact, because it took a couple of e-mails and a phone call to get some kind of response. So, I am crossing my fingers and will continue to be persistent until I hear a "no" for an answer. In the meantime, you can check out a list of NBA career opportunities by clicking on http://nbateamjobs.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=23099 . Or to learn about the Suns Sales Symposium go to http://www.nbatvaffilates.com/media/suns/Sales__Service_Symposium.pdf .
Of course I was excited to shift my task onto my career search. I wanted my career path to involve community relations, meetings/events and/or sustainability. I targeted professionals I already knew, used MPI's website, and did a little research on the internet.
Looking for a career was time-consuming. Many of the positions I came across required at least 2-3 years of experience. Plus, many were out of state. Relocating was my last resort, but if I had to do it then I would. I polished my resume, with the help of professionals, and submitted to a few companies such as CompTIA. The worst part of a job search is waiting.
But that 1st week of April may have paid off. Few days ago on May 1st, I received an e-mail from the Suns organization. Although I was not asked to come in for an interview, I was asked to forward my resume so that I can be directed to the right individual for a career opportunity. I was so excited to hear from my contact, because it took a couple of e-mails and a phone call to get some kind of response. So, I am crossing my fingers and will continue to be persistent until I hear a "no" for an answer. In the meantime, you can check out a list of NBA career opportunities by clicking on http://nbateamjobs.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=23099 . Or to learn about the Suns Sales Symposium go to http://www.nbatvaffilates.com/media/suns/Sales__Service_Symposium.pdf .
Easy Solution Provides Quick Responses
On March 16th, I had received great responses from an e-mail I had sent out last week regarding the Impact 4 Good-New Jersey project. The owner was running into some challenges with a job posting on Craigslist. She was not getting anyone to respond to it. The event was a week away, and she still needed four more individuals to hire. I overheard her concern, and suggested she post the job on MPI's website or contact the President of the New Jersey chapter. She liked the idea and immediately signed me up for the task.
I got on my computer, retrieved the job description from Craigslist, and sent out an e-mail to the President of the New Jersey chapter of MPI. I also went ahead and posted the job on MPI's website. It was free of charge since the job was temporary/seasonal/part time.
Soon after, I received an e-mail from the President of the New Jersey chapter informing me she had forwarded it to her members and many were interested in helping us out. It was amazing to see the immediacy of the association. Being a part of an association has its benefits.
Unfortunately, I had to let them know that we fully staffed our event over the weekend, but were appreciative of their immediate responses. I also added that they'd be the first ones to be considered in the future when more New Jersey projects came our way.
It's funny how when your mind is occupied with so much other stuff we tend to overlook the resources we have within our reach. Sometimes when you overly subscribed to associations, software programs, etc., you begin to disassociate yourself from them and neglect what you once thought would help your business grow. Sometimes being a part of everything can hurt you, while being actively involved in selected few can make you prosper.
I got on my computer, retrieved the job description from Craigslist, and sent out an e-mail to the President of the New Jersey chapter of MPI. I also went ahead and posted the job on MPI's website. It was free of charge since the job was temporary/seasonal/part time.
Soon after, I received an e-mail from the President of the New Jersey chapter informing me she had forwarded it to her members and many were interested in helping us out. It was amazing to see the immediacy of the association. Being a part of an association has its benefits.
Unfortunately, I had to let them know that we fully staffed our event over the weekend, but were appreciative of their immediate responses. I also added that they'd be the first ones to be considered in the future when more New Jersey projects came our way.
It's funny how when your mind is occupied with so much other stuff we tend to overlook the resources we have within our reach. Sometimes when you overly subscribed to associations, software programs, etc., you begin to disassociate yourself from them and neglect what you once thought would help your business grow. Sometimes being a part of everything can hurt you, while being actively involved in selected few can make you prosper.
2 weeks later...NJ Paychecks
It was a pretty interesting end of the week (March 27th). The New Jersey on-site staff completed their work hours and now it is time to pay them. Some were missing time sheets and some were missing information on their time sheets. Now, I had to go through e-mails and make phone calls to obtain the information.
Upon my search, I came across a displeased e-mail from one of the on-site staff. She had complained to the owner about not receiving her paycheck in a timely manner. On Wingteam's timesheet it states that one would get paid within 72 hours. In many cases it never happens, because the owner has to wait to receive a check from the client, have the bank clear the check, and then has to have one of the interns issue the checks and mail them out. After reading the e-mail, I got the impression that the on-site staff may have believed she was not getting paid. I understood her frustration as the timesheet does say within 72 hours and her expectations were not met. Some were pleased that I called to follow up, and others were confused as to why we hadn't received the information. In a professional manner, I gave them possible reasons as to why we didn't get the timesheets and asked if they could send it again at a specific e-mail address. Although some dreaded resubmitting the timesheet, they understood and complied.
Anyway, after gathering the timesheets I issued the checks. It was a neat task, because I got to do a tiny aspect of bookkeeping. I made sure the checks were written out correctly, the notes were detailed out on the staff list and check book, and the thank-you cards were personalized. I hate to say this, but I am thinking about a career change.
Upon my search, I came across a displeased e-mail from one of the on-site staff. She had complained to the owner about not receiving her paycheck in a timely manner. On Wingteam's timesheet it states that one would get paid within 72 hours. In many cases it never happens, because the owner has to wait to receive a check from the client, have the bank clear the check, and then has to have one of the interns issue the checks and mail them out. After reading the e-mail, I got the impression that the on-site staff may have believed she was not getting paid. I understood her frustration as the timesheet does say within 72 hours and her expectations were not met. Some were pleased that I called to follow up, and others were confused as to why we hadn't received the information. In a professional manner, I gave them possible reasons as to why we didn't get the timesheets and asked if they could send it again at a specific e-mail address. Although some dreaded resubmitting the timesheet, they understood and complied.
Anyway, after gathering the timesheets I issued the checks. It was a neat task, because I got to do a tiny aspect of bookkeeping. I made sure the checks were written out correctly, the notes were detailed out on the staff list and check book, and the thank-you cards were personalized. I hate to say this, but I am thinking about a career change.
New Jersey Project
It's been a little quite around the office. Wingteam seems to be getting business outside of Arizona, but seems like the opportunities here are limited. I am curious to find out why. It's a disadvantage for us interns, because if we are not able to work on-site events then we are not being exposed to various industries or enhancing our skills like we had hoped for.
This week (2nd week of March) in the office I administered a tiny project. My project was called Impact 4 Good-New Jersey. Wingteam was contracted to staff a teambuilding event in Parsippany, NJ. The teambuilding will not only build relationships, but also educate the participants on green practices.
My main duty was to compile the candidates into an excel spreadsheet. It included the name of the project, the date, the location, the name of the on-site lead person, the names and phone numbers of the on-site staff, and short descriptions of their qualifications. I retrieved the information from their resumes. Majority of the resumes were about 3 pages long. Some had interesting employment history on it. For example, one girl had experience working some MTV events. Others were entertainers or project managers. My task was to condense everyone's information into one nice sheet, so that I could hand it over to the lead person and keep one for our records. In one binder I created dividers to put the excel sheet, resumes, and timesheets in.
It was a pretty simple task. It was better than adding contacts to Constant Contacts and sending out an electronic version of our leaflet to hotel staff. On a different note, I can't imagine the risk one takes to execute out-of-state projects like this without being present. What if the candidates are not really qualified? What is Wingteam doing to really screen their candidates? Are they doing background checks? If not, are they willing to? What if one of them has a criminal background? Overall, I am realizing the challenges and difficulties a small business goes through and the risk one must take in order to stay afloat, especially during these tough economic times.
This week (2nd week of March) in the office I administered a tiny project. My project was called Impact 4 Good-New Jersey. Wingteam was contracted to staff a teambuilding event in Parsippany, NJ. The teambuilding will not only build relationships, but also educate the participants on green practices.
My main duty was to compile the candidates into an excel spreadsheet. It included the name of the project, the date, the location, the name of the on-site lead person, the names and phone numbers of the on-site staff, and short descriptions of their qualifications. I retrieved the information from their resumes. Majority of the resumes were about 3 pages long. Some had interesting employment history on it. For example, one girl had experience working some MTV events. Others were entertainers or project managers. My task was to condense everyone's information into one nice sheet, so that I could hand it over to the lead person and keep one for our records. In one binder I created dividers to put the excel sheet, resumes, and timesheets in.
It was a pretty simple task. It was better than adding contacts to Constant Contacts and sending out an electronic version of our leaflet to hotel staff. On a different note, I can't imagine the risk one takes to execute out-of-state projects like this without being present. What if the candidates are not really qualified? What is Wingteam doing to really screen their candidates? Are they doing background checks? If not, are they willing to? What if one of them has a criminal background? Overall, I am realizing the challenges and difficulties a small business goes through and the risk one must take in order to stay afloat, especially during these tough economic times.
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