http://byu.edu

Brigham Young University

Physics Demonstration Lab Assistant

May 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I loved the problem solving, and the freedom to explore multiple creative solutions.

What I wish was different

More project design would have been great, that was my favorite part.

Advice

Make friends at work, and work together on projects, it makes them go faster and help keeps you focused.
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BYU Simmons Center for Cancer Research Fellow

April - August 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

The working hours were great and I learned a lot about research. This fellowship really helped me as I prepare to apply to grad schools.

What I wish was different

I wish there would have been more people working with me to get the project done.

Advice

Make sure you can self-start and can work independently. I was working by myself almost all of the time this semester, with minimal direction, so it was necessary to have the ability to head a project.
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Summer Research Intern

June - August 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I learned a lot from the professors I was working with as mentors, the graduate students in the lab, and other fellow research assistants. I was also exposed to different types of psychology fields and that helped me to get a better sense of which field I'm interested in.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Psychologist Research Assistant

May 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I love my research team! I really like how Dr. Smith opens the meetings up to any kind of discussion, not just the project at hand. We've talked about managing anxiety, grad school applications, and statistics, to name a few things. It's also really flexible. All questions are welcome, which I have really appreciated. It just feels so cool to be mentored in a small group!

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Set aside your research hours and make them a priority. Ask a ton of questions. Volunteer for extra work!
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Research assistant

January 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

It was a great experience with a lot of great people!

What I wish was different

Advice

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Audio Visual Technician

February 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

Relaxed office job where I learned skills applicable to my major.

What I wish was different

Not much, it's a great summer job that wasn't too demanding while I was taking summer classes. Provided multiple different filed experiences and was enjoyable.

Advice

Sometimes difficult to get hours since your work schedule often depends on what the needs of those filming various projects are.
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Web Developer

April 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I learned a lot from coworkers.

What I wish was different

Work faster.

Advice

Work smart, work hard.
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Nutrition and Wellness Consultant

April 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

Amazing co-workers, flexible schedule, predictable work hours, client interaction, freedom to develop new materials, working in a small office.

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

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Conference Assistant

May - August 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I enjoyed the benefits that came with the job. I had free private housing and free meal plan, and then the entirety of my earned wage.

What I wish was different

The last week was honestly enough to make me reconsider working the job because my supervisors became spread too thin over their responsibilities. I wish they had committed more to backing us up in our job.

Advice

It can be lonely, and isolated if you don't have a social network in place. Also, the customer service portion can be trying, so go into it knowing you won't have to see those people again.
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Camp Counselor

June - July 2019 • Moab, UT

What I liked

It was so fun to work with the teenagers in Moab as we built amazing relationships with them and my co-counselors. What a great spiritual and physical challenge as we rock climbed, mountain biked and so much more. Would totally recommend to anyone looking for a rewarding and fun summer job!

What I wish was different

The experience was amazing. There was no reliable cell phone service though, so an alternate form of communication would be helpful. Both communication with BYU while we were out there, and even our co counselors to help coordinate activities.

Advice

If you ever plan on being a counselor for AFY, plan on a hard but rewarding summer. Pack extra bug spray and sunscreen, and make sure you get plenty of sleep on the weekends.
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Secretary

May 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I love the environment of being able to learn, and feel uplifted in an amazing work environment.

What I wish was different

There is nothing so far that I would do differently because it has been the absolute best

Advice

To always go for things you never think you have time for or the qualifications for.
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Custodial Worker

May - September 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I liked the social aspect of it. There are often activities that involve all employees to build friendships and create a good work environment. At the same time, you have a lot of time to think and listen to music/podcasts while working. Our managers were also amazing and allowed pretty flexible scheduling.

What I wish was different

Deep cleaning rooms was difficult when the task sheets weren't properly filled out. It would be difficult to tell what was done and what still needed doing. Also, some people's kids need to be taught how to not leave a mess. Every so often, a tenant would create a huge mess of crumbs or glitter or something, and leave it for us to find.

Advice

Get to know your fellow employees. I loved working with some of them, and we had a blast.
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Research Assistant

April 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I loved being able to dig deeper into the research I have been working on with my professor during the summer months when I had more flexibility in my schedule

What I wish was different

Advice

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Builder

July 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

Great experience.

What I wish was different

I wish we had started sooner.

Advice

Give it a shot, I have learned a lot.
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Research Assistant

October 2017 • Provo, UT

What I liked

Getting to work one-on-one with professors in the department changes your experience as an undergraduate. When you know and have good relationships with professors, you learn a lot more, you're more willing to ask questions beyond what will be required for the exam, and it can set you up nicely if you're interested in graduate school.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Security Analyst

March 2018 - October 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

Fantastic experience, schooling is so much better knowing that everything I am doing will help me in the workplace.

What I wish was different

Advice

Get a job in your field as soon as you can. There are places that need your help and your motivation. On job training is invaluable to help you know what type of work you want to do.
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Undergraduate Research Assistant

April - August 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

Learning from and working closely with professors, applying classroom principles to the workplace, and being trusted to independently create and carry out experimental designs.

What I wish was different

I wish I could have had more direction and diversity in exploring other fields.

Advice

Research is a great opportunity to apply what you have learned in the classroom to real-world applications. You learn how to fail and how to change your mindset and gain a new perspective on an issue to then solve the issue.
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Grounds Crew

May 2018 • Provo, UT

What I liked

My supervisor is very understanding so he would let me take time off to be able to talk to academic advisors and pursue other opportunities.

What I wish was different

It’s not very relatable to my major.

Advice

It was a good summer job that makes it easy to balance a 40 hour work week with whatever else you need to do that summer (social experiences, talking with advisors, taking a handful of summer classes).
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Especially For Youth Counselor

May - August 2019 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I loved travelling all summer and meeting so many new people! I also loved being able to share the Gospel with youth and helping them to come closer to Jesus Christ.

What I wish was different

The only thing I would wish was different has already changed! EFY is now turning into For Strength of Youth, where counselors are volunteers, and the program is accessible to all youth in the United States and Canada. It is going to be amazing!

Advice

Volunteer to be a For Strength of Youth Counselor! The experience is well worth your time and is so rewarding. It was the perfect job for me.
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Research Assistant

October 2017 • Provo, UT

What I liked

I worked closely with a professor in my program and with research participants. I loved the opportunity to glean knowledge from my professor who is running the project. I also really enjoyed performing research. I got to see language development in action and make preliminary observations about that, which was incredible.

What I wish was different

I wish I'd had more hours. The project works through a grant and so we had to be careful with the funds to make them last as long as they needed to.

Advice

Don't be afraid to ask questions! Working with actual research participants can seem daunting but they're always very kind. It's better to ask and to gain understanding than to feel like you don't belong or you're doing something stupid.
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