There are several times when I am in any organization and others have helped me a lot in increasing my self-efficacy.  As I have noted previously I am somewhat shy and timid and I don’t have the highest of self confidence.  Sometimes this shows about me and other can see this and they help motivate me that I can do my job and do it well.  Within GE this happened on the first day.  I was nervous about starting my co-op and meeting everyone in the facility and once I got in I was overwhelmed.   I was not sure I would do a great job or even fit in this place.  But during my first day a couple other

co-ops where scheduled to take me out to lunch.  While we were there they talked about my job with me and just assured me that it isn’t as hard as it looks and after a couple weeks I should be fine with knowing my job and how to do it in the best way possible

My first week working for GE was extremely stressful and by Friday I was not having a good time.  I was upset at my self, upset at my supervisor, and just upset with everything.  I felt like no one was giving me any direction and that everything was going down the hole.  I still didn’t have access to some applications I needed to do my job and no one seemed like they had time to help me and I was all on my own.  Another co-op, Amanda Etten, saw that I was pretty stressed out and not having a good time.  She is an experienced co-op and has been with GE for 5 rotations.  In the warehouse she took me aside and spoke with me about how her first week went and how it goes for most co-ops.  She made me realize this happens to everyone and things will get better and I will start feeling more comfortable.  This was a very nice thing for her to do and it really helped me end the week on a good note.  It helped me start my next week off to a strong start!

Sometimes, like anyone, we can react to situations in ways we wish we didn’t.  Work at GE can be very stressful and moods can sometimes flair.  I had a situation when a fellow co-op needed a list of parts slotted to a location and slotting locations is my job.  However at the time I was busy with other projects and she was insisting that I would help her.  To my own fault I reacted in a way that I know I shouldn’t have and this did not do any good for my mood or the mood of this other co-op.  This incident was just a downer on the rest of the day with both of us.