UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 19, Page 3
February 11, 1993
Intern experiences 'broader view' of employee services

     Barbara Graham, assistant director of housing and residence life and a
member of task force that established the Career Development Center,
decided to use the center's services for professionals and salaried staff
herself and eventually became the program's first intern.
     "My responsibilities in housing and residence life involve arranging
conferences and labor relations, and I wanted a broader view of employee
services," Graham said.
     She went through the process of job counseling and career mapping
before exploring the possibility of an internship. An exchange of jobs was
not feasible at the time, but what was possible was a division of her time
on the job. She now spends two-thirds of her time working for housing and
residence life and the balance working for employee services, three
afternoons each week. The arrangement was approved by David Butler,
director of Housing and Residence Life, and by James Flynn, director of
Employee Services.
     'It's a winning situation for everyone," Graham said. "I am getting
the experience I wanted and can bring back information and a different
viewpoint to my job and to my unit. I also bring my background and
perspective to Employee Services."
     She is studying the hiring process and how campus units and Employee
Services interact to see if there is duplication of effort and ways to
streamline the system.
     Graham also is involved in job classification/compensation audits.
When a request is made that a position be upgraded, she interviews the
person on the job and the supervisor and then compares the duties and
qualifications of the job with "benchmark" positions to determine its
classification.
     In another area, she is helping prepare a workshop for new and current
supervisors on performance appraisals, as well as the Career Development
Center's series in March for salaried staff and professionals.
     "An internship is an investment of time and effort, but it is truly
rewarding, and I feel I will be a more valuable employee. I have a much
broader view of the University and how it functions," Graham said.
     She offered advice for those interested in enhancing their career
opportunities. "Ultimately, the individual must take the initiative and
responsibility for achieving career goals. No one else can do it for you,"
she said.
                                        -Sue Swyers Moncure