One Neat Trick for Anyone Working Full-Time for the First Time

So the Texas Capitol, you know, the one, big, kinda red, in Austin but looks vaguely like the one in D.C., contains some of the most powerful people in the entire country. You would think that all those descriptors would make this place the most terrifying building in the world for a somewhat nervous sophomore political science major. Yet, these have been some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had thus far in my college career. As an intern here in Austin with PPIP, I have been getting the full crash course, not just in how the Capitol works but also an insight into how full-time work will look once I’ve graduated.

So far, my job has consisted of the following:

• Scheduling meetings for the representative
• Writing a newsletter to keep residents of the district informed
• Managing visitors as they walk into the office
• Other miscellaneous jobs as needed

Though on paper, this sounds like a lot to manage, I’ve discovered one big trick that might help anyone in my position succeed in the future.

Creating a checklist for everything I do on a daily basis has improved both the quality of my work and reduced the mental strain of the job tremendously. Checklists allow you to always have something physical to come back to for each individual task. This comes in handy when it’s something repetitive, but each instance has a slight variation, and everything has to fit together in the end. Checklists ensure the same basic rules are followed each time and amended as needed for each special case. This one simple trick has improved the quality of my job, both for myself and my supervisor, and I hope you take this advice as well. Now I know this isn’t the only simple thing you can do to help improve your performance at a job; what tricks do you use that you think might be helpful?

Carson Prejean
Office of State Representative Jay Dean
Austin, Texas | Spring 2023