Ithaca Youth Bureau

Youth Employment Services Representative and Advisor

June - August 2023 • Ithaca, NY

What I liked

A very helpful and supportive environment that puts a lot of care and compassion into their work and towards every teen that enters their office. Fast-paced and flexible, I was able to grow a large variety of both office-related and administrative skills as well as interpersonal working with a wide range of individuals coming from many different age groups.

What I wish was different

I think they did a really good job at easing me into the position, because there's a large range of tasks that a YES Representative does and since we work with a very large range of youth, there's no guarantee that you can be totally prepared for every situation that comes your way, I know I was a bit overwhelmed at first. But my experienced coworkers did a wonderful job of helping me navigate any and all situations with their advice and help, and the environment made me feel like I could talk to my coworkers about anything, which really gave me a positive experience working at the IYB.

Advice

Be open and honest! You're working with a lot of teens in this position and they can tell if you're being genuine or not and appreciate honesty! Reflect on your days as a teenager and you're able to see where they're coming from and imagine their nerves or uncertainties entering the job world, and just try to be a helpful and friendly face that's ready with advice for when they need it. They may not always approach you asking for help or feel ready to, but just be there for them as much as possible.

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