PROACT Model, Objectives & Alternatives

The “O” in PrOACT stands for formulating Objectives. To find my objectives Isimply asked myself what it was that I really want to accomplish, what did I need to do, and what were my hopes and my goals. After thinking through these questions I came to the following conclusions:

1) Income -This was a big one. My savings account and my student loans are going to be enough to get me through this year, but my financial situation for next year is very dependent on how much money I can save this summer.

2) Experience -One of my main goals was to have a positive experience. I wanted to feel like I was making a contribution and not just filing paperwork or taking photos of city buildings for my internship. I also wanted it to be somewhat prestigious, or at least not something I would be embarrassed to talk about with future employers. Lastly, I wanted my experience to somehow relate to my future goals.

3) Location -I really want to spend the summer someplace nice, with a good “quality of life. I also don’t want to spend all my money on moving trucks, though I would like to be close to family and friends.

4) Job Prospect -Let’s face it, the most important aspect of doing an internship is the hope that it will somehow lead to a future job offering, so the opportunity for good job prospects completed my list.

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The “A” in PrOACT stands for developing Alternatives. The alternatives represent the different courses of action to choose from. In Smart Choices, the authors make mention that your decision will only be as good as your best alternative. That said, it is important to consider a wide range of possible pathways before narrowing the list of alternatives down.

I looked into multiple internships, spoke with lots of people about internships they were familiar with, and discussed lots of possibilities with my wife. I considered internships in Utah, Oregon, California, Florida, D.C., and Mexico before finally settling on what I felt were the most practical and realistic alternatives.

1) GAO -Government Accountability Office, located in Washington D.C. This is a federal government agency created by the legislature to perform audits.

2) City of Eagle Mountain, UT -small city that has experienced a large population growth but struggles to attract local businesses to the area

3) City of Orem, UT -Large city that is very compartmentalized. Good reputation as a city with a positive attitude toward growth and development

4) City of Salem, OR -Capital of Oregon and very big. This is where I was raised and I have lots of family and friends there.

5) City of Aumsville, OR -Smaller city located about 15 miles from Salem. Historically a very rural, ag-based community but it recently doubled in size thanks to the recent housing boom and low property taxes.

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