I expected my transition from a student to Assistant Technician in the chemistry lab to go smoothly. But as students came to me with problems I had never encountered, I realized this was not the case.
I was able pick up the technical aspects of the job relatively quickly. But since this was a teaching lab, I was also responsible for helping students with their experiments and teaching them how to use the lab equipment. That was definitely more challenging. Did I just mess up their experiment? How do I help this student without taking away their learning experience? It was hard to shake off my hesitation and uncertainty. I wanted to be the support that students needed in their labs, and feel confident in my abilities, so I asked the head technician and instructor for input.
Being proactive
As a student, I’m used to feedback in the form of a graded midterm, with red pen marks slashed across the pages of my report, and in comment bubbles on my google doc left by project group members. However, to verbally ask for feedback from people you’ve only been working with for a few weeks was something I was nervous to do. But realizing that feedback is essential to improving my performance at work, I pushed through the discomfort and approached my supervisors.
As I became more comfortable with the feedback process, I found that the sooner you ask for feedback, the better! By asking my supervisors at the end of the lab period after all the students had left, we could review the situations we encountered while they were still fresh. I received more tools to troubleshoot experiments so that I could be prepared for the next lab and overall more time to form productive habits so that I could see a real improvement by the end of the term.
Identifying forms of feedback
Aside from our supervisors, anyone we regularly interact with in the workplace can be a useful source for feedback, which in my case were the students. When I gave tutorials on how to use an instrument, I observed the students’ techniques and asked questions to not only check their understanding but also to assess my effectiveness in communicating the rationale behind the steps. Whenever mistakes occurred or clarifications were requested, it indicated that I need to be clearer in my next demonstration. By watching out for these forms of feedback, I can identify what needs further improvement and refine my work accordingly.
How your peers can shape you
Contrary to my previous expectations, feedback was not always provided in the form of formal review sessions. Rather, they were often given as advice during casual conversations around the lab. Starting up a conversation to ask for feedback not only took the pressure off but also helped normalize the task. But if we’re not ready to speak with our supervisors, talking to our peers can also be a great step to get into the practice of asking for feedback. It can be a member of your team, another Work Learn student, or a close friend. Having seen our work habits first-hand, they can be a great source for more personalized comments on our work.
Feedback is not always given as often as we’d like in the workplace so it’s up to us to take the first step and speak up. Remember that it is a conversation, so you can also provide your supervisor with tips on how to best support you. Simply approach your supervisor at a low-traffic time, such as the end of the day or just before it starts, and just ask a question to get the ball rolling. My role in the chemistry lab gave me the opportunity to interact with colleagues and students and learn how feedback and communication can create a supportive environment for everyone. The few months in Work Learn will fly by, so it’s important we take advantage of the time to develop this skill that will guide us in our last years of university and future careers!