it has been only one semester of being a SIF and there is so much I have learned and want to continue to learn. In order to do this work there are some key skills that I found work better than others, here are a few.
1. You have to be organized: you may be counted on for multiple projects and the work is obviously something you are capable of doing but you also have to check the syllabus of your classes and plan accordingly. If you are only working 20 hours a week, you must plan those hours out accordingly.
2. You have to have good communication skills: some projects have deadlines and some don’t but as you are working on them, keep your team updated and make sure you respond back to emails in a decent amount of time.
3. Be patient: Some projects take longer than others and there can be multiple factors that prolong a project. On one project this year, we worked around the professors schedule and the span of dates that worked were over a month though completing the project could be done much faster. The project turned out Great!
4. Get to know your team: Everyone on your team has a great set of skills. Better to know what those skills are and how each member likes to work. This allows for your team to work more efficiently.
5. Have fun: these projects are amazing and when you get to see the final product, which may have been passed around to several team members after your part is complete, it can be one of the most accomplishing feelings!!!
Hope these help others and feel free to add on to the list!