Identity, Values and Strengths

1. Explain a situation where you have made an ethical decision. Discuss how you weighed up the values involved in that decision, the decision you made, and how you reflect on the decision now.

One time I found a missing wallet on the beach. No one else was around, I could have kept the wallet but knew it would be the wrong thing to do. If I were to have lost my wallet, I would hope someone would do the right thing and return it to me. I checked inside and luckily there were contact details listed for the person. I got in touch with them, returned it and felt good about it after.

2. Describe how your culture and the people around you have influenced your values and identity.

I grew up with a Filipina mother and Kiwi father. Growing up with two different ethnicities made me aware of both cultures and what they offered. The Filipina community is very warm, loves social gatherings and are always willing to help. That shaped my values and identity as I see how important it is to be there for others and we need to have good relationships in life. I feel like New Zealand has a more individualistic type of culture where you have your own unique voice but need to rely on yourself a bit more. Both cultures greatly influenced my identity. I strive to be kind to everyone and have integrity in everything I carry out.

3. Identify your strengths and how they will support you during your learning journey.

My strengths are that I have a lot of empathy. I understand what it’s like to be in someone else’s position. This will support me during my learning journey as I’ll be able to relate well to other students. Another strength I have is that I put a lot of effort into whatever I do. I will make sure to show up every day and get through what I need to.

4. Evaluate your limitations in terms of your learning and career development. How might these affect your learning journey?

A limitation I have is that I don’t have experience with coding. It’s all new to me. This will be frustrating at times as I won’t understand everything. In prior jobs, I know what I’m doing but with learning coding, it’s like learning a new language. It will take a bit of getting used to with learning new material. I am trying to be patient and trust the process.

5. Share an example of when you were trying to work productively with others, but there was resistance or tension. Discuss strategies you tried at the time, how effective they were, and your reflections on what other strategies you would try now and why.

In one of my previous jobs, there was a colleague in my direct team who was extremely difficult to work with. She was often in a bad mood and many people were afraid to ask her questions for help. Because I worked closely with her, I had to figure out a strategy for us to work better together. I came up with the idea of having fortnightly catch up meetings just her and myself. That way we had a regular time slot to discuss work and any issues. It ended up being effective and our rapport and relationship grew.