Reception, Data Entry Internship at Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco

by Norma Abella

My internship is at the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, it is a non-profit organization that helps some residents in San Francisco with issues they have with their landlords. I did not know that this organization existed until I started interning there.

My position is Receptionist and Data Entry Specialist. I am so excited because I am learning how to use FileMaker Pro, a software program for Mac. I had never used it before, so it’s a brand new experience. It is a lot like Access. In the afternoons, I sit in the reception area greeting clients and assisting them with the mandatory paperwork. I also answer the incoming calls. Recently, I started calling Spanish speaking clients and asking them for the update of their complaints.

I start at 9:00am and begin with any paperwork that needs to be entered in FileMaker Pro and if the information has been already input, I verify the information and comments. After having lunch I’m at the receptionist’s seat, and get ready because it is a very busy office. The office is open to walk-ins from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday thru Thursday and they are closed to the public on Fridays.

I have not been trained as a counselor, but I did help with one of their Spanish speaking clients, and one of the challenges that I faced during that meeting was that when explaining things to the client, he got stuck on this problem and wasn’t listening to a resolution or acknowledging that landlords also have rights. I was told that this is a common issue.

Overall, my internship is teaching me many things including, dealing with all types of clients to learning a new program. I like this internship because I enjoy helping people and it is a very impressive organization. I like that they help residents of San Francisco at no cost to the residents and that most counselors are also giving their time to help out, out of a staff of 12 only 3 are paid.

Data Entry Internship at Human Rights Committee of San Francisco

by Nafis Okilova

I do my clerical internship at Human Rights Committee of San Francisco.

I carefully provide data entry including personal information.

I sit at the computer and do data entry and photocopying .

I have communication challenges at my internship, but...everyone helps me to understand.  

Google docs, Scanning, Data Entry Internship at Asian American Journalist Association

by Nargiza Okilova

I am doing my internship at the Asian American Journalist Association which works to promote new writers.

My responsibilities in my internship are to cross reference from one database to another database, create documents of office supplies on Google docs. At the end of the day I save all documents that got updated.

I have been scanning electronic copy of board minutes. I organized and inventoried office supplies. I inserted member information. I filed  membership forms. I started inventorying  office supplies.

My challenges in my internship include when I inserted membership forms to the database, I had trouble reading handwriting. Then I asked for help from Antonio.

I learned news things from my internship. For example, how to create documents on Google docs. I learned office supply vocabulary. They are very helpful. I ask about everything that I can not understand.

Filing, Scanning,Organizing Internship at SFGH

By Katsiaryna Sheludziayeva

My internship is at SFGH Orthopaedic Trauma Institute. The staff provides expert care in all aspects of ortho trauma, including inpatient and outpatient orthopaedic surgical care, rehabilitation, and orthotics and prosthetics.

Now my responsibilities include filing, scanning, and checking that all documents filed are in the right place. I have to sort documents like requests or purchase orders and make sure they are in a certain place.

My internship starts at 9.00, but I usually arrive at 8.30 because I am always worried that I will be late. Also I have some extra time to prepare everything for work: bins, folders, stickers, label markers, etc. I try to organize everything so it is not messy. At first, I check what kind of documents I have to sort, and then I label folders for them, and after that, I just move documents to the right place. I have breaks for 15 minutes before and after lunch. If I have done all the work before my time ends, I just ask for more tasks from an administrator.

The most challenging task for me is document numbers, and what they mean. I know that it is very important to place them with accuracy. But I prepared a little cheat sheet that helps me a lot. Also I can say that communicating with others was difficult at first because people there are very busy and because I usually work in a separate room.

I like my internship because it helps me understand how some things work, like filing for example. Also, I can learn how people behave in a working environment.