Health and Human Services Professional Development

BUSTED! Prospective Employers Can Tell More About You Than You Might Think by   Mikki Sherwood   on   August 20, 2014 Nailed it!!…or did you? Have you ever been asked a question in an interview and felt as if you gave the best possible answer? Did you ever feel that you told a potential employer EVERYTHING they wanted to hear and totally nailed the interview? Photo by  mentatdgt  from  Pexels You may be surprised to know that much more is learned from your overall responses to interview questions than from the actual words you speak when answering. A study by Mast and colleagues (2011) took a look into how accurately a potential employer can judge an interviewee during the first impression. The study had interesting findings!! While recruiters are trained to ignore their first impressions of possible job candidates, it appears that they may be fairly accurate in their quick assessments. The research revealed that recruiters were better than the aver...

Impression Management and the Power of Your Handshake by   Constance Harriet, Guest Author   on   August 25, 2014   From previous experience, I have learned that the first impression can make a significant impact on the tone of the rest of a job interview. It has also been documented that handshakes influence first impressions; see our  Power of a Handshake  article. Indeed, handshakes can influence whether the people we meet trust, like, or want to work with us. Bernieri and Petty (2011) took this a step further and examined the links between impressions and perceived traits that convey something about one’s professional work ethic. These researchers found that a well-rehearsed handshake can convey traits such as conscientiousness and extroversion without using words.  Employers who are looking for employees that are detailed-oriented and thoughtful about their work may look for employees who reveal conscientiousness in their handshake, wherea...

8 Steps Towards Professionalism by   Jill Bowers   on   September 6, 2014   In need of a job? Want to avoid living on Mom’s couch forever? Professional demeanor can be the difference between being hired or fired. Here are 8 simple tips that you can use to make certain you are prepared to behave like the professional that you are or have the potential to be. 1. Dress “appropriately” Media Source:http://media1.giphy.com/media/uFcNbEr46h9Is/200_s.gif What is appropriate? Well, this may vary by position. Yet, as a general rule of thumb, if the attire is appropriate for a night club or party, it most likely is NOT appropriate for the workplace. 2.Speak with substance Media source: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTwbhpSWYRQQkm6K_PESA6l6yo1mRmvulanArcevwe5dGBwXgIT Make meaningful conversation, and answer questions directly, rather than talking in circles. Do not over-disclose, revealing information about your personal life or pe...

Family Matters: How Family Meal Patterns Create LifeLong Habits by   Mikki Sherwood   on   September 15, 2014 ********************Melissa Crone, guest author As we grow out of adolescence many of the eating habits that were instilled in our childhood impact the choices we make as adults. These choices can define the quality of our lives.  For example, we have all heard of the health benefits of eating breakfast. Did you eat breakfast every day as a child? If you did, you are more likely to continue that trend even when you are responsible for waking yourself up, preparing the food, and cleaning up the mess. On the other hand, if most of your childhood meals were on the go, you are likely to repeat the pattern as an adult, grabbing food with little thought to the nutritional value. What does this mean? It means you are likely fall into patterns of eating behavior that match what you saw in your childhood home. If you did not eat meals as a family, sit and ...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr! Are you a Social Animal? by   Mikki Sherwood   on   September 15, 2014   “David Brooks: The Social Animal”   is a brief video on Ted Talks. Mr. Brooks is a NY Times columnist and he has identified characteristics of individuals that have positive social skills. Jessica Reynolds, a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University, reviewed the video. Mr. Brooks pointed out that people trust those that are attentive and put them at ease. Brooks also noted that people with great social skills make eye contact and remember the names of those they meet, which makes others feel comfortable and valued. Mr. Brooks stated that we can be more social by choosing to change our focus from the more tangible (e.g. material wealth) to the more intangible (e.g. relationships with others). For instance, when we are focused on one another, and not distracted, we are actually able to read facial expressions more accurately, leading to a stronger emotional co...

You Are What You Eat: Can Diet REALLY Impact Depression???? by   Mikki Sherwood   on   September 15, 2014   ********************** Julia MacKenzie, guest author   With major depressive disorder (MDD) being so prevalent in the United States today, it is imperative that researchers determine how to stop the rise of this disorder. 19% of people diagnosed with MDD live in the United States. This statistic puts America as the second leading country for prevalence of MDD. Interestingly, the countries higher in income have the greatest number of MDD cases. While antidepressants are effective in adults much of the time, they also have side effects, risks, and non-compliance to the adherence of the drugs. For this reason it may be beneficial to use diet and nutrition to assist in the treatment of MDD. A European study concluded that those consuming a high number of trans fats from fast food restaurants increases the risk for MDD by almost 50%. On the other hand...

Good Networking/Bad Networking by   Mikki Sherwood   on   September 15, 2014   **********************GUEST AUTHOR KACEY MCCORMACK Networking is essential for career success. Bad networking can harm career success, but good networking can help you get a desired job and to move up in that job. Good networking is a positive experience for both parties. Some tips for good networking include: Preparing in advance for interviews scheduling a time to network rather than just dropping in and trying to network asking questions that show interest in the person with whom you are meeting writing thank you notes after meeting with someone staying in touch after networking Networking is a two way street and should be done by both parties. Give back to the people you network with by helping them in some way in order to show that you are not only taking from them, but willing to help as well. Resource Navarro, A. (2011). Good networking/Bad networking.  Ph...

There’s an App for That! Using MyPlate Text Messaging! by   Kristen Davis, Guest Author   on   September 21, 2014   We all know that making good food choices during college can be difficult. You are busy attending classes, working, completing homework or hanging out with friends. Before you know it you have put on a little weight. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is working on tools to help you make better food choices and help reduce the weight gain commonly seen during the college years.   MyPlate   is developing a free service that allows you to receive texts that provide helpful dietary information: Food group recognition.  The text messages can help you remember to balance your plate with fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains and dairy. Balanced food intake.  Texts can provide information regarding the number of calories needed to maintain a healthy weight given your physical and social characteristics. Portion control...

Dump My Caffeine Habit…NOOOO (Really, I don’t have to?) by   Melissa Crone, Guest Author   on   September 21, 2014 It is well documented that caffeine is a stimulant, meaning that it can increase alertness. In fact, we all know that too much caffeine can disrupt sleep patterns, causing a myriad of health issues. But, do you need to cut out caffeine completely in order to get a good night’s sleep? Researchers have discovered that the amount of caffeine you drink does impact sleep, but that does not necessarily mean to cut out caffeine entirely.  Early ingestion of a caffeinated drink is fine, just taper off your caffeine use throughout the day. You can still have your coffee in the morning, but reducing caffeine throughout the day can help you fall asleep faster and for longer periods of time. References Burgess-Champoux, T. L., Larson, N., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Hannan, P. J., & Story, M. (2009). Are family meal patterns associated with overall diet q...