Health and Human Services Professional Development

Finding an Internship by   Elissa Mitchell   on   July 11, 2013 Completing an internship during your degree program is often a great way to get hands-on experience in a structured learning environment While some lucky students (or unlucky, depending on how you view it….) are automatically placed into internships by their programs, most students must take some initiative if they want to find an internship before graduating. If your program has an internship course : Many schools that offer internship programs or courses have requirements for those courses. For example, some require that you complete your core coursework (and have a grade average of a ‘B’ or higher) to participate. Others want you to work with the instructor to secure a placement  before  actually enrolling in the course. Some programs only allow internships for seniors; others include younger students as well. Be sure to  start early and examine the requirements for your program ...

Self-Confidence, Humility, and The Job Market by   Jill Bowers   on   July 13, 2013   Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of  The Power of Positive Thinking , said, “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” You have to have to believe in yourself to even apply for jobs (you will not know until you try). Further, many jobs are very competitive… beyond your skills, knowledge, or credentials, your self confidence can make you stand out from your competitors  who are also qualified for the jobs (for example, in cover letters or interviews).   If what you say about yourself or how you say it (your body language) portrays confidence rather than uncertainty, others will be more likely to have confidence in you rather than uncertainty about you or your ability to handle the job . See this article on qualities of confident people (for e...

Is College Worth It? by   Roberta Kingery   on   July 17, 2013   This is the big question today.  The news media is painting a picture that is beginning to scare students and their families as they look at the cost of a college education.  We see news reports highlighting the number of college students who are unemployed, and I’ve seen it personally in my position as a Career Counselor.  But is it really as bad as the media wants us to believe? I don’t think so.  But the key to personal success after college is YOU.  Earning a college degree does not ensure that you will get the job of your dreams after graduation, in fact, simply doing enough to get by in college may not open the doors you seek.  You get out of it what you put into it – and it takes more than that. Let’s start with what you accomplish in school.   GPA is important.   A 2.0 GPA means you earned a C average.  Let’s focus on the word “av...

Overcoming Generational Differences by   Jill Bowers   on   July 17, 2013   Business executives in  Unconventional Career Advice for College Graduates – Forbes   believe that success on the job market involves personal characteristics (positive attitude), behaviors (openness, not be defensive), staying informed (reading news), good use of grammar, and many “old school tactics.” The article provides good strategies for college graduates, and the information is consistent with other research surrounding middle-aged to older adults’ views of the millennial generation. Many employers or decision-makers may be “old school,” so it’s important to relate to them and show them you can demonstrate the types of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that they are looking for. What you read, your work ethic, or your demeanor may be undermining your employer or coworkers’ abilities to see other skills or attributes that can make you successful or productive at work ...

8 Tips to Nail a Job Interview by   Dina Izenstark   on   July 19, 2013 When I was working as a Leisure Services Supervisor, we interviewed over 200 candidates to fill 150 counselor positions each summer.  It was a difficult job because we only had a 20-30 minute meeting with each candidate to decide whether or not they would be right for the position.  Because most candidates’ education, experience and activities were so similar, performance in the interview was often the deciding factor for whether or not they were selected.  Because interviewing skills can be critical in getting the job, I want to share with you 8 Tips to Nail the Job Interview from my perspective as a supervisor. Apply Early!   For example, for summer jobs, most park districts begin recruiting staff in December and start interviews in January. Many times we had outstanding candidates apply in June, but could not offer them a position because we already had filled all ...

What are You Looking At?: The Importance of Balanced Eye Contact by   Jill Bowers   on   July 22, 2013   What are you looking at?! Hopefully ME if you are talking to me.   But what if I’m judging you? What am I thinking about you? Do I make you nervous when I’m staring back at you? For these reasons, maintaining eye contact can be tough.   Yet, in many cultures and settings (i.e., in the United States), eye contact can help you to convey that you are trustworthy, respectful, and sincere. Eye contact can help you to influence others or establish an emotional connection.  It allows you to give some feedback to the individual you are interacting with, and it provides opportunities for you to see if they are understanding the meaning of the message you are trying to relay. Thus,   maintaining balanced eye contact can be critical to your accomplishments in personal and professional relationships. But what is meaningful, balanced eye con...

Digital Tattoos: Ted Talks Video on the Permanency of Your Online Profile by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 23, 2013   We tend to think that the information we put online, or send to our friends, is temporary. However, Juan Enriquez shares his views (via Ted Talks) on the permanency of online information sharing. Using Andy Warhol, the ancient Greeks, and other examples from history, the case is made that the photographs and other data you share with your friends might just be a permanent part of your history (i.e. your digital tattoo) and available to those that will be hiring/promoting you. See the Ted Talks video here: blob:https://embed.ted.com/43c3608a-ff06-44e5-8a24-39cd95a6817d *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

True Grit: Do you Have What it Takes to Succeed? by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 24, 2013   Do you want to know the single most important key to success? According to Angela Lee Duckworth (via Ted Talks) you need to have GRIT. Grit surpassed economics, educational achievement, and even intelligence and talent, as the single most important predictor of success. One key aspect of grit is a “growth mindset.” According to researchers at Stanford University, an individual with a growth mindset understands that the ability to learn and grow can change with a change in circumstance and effort. If you have a growth mindset you are much more able to persevere if you fail because you know that failure is temporary, and success is still an option if changes are made. Do you have GRIT? blob:https://embed.ted.com/0cce5d24-4711-4703-a368-832606b7140c *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

Need More Time? 10 tips for Using Technology! by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 25, 2013   Do you think you know ALL of the shortcuts for your technology? David Pogue (via Ted Talks) shares 10 easy time-savers for the internet, smartphones, and digital cameras. See if you know them all! blob:https://embed.ted.com/c02d7e5c-f956-490b-8b9c-6531d033be21 *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

Job Interviewers are Prepared…are YOU? by   Jill Bowers   on   July 28, 2013   What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Why do you want to work for our company? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Although some interviewers will ask some “wacky” questions,  it is still most likely that they will ask and spend more time on the more traditional interview questions such as these.  So be prepared to answer them! There are a lot of articles out there are on how to prepare for interviews, but  How to Ace the 50 Most Common Job Interview Questions – Forbes  is one of my favorites and includes 50 of these common interview questions and provides valuable tips on answering at least seven of them. In addition, the article lists ways that you can be prepared beyond the interview questions. A few examples: Have you done your homework? In other words, what do you know about the company?  They will likely ask you, “what...

Are YOU Smarter than a 5th Grader? Advice from the “Kid President” by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 28, 2013   Nine-year-old Robby Novak has unbelievable charisma. His “Kid President” videos are taking the internet by storm. In this pep talk, he gives advice for doing “something that will make the world awesome.” His advice: Don’t be boring. If life is a game, aren’t we all on the same team? Don’t stop believing. I want to be on the path that leads to awesome. Keep going, and going, and going, and going. What will you create to make the world more awesome? Nothing if you just keep sitting there! https://youtu.be/l-gQLqv9f4o?list=PLzvRx_johoA8PC6S5k5S2SszRQOR8oSEa *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).