Health and Human Services Professional Development

Professional Work Ethic by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 4, 2013 How many times have you heard that you should have a good work ethic? What does that mean to you? More importantly, what does that mean to professors or employers?  A recent survey of hiring managers found that employers believe that professionalism is fading and that students coming into professional venues do not have a strong work ethic. That is unfortunate, because most of the students I meet try very hard to do their best. Could it be that they were never taught about developing a strong work ethic? In order to develop a strong work ethic, consider the following: Show a positive attitude:  a sense of entitlement does not mix well with professionalism and a good work ethic. Every class/job has aspects that are frustrating, unenjoyable, and just plain irritating. However, what you do with unpleasant aspects of a situation defines you as a student or professional. Move confidently and c...

A Good/Bad Resume by   Jill Bowers   on   July 5, 2013 An 11 minute video from Lynda, which illustrates the differences between a good and bad resume: https://youtu.be/0mZdxiHLx6Q *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

Early Bird Gets the Worm…or at Least the Job by   Jill Bowers   on   July 5, 2013   Five tips for getting up early by Robin Sharma…although a few of these many not seem feasible (i.e., getting a weekly massage), his philosophy on getting up early may be useful to you/your daily routine. https://youtu.be/z6hsOLVwfFc *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

To Ask or Not to Ask THEM by   Jill Bowers   on   July 6, 2013   When preparing for a job interview, you may generally think of how you will answer questions you will be asked by the interviewer(s). Yet, it is just as important to think of what questions you will ask THEM. Asking them questions about the agency/company or position to which you are applying for can help you to know if the job is a good fit with your strengths, interests, and career goals. Asking good questions can also show the interviewer the level of insight you have or that you have done your homework and came to the interviewer prepared. See the  Forbes article, “30 Questions You Should and Shouldn’t Ask in a Job Interview”  for more information and examples of good/bad questions. *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

Dress for Interview Success by   Jill Bowers   on   July 6, 2013 Knowing whether or not the interviewer will perceive your attire as “appropriate” can contribute to your anxiety about a job interview. On one hand, attire is more casual today in many work environments than it was 15-20 years ago. On the other, you do not want to risk that you will be dressed too casually and appear as though you do not care about the job or lack knowledge about industry standards. A few tips you may want to consider: Find out what other employees are wearing , especially those in similar positions to the one in which you are applying If you are unsure,  it is better to be overdressed than underdressed ; for most positions, including internships, you should avoid jeans, t-shirts, or tennis shoes. You could also wear a jacket or sweater and take it off if the atmosphere appears more casual than what      you had thought. Press your clothes ; if you do not hav...

Tips on How to Network from Berkeley by   Jill Bowers   on   July 6, 2013   The Berkeley Career Services Center offers a few good tips for successfully networking. My personal favorites are those that discuss how and why you should consistently keep in contact with your mentors (as opposed to only contacting them when you need them or out of desperation).  A true mentor relationship, or one you will get the most out of, is ongoing. It is also best that your mentor consistently knows about your progress or what you are working on, so they can speak on your behalf (if they are listed on your reference list) or forward you relevant jobs, opportunities, or information that is relevant to your career as they come across it. Along these lines, it is also important to ask your mentors if you can put them on your reference list and notify them when you have applied for a specific job.   *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission gran...

Successfully Using Online Networking by   Jill Bowers   on   July 6, 2013   Online networks, such as   Linked In   may be great resources for connecting with potential employers or mentors. You can use online networking as a means of making yourself visible, highlighting your accomplishments and skills. You could also use online networks to do your own research on companies you are interested in working for (e.g., what they are about, what their employers do or say). At the same time, many employers use these online profiles to do their research on you. Thus, you should make sure your profile or information about you is updated, free of typos or grammatical errors, and accurately depicts your interests, goals, and strengths. You should make sure the information on your resume and social networking profile are consistent; if it is not, potential employers may assume you are lying or stretching the truth on your resume. Further, you may want to edit you...

Say WHAT?? How to Address Problem Situations by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 8, 2013   When a problem occurs we could all potentially respond in a manner that is not positive. Below is a list of actual comments I have heard from students in the last 16 years of my work as a university professor. It is too bad you grade so hard and cost me an A. You have no compassion and do not understand students. Be patient; my computer skills are a rusty. I worked really hard on this paper! Why did you give me a C? I won’t be in class on Thursday; will I miss anything? I stopped by your office three times and you were never there! Do you think these comments are helpful as a solution to a negative issue? How would you reword these statements in order to be more professional in nature? Does your approach to a problem lend itself to a solution, or negativity on both sides? Let’s rethink some of these comments and reword them into a more positive approach: I th...

Deep in Debt? Start Managing Now by   Linda Simpson   on   July 9, 2013   Managing debt early in life is critical, and poor choices in college, or young adulthood, can lead to long term consequences.  Although student loans may be inevitable in order to achieve a college degree, it is the discretionary spending that must be monitored and kept under control. Student loans should be used for tuition, not to fund spring break trips and weekend entertainment. A poor credit score will lead to higher interest rates on loans or the inability to even get a loan.  Some excellent resources are provided below to help you stay on track now so that you will not be suffering consequences for the next 20-30 years on the “fun” that you are having today. Resources: www.cashcourse.org  – Sponsored by the National Endowment for Financial Educators and offers online workshops www.money.cnn.com  – offers several articles, tools, and guides on money manag...

Career Exploration: Find What Interests YOU by   Roberta Kingery   on   July 9, 2013   While helping students research potential careers, one of the questions I am asked most often is, “What career fields are hot right now?”.  It’s typically an easy question to answer, but not the best way to determine a career field.  Why?  First, what’s hot now may not be “hot” in four years when most students graduate.  Many factors determine what fields are in demand, and those change, often with little warning.  Selecting a popular career field in 2013, which may or may not interest you, can create a problem if you graduate in 2017 and that field isn’t hot, or you aren’t geographically somewhere with openings in that field. A better way to determine career options is to look at a combination of things.  Career counselors may ask you to take an assessment tool to help identify your interests, abilities and values.  Discussing these thre...

Why YOU Should Get Involved in Professional Organizations and Where to Start by   Kimi Crossman   on   July 9, 2013   Many students are unsure of the purpose of professional organizations or why to get involved.  The large number of organizations and many hard-to-remember acronyms don’t help make the process of getting involved any easier either.  However, there are many benefits for joining professional organizations as a student or even while working in pursuit of a different position for the future.  For example,  getting involved in professional organizations can help you to meet people in your field, provide opportunities for you to volunteer for agencies or organizations in your field. For more on benefits to joining professional organizations, see  5 Reasons College Students Should be Involved in Professional Organizations – Mashable . When you decide to start getting involved, you really will want to maximize the time and ener...

Books about FCS: “Stir it Up: Home Economics in American Culture” by   Mikki Sherwood   on   July 10, 2013   The term “Home Economics” often makes us think of housewives in the 1950s. However, family and consumer sciences (FCS) got its start in the Home Economics Movement. We have a rich and detailed history made up of fascinating men and women that came from the sciences. Dr. Megan J. Elias is an Associate Professor of History at Queensborough Community College, a College of The City University of New York (CUNY). She traces the foundation of the discipline in a manner that is entertaining and easy to read. For a comprehensive look at the forces shaping what FCS has become, I recommend Dr. Elias’ book! *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).