Health and Human Services Professional Development

Phone Interview Etiquette by   Jill Bowers   on   August 9, 2013 It’s just a phone interview, so relax, tell your friends not to leave, put your feet up, and get out a bag of chips while you are at it…OR NOT. These would all be great if you want to set yourself up for FAILURE. You want to prepare for the interview and treat it with the professionalism you strive to exhibit in a face-to-face interview. I’ve been on conference calls where I can hear others eating, talking, blowing their nose, or other background noise…there is nothing more distracting and in an interview, it is a reflection of your professionalism and could make employers believe that you are really not that interested in the job. Here are a few tips for phone interview etiquette: If it is not scheduled ahead of time and you are not place where you could or should take the call (e.g., at work or class, driving, or out with friends), let it go to voicemail and call back Practice for the interview as...

Avoid the Email Train Wreck: Five Tips for Writing Professional Emails by   Danielle Wolf, Guest Author   on   March 23, 2014   As college students, we are all focusing on that next phase in our lives. This can be different for each and every one of us. Yet, whether we are on the track towards social, teaching, health care, or other professional careers and our next step to success in the “real world,” it is important to have a good understanding of how to write a professional email. If you don’t, you could be at-risk for a trainwreck of negative responses (for example, you could miss out on an internship opportunity, be the subject of your professors’ Facebook posts, begin to notice that your boss is avoiding you, or try to make important points in meetings only to have your supervisor ignore you).    Email etiquette is important. Thus, as we apply for jobs, graduate school, or communicate with our professors, it is important to show these...

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...