Health and Human Services Professional Development

Top 3 Mistakes Students Make in their Internships by   Elissa Mitchell   on   July 2, 2013   Top 3 mistakes students make in their internships:  1. Not taking enough initiative Once you’ve been on the job for a while you should be able to work independently on projects without asking for too much direction from your supervisor. Of course, you should check in with your supervisor on a regular basis and make sure you’re on the same page, but you’re there to help with the work load, not create more work (and believe me, supervising an intern is work). 2. Acting like an expert The reverse of the first point is that you take too much initiative without input from your supervisor and strike out on your own – but in the wrong direction. I’ve had internship supervisors complain that their students’ sometimes need to learn when to act and when to step back; when to speak and when to listen. Yes, you may have completed all your coursework and you may even h...

Listen, Learn, Lead! by   Mikki Sherwood   on   August 1, 2013   Four-star general Stanley McChrystal was commander of U.S. and International forces in Afghanistan where he worked with various people of various ages and skill sets. The ability to lead effectively can mean life or death in the military. In this Ted talks video he explains his experiences with leadership and shares some advice. • Leaders need to understand the changing world and the changing needs of those that they are leading. • Good leaders can let you fail, but not let you be a failure. • Good leaders allow others to depend on themselves. • Relationships are the key to leadership. Everyone must support one another and leaders must set the example. blob:https://embed.ted.com/7d446574-0b54-4f84-96b5-460dbaec3682 *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

What Can Adults Learn From Children? by   Mikki Sherwood   on   April 20, 2014 Ted talks video reviewed by: Caitlin Sheehan, Graduate Student EIU In this  Ted Talks  video, 12-year old Adora Svitak states that being called “childish” is offensive to her, but not for the reason you may think. She points out that most irrational behavior is perpetuated by adults. However, she points out that young people have made a difference in the world for many generations. For example, Anne Frank provided a riveting account of the Holocaust, Ruby Bridges fought to end segregation in the US, and Charlie Simpson helped to raise £120,000 for Haiti. Therefore, Svitak states, learning should be reciprocal between adults and youth. In fact, progress only happens because new generations become better than the previous generation and kids, with all of their “irrationality,” really can teach adults something. *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission grante...