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...

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 ...

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...

Me+Stress=BFFs by   Mikki Sherwood   on   March 30, 2014   Ted Talks video reviewed by: Michelle Crary, Graduate Student EIU In this Ted Talks video,  “How to Make Stress Your Friend,”  Psychologist Kelly McGonigal explains that she spent many years telling her patients that stress was making them sick. In fact, she even thought that stress shortened the lifespan. However, Dr. McGonigal has now changed her mind. Current research has led her to believe that you can change the way you think about stress, which then changes its impact on your body. Dr. McGonigal shares research that found that people that look at stress as a helpful part of life are much less anxious. For instance, stress makes the heart beat faster, which can lead to feelings of panic. However, what if you think of that quickening heart rate as your body readying itself for a challenge! When your heart rate goes up you tend to breathe more deeply, transferring more oxygen to the ...