Health and Human Services Professional Development

Doing Professionalism Author: Jill Bowers Video of professionals on, “What is professionalism?” https://youtu.be/O3BG_47ZV8E According to these professionals, being a professional means having an understanding of what is expected of you in your field and having the skills, competencies or qualities that allow you to meet or exceed expectations of those who you are working for or with. We interviewed a few professionals in various fields and asked them to define professionalism and their advice for acting the part. Here are 15 tips that summarize professionals’ responses: • Be able to demonstrate your knowledge and articulate it • Know how to dress and use the language you are supposed to use for the industry you are applying or will be working in; be able to look like you belong in that industry • Follow through; do what you say you will • Know and understand the expectations for formality (how you address professors, employers, colleagues, or those...

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...

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...

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...

Ways to Avoid Being on Employers’ Complaint Lists by   Jill Bowers   on   August 16, 2013   What are employers’ complaints about grads they have recently hired? Supervisors, bosses, and employers get upset when new hires or interviewees: come unprepared to interviews apply for jobs they do not have the skills or background training for demand salaries that are too high for the position (e.g., higher than what others who have been there for awhile make) or premature promotions write letters or emails with typos start and then quit the job without giving it a chance lack professionalism lack tenacity post inappropriate or unprofessional photos or status on social media accounts that are visible to the public, clients, or individuals they serve have poor attitudes, work ethic, or interpersonal skills See more and some general tips for addressing these issues from  The Savvy Intern article,  Employers: 13 Complaints about Recent Grads . Che...

Hey You! Salutations for Success…and Disaster by   Jill Bowers   on   February 22, 2014   Hey you! Hi Jill! Think you are close enough with a professor or boss to address them with the salutation of your preference? You might want to reconsider. It is not something that gets to me (assuming that the salutation does not have a negative tone and there is no name calling). I have, however, heard enough other professors and supervisors complain about this that I can tell you that it’s something that means something to many of them. It will serve you well to think about the salutation you use. It’s not as if the professionals who have an issue with it are on any kind of “power trip” (most of them anyway), rather the pet peeves surrounding the proper salutations are centered on the belief that young adults should respect individuals who are in positions of authority. Generally, they have worked hard to earn their degrees and titles so they can be in positions to hel...

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...