Applying an Entrepreneurial Spirit to Your Career

With the world of work operating remotely, how do you stand out when the traditional means of making an impression, from networking events to coffee chats, no longer apply? Consider the framework of entrepreneurship.

An article in Forbes describes the entrepreneurial spirit as a mindset: “It’s an attitude and approach to thinking that actively seeks out change, rather than waiting to adapt to change. It’s a mindset that embraces critical questioning, innovation, service, and continuous improvement.”

Here are some ways you can incorporate this framework into your professional identity and brand:

    • Engage in critical discussions: Attend virtual conferences to meet professionals in the field who are having important discussions about the world of work in the COVID-19 era. Use these as opportunities to connect with others, learn best practices in the field, and become a resource for your field or organization. You can also start your own communities of practice.
    • Innovate or influence: Have you been following the latest trends and practices on serving communities particularly impacted by the pandemic? Share relevant thought pieces and articles on LinkedIn so others can benefit from the knowledge. You can also publish your own articles to highlight new ideas or initiatives you have worked on.
    • Embrace the value of service: Remember the personal values that brought you to social work: helping others in need. Wherever you are, look out for the call for volunteers in your community. Contributing your time and skills will help you stay connected and engaged in a meaningful way, and at the same time, showcase your value to others.
    • Seek continuous improvement: If you’re job hunting, this is a prime time to invest in your professional growth. Whether you choose to learn a new language or further develop your technical or clinical skills, taking time to up-skill will show that you are open and able to adapt to changing needs and priorities–qualities that will make you attractive to any employer.

The world needs social workers now more than ever. Leverage your natural ability to lead the way in problem solving and effecting change! Doing so will not only enhance your chances for employment, it will also make you marketable for future opportunities.

Message for the Class of 2020

Congratulations, Class of 2020! YOU DID IT!

As you take your next steps in your path as social workers, we’d like to take a moment to applaud you for your hard work, perseverance, and commitment, especially during these last few months.

Through it all, you demonstrated the ability to adapt to changing needs and circumstances, learn new ways of coping with disruption and loss, and prepare for the unknown—critical strengths that are needed as we seek to move forward in our new reality, and which make you, the next generation of social work leaders, invaluable to the larger community.

For those who have shared job updates with us, an additional congratulations to you! (If you recently landed a job opportunity, we would love to hear from you; email us at [email protected].) Your successes provide encouragement and hope for many others embarking on the job search process.

For those who are actively seeking opportunities, please note that career support will remain available to you. You can continue to use your Career Connect account to schedule appointments and access resources.

Thank you, 2020 graduates, for allowing us to be part of your journey! We look forward to staying in touch with you as you continue this journey as alumni.

Warmly,

Tomomi and Rawlisha
Office of Career Services and Leadership Management

Warm Wishes to Pamela Picon ’20

We are so grateful and fortunate to have had the opportunity to have Pam Picon ’20 work with our team over the last two years in career services!

Pam was instrumental in conducting research on our graduate outcomes, drafting marketing and communications material, updating resources and handouts, and so much more.

Thank you for supporting our office and our initiatives in your time throughout CSSW. We’re so proud of all you that have accomplished, including beyond our office, and will miss your presence. Congratulations, and all the best!

Career Support through the Summer

Although the semester will be coming to a close, the Office of Career Services and Leadership Management will remain open throughout the summer to support your career needs, with appointments remaining available Tuesdays through Thursdays. Take a look at our availability on Career Connect.

For those who are graduating and actively seeking full-time opportunities, we encourage you to see us soon. Please note that, as graduates, you will continue to have access to our services. Stay connected with us by joining our CSSW LinkedIn Group. You will also be receiving information from the Office of Alumni Relations for benefits extended to you as alumni.

Expert Advice Shared in the Job Search Forum

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our lives on many levels, leaving many uncertain on how to approach the changing market and job search.

To address these concerns, over the past three weeks, we welcomed members of the CSSW community and other experts in the field to provide insight on how to tackle the search process during these challenging times.

Below are some of the strategies that were shared:

  • Make sure you’re taking care of yourself first and going at your own pace. This pandemic is already emotionally and physically taxing, so don’t feel like you must be going at full speed during the job search. You don’t want to overwork yourself, as we must be able to take care of ourselves to be able to help others.
  • Be flexible and open to opportunities that may seem out of the norm. Take into consideration positions that at first glance may not be your first choice (title, salary, location, etc.), but could lead to better opportunities. Remember, every experience is a learning experience.
  • Be innovative. Build and market your brand to the current needs. Think thoughtfully and strategically about these needs and how you can offer a solution. Think outside of the traditional social work box.
  • Network! Network! Network! Keep in contact with your CSSW community and connect with those throughout the social impact space. Virtual networking platforms like LinkedIn are an easy way to stay connected and build new connections.***Continuing and graduating students currently have access to 1:1 career mentoring with an alum every Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM until May 28. For more information, check your email or review this program overview (UNI login required).***

If you missed the series or any of the individual sessions, feel free to refer to our notes and handouts from the sessions (UNI login required).

Thank you to the Office of Field Education for collaborating with us on this event, to all our guest speakers, including last week’s guests, Andrez Carberry, Head of Global Talent Supply and Diversity and Inclusion at John Deere, Cassandra Walker, Human Resources Recruiter at Henry Street Settlement, and Iris Groen, Talent Acquisition Manager at the Jewish Board, students who attended the series, and Pam Picon for providing the comprehensive synopsis and notes!

Collaborative Care Information Session Recap with Concert Health

 

Last week, we welcomed Concert Health to present on the core principles of the Collaborative Care model and to share their experiences on providing behavioral health care remotely.

If you are interested in telehealth or opportunities at Concert Health, here are some steps you can take to be marketable for these roles:

    • Learn how to engage in all kinds of clinical interactions. Telephonic care requires a different set of skills for rapport building and demonstrating that you are present and listening.
    • Develop communication and facilitation strategies that make up for the inability to assess non-verbals in person, such as asking clients to describe their body language and how they are feeling.
    • Be flexible and open to using technology and varied modes of communication.
    • Get exposure to different populations to diversify your clinical expertise.

Thanks to Allison Kean, Virna Little, and Kathryn Sacks-Colon for their insightful presentation!

If you missed the event, you can review the presentation slides and audio recording are posted in Career Connect within our Document Library under the Presentation/Workshop folder.