Mentoring and Self-Care Opportunities for CSSW Students and Alumni
Welcome to our Spring 2021 Class!
The Office of Career Services and Leadership Management would like to extend a warm welcome to our new class of students! We look forward to working with you and supporting your career journey throughout your time at CSSW and thereafter.
See below for information regarding appointment scheduling and other resources that will be further discussed at our Career Q&A Webinar this afternoon at 2:00 PM.
Career Connect / Appointments
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- Career Connect is your go-to career management tool that you can use to schedule appointments, register for events, explore opportunities, and access resources including career guides and tip sheets. Please bookmark the link for future use: https://candidate.gradleaders.com/ColumbiaSW/Candidates/Login.aspx?pid=3455
- You will receive access to the system later this afternoon via a welcome email titled “Welcome to Career Connect” that will be sent to your Columbia email. Instructions on how to set up your account will be included.
- To schedule an appointment, go to Advising > General Advising > Add Appointment, and choose a time that’s convenient for you. All appointments are being held virtually or by phone at this time.
Spring Calendar
All upcoming events and activities will be posted in Career Connect in the Events section. They will also be announced via email and in our enews.
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- Company Events are primarily employer-related activities (e.g. recruitment sessions).
- Workshops include career and professional development training as well as talks and panels with alumni and other professionals in the field.
Most CSSW-based events will take place Tuesdays through Thursdays during the afternoon breaks. Please make sure to register for each event directly using Career Connect or the links provided within the system. This will allow the career team to anticipate how many to expect and plan accordingly with employer, alumni, and other guest speakers.
If you have any questions about any of the above, please email [email protected]. Once again, welcome!
Tomomi and Rawlisha
The Child Center of NY Virtual Social Work Conference + Recruitment Event | Monday, November 30
The Child Center of NY will be holding a Virtual Social Work & Helping Professionals Conference & Recruitment Event on Monday, November 30th from 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm. See below for details.
Resumes that Get Interviews: Top Tips from a Recruiter | Wednesday, December 2
Looking to revamp your resume in preparation for your impending job search or internship placement?
Attend our upcoming resume webinar on Wednesday, December 2 from 12:30-1:30 PM ET led by alumna Julie Kim Richards ’96, MSW New York Coordinator for Social Work p.r.n., a specialized social work staffing agency serving the New York City Metropolitan area.
At this event, you will learn:
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- What employers look for in resumes
- How to effectively showcase your skills, experience, and value
- Additional tips to make you stand out
Register here to receive a link to the webinar.
About Julie Kim Richards
Julie Kim Richards is the New York Coordinator for Social Work p.r.n., performing the role of recruiter and temp assignment coordinator in the only staffing agency created exclusively for social workers by social workers. Julie’s varied professional experience in multiple agencies and fields has driven her passion to help make the right fit for social workers and the settings where they work.
Julie’s social work experiences include individual and group therapy, advocacy, and supervision in the areas of child and family services, developmental disabilities, substance use, and services in schools. She dedicated 14 years of her social work career to developing the programs of a New York City agency that provides linguistically and culturally-specific services to Asian survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual abuse. As the Director of Programs, her accomplishments included nomination to Vice President of the Advisory Council to the New York State Office of Victim Services, and the development of: a women’s wellness center, a legal services division, a digital art therapy youth program, and a training program—all achieved while maintaining high-quality services provided to over 600 women and children annually, including a hotline provided in over a dozen Asian languages. Julie has presented at numerous conferences on the topics of domestic violence and mental health in the Asian community, including a workshop provided at the U.S. Department of Justice Domestic Violence Summit. She has also taught the domestic violence practice course at Columbia University School of Social Work.
Veterans in City Government CityTalk Panel | Thursday, November 19
In honor of U. S. Veterans and Military families month, New York City’s Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) and partnering City agencies will be sponsoring a “Veterans in City Government CityTalk Panel”.
DCAS’s Office of Citywide Recruitment, within the Office of Citywide Equity and Inclusion (OCEI) will moderate a panel of Veterans who will discuss their individual journeys and challenges as they transitioned from Military service to City service into New York City government.
This event will be held on:
Thursday, November 19
2:30 – 4:00 PM
Zoom platform
Interested Veterans, Veterans students, and Military families can register for this event here.
Become a NextGen Leader | Apply by November 20
Victim Intervention Program Volunteers Needed
Navigating the Job Search During Challenging Times
The global COVID-19 pandemic, sociopolitical climate, and accompanying distress — particularly for BIPOC communities that have been disproportionately impacted — have brought added challenges to an already stressful job-hunt process. For those graduating next spring, these challenges may feel particularly pressing.
The importance of self-care cannot be understated, especially during these times, and we encourage prioritizing it in your search and overall career management strategy. This may include monitoring your energy; setting mini-goals, and adjusting them as needed; as well as finding support and community within and outside of your personal, professional, and CSSW network, including one-on-one appointments with our office.
Students can receive additional support through our mentorship program, a new initiative started in the spring that facilitates connections to alumni for career insights and advice. BIPOC-identified students can also participate in our upcoming Communities of Color event, an annual program designed to connect and engage students and alumni of color in candid career conversations within a dedicated support space.
See below for more tips and resources on navigating the job search, as highlighted in last week’s webinar:
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- Treat job searching as a process. Allow time to reflect on how you can contribute to an organization so that you can tailor your search for opportunities that speak to your strengths, interests, and values.
- Break down the process into smaller, achievable parts. These may include clarifying your goals and direction through a self-assessment, establishing your target list by conducting research on organizations that have missions that you care about, and learning more about career options and opportunities through informational interviews.
- Create a timeline and action plan using organizers to track your progress. This will allow you to recognize and celebrate mini-wins that you achieve along the way, which in turn can help you stay motivated and focused.
Remember, you’re not alone on this journey — there’s a community you can turn to for support. Take a moment to assess what networks and supports might be most helpful for you, not only for landing a meaningful role but also for maintaining your momentum and well-being for the long haul.
If you missed our webinar, you can find the presentation slides in Career Connect within our Document Library under the Workshops / Webinars / Presentations folder.
Making the Most of Informational Interviews
Does the idea of conducting informational interviews feel intimidating?
Consider thinking of them as “curiosity conversations”—opportunities to make meaningful connections with folx in your field and gain insights and advice that will help you move forward in your career development.
If you missed our information interviewing webinar last week, here are some key takeaways:
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- Clarify your interests, needs, and goals to assess what knowledge and insights will help you move forward in your career exploration.
- Identify contacts from your network who possess the background or expertise in your area of interest, including through the CSSW LinkedIn Group or career mentoring program for students.
- Prepare a brief overview of your professional experience and an agenda for the meeting to ensure you leave with your “must” takeaways.
- Ask thoughtful questions that can provide actionable insights and build upon what you already know.
- Make sure to follow-up with a thank you note and keep the contact up-to-date on your progress.
You can find the presentation slides in Career Connect within our Document Library under the Workshops / Webinars / Presentations folder.