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Welcome Advanced Standing Students!

The Office of Career Services and Leadership Management would like to extend a warm welcome to our Advanced Standing students!

We look forward to meeting you and discussing your career plans as you further your education and training to promote social justice, equity, inclusion, and the overall well-being of others as social workers.

Want to get a head start on the conversation? Join us today, July 13 at 1:00 PM, for our Career Q&A session for new students! See details within your Orientation materials.

Career Connect

Later today, you will be receiving access to our exclusive career management system, Career Connect. Please keep an eye out for a welcome email from: [email protected] (It’s not spam!). It will include instructions on how to schedule appointments, register for future career events, access career-related resources, and more.

If you have any questions in the interim, please email [email protected] using your Columbia email address, and let us know that you’re a new student.

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Social Justice Changemakers: Employer Panel + Networking Event | May 4

Meet representatives from Color of Change, Vera Institute of Justice, and New York Immigration Coalition about the skills needed to tackle structural and societal inequities on the macro level, empower communities and individuals, and lead large-scale advocacy efforts.
Tuesday, May 4, 2021
1:00 – 2:00 PM (ET)
Register HERE
Panel Guests (click here for bios):
  • Hannah Green ’18, Program Associate at Vera Institute of Justice, The Initiative to End Girls’ Incarceration
  • Samantha Phillips, Director of Talent & Recruitment at Color Of Change
  • Theresa Thanjan ’97, Senior Manager of Member Engagement at New York Immigration Coalition
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NASW-NYC Presents: Paving the Way – A Conversation About Field Placement in the COVID-19 Environment | Wednesday, April 7

Shared by the NASW-NYC Chapter:

The NASW-NYC CARES Member Ambassador program is proud to present the second virtual student symposium, designed to support NYC social work students, on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at 7:00 pm EST. Based on the overwhelming responses from attendees of the student town hall held in the fall semester that focused on student experience in the era of virtual learning, the spring 2021 student symposium will focus on field placement in the COVID-19 environment.

The goals for this event:

    • Discuss and share field placement experiences in the COVID-19 environment
    • Hear from social work professionals who work in field placement
    • Network with students of social work and social work professionals in NYC
    • Get insight, resources, and tips for your own field placement journey
    • Get updated on how you can become involved and engaged with the chapter if you’re a new grad or soon to graduate

Visit www.naswnyc.org/SpringSS2021 to register and learn more.

ADA accommodation requests and questions should be emailed to [email protected].

This is a FREE event open to all NYC students of social work!
Open to both NASW Members & Non-Members!

First Year Students Encouraged to Join!

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NASW-NYC Honors Social Work Month 2021 with Event Series

Shared by the NASW-NYC Chapter:

The NASW-NYC Chapter is proud to announce the first NASW-NYC Social Work Month Series:

Committed to promoting the value and visibility of the social work profession and enhancing the profession’s credibility and influence at state and local levels, the NASW-NYC has designed various events over the course of the month that speak to the scope of social work.

This Social Work Month series is designed to offer opportunities for engagement, networking, learning, and more to social workers across the five boroughs, reminding us all of the essential importance of social workers and exemplifying the 2021 Social Work Month theme of NASW. In the era of COVID-19 and the changes and issues it has brought, this series hopes to encourage and support our NYC social workers.

The series is FREE (unless otherwise indicated) and open to all social workers of all levels and fields, including students.

WEEK ONE of the Social Work Month Series includes L.E.A.D and a FREE CE Opportunity with the NYC Commission on Human Rights worth 2 CE Contact Hours!

Click here to view the full schedule and details and to register.

Questions about the NASW-NYC Social Work Month Series should be directed to [email protected]

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Flash mentoring is back – Sign up to get career advice and support from alumni!

The Office of Alumni Relations and Office of Career Services and Leadership Management are pleased to resume our career mentorship program for the spring semester!

The program will run from Monday, February 1 through Friday, May 28. Requests will be accepted until Friday, May 14.

 

Mentoring Program Overview

Through this program, students can request to connect with up to 3 alums per month for 1:1 conversations to:

    • Gain insights and perspectives about a career path, field, organization, or industry;
    • Get advice about career planning, searching and applying for jobs (including resume writing), networking, interviewing, or navigating life after CSSW; OR
    • Seek support in general from someone who’s been in your shoes as a student

Interested?

    1. Fill out this mentoring program interest form. On the form, you will find a link to a directory with a list of more than 300 alumni volunteer mentors who are eager to meet you! Select the one you’re interested in meeting. Note that you will have to complete this form for each request.
    2. After submitting the form, you will receive an email confirmation as well as an introductory email from Jennifer March from Alumni Relations connecting you to the alum of choice within a few business days. If you don’t hear from Jennifer in that time frame, please email her directly at [email protected] to follow up.
    3. Once you receive the email, it will be your responsibility to arrange a meeting directly with the alum using the contact information provided. While Zoom meetings are recommended, you can choose a platform that works best for both you and the alum.

Remember: This is NOT a forum to ask for a job or a recommendation for a job, but rather an opportunity to gather valuable information based on their knowledge and expertise.

After the initial meeting, it will be up to you and the alum to decide whether to continue to stay in touch.

Questions?

For general questions about our alumni mentors, please email Jennifer March at [email protected].

For guidance on how to prepare for a meeting, refer to our Informational Interview Guide. You can also view free, on-demand webinars on informational interviewing (and other career development topics) from LinkedIn Learning, or schedule an appointment with the career team to discuss further.

We hope you take advantage of this special opportunity!

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Job Search Tips and Resources for Students

We know this is a hectic time for everyone, whether you are strategizing your post-grad job search or looking for summer opportunities. If you’re seeking some direction, see some highlighted tips below to get you started. Additional tools and resources, including links to 50+ job search sites, are also available within Career Connect.

Graduating Students

Getting started can be the hardest part. Break down the process into smaller, achievable parts and 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.

There is foundational work that can be achieved now as part of the process, which includes 1) building a target list of organizations and opportunities you’re interested in based on your skills, interests, and goals, 2) networking to learn more about them, and 3) preparing resumes that highlight relevant skills and accomplishments. You can also register for upcoming employer events, including our MSW Job Fair on Friday, March 26, to learn more about different organizations and opportunities.

International Students

Job searching can be a multi-hurdled process for international candidates seeking to work in the US, which requires additional knowledge and action steps. Review these tips for guidance. Make sure to also attend ISSO’s workshops on Optional Practical Training (OPT) if you haven’t already, and get in touch with their advisors to learn more about legal steps for pursuing employment.

If you need more support, we welcome you to join our Job Search Support Group for International Students, which will meet bi-weekly on Wednesdays starting February 3 until March 31, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. You can choose to attend as many sessions are you want. Join us via Zoom.

Continuing Students

Summer is a great time to practice a new skill, find meaningful work, and build connections with professionals in the field. Review the career and volunteer pages of organizations of interest for the most up-to-date information on potential opportunities. Most of these organizations do not post on school job boards but may do so on sites such as Idealist. Volunteering is always a substantive way to build experience, if a feasible option.

For those who are more experienced in the field, sites like Taproot offers skills-based and pro-bono opportunities for organizations in need, and UN Online Volunteers and Columbia Global Centers offer remote opportunities with international organizations. Visit our fellowships page to find sample opportunities. Note that the pandemic may have impacted the needs and capacities of many organizations and the opportunities they are able to offer during the summer.

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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

    • 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.

    • 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

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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:

    • 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 RichardsJulie 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.