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Last week, we had the pleasure of chatting with Michelle Rojas ’18 about her current role as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager at Imperfect Foods, her path transitioning to the corporate space, and strategies for entering similar fields.

If you missed it, here are a few takeaways:

• • Do your research: Talk to people in roles and industries you’re interested in, and learn about what they do, what knowledge and skills are needed, and how they discuss their work and impact.
  • Know your value: Take a deeper look into the skills you already possess from your program, field placement, and current and past experience. Identify those that are transferable, especially ones that are relational, programmatic, and macro-focused. Recognize strengths you also bring that professionals from other sectors may not, such as your human-centered, equity-focused training and lens.
  • Learn how to communicate your social work story: Translate your background and experience in a way that others can understand. Use universal terms such as “cultivating relationships” or “creating plans to address needs and issues” versus social work specific language like “conducting clinical and case management work”. Make sure to highlight the impact of your actions in concrete, quantifiable terms.
  • Curate your own path: Don’t wait for opportunities to come to you; forge your own path by seeking out opportunities and educational experiences inside and outside CSSW that will help you build the knowledge, skills, and connections you need to lead the work you aspire to do. As Michelle highlighted, “Social workers should be everywhere where decisions are made.” But it’ll be up to you to venture outside of the familiar social work world and direct your journey.

For more tips and insights, follow the Corporate Social Work Collective she co-founded, as well as their LinkedIn page.

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 Workshop on Thursday, January 16 at 2:00 pm in Room C06.

Career Connect / Appointments

• Career Connect is your go-to career management tool that you can use to schedule appointments, explore opportunities, and access various career resources. 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 week 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. Appointments are available in person, by phone, and via Zoom (virtual meeting).
• “Drop-in” appointments will also be available on select Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 1:00 to 2:00 pm in Rooms 525/526. During these hours, you can be seen on a first-come, first-served basis without pre-scheduling for brief 10 to 15-minute meetings. Make sure to check our weekly enews regularly for the latest schedule.

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!

Reflective, learning-oriented practice is key to effective social work. It is also fundamental to leadership.

By maintaining curiosity and a growth mindset, you can be better equipped to:

• adapt to changing environments
• think creatively about how to approach challenges; and
• foster relationship-building, collaboration, and growth

These attributes are invaluable whether you are a student-intern starting out in the field or seasoned professional leading an organization.

Read more about the power of learning-focused leadership and how you can implement it in your day-to-day work in this Chief Learning Officer article.