Tips for First-Generation Job Seekers

In honor of First-Generation College Student Day celebrated yesterday, we would like to a give special shout-out to our first-generation students and alumni who are continuing to blaze a trail for themselves, their families, and communities and making their mark in the field of social work!

If you are currently pursuing opportunities as early career professionals or seeking to advance to leadership roles, here are a few tips to keep in mind.

    • Know that you have a lot to offer. Start by embracing the knowledge and strengths you’ve built. Your resourcefulness, determination to succeed, and ability to both navigate uncertainty and complex systems and adapt to changing needs are all qualities that employers highly value. Keep a record of your unique skills and accomplishments and practice sharing them with others so you can feel confident conveying them to prospective employers.
    • Build a support system. A healthy support system can offer validation and a safe space to bounce off ideas and concerns. Continue investing time in developing your trusted community of mentors, professionals, former supervisors, peers, faculty, and college administrators who can share resources, information, and potential access to opportunities. To find community on campus, check out the events hosted by the Graduate Initiative through University Life and reach out to the student leaders of the CSSW’s First Generation Lower SES Caucus.
    • Be proactive in seeking resources. Continue to use resources inside and outside of Columbia to increase your knowledge around job searching, networking, negotiating salary, and advancing in the workforce. For instance, you can learn about the unspoken rules of the workplace and how to get ahead in your career from this HBR IdeaCast episode, Career Rules You Didn’t Learn in School, take a self-paced salary negotiation program with AAUW online, or attend the National Urban League’s professional development webinars. You can also participate in networking and leadership development activities through professional organizations such as the Network for Social Work Management. Links to similar resources are also readily featured in our enews, blog, and Career Connect resource library.

Students and alums are always welcome to meet with us for individual career consultations. Learn more about what’s available to you here.

Welcome to the Fall 2021 Class!

The Office of Career Services and Leadership Management would like to extend a warm welcome to our Fall 2021 class!

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 anti-racist practitioners.

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

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!