Category: SP2

Breathe: Self-Care in the Helping Professions

By Sharon Fleshman

Many students are juggling coursework, extracurricular activities, a social life, an on-campus job, and perhaps a job or internship search.  However, students preparing for careers in the helping professions really have their work cut out for them.  The typical nursing student also has day-long clinical rotations.  On any given day, an education student may be rushing from his student teaching site to class.  Social work students are heading to field placements three days a week.   If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, self-care is vital to your success during your time at Penn and beyond.

When the issue of self-care comes up, I’m reminded of the common illustration of oxygen masks in the safety presentation given on an airplane.  The flight attendant points out that if the air pressure in the cabin drops suddenly, the masks will drop down.  Passengers are further instructed that “if you are with a child or someone else who needs your assistance, secure your mask first.”   However, there is a potential flaw with applying this analogy to self-care.  You shouldn’t wait until you are in a semi-crisis mode, like experiencing a drop in cabin pressure, to think about self-care.  You need to be intentional and plan ahead so that caring for yourself is part of your day-to-day life.

Begin with the basics.  Eat healthy food.  Get sufficient exercise and sleep.  Make sure you get regular physical checkups.  These steps are obviously important, but often so easy to neglect.

Debrief with others and with yourself.  Process your experiences from a given day on your field placement site by speaking with a mentor or peer and journaling your reflections. Such debriefing can allow for shared insight and the closure to put the events of the day behind you, especially if they were stressful.

Turn down the volume.  Most helping professions require a lot of talking with and listening to other people.  For you, winding down might mean establishing a space where there is less chatter.  I’ve heard some students speak of prayer, meditation, yoga, or deep breathing as ways to do this.

Enjoy creativity in its many forms.  Whether you are on the giving end or the receiving end, creativity can have an energizing impact.  Listen to music that inspires you.  Learn how to knit, crochet or quilt.  Take up pottery, woodwork or photography.  Check out an art exhibit at a local museum.

Maintain a solid support system.  It is ironic that those in helping professions can be reluctant to get assistance for themselves.  Don’t hesitate to get additional help from other helping professionals, such as counselors, as necessary.  Keep in touch with family, friends, mentors, advisors and others who have your best interest at heart.

 

 

Consider the possibilities…pursue your interests…be yourself…

By: David Ross

If someone asked me about my philosophy on the job and internship search, my response would be the mantra displayed in my office: “consider the possibilities…pursue your interests…be yourself.”  It’s very easy to be consumed with the end goal of your search – securing the job or internship – without focusing on whether the job or internship is a good fit for you.  With that in mind, here are some things to think about:

–  Consider the possibilities.  It is not uncommon for those seeking employment to apply for multiple positions – and it is very easy to focus on the number of applications submitted opposed to the details of any particular position.  So instead of simply applying for positions based on company name, position title, location or other criteria, look closely at each job description and try to imagine yourself in the position.  Think carefully about what you are specifically hoping to gain from the job.  And do not be afraid to explore opportunities that differ slightly from your previous experience or can leverage your knowledge and existing skill set in new and exciting ways.

–  Pursue your interests.  As you navigate the job or internship search, it can be tempting to focus on the advice of others.  There can be comfort hearing validation from someone else about the type of work you hope to pursue.  I am not saying you should not leverage the help of others as you progress in your search – just be sure that the actual jobs or internships you are pursuing match your interests and you are making the important decisions.  After all, you will be the one working in the position and you will have to deal with the ramifications of your choices – not anyone else.

–  Be yourself.  Always be yourself.  Try not to be someone else or who you think the ideal candidate would be.  Demonstrate the competencies and abilities you do have as you proceed with your search.  Be proud of who you are and what you have already accomplished.  Be true to yourself, your values and beliefs.  Some employment opportunities will be a great fit for you and others may not – and that is ok.  Focus on finding work environments where you feel comfortable enough to be yourself.

Baby It’s Cold Outside

By Sharon Fleshman

My mom was born in February.  I was born in August.  She loves cold weather. I don’t. (Go figure.)  Nevertheless, I can acknowledge some of the benefits of cold weather, which (dare I say it) can even relate to the job search.

Cold weather keeps you moving.  I generally take public transportation to work, and my commute isn’t always pleasant during the winter months. If my timing is good, I can take a bus to the subway to get to work. But if the bus is taking too long and there is a cold snap in the air, I find that it’s best to start walking to the train rather than standing and waiting around.  When the job search climate is not ideal, it is important to keep the momentum going.  Schedule another informational interview.  Rework your cover letter.  Follow up with contacts made at that career fair.  Keep it moving.

Cold weather keeps the insect population under control. As much as I like warm weather, I don’t particularly care for the bugs that come with it.  It does seem that mild winters result in the presence of more pests during the spring and summer.  You may need a cold snap to move you toward regrouping and clearing out ineffective job search strategies or negative mindsets that are not leading anywhere.

Cold weather keeps you grateful that you have a warm place to land and mindful of others who do not.  Whether we’re walking outside or shoveling snow, we anticipate the moment when we can step into a warmer place.  As we also remember that others have to figure out where their next warm place will be, we can try to support those who offer such places.  In the job search, it’s important to remember the support system that surrounds you.  There are professors, alumni, friends, mentors and Career Services advisors who can offer you encouragement and wisdom, paving the way for you to pay it forward and help someone else who is overwhelmed by the job search process.

Finally, cold weather gives me an excuse to post a video for one of my favorite seasonal songs. Enjoy!

More on references…

By: David Ross

As students and alumni work on their resumes for job and internship applications, it can be easy to overlook generating a list of references. At some point during the application process, candidates will be asked to provide references who can speak to a candidate’s capabilities and potential. My last blog posting on creating a list of references provided some recommendations on how to proceed – here are a few additional tips:
– During your initial contact with potential recommenders, be sure to indicate what types of positions you are applying for and industries you are interested in – it can be very helpful for recommenders to know what aspects of your background and skill set to emphasize to potential employers
– When drafting your list of recommenders to submit to a recruiter, include their current position and employer along with contact information. You may want to indicate your current or former working relationship with each recommender
– Once you have secured a position, be sure to thank your recommenders for their assistance. Continue to keep in contact with them periodically after you have started your new position to maintain your professional network – you never know when their assistance may be helpful in the future

Table Talk: Tips for Navigating Career Fairs

By Sharon Fleshman

The fall semester is upon us and there have already been several career fairs with more to come. Here are some quick pointers on how to make the most of these events:

Prioritize

  • Make sure that you look at the list of participating employers by logging on to Pennlink.   (NOTE: If you have not logged on to Pennlink before, the system will first prompt you to register by filling in a brief profile.)
  • Determine beforehand which employers on the list interest you the most (your “must-sees”) in order to plan ahead toward making the most of your time.  Some employers may list targeted positions, though you can certainly inquire about areas outside those listed.

Prepare

  • Research the “must-see” employers by perusing their websites.
  • Look for what distinguishes a given employer and think about how that appeals to you.  Many employer websites have a mission statement/core values of some kind posted. Make note of news or updates on special projects/initiatives that intrigue you.
  • Develop an introduction of yourself (no longer than 1 minute), emphasizing your interests/qualifications as it relates to each of your “must-see” employers.   Also, have a thoughtful question or two in mind as well based on your research of the employer.   Such a question may help clarify key information or express interest in a particular area/specialty/project.
  • Make sure you have plenty of resumes to distribute.  Resume samples are available on the Career Services website if you need guidance regarding formatting. Also, Career Services counselors can provide suggestions on how you can improve your resume.  No cover letters are necessary for career fairs.

Present

  • Each employer will have sent one or two recruiters who will have materials on their assigned table.  Starting with your “must-see” list, visit each employer, introduce yourself (“Good afternoon, my name is…..”) as you shake the recruiter’s hand.   Follow up with your remarks, offer your resume, and wrap up (“It was great to meet you, may I take one of your business cards to stay in touch?”)
  • Once you’ve visited all on your “must-see” list, be open to visiting with other employers if time allows. You never know what other opportunities may appeal to you.
  • Be sensitive to lines behind you.  If there is a long line and your conversation is flowing well, show graciousness by offering to come back to the table when it’s less crowded or following up later.  If the table is not crowded, you may be able to engage the recruiter in a longer conversation, but make sure to read the recruiter’s cues in this regard.
  • If any conversations stand out to you and confirm your interest in a given employer, take notes on the back of the business card of the recruiter you spoke with to note highlights of the conversation for follow-up purposes.

After the career fair, make sure you take your notes from your conversations and prepare follow-up correspondence to thank the recruiter for his or her time, recall a highlight of your conversation, and reiterate your interest in the employer.