10.3 Where to Go from Here
As you finish up your internship, you may have several different paths ahead of you. Some of you will still have coursework to complete your program. Some of you will be transferring to another college or university to continue your studies. Others may have just completed a terminal degree and plan to enter the workforce upon completion.
In this section, we will focus on those of you who are leaving your human services program and are heading directly into the workforce, either full-time or part-time. Even if you are going on to higher education, the following discussions can be helpful when you do eventually start seeking professional employment. You can begin using many of the strategies, such as networking, creating a professional résumé, and interviewing skills, even while you are still in school. It can be beneficial to be prepared in advance—you might be making a contact now that could lead to an internship or job opportunity down the line.
Job Seeking and Networking
The process of finding a job and getting hired has changed drastically over the last 20 years or so. Most processes have gone online, and there is a proliferation of job listings and job-matching websites. Many people consider your online profile to be a key determinant of career success. However, networking continues to be a very important asset when it comes to connecting with potential employers.
The first place to start with job searching is your college or university’s career center. They often have resources for students, including résumé writing and interview skills. They often compile lists of current job opportunities that are sent to the college by employers seeking graduates. Avail yourself of these services if you can, and attend any career fairs that include human service settings. Alumni offices can also be a good source of information and possible contacts at local agencies.
The internet can also provide a wealth of resources for job seekers. There are job-posting sites such as Monster, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter that list thousands of jobs. Government agencies often have extensive job listings on their own sites. Some professional organizations also post an online job board to connect professionals to job opportunities. For example, in Oregon, the Mental Health and Addictions Credentialing Board posts a searchable list of jobs in mental health and substance use treatment. The Oregon Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers also lists jobs, including positions for qualified candidates with associate’s or bachelor’s degrees. This wealth of postings can be overwhelming, and it can make it difficult to identify the right match for you.
In addition to these sources, by far one of the most powerful tools for job-seekers is their own professional networking. When it comes to employment opportunities, there is an old and worn-out saying: “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” While this approach does have issues when it comes to access and inclusion, every student can take advantage of creating and utilizing their own personal professional network. As an instructor, I encourage students from the beginning of their education to take advantage of any trainings or presentations in the community that cover an area of interest. Each one of these sessions represents an opportunity to connect with other professionals in the field.
If you want to reinforce how the site is a part of your network, make sure that the supervisor has an updated copy of your résumé (both electronic and hard copy) when you leave. After all, that individual will have contacts with other supervisors or agencies, and having a copy makes it easier to pass along when you are looking for jobs.
Professional Résumés
Another important tool in your job search will be an updated résumé. Again, your college or university probably has a career center that can help you craft a professional-looking résumé. While there are many free résumé templates available on the internet, it is important that your résumé is designed to highlight your particular strengths and experiences. How you structure your résumé will depend a great degree on how your education and degree fit into your work history.
When you have little paid experience, you will want to make sure to emphasize your internship. You will want to go into detail about what skills you performed and how you increased your level of knowledge and expertise over your time at the agency. Your degree and your internship will be key in showing how you qualify for the positions for which you are applying.
If you have a previous work history in a field unrelated to human services, there are a few tips for updating your résumé. In this situation, your degree and internship will serve to show your commitment to switching careers and your desire to work in the human services field. Your internship will again give you a chance to highlight your new skills and experience. For your previous work history, you will want to focus on what is referred to as transferable skills. This means that regardless of what field you were in previously, it is likely that you performed tasks or demonstrated skills that are applicable to human services.
You may already have a résumé from your previous career. In this case, you will probably need to rewrite each of your position descriptions to focus on these transferable skills. Having read many résumés over my years in the field, I can say that this is the area that many applicants skip, and it leaves prospective employers having to guess how your previous experience is relevant to their agency and position. See the following boxed section for examples of how to do this.
If you already have human services experience, then your résumé should feature your new degree as a step in an already developing career path. You will probably not need to include as much detail about your internship experience since you will be demonstrating some of those elements in your previous position descriptions. Instead, focus solely on those skills or responsibilities that are new and different or show a higher level of complexity than previous positions.
No matter what type of résumé you are creating, I suggest having at least two people review it for grammar and spelling. These may seem like small issues, but mistakes on a résumé can make the difference between getting an interview or not.
In Focus: Creating a Skills-Focused Résumé
Indeed.com lists the top 11 skills that employers are looking for. This list includes (in order from 1–11): Communication skills, Leadership skills, Teamwork Skills, Interpersonal skills, Learning/Adaptability skills, Self-management skills, Organizational skills, Computer skills, Problem-solving skills, Open-mindedness, and a Strong Work Ethic. These skills can be learned and demonstrated in a variety of professional settings.
I often work with students who have several years of experience in a different field, and they struggle to connect their work to the human services arena. The truth is, you can showcase your skills and strengths regardless of the field you worked in. Here are some examples to get you thinking. Remember that your college career center and your practicum instructor can provide helpful input.
- Restaurant experience—whether you worked in a fast food restaurant, a coffee shop, or a high-end bistro, you have great experience working with people. Instead of focusing on tasks (seated guests, took orders, bussed tables, fulfilled drive-thru orders) focus on the skills you used in that position, such as interacting with the public; keeping your composure in a high-pressure, high-volume environment; problem-solving with unhappy (or even angry) patrons; working effectively as part of a team; and so on.
- Manufacturing or production work—you may not think you have any relevant experience if you worked in a factory or warehouse. Again, focus on the skills, which might include meeting deadlines, a high degree of accuracy, dependability, working independently and/or as part of a team, problem-solving when issues arise, and so on.
Referring to these examples and the list from Indeed.com, make a list of skills that might be demonstrated in the following jobs (you can do this independently or in groups):
- Preschool Assistant
- Truck Driver
- Retail Sales
- IT Assistant
Share your list with others and see how they compare. This should give you some ideas about how to frame your own experience to appeal to human services hiring managers.
Interviewing Skills
Employers use interviews to gauge whether you have the qualities to perform the job well. They are looking for ability and aptitude, a willingness to work and learn, a desire to help accomplish the organization’s goals, and maturity and compatibility. For the most part, the interviewer will already have established that you have the minimum training and experience for the job by reading your résumé. However, this is your opportunity to tell them about your unique background and how it fits with their position. There are lots of sites that have general advice about interviewing. In this section, we will focus on making your field experience work for you during an interview.
Questions to Anticipate
You should be prepared to answer a list of questions the interviewer(s) will ask. The list below is a sample of the most common interview questions. Even if these are not the exact questions that will be asked, you should rehearse the subject matter so you have a well-rounded, complete answer to provide when the question is asked.
There are important steps you can take before the interview. Make sure you have read the entire job description, not just the job title and salary. Know what will be expected of you in the position. Also, make sure to review the agency’s website. This can give you valuable information about the culture of an agency, as well as its mission and values.
- Can you tell me something about yourself? This is usually an invitation to talk about yourself on a personal but not intimate level. Stress such points as your educational background, length of time spent in the community, work with community groups, hobbies, and interests. Avoid sharing overly personal details, such as relationship status, political affiliation, or religious participation. End by focusing on your work experience, work values, aptitudes, and qualities and how these are relevant to the job in question.
- Why do you want to work here? The best way to prepare for this question is to do some research on the agency. You may want to refer to awards the agency has won or something about the agency’s mission or goals that appeal to you. You can also use this question to tie your education and field experience directly to the position you are seeking.
- What are your strengths? Your strengths should present you as an efficient and committed worker who can perform the job competently. Other strengths required in every job are honesty, dependability, enthusiasm, and cooperation. Mention them if appropriate. It also can be helpful to prepare a few examples of how you use these strengths in your work. For example, you may consider your attention to detail a strength and state that you received high marks from your fieldwork supervisor for your clear and accurate case notes.
- What are your weaknesses or limitations? This question may sometimes be phrased in more subtle ways, such as “What are some areas in which you can improve?”, “How have you grown over the past few years?”, or “Where do you see yourself needing to grow in the next few years?” We all have challenges or areas in which we need growth. Having the self-awareness to be able to discuss your own challenges shows employers that you are committed to continued learning and growth.
Focus on areas that are related to your professional life rather than your personal life. When you mention a challenge or limitation, you can also discuss how you are aware of it and any steps you have already put in place to work towards strengthening that area. For example, you may find it difficult to say no to clients, and you can mention observing how other workers manage this dilemma and beginning to practice those techniques. Think ahead of an area you will be comfortable sharing, and don’t be surprised if you are asked some follow-up questions. Using a strength disguised as a weakness (“I work too hard”, “I often expect others to give the same level of energy to a task as I do”) is an obvious technique to most interviewers and can come across as insincere.
Questions You Can Ask
Asking some questions yourself in the interview demonstrates that you have confidence in your abilities and that you are genuinely interested in the job and in the company. Here are some common questions that show your interest in the agency and the position:
- Do you have any questions about my résumé?
- Can you tell me more about the responsibilities of this job?
- What possibilities are there for promotion and advancement?
- When will you make your decision about this job?
- What training opportunities do you have for employees?
Thinking ahead about these questions and thinking of examples of your work you can share will help you feel relaxed and confident during the interview.
Where to Go from Here Licenses and Attributions
“Where to Go from Here” is adapted from Succeeding at Your Internship: A Handbook Written for and with Students by Christopher J. Mruk and John C. Moor, Bowling Green State University Libraries. This work is licensed under CC BY NC SA 4.0.
“Creating a Skills-Focused Resumé” by Yvonne Smith LCSW is licensed under CC-BY 4.0.
“Interviewing Skills” is adapted from “Preparing for an Interview” in Working in the Food Service Industry by The BC Cook Articulation Committee, BCCampus. Licensed under CC-BY 4.0. Edited for relevance and length
A credit class in which students apply theory to practice by using what you have learned in coursework in a real-world setting with a supervisor/mentor who is invested in your growth and development (often also referred to as fieldwork or practicum).
the continuous development of a supportive system of sharing information and connections between individuals and groups that share common interests
a summary of your experience, knowledge and skills that demonstrates your ability to perform the job for which you are applying
the practice or quality of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise systemically be excluded or marginalized, such as those who have physical or mental disabilities and members of other minority groups.
the verbal, and non-verbal exchange of information between two or more people.
the shared beliefs, customs and rituals of a group of people
(or internship/practicum) experiential learning contained within human services programs. For the purposes of this text, fieldwork, internship, and practicum will be used interchangeably.
the belief that you can be successful when presented with a challenge.