You need to get started NOW.
Many hospitals and clinics will require 50-100 hours of volunteering. That is more than the requirement for the class. If you are serious about working in health care in the US, I recommend that.
If you are new to all of this, you might want to start with a 20 hour commitment at a senior center or Glide Church, Laguna Honda, or the Food Bank . The Food Bank doesn't have the same kind of requirements that hospitals or clinics do.
If you know of a doctor or dental office that you want to volunteer in- that's great! Just get me the name and phone number of the person who will be supervising you.
Another wonderful opportunity is at the CCSF health clinic. I have a contact there, so talk to me first.
Please start your process now. It may take you awhile to go to an orientation or get a health screening and have an interview (in some cases). You will be writing a journal on your experiences each month starting October.
BEST OF LUCK!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Volunteering at SF General
Here's a story about the woman who has been cutting hair for 48 years. She's an immigrant from Switzerland! You can even see a video with an interview with her.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Expert Advice Responses to Module 1, Unit 4 Lesson 2A
Expert Response #1
Dear Changing Careers,
You need to get some experience immediately. Find a volunteer job and work at least a day a month so you have some experience to write on your résumé.
Also, think about your work in the past and any other volunteer work you have done. What skills have you learned in these jobs that will help you in your new job? Certainly your experience as a dentist will be valuable.
Finally, you may want to use a functional résumé style to best show how your skills are transferable to your new job.
Best of luck,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #2
Dear No Longer a Spring Chicken,
The rule of thumb for résumé length is one to two pages. Why? Most hiring managers don’t have much time to read more. You don’t need to describe every duty in your past jobs; highlight the duties that are most relevant for the job you’re applying for. Be concise! Also, remember that amazing accomplishments from your ancient past will not be as strong as recent accomplishments.
Don’t try to cram your résumé on one page if it isn’t easy to read. Use standard margins and at least 11-point font. Make sure there is enough white space on the page to make your résumé reader-friendly.
As to how far back you should go with your recent work experience, 10-15 years is usually enough. You don’t need to include your entire work history. Instead you can use the heading, “Relevant Work History”. You can then include your older experience under “Prior Experience” or write a summary line such as “1990-1999, worked as family physician. Details available upon request.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #3
Dear Feeling Naïve,
CV stands for curriculum vitae, which is Latin and means “course of one’s life”. In contrast, résumé is a French word meaning “summarized”. Both documents provide employers with information about a candidate’s education and experience; however, a CV is a long, comprehensive biographical statement with more details about awards and honors, publications, speaking engagements professional affiliations and research. CV’s vary in length according to how much experience the writer has.
A résumé, on the other hand, is a short document that provides the employer with detailed information about a candidate’s contact information, education and skills and experience. In short, it is a sales tool to get an employer interested in you. Most people will need a résumé and not a CV with the exception of academicians, physicians, and scientists.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #4
Dear Responsible for Getting It Right,
First, I want to commend you on having someone else look over your resume. This is something that many job seekers fail to do! I cannot emphasize enough how important this is. It’s always a good idea to get a friend or colleague’s advice on the content of your résumé, and to ask someone to proofread it for spelling and grammar.
Your friend is right this time. Take his advice. When you describe your work experience, you really need to emphasize your skills and achievements. Take out all phrases that begin with “responsible for” and replace them with job accomplishments. Use strong action words such as implemented, reorganized, and improved that make your experience shine.
You can also impress an employer by writing about the challenges you faced in your past jobs, the results of your work, and how your company benefited from your performance. One way to do this is to use “PAR” statements (Problem-Action-Results). First, briefly describe the problem, then explain what you did about it, and lastly describe the benefits of your actions.
Other keywords or buzzwords about accomplishments that you can work into your résumé include:
• caseload
• computer and technological skills
• quality improvement initiatives (CQI)
• grant writing and fundraising
• program and service development and expansion
• training and supervision
• activities that show your ability to work on teams
Good luck!
Jobsmart
Expert Response #5
Dear Undecided,
Yes! Yes! Yes! The most frequent mistake that job seekers make is to leave out their job objective. If your résumé does not clearly specify your goals, it is not unlikely that your résumé will end up in the employer’s wastebasket.
Furthermore, do you think it will be possible for you to write a good résumé if you don’t know what you’re looking for? It sounds like you need to sit down and have a good talk with yourself about where you’re headed in your career. You can also do some research on careers that suit your skills and needs. The job of defining your goals rests on your shoulders, not the employer’s.
If you have more than one job goal (which is perfectly fine), you will need to write more than one résumé and tailor each résumé to the targeted job goal.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #6
Dear Too Busy,
Unfortunately, even though you have time limitations, you do have to send a cover letter for every job you apply for. You also need to craft a different letter for each job, that is, if you’re really serious about getting the job. It’s a good opportunity to sell yourself for the job. So take this opportunity!
This letter should be addressed to the person who is doing the hiring for this position. Never use “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It Concerns”. If you do not know who to address your letter to, you can look at call the company’s receptionist to find out this information. If you are unsuccessful finding out the hiring person’s name, use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Selection Committee”.
Before you start writing your cover letter for a specific job, do some research. At the very least, look over the job announcement and the company’s website carefully to identify exactly what the employer is looking for.
Market yourself. Show off how much you know about the company and your field. Taking the time to write a dynamite cover letter can make the difference between getting called back for an interview.
Start writing!
Jobsmart
Expert Response #7
Dear Out of Touch,
Employers usually tell candidates how many references they should submit, but if they don’t, the general rule is to provide three. You should use professional references who have supervised you. There may be exceptions. For example, if you have had the same job and the same supervisor for the past 15 years, this one reference will suffice.
It is fine to suggest that a reference highlight certain qualities, skills or experience you have; however, asking someone to lie about you is another story. Before making suggestions about what a supervisor can say, always contact your references and ask them if they mind being a reference. Don’t forget to check their phone numbers and email addresses, and it is courteous to ask how and when they prefer to be contacted. Finally, tell your references when you have used their names so they will be expecting a call from your potential employer.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #8
Dear Want That Job,
You can make your cover letter stand out by:
• being professional but friendly.
• matching your qualifications with the employer’s needs.
• selling yourself: stating concrete achievements and showing how you are unique.
Although cover letters are professional business letters, they are a bit less formal than résumés, and they allow you to show your personality. You want the hiring manager to get to like you. Avoid using standard phrases such as “Enclosed please find my résumé.” If you know someone who is respected in the organization, use this person’s name in your cover letter.
The more research you do, the better you’ll be able to show the employer what you can do for them, rather than what they can do for you. Use your network and talk to someone who works in the company to get an insider’s perspective on their needs. Search the company’s website and annual report to learn more about the company you want to work for. Focus on the needs of the healthcare organization and not on your own requirements. Show how your skills and qualifications match the organization’s needs and how you can benefit the company.
What makes you unique? Don’t be shy about selling yourself. Emphasize your biggest successes in your past jobs that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. Show that you are a team player. Don’t just summarize the same information that is on your resume.
Here are some other points to keep in mind as you are writing. Be concise. Get to the point since hiring managers don’t have time to read lengthy letters. Most cover letters are less than a page and consist of three main paragraphs. Show your enthusiasm for the job and express your ideas creatively. Finally, don’t forget to proofread your letter and to ask someone else to proofread, too.
Best of luck,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #9
Dear Will a White Lie Hurt,
There is no doubt that job seekers do all they can to spice up their résumés by using fancy words. But there is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it. For example, stating that you have “excellent critical care skills” when you have never worked on a critical care unit is a lie. Likewise, stating “up-to-date knowledge in dental procedures” when you haven’t worked in the field for 15 years is hogwash.
As our mothers have taught us, honesty is the best policy. When you are typing your résumé, look back over a line you’ve written, and think, “Is this really true?” Stop and think about how you would answer a question about this in an interview. Or imagine not being able to do what you said you could in an orientation for a new job.
Hiring managers can easily spot falsified résumés. It can prevent you from getting the job, and it can also get you fired.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #10
Dear Very Green Job Seeker,
To get started, you are going to need to take stock of yourself. Sit down and start writing about where you want to be in your career, what you’ve done in the past, and what makes you special. After you’ve compiled some notes, there are three résumé formats that you can choose from. All of these formats include your contact information, your job objective, your work experience, and your education.
The Chronological Résumé
This is the traditional style of writing a resume. You list your professional experience in reverse chronological order with a brief explanation of your duties for each job and the dates. Most employers prefer this format because it is easy to see exactly what you did in each past job. This style works well if you are staying in the same field and can show how you have moved up; however, there are disadvantages to this style if you recently graduated or are re-entering the workforce after a long absence.
The Functional Résumé
The focus of this style of résumé is on skills, achievements, and credentials rather than when and where you accomplished these feats. This skills-centered style is useful for people who have little work experience, have gaps in their work history, or are changing fields. If you want to emphasize your transferable skills, this is best choice. One drawback to this type of résumé from the employer’s perspective is that it can be misleading about how current your skills are.
The Combination Résumé
This style of résumé combines aspects of both the chronological and functional résumé. Relevant skills and accomplishments are listed first, followed by employment history in reverse order. There is a trend toward using this type of résumé nowadays.
Whatever style of résumé you decide to use, remember that this is self-promotional document that will get your foot in the door for an interview. Plan to spend a good amount of time getting it right before sending it off to employers.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Dear Changing Careers,
You need to get some experience immediately. Find a volunteer job and work at least a day a month so you have some experience to write on your résumé.
Also, think about your work in the past and any other volunteer work you have done. What skills have you learned in these jobs that will help you in your new job? Certainly your experience as a dentist will be valuable.
Finally, you may want to use a functional résumé style to best show how your skills are transferable to your new job.
Best of luck,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #2
Dear No Longer a Spring Chicken,
The rule of thumb for résumé length is one to two pages. Why? Most hiring managers don’t have much time to read more. You don’t need to describe every duty in your past jobs; highlight the duties that are most relevant for the job you’re applying for. Be concise! Also, remember that amazing accomplishments from your ancient past will not be as strong as recent accomplishments.
Don’t try to cram your résumé on one page if it isn’t easy to read. Use standard margins and at least 11-point font. Make sure there is enough white space on the page to make your résumé reader-friendly.
As to how far back you should go with your recent work experience, 10-15 years is usually enough. You don’t need to include your entire work history. Instead you can use the heading, “Relevant Work History”. You can then include your older experience under “Prior Experience” or write a summary line such as “1990-1999, worked as family physician. Details available upon request.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #3
Dear Feeling Naïve,
CV stands for curriculum vitae, which is Latin and means “course of one’s life”. In contrast, résumé is a French word meaning “summarized”. Both documents provide employers with information about a candidate’s education and experience; however, a CV is a long, comprehensive biographical statement with more details about awards and honors, publications, speaking engagements professional affiliations and research. CV’s vary in length according to how much experience the writer has.
A résumé, on the other hand, is a short document that provides the employer with detailed information about a candidate’s contact information, education and skills and experience. In short, it is a sales tool to get an employer interested in you. Most people will need a résumé and not a CV with the exception of academicians, physicians, and scientists.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #4
Dear Responsible for Getting It Right,
First, I want to commend you on having someone else look over your resume. This is something that many job seekers fail to do! I cannot emphasize enough how important this is. It’s always a good idea to get a friend or colleague’s advice on the content of your résumé, and to ask someone to proofread it for spelling and grammar.
Your friend is right this time. Take his advice. When you describe your work experience, you really need to emphasize your skills and achievements. Take out all phrases that begin with “responsible for” and replace them with job accomplishments. Use strong action words such as implemented, reorganized, and improved that make your experience shine.
You can also impress an employer by writing about the challenges you faced in your past jobs, the results of your work, and how your company benefited from your performance. One way to do this is to use “PAR” statements (Problem-Action-Results). First, briefly describe the problem, then explain what you did about it, and lastly describe the benefits of your actions.
Other keywords or buzzwords about accomplishments that you can work into your résumé include:
• caseload
• computer and technological skills
• quality improvement initiatives (CQI)
• grant writing and fundraising
• program and service development and expansion
• training and supervision
• activities that show your ability to work on teams
Good luck!
Jobsmart
Expert Response #5
Dear Undecided,
Yes! Yes! Yes! The most frequent mistake that job seekers make is to leave out their job objective. If your résumé does not clearly specify your goals, it is not unlikely that your résumé will end up in the employer’s wastebasket.
Furthermore, do you think it will be possible for you to write a good résumé if you don’t know what you’re looking for? It sounds like you need to sit down and have a good talk with yourself about where you’re headed in your career. You can also do some research on careers that suit your skills and needs. The job of defining your goals rests on your shoulders, not the employer’s.
If you have more than one job goal (which is perfectly fine), you will need to write more than one résumé and tailor each résumé to the targeted job goal.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #6
Dear Too Busy,
Unfortunately, even though you have time limitations, you do have to send a cover letter for every job you apply for. You also need to craft a different letter for each job, that is, if you’re really serious about getting the job. It’s a good opportunity to sell yourself for the job. So take this opportunity!
This letter should be addressed to the person who is doing the hiring for this position. Never use “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom It Concerns”. If you do not know who to address your letter to, you can look at call the company’s receptionist to find out this information. If you are unsuccessful finding out the hiring person’s name, use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Selection Committee”.
Before you start writing your cover letter for a specific job, do some research. At the very least, look over the job announcement and the company’s website carefully to identify exactly what the employer is looking for.
Market yourself. Show off how much you know about the company and your field. Taking the time to write a dynamite cover letter can make the difference between getting called back for an interview.
Start writing!
Jobsmart
Expert Response #7
Dear Out of Touch,
Employers usually tell candidates how many references they should submit, but if they don’t, the general rule is to provide three. You should use professional references who have supervised you. There may be exceptions. For example, if you have had the same job and the same supervisor for the past 15 years, this one reference will suffice.
It is fine to suggest that a reference highlight certain qualities, skills or experience you have; however, asking someone to lie about you is another story. Before making suggestions about what a supervisor can say, always contact your references and ask them if they mind being a reference. Don’t forget to check their phone numbers and email addresses, and it is courteous to ask how and when they prefer to be contacted. Finally, tell your references when you have used their names so they will be expecting a call from your potential employer.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #8
Dear Want That Job,
You can make your cover letter stand out by:
• being professional but friendly.
• matching your qualifications with the employer’s needs.
• selling yourself: stating concrete achievements and showing how you are unique.
Although cover letters are professional business letters, they are a bit less formal than résumés, and they allow you to show your personality. You want the hiring manager to get to like you. Avoid using standard phrases such as “Enclosed please find my résumé.” If you know someone who is respected in the organization, use this person’s name in your cover letter.
The more research you do, the better you’ll be able to show the employer what you can do for them, rather than what they can do for you. Use your network and talk to someone who works in the company to get an insider’s perspective on their needs. Search the company’s website and annual report to learn more about the company you want to work for. Focus on the needs of the healthcare organization and not on your own requirements. Show how your skills and qualifications match the organization’s needs and how you can benefit the company.
What makes you unique? Don’t be shy about selling yourself. Emphasize your biggest successes in your past jobs that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. Show that you are a team player. Don’t just summarize the same information that is on your resume.
Here are some other points to keep in mind as you are writing. Be concise. Get to the point since hiring managers don’t have time to read lengthy letters. Most cover letters are less than a page and consist of three main paragraphs. Show your enthusiasm for the job and express your ideas creatively. Finally, don’t forget to proofread your letter and to ask someone else to proofread, too.
Best of luck,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #9
Dear Will a White Lie Hurt,
There is no doubt that job seekers do all they can to spice up their résumés by using fancy words. But there is a difference between making the most of your experience and exaggerating or falsifying it. For example, stating that you have “excellent critical care skills” when you have never worked on a critical care unit is a lie. Likewise, stating “up-to-date knowledge in dental procedures” when you haven’t worked in the field for 15 years is hogwash.
As our mothers have taught us, honesty is the best policy. When you are typing your résumé, look back over a line you’ve written, and think, “Is this really true?” Stop and think about how you would answer a question about this in an interview. Or imagine not being able to do what you said you could in an orientation for a new job.
Hiring managers can easily spot falsified résumés. It can prevent you from getting the job, and it can also get you fired.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
Expert Response #10
Dear Very Green Job Seeker,
To get started, you are going to need to take stock of yourself. Sit down and start writing about where you want to be in your career, what you’ve done in the past, and what makes you special. After you’ve compiled some notes, there are three résumé formats that you can choose from. All of these formats include your contact information, your job objective, your work experience, and your education.
The Chronological Résumé
This is the traditional style of writing a resume. You list your professional experience in reverse chronological order with a brief explanation of your duties for each job and the dates. Most employers prefer this format because it is easy to see exactly what you did in each past job. This style works well if you are staying in the same field and can show how you have moved up; however, there are disadvantages to this style if you recently graduated or are re-entering the workforce after a long absence.
The Functional Résumé
The focus of this style of résumé is on skills, achievements, and credentials rather than when and where you accomplished these feats. This skills-centered style is useful for people who have little work experience, have gaps in their work history, or are changing fields. If you want to emphasize your transferable skills, this is best choice. One drawback to this type of résumé from the employer’s perspective is that it can be misleading about how current your skills are.
The Combination Résumé
This style of résumé combines aspects of both the chronological and functional résumé. Relevant skills and accomplishments are listed first, followed by employment history in reverse order. There is a trend toward using this type of résumé nowadays.
Whatever style of résumé you decide to use, remember that this is self-promotional document that will get your foot in the door for an interview. Plan to spend a good amount of time getting it right before sending it off to employers.
Sincerely,
Jobsmart
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