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The Myth About Networking |
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Studies show that about 60 to 70 percent of all positions are filled through networking. This is partly because most job hunters mistakenly refer to talking to people as “networking,” no matter how they wound up talking to them. For example, Pete just found a job. I asked how he got the initial meeting. He said, “Through networking.” When I asked him to tell me more, he said ,“I’m an accountant, originally from Australia. There is an association here of accountants from Australia. I sent for a list of all the members, and wrote to all of them. That’s how I got the job.” Pete got the job lead through a direct-mail campaign, not through networking.
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A Day in the Life of A Physical Therapist Assistant—
Meet Diana Vance, Physical Therapist Assistant |
I am Diana Vance, and I work for outpatient agencies that send me to work with clients in their homes. After a physical therapist performs an assessment, I carry out the treatment plan.
1. How did you decide to become a physical therapist assistant?
Believe it or not, it all started when I was working as a carpenter and looked in the window of the building we were working on. I saw therapists working with badly injured men who I later learned were Vietnam veterans. Later that day I stopped in to talk with the physical therapists and learned what an incredibly rewarding career it could be.
2. What do you like most about your work?
Doing something really worthwhile for someone. When I can help someone who is in pain or has limited mobility feel a little better or do a little more and get through the day better, I get instant gratification. Helping other people really helps me feel good about myself.
3. What personal qualities are most important for a person to be successful as a physical therapist assistant?
Compassion and empathy. You have to care about people and try to put yourself in their place to understand what it is like to be in pain. You also need to be flexible and willing to work different schedules and be available when the clients need you.
4. What advice would you give a person who is interested in becoming a physical therapist assistant?
Really focus on your studies. Concentrate on learning anatomy. The more knowledge you have, the better you will be. Commit to being as good as you can be. You can make an incredible difference in people's lives when you know what you are doing.
Also, if you think you might want to go on to become a physical therapist, nurse, or other professional, be sure you go to a school with credits that transfer.
Learn more about careers in this field:
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| • Obtain information from the American Physical Therapy Association. |
| • Review professional journals such as Advance for Physical Therapists and PT Assistants, Journal of the American Physical Therapy Association, and Ptmagazine. |
| • Visit a facility in which physical therapy is practiced. |
| • Conduct an informational interview or job shadow a physical therapist assistant to learn more about the duties performed. |
| • Obtain employment or a volunteer position in the field of physical therapy. |
| • Keep a journal of your work and/or volunteer experiences. |
| • Contact educational programs to learn abut their admission requirements and curriculum. |
| • Learn about the licensing or other certification requirements of the state(s) in which you might want to work. Some require specific types of training and course work. |
 
Q: Dear Kate,
I am a recent college graduate and having a very hard time finding a job I would like to do. Most job requirements include 3-5 years of experience. I just graduated from college and unfortunately only have my one year unpaid internship in publishing. I can’t live on what an internship would pay, and I don’t want to work in retail after spending all of my money to obtain my degree. How can I make enough money in the field I am interested in without having the necessary experience these positions require? Am I looking in the wrong places, internet and newspaper job postings? Please advise.
-Cindy
Reno, Nevada
A:
Dear Cindy—
The good news is that you have one year of experience in publishing. Whether work is paid or unpaid is irrelevant. It all counts and it’s what separates you from your competitors: those hundreds of thousands of recent grads who put their college experience first on their resume. Instead, have a summary at the top of your resume (after your name, address, phone number and email address), and put your work experience first.
I’ve attached Emily’s resume. She has minimal real work experience. She worked as a clerk in a one-person yarn store, as a church organist, as a babysitter, and as an administrator in a 4-person not-for-profit. But she has excellent writing skills, so she included that in her summary. Here it is:
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Successful leadership is:
"If you want to develop the virtues and qualities to become a leader, act as though you already possess them."
"When events overwhelm others, leaders overwhelm the events."
The above axioms are excerpted from Winning Wizard’s Leadership Axioms for Career Progression and Everyday Living. Click here for more information about this series. |
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From one of our best-selling retail authors: Josh Richardson
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Through his own struggles early in college, Josh Richardson saw the need to give other students a hand. Today, Josh is a dean's-list student who focuses on his studies, lifts weights and watches football with the guys, and even goes out with the partiers now and then. He graduated from USF with honors in May of 2004, and is currently attending medical school
6 Quick Tips for
Test Taking
• Chill out! When you come into a test, don't stress about how well you're going to do. Trust in your ability and the time you put into studying, and leave the rest to the heavens.
• Take a glance. Taking a quick look over the test can ease your mind a bit. It can be nerve-wracking when every page is like defusing one bomb at a time . . . red wire, blue wire . . . Take some pressure off yourself and take a look first.
• Read the Directions. That's right, it's back to elementary school. If you don't read the directions first, you might miss something specific that you have to pay attention to as you take the test. If you don't know about it, you're up the creek without a paddle. And yes, some professors still do that lame trick: "If you're reading this, fill in your name for an extra point."
• Pace yourself. Don't blaze through the test like a hot knife through butter. Slow down, take your time, and read carefully. But "pace" means even pacing—not slow as all get out, but steady. Go through the questions slowly enough to pay attention to details, but not to where you've left half the test blank when the time's up.
• "Star" and go back. If a test question gives you some extra trouble, don't sit there the whole time driving yourself nuts with "Is it A or B, A or B?" Put a star next to it, and go back when you're done. When you're finished with the other questions, this will give you some extra time to digest that question, and with less pressure too.
• Double check. When you're done, go back through and double-check your work - especially those questions you had extra trouble on. This can help you catch any of those stupid mistakes that can - and oh yes, will-be made somewhere during those 120 credit hours of college.
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After her summary, she listed her education as well as her work experience.
Answering ads on the Internet or other job postings is easy. It’s so easy that most people simply hit the “send” button and that’s why some large companies get a million resumes a year. Better to target the employers that interest you and then follow up with them later. Emily made a list of museums, libraries and small publishing companies. She went into Google, and entered the name of her city (Pittsburgh) and the word “museum.” She went to each museum’s website and got the contact information of the hiring manager, and emailed that person a cover letter and resume. She contacted 40 organizations, and got a job at a small publishing company.
That was lucky. Some students have to contact 200 small employers before they find a job.
A separate issue is making enough money in the field you are interested in. You can check salary.com and see what the fields that interest you pay in your geographic area. You may have to do what other young people do: share a small apartment with three others, pay your dues, work really hard and move up. Getting that first job is the hard one. Pick the job that positions you best for the long run rather than the one that pays you $1.00 more per hour. You will have to search again, and you want the right job on your resume.
Good luck,
Kate
Do you have a career question that you'd love to have answered by a career counseling expert? E-mail your career question to Kate Wendleton, founder of the Five O'Clock Club and your question could be featured in next month's edition of Success Today. Please send questions to: TLSuccessToday@thomsonlearning.com.
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