Having a good grasp on emotional intelligence can help you work well as a member of a team in an academic or workplace setting. The ability to work well with others is listed as a qualification in most job descriptions. If you aren’t familiar with emotional intelligence or feel like you struggle to develop it, here is more information on it as well as ways to practice and improve it. What is Emotional Intelligence? As author Travis Bradberry defines it, emotional intelligence has four core skills that are a part of two categories. The first category is Personal Competence, which consists of self awareness and self management. Self awareness is the ability for one to accurately perceive your emotions and stay aware of them as they happen. Self management is the ability to use your awareness of your emotions to stay flexible and positively direct your behavior. The second category is Social Competence, which includes social awareness and relationship management. Social awareness is the ability to pick up on emotions in other people and understand what is going on with them. Relationship management is the ability to use that knowledge to manage your interactions successfully. Using all four of these competencies, you can improve how you handle your own emotions and, in turn, use your emotional intelligence to relate to your colleagues’ feelings and behaviors. Why is Emotional Intelligence So Important? Numerous studies have found that emotional intelligence is a highly valued trait. It is seen as a driver of leadership and personal improvement. Your level of emotional intelligence often determines your rate of success in the workplace. There is also a strong correlation between emotional intelligence and salaries, with evidence that employees who have high emotional intelligence earn up to $29,000 more a year than people with lower degrees of emotional intelligence. Emotional Discipline One aspect of emotional intelligence that is particularly valued in the workplace, is emotional discipline, the ability to recognize how to handle different emotions at different times. Emotional discipline is particularly valuable for people who work in teams often or hold leadership and management positions because it allows you to react to certain circumstances appropriately. By managing emotions such as anger, frustration, and stress effectively, you can convey confidence and competence when handling problems that arise. Control over your emotions will lead to peace and order in your organization. You will also be able to earn your colleagues’ trust quicker. How Can I Improve My Emotional Intelligence? There are many actions that you can take to build and improve your emotional intelligence. The main factor is an ability to listen. Focus on thinking before you speak and controlling your thoughts. These two practices will decrease your chances of act rashly and saying something that might end up offending others or creating divisions within your workplace. One particularly bad habit you should kick if you are looking to improve your own emotional intelligence is negative self talk. Numerous studies have found that constantly criticizing yourself is extremely bad for your mental health. If we constantly talk to or about ourselves negatively, that kind of destructive energy will move into our interpersonal communication as well. Empathy vs Sympathy Empathy is different than sympathy. It’s easier for people to be the latter. Recognizing someone's emotions and reacting accordingly is a skill often developed early in life. Empathy, however, is the ability to share the emotional experience that someone else is having. As Jeff Moss states: “When a friend loses a family member, sympathy is flowers and a hug — empathy is shedding tears alongside that friend and not by choice, but due to actually feeling their emotions.” Empathy requires a deeper connection with the individual. To develop empathy, one must recognize that it is a habit. The most empathetic people are also reflective. They can clarify what people are saying to them and not just parrot it back. Emotional Intelligence is Important In a world where most communication is through technology rather than in person, emotional intelligence is becoming harder to develop. The ability to understand a person’s emotions and be able to manage that relationship accordingly will be helpful in your work and personal lives. Connecting with people on a deeper level builds trust and understanding that would otherwise have not been possible before.
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Nowadays access to news is everywhere. It’s playing on televisions in almost all public establishments including barbershops, cafes, and restaurants, and broadcasting over the radio in your car. It’s available all over the Internet and just a few taps away on your smartphone apps. LinkedIn has a section specifically dedicated to the news called LinkedIn Newsroom, so obviously following current events is extremely helpful for anyone looking to advance in their career. Here are some professional development benefits of staying informed. Show Passion for Your Field and Become a Thought Leader Regardless of what career cluster you’re looking to enter, there is probably at least one weekly news item on it. You never know what questions you might be asked during an interview, so keeping up with the latest news can show your knowledge of and dedication and passion for your field, as referenced by The Undercover Recruiter. Posting news stories that examine topics in your field on your LinkedIn profile might even lead you to become a thought leader within your industry over a longer period of time. By following the news you also might be able to spot opportunities for jobs and internships faster than your colleagues who are not as informed. For example, when Amazon announced that it was building it's HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia, a plethora of new jobs opened up in that city. Jobseekers who were not aware of Amazon’s move early on were more likely to miss out on potential openings with the company. Keep Your Mind Open to New Possibilities One of the most valuable skills in the workplace is an open mind. Employers value the ability to think in new and creative ways. As we grow more interconnected as human beings, thinking on a global level is becoming essential. By following world news closely, you are showing that you are a globally conscious of updates in labor laws and other policies. The sooner you know about these changes, the more you will be able to see how they will affect your workplace and adapt your work style accordingly. Your Job Might Depend on It No one can say that their lives aren’t influenced by politics at all. State and local government affairs are often more important than national elections for many citizens. For instance, teaching and other education professions are directly affected by local politics. School budgets can drastically change the number or type of positions available within a district because the guidelines are based off property taxes and annual votes by the local electorate. If you’re in a civil service position, it’s important to keep track of the legislative actions that result from public votes. That way you’re aware of your level of job security. Now that we have reviewed some benefits of staying up to date with current events, here are some tips to remember when consuming news: Organizations Are Their Own News Sources Many companies are now breaking and distributing their own news updates on social media and other platforms immediately rather than relying on traditional media outlets or press releases. If you are looking for news on a specific company, you can follow its Twitter account or LinkedIn profile and receive notifications for certain keywords and hashtags as they are published alongside each story. This new customization allows you to closely tailor your news searches to items that are the most relevant to you and your career aspirations. Following company profiles directly should not entirely replace your news consumption, but can act as a great supplement to keep track of current events. Be Wary of Your Information Sources With so many sources out there to get information and other news, it can oftentimes be confusing and overwhelming to decide which sources to read on any given topic. As a general rule of thumb, I would recommend reading full-length articles from publications rather than shorter sections of the same article. The full articles have more angles to the story and tend to separate facts from commentary. I would encourage you to first get the facts from a news story, then form your own interpretations and opinions on the topic. Be Aware of Bias In this hyper-polarized political world, media sources have come under more scrutiny for having a bias towards one side of the spectrum. Most media sources have some type of bias associated with them. Uncovering and understanding these biases, whether they lean toward one side or another, is an important part of news consumption and thinking critically. Always check to see what sources the article draws from, how studies were conducted and funded, and how data was collected. Regardless of your own personal views on a particular story I would encourage you to consume news from all sides of the political spectrum, even if you may disagree with the publication’s slant. Former president Barack Obama expressed this point well, stating in 2010: If you're somebody who only reads the editorial page of The New York Times, try glancing at a page of The Wall Street Journal once in a while. If you're a fan of Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, try reading a few columns on The Huffington Post website. It may make your blood boil, your mind may not be changed. But the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship. It is essential for our democracy. Student Discounts
Much like college students get discounts for popular online services like Amazon, Hulu, and Spotify, many of the nation’s most popular and prominent news sources have student discounts. The New York Times and Washington Post contain news on a variety of topics while The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and The Economist, tend to focus solely on business and finance. Subscriptions to these publications provide unlimited access to online articles. If you are not a subscriber you can only read four or five articles a month on each publication’s website. For technology buffs Gizmodo and Mashable produce some of the most up to date content. Luckily, you can access all articles for free on these sites without a subscription. Great News Discounts for Students
There are more ways than ever to stay connected to what is happening in the world. The events that are occurring in governments and communities around the world all affect us personally and professionally in some way. College students, young professionals and jobseekers who stay informed have an advantage over fellow colleagues who might not follow the news as closely. According to the US Bureau of Labor statistics, the overall employment of healthcare social workers is expected to rise by 20 percent by the year 2026, which is much faster than the average increase for most other occupations. As the population of the United States grows and life expectancy increases there will always be a strong demand for social workers and other healthcare professionals. These employees are already present in many workplaces such as schools, hospitals, in people’s homes, and other areas.
People who enter the fields of social work, healthcare, psychology, counseling, or other similar career clusters want to make a lasting impact on the lives of others by providing constant care and improving their patients’ mental and physical well-being. A lot of time these types of professions are not 9 to 5 jobs, but rather require on-call hours at all times of the day and night. Because of the variety of patient needs no day is the same for these workers. It can be tricky to gain work experience in healthcare social work fields early on in your studies. Working certain types of part-time or temporary jobs however, offer opportunities to acquire skills that will be transferable to full-time positions and other experiences. Summer Camp Counselor Working with kids for an extended period of time is exactly the challenge that can build soft skills needed for higher level social work positions. As this New York Times article noted, summer camp counselors have to be good communicators with kids of all different ages and stages of development. Camp counselors give their kids the confidence to try new things and provide assistance in crisis situations such as when members of the group they supervise suffer from separation anxiety and peer pressure or suffer a physical injury. This role also requires earning the trust of parents, guardians, and other family members who might be concerned about handing over their supervisory responsibilities for an extended period of time. Retail Associate Working in a retail environment also offers strong preparation for human services positions. With many traditional retail outlets suffering in the age of Amazon, most retail companies have rebranded themselves with an increased focus on customer service. Putting the customer first teaches you how to handle complaints and requests in a timely matter and gives you practice with interpersonal communication skills. Retail workers are learning how to work under pressure and remain positive in stressful situations, both of which are applicable in the often unpredictable social work and healthcare environments. When I worked as a customer service representative at Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace, a specialty Italian and grocery store, I often had to deal with customers who were angry about something that went wrong with their food order. I had to empathize with customers and resolve their complaints quickly while maintaining a positive attitude throughout my interaction. Learn to Serve The hospitality and food service industries, particularly the waiter/waitress or host/hostess roles, are increasingly reliant on outstanding customer service. These front facing positions require more motivation than other jobs in the field because employees work to earn tips from their clients in addition to their base salary. In the fast-paced environments of restaurants, for example, everyone must pay attention to detail to maintain overall cleanliness. The wait staff has to be attentive to the needs of their customers, such as food allergies that they might have, and be able to cater to their needs effectively. Customer service that goes above and beyond expectations will create positive experiences and help build the strong customer loyalty that keeps a business thriving. Social workers must be able to do the same while building rapport with their patients. Care is Everything The need to provide physical and emotional care to people in distress will always exist in the workforce. Jobs in the fields of counseling and psychology are some of the fastest growing in the nation. These positions involve being able to learn your clients’ needs and be able to adapt quickly to them. Social workers also need to emotionally connect with their patients in order to best communicate with them and motivate them. The traits and skills required for these challenging roles can be developed in a variety of ways by working positions that might be easily available to you this summer or during your school year. Congratulations! You have been accepted into Marist College. We hope Marist is where you choose to spend the next four years. If you decide to attend Marist, the Center for Career Services will help you on your professional development track. It may seem like career preparation is emphasized more for juniors, seniors, and other students who are concluding their time at Marist. Still, the way we see it, it’s never too early to begin the process of learning how your interests and passions turn into long-term career aspirations. Take a look at what we offer for all Marist students and alumni. Types of Appointments Make one-on-one appointments with one of our career coaches to discuss the following: Career Coaching Internship Opportunities Cover Letter and Resume Assistance Interview Preparation Employer and Alumni Connections Job Search Gap Year/Alternative Career Options LinkedIn Profile Assistance Graduate School Advisement Scholarship and Fellowship Advisement For quick resume and cover letter reviews as well as other brief inquiries, we offer Drop-In Hours from 3-4 PM Monday-Thursday. No appointment is needed during Drop-In Hours and all staff members are available. We also have a career coach on call at all times during our office hours. Major and Career Planning Most students come to Marist undecided regarding their major and career plans. This is common among students who seek out Career Services early in their time at Marist, and we try to alleviate the stress that comes with uncertainty. Our career coaches can help you pinpoint and develop your interests, goals, and aspirations, all of which provide insight into your possible career path. As part of career management we help identify your marketable skills, strengths, and weaknesses at each stage of your Marist education and offer many opportunities to evolve professionally. Career Fairs and Networking Events The Center for Career Services holds a career and internship fair each semester where employers come to campus to meet students and recruit candidates for full-time jobs and internship opportunities. Open to all class years and majors, the event is a great way for students to get introduced to careers they might not know exist and build relationships with hiring managers from a wide variety of companies. In March we hosted a VIP Networking Event in conjunction with the career fair for the first time. The additional networking event featured more than a dozen Marist College alumni from high-end companies who came to network with students. The alumni gave advice on the job and internship application process at their organizations. Road to the Workplace and Other Career Trips Our Road to the Workplace trips take students to work sites in New York City and other areas near campus to meet with Marist College alumni and other professionals who work at a variety of companies. Students on the trip receive an introduction to an organization’s culture and work environment and learn about available professional development opportunities with each company. This academic year we have visited companies such as CNN, Deutsche Bank, Horizon Media, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. During Spring Break we co-hosted the inaugural Public Service Career Trip to Washington, D.C. While in our nation’s capital for two days, students took tours of the FBI and U.S. Capitol Building and attended career panels of alumni who worked in government relations, the Executive Branch, and Capitol Hill Politics. Alumni Career Network
Our online Alumni Career Network is available for current Marist students to search for and touch base with Marist alumni who are working across multiple industries. The alum’s job or workplace may or may not be directly related to their original major, but they will be able to provide you with aspects of career assistance that include giving advice via phone or email, workplace shadowing, mentoring, referrals, and interview preparation. Networking with alumni will not only help you learn about certain career paths and companies, but it will also ultimately establish the relationships that help you get a foot in the door during and after your time as a Marist student. Contact Us If you need any more information on the Marist College Center for Career Services, email [email protected] or call 845-575-3547. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and check out our website. We’re looking forward to seeing you at Open House this weekend and in our office in the years to come. Make sure to stop by our table at the Academic Majors and Student Resources Fair from 9-10 AM April 6 and 7 in the tent adjacent to the McCann Center. As a college student looking to enter the workforce, LinkedIn is one of the most useful tools in your pocket. LinkedIn is constantly updating its resources and features that you can use to network with professionals and research companies. Here are some of the most recent changes LinkedIn made to its website and app and how they can help you in all aspects of professional development.
Track Companies You’re Interested in with LinkedIn Pages If there are particular organizations that you would like to work for, you can set an alert for them on their LinkedIn pages. Whenever the company has a job posting, you are sent an email notification so you can send your resume and complete additional steps in the application process right away. With LinkedIn Pages, this messaging system is now even more efficient. When you set a job alert for a certain company LinkedIn will now allow recruiters at the company to see that you set a job alert for positions they have posted. This extra notification system increases the chances of the company contacting candidates who show interest in positions right off the bat. Network with Employees Within a Company In addition to just being able to see information about the company, the new LinkedIn Pages feature also shows employees who work for the company and their LinkedIn profiles. By looking at previous work experience and educational backgrounds of employees, you can gain insight on the type of people and/or career paths the company looks to hire. You can even check to see if any alumni of your school work at that company. If you find a Marist alumnus or alumna at the company, reach out to them to connect or hold and informational interview. This type of networking could increase your odds of landing an interview or job with your dream company. Companies Acting as Users and Encouraging Conversations LinkedIn has now given its company profiles new ways to engage with communities of employees, colleagues, related businesses, and prospective employees. Organization profiles can function as individual profiles in that they are able to post Q&As and respond to comments from other LinkedIn users. Individual users are able to research a company’s relevant hashtags. So a candidate or prospective employee is more aware of an organization’s interests and values it promotes before they go in for an interview. Prepare for the Dreaded (Salary) Question For many potential job candidates who have entered the interview stage, the question they dread most of all is what type of salary they are looking for. How much money should I be looking to make in an entry level role? Is what I want too much or too little considering my work experience? LinkedIn Salary is a feature that will make it easier for you to answer these questions. This feature allows you to search by both company and job title to see average pay checks within the organization and field of work. After you compare similar level positions at companies of equal size, you will be prepared to negotiate your salary if necessary. There’s an App for That: Manage Your LinkedIn Profile from Multiple Devices You can manage your LinkedIn account on a mobile app. If you’re at a conference or other networking event and wish to keep your conversation going online, you can simply bring up a QR Code of your LinkedIn profile on your phone. This is a great alternative carrying and collecting business cards, which could get lost or misplaced following the event. You can even save your QR code as a photo on your phone and send the photo over any message service. Schedule Meetings with Ease The LinkedIn app has now made it easier to schedule meetings with colleagues or new connections. The app allows you to share your calendar with people you are messaging so everyone can see each other’s common availability. Even better, the LinkedIn app will share your one-time location with the people who you are messaging and quickly find a convenient place for everyone to meet. Tailor Your Job Search to Your Preferences LinkedIn has continued to personalize the job hunting experience so that you can find the opportunity that is the best fit for you. For someone who wishes to work remotely, LinkedIn now provides the option to specifically request in the search query only jobs where one would be able to work remotely all the time. In a global workforce where telecommuting is on the rise, this feature can open up a lot of doors for job seekers and help them rule out opportunities more quickly. Please note that most entry level jobs will likely require that you work in an office for an extended period of time before offering the option for working remotely permanently or for a day or two per week. Day by day, LinkedIn is becoming more essential for today’s job seeker. From allowing potential employees to do in-depth research on companies and their values to tailoring your job search to your specific preferences, LinkedIn has many tools that can help anyone land the position that is right for them. If you want to stay updated on LinkedIn’s new features and updates, subscribe to its official blog here. The graphic below shows ways you can enhance your LinkedIn profile during your job search. |
AuthorInformation on the latest professional development trends and advice, plugs for Marist College Center for Career Services events and initiatives, and stories from your Marist peers. Content is produced by Marist students for Marist students. Categories |