 What I do: I am currently an outpatient mental health counselor and case manager for the Veterans Administration. I provide services to men and women who have served in the Military at a Community Based Primary Care Clinic: Ozaukee County Department of Human Services. I provide counseling to individuals, couples, and families. I also work as part of the crisis team responding to mental health emergencies on an on-call basis. I concurrently teach undergraduate classes for the Psychology Department at Alverno College.
How I got my job: Following my undergraduate degree at Alverno College, I applied and was admitted to the Masters of Social Work Program at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. After my graduation from UWM, I worked as in In-home Family Counselor with adolescents on juvenile probation. I was then offered my current position at Ozaukee County Counseling Center, where I had completed an internship during my master’s degree. I recently accepted my position at the VA and have since moved and am working in Illinois.
How I use my Alverno education: I use my Alverno education everyday at home, at work, and in the community. The tools that I developed at Alverno, such as the ability to speak, write, and listen effectively for instance, allow me to sustain highly effective relationships with friends, family, and co-workers. Although challenges and conflicts arise, knowing how to assess, think critically about, and problem-solve allows me to overcome the obstacles and challenges that life throws in my path. Alverno also helped me to develop and foster a strong value system which continues to serve as a guide for my choices and helps me sustain a healthy level of self-esteem and pride both personally and professionally.
How I define career success: I define career success as being able to wake up in the morning and know that I am doing a job that excites and challenges me. My job allows me to constantly learn new things and further develop my knowledge base (I’ve got a ways to go!). It also really leads to an ongoing curiosity which keeps me very motivated. Ultimately, I define success as knowing that the job I’m doing making a positive difference in the world. At the end of the day I feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment if I can help a student explore new ideas or assist a client in developing the necessary skills to realize and use the gifts that he or she was given.
Tips from the field: There many tips that I could share from the field that will allow you to prosper in your career track. Here are my top two:
1) Keep good records. Obtain a filing system in which you save key performance reviews as well as key projects which you have been a part of. Over time, these references (and especially when you have them organized in one spot) can really help to foster your job search and demonstrate your competencies. Employers like evidence that you are organized and capable. The best way to demonstrate this is through examples.
2) Network. I can’t say enough about professional networking. Stay involved in things that assist you in meeting a variety of people in your profession. This allows you to grow based on learning from the wisdom and expertise of others. It also allows you to demonstrate and refine your leadership skills, which are very important to career development. Finally, it keeps you informed about the latest trends in your field and can often lead to exciting, new job opportunities.
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