by Gail S. Bernstein, Ph.D.
When Diana sat down with her friends at their college reunion, she heard all about their careers. One was a lawyer, one owned a business, one was a computer systems analyst. Diana left feeling frustrated and disillusioned. She chose to be a probation officer so she could help people. However, the problems she faces are overwhelming, and the rewards are few and far between.
If you work in one of the human services, you probably want to help people. That's a good reason for choosing the work you do, but it's not very specific. It's important to know what makes you want to come to work every day, especially for people in human services. We often get mixed messages from the world at large about the worth of what we do. Most of us have been told, "That must be so rewarding," or "you must have so much patience." Those comments usually mean "I don't understand why you want to work so hard for so little money," or "It must be so awful to spend your days with people who are down and out."
People who work as helpers need to be able to identify the nonmonetary rewards they get from their work. That's important because monetary rewards will always be in short supply. However, sometimes people in human services feel guilty about wanting to get self-satisfaction from their work.
Those guilty feelings are unfortunate because there's nothing wrong with wanting to like the work you do. There are many different ways to help, and some people are not equally well-suited for all of them. It makes sense to look for work that is both satisfying personally and helpful to others.
Every career has both advantages and disadvantages. Some of what you do will be rewarding, and some will be unpleasant. Each of us is unique in terms of what we find rewarding and how much reinforcement we need to feel self-satisfaction from our work. That's why it's important to know yourself well enough to pick a job that is a good fit.
One useful exercise is to make a two-column list. On one side, list all the rewards you get from your current work. On the other side, list all the disadvantages and drawbacks. Then ask yourself whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. When you do this, remember to be honest with yourself.
Remember it's okay to have selfish motives as well as unselfish ones, and it's okay to have fun while you work. It is also okay to have unselfish motives such as making people's lives a little easier. On the other hand, it is not okay to do human services because you think you should find it rewarding, or because you believe people will think you are a good person. Whatever you do, do it because you want to, not because someone else wants you to.
Remember, people who genuinely like their work and find it rewarding usually do a better job than people who do not like what they do.
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label job. Show all posts
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
HOW WOMEN FEEL ABOUT ABORTIONS
by Nancy Felipe Russo
Social scientists have known for years that the availability of legal abortion is not associated with long-term psychological distress in women who use it. An eight-year longitudinal study involving nearly 5,300 young women published in1992 found that the best predictor of well-being in women over the course of the study was their well-being at the start of the study, not their income level, job status, level of education or martial status or -- quite specifically -- whether they had had an abortion. Now a new follow-up study, published in the current edition of the American Psychological Association's (APA) journal Professional Psychology: Research and Practice finds that the same conclusion still applies regardless of religious or racial differences.
The study, by psychologists Nancy Felipe Russo, Ph.D., of Arizona State University and Amy J. Dabul, Ph.D., of Phoenix College, is further analysis of data gathered from a national sample of 5,295 women aged 14 to 24 (in 1979) who were interviewed annually from 1979 to 1987. The women's well-being was assessed using a reliable and valid measure of self-esteem in 1980 and again in 1987. This time, in addition to looking at variables such as income, employment and education, the researchers looked at race and religious beliefs and practices to see if they had any effect on women's well-being after having had an abortion.
They found that, overall, White women and Black women did not differ statistically on measures of self-esteem. Approximately the same proportion of Black women and White women reported having had an abortion (14.6% and 14.9% respectively), but Black women had more abortions than White women and Black women who had abortions were more likely than White women to be mothers (86% vs 57%). Nonetheless, having had an abortion (or more than one) had no relation with self-esteem in either group: "For both Black women and White women, prior self-esteem was the biggest predictor of subsequent self-esteem," the authors note. The same held true when they compared Black and White women who reported a religious affiliation and high or low church attendance with those who were not religious.
Since the type of religion to which women who had an abortion belonged also did not make a difference in their post-abortion well-being, the researchers focused specifically on Catholic versus non-Catholic women, given that the Catholic Church "has a consistent antiabortion position that is vigorously promoted."
Their findings in this analysis were more complex: nonCatholic women who had high church attendance and one abortion had the highest self-esteem; non-Catholic women who had low church attendance and repeat abortions had the lowest self-esteem. But at the same time, high-church-attendance non-Catholic women with one abortion had significantly higher self-esteem than did low-churchattendance Catholic women with no abortions. "Although highly religious Catholic women were slightly more likely to exhibit postabortion psychological distress than other women," the researchers say, "this fact is explained by lower pre-existing well-being."
Given these findings, the researchers ask: "Do highly distressed women who have had an abortion exist?" And, they answer: "Yes. But their distress is likely to be rooted in events and conditions that existed before they became pregnant. Legal abortion per se does not increase a woman's risk of negative wellbeing."
Social scientists have known for years that the availability of legal abortion is not associated with long-term psychological distress in women who use it. An eight-year longitudinal study involving nearly 5,300 young women published in1992 found that the best predictor of well-being in women over the course of the study was their well-being at the start of the study, not their income level, job status, level of education or martial status or -- quite specifically -- whether they had had an abortion. Now a new follow-up study, published in the current edition of the American Psychological Association's (APA) journal Professional Psychology: Research and Practice finds that the same conclusion still applies regardless of religious or racial differences.
The study, by psychologists Nancy Felipe Russo, Ph.D., of Arizona State University and Amy J. Dabul, Ph.D., of Phoenix College, is further analysis of data gathered from a national sample of 5,295 women aged 14 to 24 (in 1979) who were interviewed annually from 1979 to 1987. The women's well-being was assessed using a reliable and valid measure of self-esteem in 1980 and again in 1987. This time, in addition to looking at variables such as income, employment and education, the researchers looked at race and religious beliefs and practices to see if they had any effect on women's well-being after having had an abortion.
They found that, overall, White women and Black women did not differ statistically on measures of self-esteem. Approximately the same proportion of Black women and White women reported having had an abortion (14.6% and 14.9% respectively), but Black women had more abortions than White women and Black women who had abortions were more likely than White women to be mothers (86% vs 57%). Nonetheless, having had an abortion (or more than one) had no relation with self-esteem in either group: "For both Black women and White women, prior self-esteem was the biggest predictor of subsequent self-esteem," the authors note. The same held true when they compared Black and White women who reported a religious affiliation and high or low church attendance with those who were not religious.
Since the type of religion to which women who had an abortion belonged also did not make a difference in their post-abortion well-being, the researchers focused specifically on Catholic versus non-Catholic women, given that the Catholic Church "has a consistent antiabortion position that is vigorously promoted."
Their findings in this analysis were more complex: nonCatholic women who had high church attendance and one abortion had the highest self-esteem; non-Catholic women who had low church attendance and repeat abortions had the lowest self-esteem. But at the same time, high-church-attendance non-Catholic women with one abortion had significantly higher self-esteem than did low-churchattendance Catholic women with no abortions. "Although highly religious Catholic women were slightly more likely to exhibit postabortion psychological distress than other women," the researchers say, "this fact is explained by lower pre-existing well-being."
Given these findings, the researchers ask: "Do highly distressed women who have had an abortion exist?" And, they answer: "Yes. But their distress is likely to be rooted in events and conditions that existed before they became pregnant. Legal abortion per se does not increase a woman's risk of negative wellbeing."
Friday, 25 July 2008
Wednesday, 23 July 2008
Make getting fired work for you
Getting a pink slip. Being downsized. Making adjustments. Reorganizing.
So many synonyms that mean the same thing: You're fired.
With the unemployment rate reaching 5.5 percent in May 2008, more and more employers are telling workers that they're out of work.
While losing your job unexpectedly is never good news, it doesn't have to be a setback. It can be a chance to change directions and find a better career.
The day you get fired, you can feel angry, sad and every other emotion that comes your way. The next day, however, take steps to make the most of the situation.
Ask the right questions
You got fired for a reason, so whether it was you, the job or the boss, you need to know what did and didn't work about the situation.
Todd Dewett, a management professor at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and the author of "Leadership Redefined," recommends asking yourself a variety of questions to assess your experience.
"Why did this happen to me? What functional or technical skills do I need to build in order to avoid this situation in the future? How does my professional network need to grow? Are there things about my interpersonal style or leadership skills I need to reconsider?"
Then, he suggests, take action. "You can innovatively and aggressively start answering these questions. The alternative is to blame others and stew in negative emotions -- and that never helped anyone get their career back on track."
You might discover that you needed to move on from that job but weren't willing to take the step.
Look at getting fired as your employer giving you a little push that now allows you to make some drastic changes, says Rachelle J. Canter, career expert and author of "Make the Right Career Move."
"Finding work you love is easily a full-time job. Virtually every career transition client of mine over 20 years has been dissatisfied and made some fledging attempts to find new work," she says. "The lack of financial and employment security provides more time to look and more inspiration to get serious."
It's OK to be happy about it
After hearing that you've been fired, you might be waiting for rage to bubble up or tears to flow, but your initial reaction to getting fired might not be as negative as you expect. You might even crack a smile.
Pamela Skillings, career coach and author of "Escape from Corporate America" has seen people expect to feel bad about their job loss only to realize the benefits of getting fired.
"Of course, most didn't see their pink slips as blessings right away," she says. "It's never fun to suddenly lose your job, though I have heard many say that they were surprised to feel a great sense of relief upon hearing the news that they were being let go."
What now? Once you've asked and answered the questions, you're left wondering what to do.
• Explore your options. Decide whether or not you want to stay in the same field, if you want to make a change or if you want to start your own business.
• Make a plan. Once you know where you want to lead your career, take steps toward making it happen. For example, you might need more training or education if you're going to switch careers.
• Commit. No job search is easy, especially one that you weren't planning, but you can't be deterred along the way when you don't get every position you want. You'll be tempted to return to the familiar if you're making a big move, but trust your decision to start fresh.
So many synonyms that mean the same thing: You're fired.
With the unemployment rate reaching 5.5 percent in May 2008, more and more employers are telling workers that they're out of work.
While losing your job unexpectedly is never good news, it doesn't have to be a setback. It can be a chance to change directions and find a better career.
The day you get fired, you can feel angry, sad and every other emotion that comes your way. The next day, however, take steps to make the most of the situation.
Ask the right questions
You got fired for a reason, so whether it was you, the job or the boss, you need to know what did and didn't work about the situation.
Todd Dewett, a management professor at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, and the author of "Leadership Redefined," recommends asking yourself a variety of questions to assess your experience.
"Why did this happen to me? What functional or technical skills do I need to build in order to avoid this situation in the future? How does my professional network need to grow? Are there things about my interpersonal style or leadership skills I need to reconsider?"
Then, he suggests, take action. "You can innovatively and aggressively start answering these questions. The alternative is to blame others and stew in negative emotions -- and that never helped anyone get their career back on track."
You might discover that you needed to move on from that job but weren't willing to take the step.
Look at getting fired as your employer giving you a little push that now allows you to make some drastic changes, says Rachelle J. Canter, career expert and author of "Make the Right Career Move."
"Finding work you love is easily a full-time job. Virtually every career transition client of mine over 20 years has been dissatisfied and made some fledging attempts to find new work," she says. "The lack of financial and employment security provides more time to look and more inspiration to get serious."
It's OK to be happy about it
After hearing that you've been fired, you might be waiting for rage to bubble up or tears to flow, but your initial reaction to getting fired might not be as negative as you expect. You might even crack a smile.
Pamela Skillings, career coach and author of "Escape from Corporate America" has seen people expect to feel bad about their job loss only to realize the benefits of getting fired.
"Of course, most didn't see their pink slips as blessings right away," she says. "It's never fun to suddenly lose your job, though I have heard many say that they were surprised to feel a great sense of relief upon hearing the news that they were being let go."
What now? Once you've asked and answered the questions, you're left wondering what to do.
• Explore your options. Decide whether or not you want to stay in the same field, if you want to make a change or if you want to start your own business.
• Make a plan. Once you know where you want to lead your career, take steps toward making it happen. For example, you might need more training or education if you're going to switch careers.
• Commit. No job search is easy, especially one that you weren't planning, but you can't be deterred along the way when you don't get every position you want. You'll be tempted to return to the familiar if you're making a big move, but trust your decision to start fresh.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Ways to Volunteer: by Paul Twocock
Good neighbours and assisted shopping
Good Neighbours volunteers provide companionship and friendship by making home visits or speaking on the telephone which helps to prevent older people from becoming lonely. Volunteers can also help with tasks like collecting a prescription or small jobs around the home or even visiting the shops to aid their independence. Charities need people to deliver these services locally and is an ideal volunteering opportunity if you are not able to give your time at a set time every week or month.
Lunch clubs and social centres
By volunteering at a lunch club or a social centre, you will be giving company to older or housebound people. Not only are meals often provided, but there are also activities such as dominoes and dancing. Regular outings are organised - so you will have to have a passion for conversation and activity!
Professional support You might be in the world of work but that doesn’t mean you can’t contribute. Far from it - the flexibility of being a volunteer means that even people with full-time careers or other commitments can still find the time to help out. By sharing your expertise, you’ll soon discover just how satisfying and rewarding being a volunteer can be. Whether you have a specialist skill in areas like marketing, human resources and training, recruitment, Health & Safety, finance, fundraising, journalism, copyrighting, customer service, even teaching IT or computer skills �" many charities will always have a role for you. By giving some of your time, you can develop new insights by volunteering on a part-time or occasional consultancy basis in our offices or from your home. Hospital shops and cafes There are plenty of opportunities to help out in local hospitals across the country. In hospital shops and cafés you can gain retail experience - such as using cash registers and ordering stock. Some shops and cafés are open on Saturdays and Sundays, so these roles are ideal for anyone who can only volunteer for a couple of hours on a weekend, as little as once a fortnight or once a month. You can also volunteer with a friend.
Good Neighbours volunteers provide companionship and friendship by making home visits or speaking on the telephone which helps to prevent older people from becoming lonely. Volunteers can also help with tasks like collecting a prescription or small jobs around the home or even visiting the shops to aid their independence. Charities need people to deliver these services locally and is an ideal volunteering opportunity if you are not able to give your time at a set time every week or month.
Lunch clubs and social centres
By volunteering at a lunch club or a social centre, you will be giving company to older or housebound people. Not only are meals often provided, but there are also activities such as dominoes and dancing. Regular outings are organised - so you will have to have a passion for conversation and activity!
Professional support You might be in the world of work but that doesn’t mean you can’t contribute. Far from it - the flexibility of being a volunteer means that even people with full-time careers or other commitments can still find the time to help out. By sharing your expertise, you’ll soon discover just how satisfying and rewarding being a volunteer can be. Whether you have a specialist skill in areas like marketing, human resources and training, recruitment, Health & Safety, finance, fundraising, journalism, copyrighting, customer service, even teaching IT or computer skills �" many charities will always have a role for you. By giving some of your time, you can develop new insights by volunteering on a part-time or occasional consultancy basis in our offices or from your home. Hospital shops and cafes There are plenty of opportunities to help out in local hospitals across the country. In hospital shops and cafés you can gain retail experience - such as using cash registers and ordering stock. Some shops and cafés are open on Saturdays and Sundays, so these roles are ideal for anyone who can only volunteer for a couple of hours on a weekend, as little as once a fortnight or once a month. You can also volunteer with a friend.
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