NASW 2010NASW 2010 Annual Practice Conference: Social Work's Critical Role in End-of-Life Care
August 4, 2010   Boston, MA   Earn up to 8.5 CE Credits

Annual Practice Conference: Social Work's Critical Role in End-of-Life Care  
August 4, 2010 | Boston, MA | Earn up to 8.5 CE Credits

Save the date for this dynamic conference on the many roles of social workers in providing professional biopsychosocial services to care for patients and families affected by serious and life-limiting illnesses. You will leave better prepared for the challenges in hospice and palliative care that are presented by an aging population and longer life spans. Attend the pre-event reception and poster presentation the evening of August 3 to learn, network, and earn CE credit. Register today at www.nhpco.org/dcc10. This conference will be held immediately before and in conjunction with the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's National Conference, Developing the Care Continuum: Innovative Models to Meet the Unique Needs of Patients/Families. You can register for NASW's conference only or for both conferences.

Download NASW's new practice update, Enrolling in Medicare as a Clinical Social Work Provider, to learn how to apply as a Medicare provider to seek reimbursement under Medicare Part B for services performed in an outpatient setting.

Access NASW's new practice update on Medicare policy changes that affect clinical social workers who are Medicare providers. Areas affected include outpatient mental health services, bonus incentive payments, telehealth services, Medicare enrollment, and the Medicare fee schedule.

The Social Work Career Center registrants are receiving this free member practice update from NASW for a limited time.

ButlerUniversity's Gary Beaulieu says new college graduates generally spend up to 24 months looking for employment as a result of the struggling economy. "You can't wait until two weeks before graduation to start looking," Beaulieu says. "You've got to start early and be very organized in your job search." Beaulieu says soon-to-be graduates should spend time making connections and networking with people in their chosen fields, complete an internship, and build a résumé and portfolio showing job-related knowledge and talents. New graduates who do not secure their "ideal" job immediately should consider employment and volunteer service to help them build professional skills. "Right now, with the job market the way it is, it's really about the experience," he says. "In all jobs you can gain knowledge that's going to help you in the future. You can build that knowledge, those skills so that you're much more marketable when the job market really does come back." Beaulieu says there is no such thing as a "dead-end" job, but that there are reasons to consider changing employers, including no longer being challenged, and having no opportunities to advance. However, be sure to use the current job as a "springboard toward the next experience," he advises.

From "New Rules, Grads: Job Search, THEN Diploma"
Butler University (04/28/10)

Watch Ur Tone When Applying 4 a Job

Having the right tone in job search communications can be complicated in the Facebook and text-messaging era. The ideal approach is to sound confident and professional, but not stiff or stuffy. "You can be professional and not be uptight," says the Human Resource Association's Rob Lockard. Just as applicants wear suits for a job interview, they should pull out polished, grammatically correct sentences for cover letters and emails. "Even though the world is becoming more casual, the hiring process is not," says Patrice & Associates owner Patrice Rice. A résumé and cover letter sent with a stamp and envelope can help a prospective employee stand out. Using Priority Mail or a mailing tube could give job seekers' résumés a better chance of being read and considered. Some sectors such as new media or technology may not appreciate a paper résumé, and some companies will only review applications that are submitted online. However, text messages should be avoided unless there is a major problem. "There's too much potential for miscommunication if you don't know the person well," says Five O'Clock Club's Rob Hellman. If job seekers want to show they know the lingo, they can point out their Twitter names and how it is used to build reputations or sell services. Prospective employees can demonstrate friendliness and enthusiasm with examples and stories, not with exclamation points and smiling emoticons.

From "When Applying 4 a Job, Watch Ur Tone"
Washington Post (04/04/10) P. H1; Elmer, Vickie

The High Stakes of First Jobs

A growing body of academic research suggests that where you begin your career does matter. Many young people have entered or attempted to enter the workforce during a recession. However, because of bad timing, they will not only have to work lower-paying jobs than those who graduated into better job markets, but they also can expect lower wages for the next decade. Yale professor Lisa Kahn has researched the long-term effect that the 1980s recession had on the wages of college graduates during that period. She found that for each one percent increase in unemployment, the wages of those who graduate from college during a recession are an average six to seven percent lower than those of people who graduate when the economy is stronger. Many new job seekers consider jobs that they would not normally be interested in. A job that might seem temporary can have a long-lasting impact on a career. "You spend time developing skills at that job or other industry, while your counterpart who graduated at a better time is working in a job they've been interested in forever," Kahn says. Graduate school could be one of the best ways to avoid a long-lasting reduction in wages for the average person looking for work in a recession, she says. "If you compare the people who got graduate degrees in good or bad times, they look similar," in terms of wages, she notes. However, attending grad school is not the only way to avoid a long term decrease in wages. People who are especially good at finding jobs will do well regardless of the economic climate. One way to improve the odds of finding employment is through networking. "Employee referrals are the highest source of external hires," for companies today, says consultant Mark Mehler.

From "The High Stakes of First Jobs"
U.S. News & World Report (05/01/10) Vol. 147, No. 5, P. 36; Bandyk, Matthew