This workshop was one that every student and new professional should never miss. This workshop really goes into the planning of how you, as a newly hired professional, will begin to work. The questions that many people usually have in their minds when they start a new job is how will I get all of this done and what is my role in this organization. This workshop addressed these two questions and more.
Generally speaking the premises behind this workshop seemed to be that as a newly hired employee you will create your own job, you will be given little to no guidance when you start, and you will have to decide what to do and how to do it. Additionally, it pointed out your role in the new environment where people will be auditioning for you to gain future your support and assistance and where you will have to assess and reassess your performance and identify and admit to mistakes you make on the job so that you can address them accordingly and move on.
This workshop also addressed opportunities for leadership available to newly hired employees and how to spot them and what to do with them, How to identify your own personal leadership stance, understanding the environmental issues at your new place of employment and to this I would add to understand the political environment in which you work since there is always internal if not external politics involved, what to consider when taking charge in difficult situations, understanding the organizational culture in which you will work and modify your behavior accordingly and it outlined an individual transition plan.
Again, this was a not to miss workshop for all students and new professionals and it should be made available more than once during the conference.
From: Jose Luis Irizarry, MPA
President, MPA Student Association
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
[email protected]
I like the part about how you will create your own job. I think that is especially true these days.
It really is important. I felt like this workshop was extremely practical since in my prior work experience this is exactly what I had to do—create my own job. It was rare for me to work in an environment where the job I was hired to do is the job I actually was doing. In most of my prior experiences the job I was doing differed from the job I was hired to do. ASPA needs to continue to host this workshop at the conference and local chapters should implement this kind of workshop as well.