Help is Here for Huskies Seeking Career Boost

Lynne Larson, '74, '77, decided that working in the private sector, coordinating medical research, was not for her. So last summer she left her job to look for something else. Little did she know how difficult her situation would become after Sept. 11.

In February she was still out of work. Larson, who has two degrees in nutritional sciences from the UW, sought help from the UW Center for Career Services. She enrolled in the Dependable Strengths Seminar, which she says helped her land several interviews toward a new job as a health care administrator.

This fall, other UW alumni and friends also can get a career boost through the Dependable Strengths Seminar, co-produced by the Center for Career Services and the UWAA's Husky Career Advantage. The three-day seminar will be offered on Sept. 19-21 and Nov. 14-16 in Mary Gates Hall on the Seattle campus.

A product of the landmark book Dependable Strengths Articulation Process by psychologist Bernard Haldane, the seminar helps participants assess their strengths, learn to make contacts, improve job interview strategies, learn to negotiate for a promotion or pay increase and, in general, discover how to become what Haldane calls a "job magnet."

"The system helps people understand what they do well and convey that to employers," explains Susan Terry, director of the UW Center for Career Services. "Instead of sending out hundreds of blind résumés, we believe that once you know what you enjoy and do well, you can plug yourself into many industries and settings."

"The seminar is outstanding," Larson says. "I came into it thinking, in a tight economy, I need to present myself in a way that fits the reduced number of advertised job openings."

Hers is one of many success stories arising from the partnership between Husky Career Advantage and the Center for Career Services, which have joined forces to assist UW alumni and students with career issues. The two organizations also offer a Career Transition Workshop, Networking Night for Huskies and the award-winning UW Career Week.

What enhances these events is that "participants share a common connection to the University of Washington," explains Don Gallagher, manager of Husky Career Advantage. "This built-in affinity tends to produce sessions that are at the same time very comfortable and highly productive."

The cornerstone of Husky Career Advantage is the direct involvement of alumni volunteers and alumni employers who have an interest in supporting the career development of their fellow Huskies. Information about all Husky Career Advantage services and upcoming events is available online at UWalum.com.

Space is limited for the Dependable Strengths Seminars, which run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Thes seminars are held through the support of American Express Financial Services and Kaplan Test Prep. The cost is $120 for UWAA members and current UW students, $150 general. For more information, contact the Center for Career Services at (206) 543-0535 or go to http://depts.washington.edu/careers.

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