Networking Forum: Bill Coplin Archives

June 20, 2006

Your Most Important Teaching Moment

Last week, Barney posted this comment here on the eSight Networking Forum:

“I believe in the course of life we are all students and teachers. When we are not teaching we are students, and when we are teaching (if we are good at teaching) we are learning from our students.

”Life is an eternal classroom with so many opportunities that we simply have to decide which ones are ours.”

Well said, Barney. Probably one of your most critical “teaching” moments happens when you’re interviewing for a job.

Look at the skills sets from my book,
"10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College."

Select one skill about which you can comfortably say to a prospective employer, “I’m good at that.” Chances are that it’s also your strongest skill.

Then post your reply to this question:

What’s the best way to show potential employers you can use your strongest skill for their benefit?

In posting your reply, you’re taking the first step in preparing for one of your most important “teaching moments” -- and you’ll have done some of your homework for your next job interview.

Thanks.
Bill Coplin
Director, Public Affairs Program
Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY

For more information about the Syracuse program, see:
genuinedogooder.com
Public Affairs 101 course
Public Affairs Program web site
Community Link Program

Author:
”10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College”
“How You Can Help: An Easy Guide to Doing Good Deeds in Your Everyday Life”

(Also see Bill Coplin’s biography.)

Posted by Bill Coplin at 12:26 PM | Comments (4)

June 06, 2006

10 Key Skills Needed in any Professional Career

Take a look at the 10 skills I believe are essential today in developing a professional career.

On eSight, you can listen to audio files of a telephone conference call I made two years ago about these 10 skills.

I discuss those skills in detail in my book, “10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College.”

I wrote the book because I believe students worry about the type of degree and the GPA they earn when they should be worrying about the skills they can offer their networking partners – and prospective employers.

Knowing which of the vital skills you can offer others is the first step in networking effectively. And being able to talk about those skills in concrete terms is a part of networking.

But, first you need to identify which skills you already have, which ones you need to develop and how to develop the ones you don’t have.

Review the 10 skills.

As a blind or visually impaired job seeker, your awareness of and ability to articulate your relevant skill sets can be the edge you need to overcome a prospective employer's hesitancy about hiring you.

What additional skills would you add to this list?

I need your real-world feedback. I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks.
Bill Coplin
Director, Public Affairs Program
Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY