Are you looking to change careers, find a new position, or explore the world of freelancing in the wake of COVID? CALA has developed a new workshop series, Repositioning Yourself in the Post-Pandemic Workforce, to help give you the boost you need to seek new opportunities and present yourself in the best light.
The fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has led many professionals to reconfigure their work lives and has led to substantial layoffs across industries. The professional lives of women have been particularly disrupted, with approximately 3 million women leaving the workforce since March 2020. On a recent episode of the podcast America Dissected: Coronavirus with Abdul El-Sayed, former U.S. Department of Labor official Jane Oates attributed this statistic to the following factors: the tendency of women to serve as primary caregivers of young children and senior citizens; the challenges faced by the hospitality industry during the pandemic; and the disproportionate effects of closures on women-owned businesses.
Our workshops, while open to participants of any gender identity, were inspired by the hardships outlined in the many articles on this phenomenon over the course of the pandemic. The workshops are offered on a flexible hybrid model appropriate for those juggling work and personal responsibilities. To ensure accessibility, each workshop is offered at a 20% discount to participants who are not currently employed.
As vaccines become widely available and the job market opens up, the time may be right to make your next professional move. Our affordable, week-long hybrid workshops will help you to chart your course in an informed and strategic way, guided by coaching and feedback from our expert faculty. Each week, you will gain key insights and competencies that will build your personal brand and your sense of professional direction.
The series includes the following workshops:
Learning to Navigate the Freelance World:
Over one short week, this online course will help you to weigh the pros and cons of a freelancing career while offering a practical guide to finding work in the gig economy. Participants will hone their networking skills and define their freelancing goals through online exercises and an interactive Zoom session. We will discuss tips on résumé writing to pursue a freelance career. This course begins June 1.
Leveraging Your Social Networks for Professional Success:
Establishing and using well-placed social contacts within your field can make all the difference in discovering new professional paths, building your reputation, and finding a job. Participants in this week-long online workshop will learn to identify key contacts and develop social relationships that will support career advancement. This course begins June 7.
Building Persuasive Writing Skills to Achieve Your Career Goals:
A convincing persuasive argument uses a combination of research and careful word choice to influence the reader. The ability to persuade is essential when composing a compelling cover letter, a résumé, or even an everyday professional email. Participants in this class will learn how to develop a strong opening statement to draw the reader’s attention, express thoughts strategically, and conclude with the all-important ask or action step. This course begins June 14.
Developing Effective Presentation Skills for Professional Success:
Participants in this workshop will practice the preparation and delivery of different kinds of presentations, with an emphasis on learning to speak succinctly, clarify key messages, and keep conversations engaging. In addition, this class will cover key presentation techniques for job interviewing. Students will be encouraged to find their own speaking style so that they remain authentic as well as persuasive. This course begins June 21.
Contact eve.mayer@nyu.edu with any questions about the series or visit the series page to register.