Career Development Workshops

S taff career development workshops and career coaching sessions continue to be held remotely. Registrants will be sent a link to participate online.

If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) to fully participate in any Grow Your Career staff programs or services, please contact Lisa Rykert at lrykert@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible, and preferably at least 7 days in advance of a program or service offering.

Spring 2025 Workshops

Download, print, and share the Spring 2025 Staff Career Development Flyer (coming soon).

These workshops help UC Berkeley staff develop clarity and action plans to connect their interests and abilities with career opportunities. All offerings will be held virtually via Zoom. As the virtual workshop date approaches, registrants will receive a bCal invite and Zoom link.

To register, click on workshop titles below or log in to the UC Learning Center and search by title.

10+ Resources to 10x Your Career Planning (BECAR100)

Thurs., 2/13, 12 - 1:30 pm

Presenters: Andrea Parthasarathy (she/her), Career & Professional Development Specialist, People & Organization Development, People & Culture, and Lisa Rykert (she/her), People & Organization Development, Career & Professional Development Lead, People & Culture

Do you want to build your skills in your current or next role? This workshop will highlight 10+ resources to expand your results and support your career next steps.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will learn/relearn at least 1) four programs to support you to advance to the next level in your role or career, 2) three tools to research job and salary data, 3) two resources to access professional development learning modules available 24/7, 4) plus, the one x-factor that multiplies your efforts.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

The Skills You Bring (BECAR153)

Wed., 2/19, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Presenter: Kate Zuby (she/her), Career Counseling Outreach Coordinator, University Health Services

The skills you enjoy and feel confident about contribute to strong performance and job satisfaction. Explore your transferable skills – the ones you enjoy that support your career mobility, adaptability and satisfaction.

Learning Outcomes: 1) identify your transferable skills – the skills you enjoy and are most interested in contributing – that can be applied across different roles and industries, 2) engage in a skills assessment exercise to align your career interests and goals, enhance your career mobility and adaptability, and 3) gain knowledge about various career development resources and activities available to support your professional growth and enhance their career development journey.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

Cover Letter Writing Practice Lab (BECAR PL101)

Th., 2/27, 11:30 am - 1 pm

Presenters: Linda Lundberg (she/her), Transition Services Lead, People & Culture and Lisa Rykert (she/her), Career & Professional Development Lead, People & Culture

Here’s a common scenario: You come across an ideal job posting and you’re eager to apply. However, you feel stuck because you want to write that standout cover letter to communicate that you are the most skilled and enthusiastic candidate for the role. Yet, you are not sure how to best focus your message. In this experiential practice lab, we will review the purpose and elements of compelling cover letters. We will share examples and guide you through writing your own exceptional draft cover letter. For optimal engagement, please come to this practice lab with a selected job posting of your choice that you would like to use as the focus for your cover letter draft.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will 1) understand the purpose and key elements of a compelling cover letter to effectively communicate their skills and enthusiasm as a standout candidate for a desired job role, 2) analyze and evaluate real-life examples of successful cover letters to gain insights into effective strategies and techniques for capturing the attention of employers, and 3) apply the knowledge gained by crafting an exceptional draft cover letter tailored to a selected job posting, with guidance and feedback provided by the facilitators, to enhance their chances of securing their dream job.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as this virtual workshop date draws near.

Resume Writing Practice Lab (BECAR PL102)

Thurs., 3/6, 11:30 am - 1 pm

Presenters: Linda Lundberg (she/her), Transition Services Lead, People & Culture and Lisa Rykert (she/her), Career & Professional Development Lead, People & Culture

You know your skills and experience are a great match for that job you applied for and you didn’t even get invited to an interview. It’s also important to know that on average recruiters spend 7.4 seconds scanning a resume before they decide yes or no on the next step (source: Ladders, 2018). In this experiential practice lab, we will review strategies and give you time and guidance to effectively format and tailor your resume to help you stand out and get the interview. For optimal engagement, please come to this practice lab with a selected job posting you would like to use as the focus for your resume draft.

Learning Outcomes: 1) learn strategies and techniques to format your resume effectively, 2) understand the importance of tailoring your resume to match the requirements and preferences of specific job postings, and 3) optimize your resume content to capture the attention of recruiters within the limited time they spend reviewing each resume.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as this virtual workshop date draws near.

LinkedIn Basics (BECAR354)

Thurs., 3/13, 11:30 am - 1 pm

Presenter: Mason Perez (he/him), Talent Acquisition Associate, Talent Acquisition

LinkedIn is a great tool for establishing an online presence, conducting career research, and facilitating connections with other professionals. This workshop addresses the basics to help you create a complete and effective LinkedIn profile.

Learning Outcomes: 1) learn how to set up your profile sections, including the headline, summary, skills, and experience, to showcase your professional brand effectively, 2) understand how to leverage LinkedIn to build community and connections, and 3) take steps to update your information on LinkedIn resulting in a more complete and effective profile.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

Engaging Your Competencies and Values to Build Your Best Future (BECAR152)

Thurs., 3/20, 11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Presenters: Presenter: Angela L.M. Stopper (she/her), PhD, Chief Learning Officer & Director of People & Organization Development, People & Culture

Our competencies, values and motivations are powerful drivers that influence our behaviors, reveal what is important to us, and support our decisions. Using the UC Systemwide Core Competency ABCs, we will begin by creating a personalized 9-box for career and professional development. We will build from this using a tool that will help you discover your personal professional values and assess your job alignment to those values, all while discussing your current and future career success.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will 1) understand the UC’s competency model 2) identify their top competencies, 3) clarify their values, and 4) align their competencies, values and motivations to support their career aspirations.

This workshop is co-sponsored by Berkeley Staff Assembly (BSA)

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

Understanding Work Styles and Your Career with the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) (BECAR151)

Th., 3/27, 12:30 - 2 pm

Presenter: Kate Zuby (she/her), Career Counseling Outreach Coordinator, University Health Services

In today's diverse and dynamic work environments, understanding your own preferences and how they align with different work roles is essential for making informed and effective choices. Join us for an enlightening workshop that utilizes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and others, empowering you to make more impactful decisions in your professional life.

Learning Outcomes: 1) discover unique strengths and preferences associated with personality types - your own and others, 2) gain a deeper appreciation for the diverse perspectives and approaches of others, and 3) develop greater self-awareness to leverage strengths and adapt your communication and decision-making styles for more effective collaboration and success in the workplace.Pre-work Required Instructions and a link for taking the MBTI will be sent at least 10 business days in advance of the workshop and must be completed within 4 business days of the workshop in order to participate. Completing this pre-work will provide you with personalized results that will serve as the foundation for our discussions and activities during the workshop.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

Wisdom from our Supervisors of Student Employee Community (BECAR SE201)

Thurs., 4/17, 9 - 10 am

Host: Amy Louise Casey Azuma (she/her), Database Manager, Discovery Initiative: Panelists: Iz Engel, (they/them), Collegiate Recovery Program Coordinator, Center for Support & Intervention, Anthea Yugawa (she/her), Director of Strategic Initiatives, Haas Undergraduate Program, Natalie Montanez (she/her), Service Lead, Instructional Computer Facilities, and Jay Sevilla (he/him), Undergraduate Advisor, Rausser College of Natural Resources; Review presenter team bios.

Celebrate National Student Employment Week 2025 by joining an inspiring panel discussion focused on the diverse models and exemplary supervisory practices within our community of over 1,000 student employee supervisors on campus. This session will spotlight effective strategies for supporting student employees while also prioritizing supervisor wellbeing.

You’ll hear stories of successful structures and practices, as well as valuable teachable moments. Whether you're an experienced supervisor or an enthusiastic supporter of student employment programs, this panel will offer valuable ideas to apply in your own practices. Together, let's share in a co-creating a story of supervision where units, supervisors, and student employees can all thrive.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will 1) learn diverse and effective strategies for supporting student employees, enhancing their supervisory skills, 2) gain insights into balancing the support of student employees with their own wellbeing, ensuring a healthy and productive work environment, and 3) hear real-life stories and examples of successful practices and teachable moments, providing them with practical ideas to implement in their own supervisory roles.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

LinkedIn II: Maximize Your Online Professional Presence (BECAR356)

Tues., 4/22, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Presenter: Tara Hertstein (she/her), Talent Acquisition Advisor, People & Culture

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is serving you by understanding how to best communicate to your target audience. This workshop is a chance to incorporate tips from a UC Berkeley Talent Acquisition Advisor. We encourage you to log in to LinkedIn and view your profile to assess and apply what you learn during this workshop.

Learning Outcomes: 1) gain a deep understanding of profile optimization, 2) enhance your engagement with recruiters, and 3) approach LinkedIn networking opportunities professionally, effectively, and successfully.

Note: This workshop is suitable for professionals at all levels of their careers and assumes a basic understanding of LinkedIn navigation.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

Interests in Life & Work with the Strong Interest Inventory 244 (SII244) (BECAR150)

Thurs., 5/8, 11:30 am - 1 pm

Presenters: Chris McLean (he/him), Ph.D., Assistant Director, Career and Academic Programs, University Health Services

The Strong Interest Inventory (SII) is a powerful tool that can help you make satisfying decisions about work activities, skills, and values. It classifies these elements into six themes in a customized report. The Strong report can help you assess your career focus and support your career-planning process. Please note that the SII assessment measures interests, not skills or abilities. The results can help guide you toward rewarding careers, work activities, education and training programs, and leisure activities—all based on your interests. We will use the Strong Interest Inventory 244, an updated version of the Strong Assessment designed to be more inclusive and insightful for individuals exploring life interests and career pathways.

Learning Outcomes: 1) reflect on career options consistent with your interests, 2) learn how your interests relate to job families and opportunities on campus, and 3) choose education and training relevant to your interests.

PRE-WORK REQUIRED. Instructions and a link for taking the SII244 will be sent at least 10 business days in advance of the workshop and must be completed within 4 business days of the workshop in order to participate. Completing this pre-work will provide you with personalized results that will support the discussion and activities during the workshop.

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

Achieve Together – Preparing Yourself for the Conversation with Your Supervisor/Manager (BECAR AT105)

Thurs., 7/24, 2 - 4 pm

Presenter: Colin Gerker-Junsay (he/him), Interim Assistant Director, People and Organization Development, People & Culture & Lisa Rykert (she/her), Career & Professional Development Lead, People and Organization Development, People & Culture

This offering for non-represented employees will provide a brief overview of the Achieve Together performance program. The focus of this interactive workshop will include planning and practice activities such as creating and communicating goals, engaging in productive check-in conversations, and optimizing your coachability, to prepare you to fully engage in your own performance development process with your manager. There will be about 1 hour of pre-work required to complete in advance of the workshop.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will 1) gain a comprehensive understanding of the Achieve Together performance program, 2) create one clear, achievable goal aligned with their role and the organization's objectives, and 3) learn techniques for productive check-in conversations with their supervisor/manager

Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

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