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 at least 7 - 10 days in advance of a program or service offering.

Spring 2023 Workshops

Download, print and share the Spring 2023 Staff Career Development Flyer.

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.

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

Design Thinking: Skills to Build Your Career

Wed., 1/18/23, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Feeling stuck? Unsure about your next career step? Curious about how to get started in a new field or role? This workshop employs design thinking to explore how you can create a sustainable life and work where you thrive. Learn tools to help you navigate your career path, get unstuck, and try out easy changes to increase your wellbeing and satisfaction at work.

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

Presenters: Julie McShane (she/her), Director of Career Development and Alumni Relations, Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership, and Kandis Rodgers (she/her), Career and Practicum Specialist, RISE: Berkeley Public Health Careers & Leadership Office, UC Berkeley School of Public Health

Cover Letter Writing Practice Lab

Thurs., 1/26/23, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm

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.

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

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

Resume Writing Practice Lab

Thurs., 2/2/23, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

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 of your choice that you would like to use as the focus for your resume draft.

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

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

The Skills You Bring

Wed., 2/8/23, 12:30 – 2:30 pm

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.

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

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

Achieve Together – Preparing Yourself for the Process

Wed., 3/8/23, 12:30 – 4:30 pm

This offering for non-represented employees will provide an overview of the Achieve Together performance program. This interactive workshop will also 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.

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

Presenters: Colin Gerker-Junsay (he/him) Sr. Talent Strategy Partner, People & Culture, and Lisa Rykert (she/her), Career & Professional Development Lead, People & Culture

Engaging Your Competencies and Values to Build Your Best Future

Thurs., 3/16/23, 11:30 am – 1 pm

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.

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.

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

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

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

Queering Professionalism - When your identity is inherently “unprofessional”: Navigating dominant culture definitions of professionalism for UC Berkeley LGBTQ+ staff

Tues., 3/21/23, 12:00 - 1:30 pm

Professionalism relates to how we are expected to dress/present, talk and behave in the workplace. Standards of professionalism were created by and for white, cishetero men and are manifesting in work cultures of perfection, conformity, and homogeneity. Professionalism is also deeply rooted in binary concepts of gender and used as an exclusionary tool. Those who don’t fit the mold, often don’t get hired, recognized and promoted. In addition, dealing with microaggressions and overt discrimination comes at a high cost including the ‘emotional tax’ paid for constantly being on guard to self-protect.

This event will highlight the experiences of UC Berkeley staff who identify as LGBTQ+. Our guest speakers will discuss strategies on how to navigate common ideas of professionalism and the barriers they create in the workplace. They will further explore what effective approaches to community building could look like for LGBTQ+ staff at UC Berkeley to access support and collaborate on creating a culture that supports authenticity, humanity and access to opportunities and advancement for all. The panelists are: Melissa Charles MA MS, Elisa Diana Huerta PhD, Harris Mojadedi, Victor A. Sanchez and Liat Wexler. The conversation will be moderated by Em C. Huang (read panelist bios here).

This workshop is co-sponsored by the Gender Equity Resource Center.

10+ Resources to 10x Your Career Planning

Thurs., 3/23/23, 11:30 am – 1 pm

Looking to build your skills in your current or next role? Trying to figure out what resources exist and where to start? This workshop will highlight 10+ resources to expand your results and support your career planning 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 will multiply your efforts.
Registrants will be sent a Zoom link and bCal invite as the virtual workshop date draws near.

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

Work Style and Your Career (MBTI)

Thurs., 3/30/23, 12:00 – 1:30 pm

It’s no surprise that people like to approach tasks differently. Understanding your preferences and those associated with various work roles can help you make informed effective choices. This workshop uses the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). PRE-WORK REQUIRED. Instructions for taking the MBTI will be sent (at least 5 days in advance) in your registration confirmation.

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

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

LinkedIn Basics

Wed., 4/19/23, 12:00 – 1:30 pm

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

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

Presenters: Esha Bharati (she/her), Talent Acquisition Advisor, and Miah Compton (she/her) Talent Acquisition Advisor

Interests in Life & Work

Wed., 5/3/23, 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

The term “interests” has a very specific meaning in career development. Clarify how your interests influence the work you enjoy through the Strong Interest Inventory assessment. Explore how interests relate to job families and opportunities on campus. PRE-WORK REQUIRED. Instructions for taking the Strong Interest Inventory (at least 3 days in advance) will be sent in your registration confirmation.

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

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

LinkedIn II: Maximize Your Online Professional Presence

Thurs., 5/11/23, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

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 login in to LinkedIn and view your profile to assess and apply what you learn during this workshop.

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

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