Career Services Spotlight Transcripts

RECORDING OF: YouTube Video Career Spotlight: Making a Career Transition into Academia

TRANSCRIBED: February 14, 2017

FOR: Walden University

REPORTED/TRANSCRIBED BY: Angie Lira

Angie: Hi! My name is Angie Lira Senior Career Advisor with Walden University. I worked with Nardia through a series of appointments, as she made the career transition from a Clinician into a full-time position in academia. She shares her story with us.

Nardia: Hello! My name is Nadia Aldridge and I am a student here at Walden University. I am in the PhD program in Healthcare Administration. Today I am here at the Tampa Residency and I would like to share with you how the Walden University Career Service Center helped me transition from Clinician to academia as I obtained my full-time position as a faculty member at a major university in Fort Lauderdale. I recently relocated from New York to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In speaking with a colleague of mine about my goals once I've completed my PhD at Walden University about what I would like to do with the degree, I spoke to her about teaching. She mentioned to me that there is a major university in Fort Lauderdale that is speaking a full-time faculty member in their Occupational Therapy department. I decided to check this out and applied for the position. Based on the job description they were looking for someone with a CV as well as teaching experience. I did not feel that I qualify for these and I decided to search the Walden Career Service website to see some samples for CVs. However, even after reviewing samples, I still felt that I needed more help on how to get my skills to be reflected on the CV. I decided at that time to make an appointment with an advisor. She not only helped me to develop the CV, but also review all the skillsets that I had that would match. And to help me develop the CV that reflects not only my leadership and management skills, but the skills that I have in terms of presentations and workshops, which I didn't think I poccessed. After submitting the CV, I was able to land an interview. I followed up with the Career Service Center Advisor as to how I would go about the interview process because it's not your typical interview. It's a two-day process, and the interview doesn't only consist of regular general questions, but about more in terms of teaching, and I wanted to make sure that I was able to do this interview. She helped me by asking me the necessary interview questions regarding student and performances that will help to land me the job. In addition, part of the interview process is working in a PowerPoint presentation, which I had to do. Not only did the advisor help me in formatting the PowerPoint presentation, to get through it in a timely manner, but also in terms of design, colors, font sizes and all the necessary information that will help me to get the job that I need. After the interview session, I was pleased to announce, that based on the services of the Walden University Career Support Center, I was able to land, what I didn't know at the time was my dream job, but now is.

[This text is being provided in a rough-draft format to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings]