Professional Documents
Culture Documents
By: Melissa Lox, MFT Class of 2009 What an honor to be chosen for this blog! I graduated from the USC MFT program in 2009, heavily in student loan debt, living/working in Orange County, and needing an MFT position in Los Angeles to satisfy the requirements for a stipend I had been awarded. I emailed and called hundreds of agencies, wondering how anyone would hire me when budgets were being slashed and candidates outnumbered positions. However, I stuck to my plan, followed the steps that I will outline for you, and landed an Outpatient Therapist position that came with great training to build more skills, which ultimately prepared me to seek out an incredible career at Aviva Family & Childrens Services. Stay Positive: Like most things in life, finding a job is more about your thoughts and how you feel about your goals, than anything else. I doubted I would ever get a position no matter how many contacts I had made (and I had a great job as a therapist in Orange County, but it didnt count for the stipend), until I changed my attitude. I started focusing on what I loved about the job I had at the time, and looked for positions that were similar. I knew that I loved working with foster youth and I could use my experience and my passion to be a great candidate for a similar workplace. Therefore, I recommend you consider what you are good at, what your goals are, and seek out a job placement that will allow you to utilize these skills and develop as a professional. Staying positive is key to landing a job. Get Organized: What are you looking for and what is important to you? After having commuted during the MFT program, I wanted an agency that was close enough to where I wanted to live. Other factors to consider might include whether or not you want to work inside an office, in the field, part of a small or large agency. More specifically for MFTs, is getting Department of Mental Health (DMH) experience a priority for you? When I ranked what I was looking for and matched those attributes with specific agencies, I had more direction. I would encourage you to do the same in getting organized and making a list of the factors that are most important to you. Network: My current employer usually only hires from within or by current employee referral. Therefore, I recommend that you seek advice and feedback from the people who are already in the position you are seeking. Use your faculty advisors and site supervisors: As an MFT alum, Dr. Clark and Dr. Andres were great for this! I would also recommend that you take advantage of your current resources, such as Facebook and professional organization community pages (i.e. CAMFTs), because social networking pays off. Stay Informed: In my experience, most community mental health agencies will only hire candidates with the right background. Do you have any experience implementing an evidence-based practice (EBP)? Are you bilingual? How are your writing skills? Take the time and put forth the energy to build on these skills and areas of competency. Also, take into consideration your other areas of interest. I would encourage you to be clear about who you are and where you are going as this can help you stand out during an interview.
Also, in my experience, potential employers want to know what your interests are, so when the pressure on the job is on, they know you will have a great self care plan. I love being a Health and Wellness Coach on my off time, and I shared about that passion during my interview, which I believe was critical in showing what an asset I could be for the employer. It is my sincere hope that these ideas help you all in finding a great position after graduation! Wishing everyone great success in 2012! Melissa Lox MFTI Intern Multidisciplinary Assessor Health & Wellness Coach Melissa.Lox@gmail.com