Hello guys, this is the job ad:

Senior / Counsellor

The Challenges

As a Senior / Counsellor in the National Addictions Management Service, you will review all clinical, medical, psychosocial and other relevant data in your assessment of clients. You will be required to formulate a provisional diagnosis, and enlist your patient’s cooperation in developing a treatment plan. You will also mobilize the relevant resources and services your patients require.

You will work within a multi-disciplinary setting led by the physician, and will be required to communicate and consult with nurses and allied health workers as well. For both inpatients and outpatients, you will be required to conduct individual and group programmes, as well as work with their families.

Your duties include reviewing counselling practices and setting high standards of quality care through individual or peer supervision. An essential component of your work entails assisting the department in evaluating and improving patient services which necessarily include the capturing of clinical outcome measures and any other data required by the department.

Training in addictions for both internal and external professional staff is an important part of your work, as is the delivery of educational talks to the public.

The Requirements

• Minimum a Bachelor degree in Psychology, Counselling, Social Work, Nursing or related discipline with relevant work experience. A Master degree would be preferred
• Basic knowledge of PC applications (Microsoft Word & Excel)
• Experience in gambling addiction counselling will be an advantage
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills

Application Letter Critique

Chua Hui Xuan Valerie

456 Corporation Road

#03-06, S(649813)

9109 6279

val005@hotmail.com

7^th February 2012

Jasmine Tay

Human Resource Manager

The Human Resource Department

Institute of Mental Health / Woodbridge Hospital

Buangkok Green Medical Park

10 Buangkok View, Singapore 539747

Dear Ms. Tay:

I graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts and Social Science Degree. Having been a psychology student and a current volunteer at IMH, my passion lies in working with patients to better their lives. I saw the job opening for Senior/Counsellor for IMH on their online website and am extremely keen in it. Thus I decided to apply for this position.

As a volunteer at IMH, I find that working with patients gives me a sense of fulfillment. I have worked together with psychologists as well as social workers during weekly in-ward visits. Weekly visitations involve interacting with in-patients; taking them for walks, as well as providing a listening ear. In addition, I was part of a team which organized recreational activities for patients, to help lighten up their spirits. I believe that this experience has made me confident and comfortable in communicating with patients, as well as helped me develop adequate interpersonal skills, which would be necessary as a counsellor.

I have also collaborated with charitable organizations such as AMK Family service centre in organizing events for the less fortunate. Working with these organizations further spurred my interest in working with people. In working with these organizations, it is vital to be able to communicate effectively with your team members as well as the respective organizations. I believe that I have proven to be a responsible leader, as well as a team player who is able to work well with others. Being a counselor requires one to not only work with patients, but also with other allied health workers. Hence I believe that these skills will benefit me as a counsellor at IMH.

Thank you for taking my application into consideration. I look forward to meeting you personally and reviewing my qualifications. If you have any questions, please call me at 9109 6279 or email me at val005@hotmail.com

Sincerely

Valerie Chua

*I don't know why the top part is so weirdly spaced I can't seem to figure out how to solve that! So please just excuse that part! It isn't like that when it's opened with MS word.(:

Resolving Interpersonal Conflict

This incident happened a couple of years ago when two of my friends (A and B) and I were collaborating with a non-profit organization to plan a family day event.

B thought that the family day event should be an elaborate one, with activities and games for families to engage in, as well as performers to provide entertainment. Her plan was costly and hard to achieve given the limited amount of time we had. However, B wanted families to be assured a fun-filled and eventful day which they can look forward to.

A on the other hand, wanted it to be a simple affair. She argued that B’s idea was over-the-top and costly; she felt it was inappropriate for a family day. She suggested that we instead, simply cater food and families can bond with one another over a meal.

I believe that interpersonal conflict arose not because they had different ideas and personalities, but due to the lack of empathy and understanding for one another. Both A and B were insistent on their own ideas and refused to accept the others’ suggestions. I found myself being caught in the middle as each of their idea had its own merits and both stemmed from good intentions. Thus I proposed that we have a combination of both of their suggestions. Despite my efforts in trying to get them to understand the other’s viewpoint, a compromise could not be reached.

It was getting difficult to work together as the tension between A and B increased. As the deadline drew closer and still have no concrete plan, we used A’s idea due to the lack of time.

How would one get two headstrong people to empathize and compromise with one another (especially when both have valid reasons for their actions)?