Seasonal Work

Job seekers sometimes shy away from accepting a seasonal employment opportunity because it is generally short-lived and not usually in their field of interest.  My advice is to reconsider.  Many times these "temporary" jobs can lead to a full-time position with the company if you perform at a high level. Consider these opportunities a chance to audition your skills. 

Also keep in mind that many of these jobs work with the public, and you never know who you may meet. Every contact is a potential lead to the position you are seeking.  Everyone remembers competent, helpful, and likeable employees they meet.  One of these contacts just may be looking for someone to fill an open position!

Interview Like a Pro

What makes one candidate better than another in the interview process? Do some people just have "it"? In a way, yes.  The "it", however, may not be what you are thinking.  Preparation is what the best applicants possess.  A good interview is imperative in landing the job you want and requires your very best effort.

Characteristics of a great applicant

• Well dressed, well groomed, smiles, professional demeanor
• Answers questions thoroughly and relates to the position description
• Appears prepared for questions and not easily flustered
• Asks well thought out questions at the end of the interview

4 Questions to prepare for

1. Would you tell me(us) a little about yourself?
• No personal information. Spend about two minutes discussing your qualifications that match up with the position description. This is your best chance to lay your best cards on the table.
2. What are some of your greatest strengths?
• Describe an asset that lines up directly with a desired/required skill from the position description.
3. Where do you see yourself in 3 years?
• A major concern for employers is hiring someone that is looking for a layover on their way to a better opportunity. Always include the employer in your plan and make sure they feel you are commited to them for at least the timeframe in the question.
4. Do you have any questions for me(us)?
• As you can probably guess, the only wrong answer is "no". Research the company to develop well thought out and relavent questions. You should always have between three and five questions.

Being well prepared for these questions will give you confidence and keep you focused on selling yourself to the position description, which is the goal.

Using Resources

Your Student Employment office has a number of different assets for you to use in your search for employment. To increase your chances of getting a position you want, you should make use of these tools.

Web Resources
There are many Student Employment tools you can use on-line.  Resume writing, interviewing tips, and job searching are just a few.  There are also links to "Job Choices" which is an on-line magazine produced by a national organization working with colleges and employers.  There are many articles that provide excellent suggestions for improving your ability to make yourself the best candidate possible. These resources can be found by clicking on the picture.

Body Piercings and Tattoos

Body art is becoming much more popular in society, but how will it affect your employment possibilities? Most people do not think about this when they decide to add a piercing or tattoo, but your decision could have more of an impact on your future than you think.

 

 

Many companies have policies that prevent employees from having tattoos and piercings, or at least against from having them visible. Before applying for a position, research the company to find out what their policy is.

Levelwing Campus Visit

Levelwing is a marketing/data analysis company that recently expanded from New York City to Daniel Island. They will be on-campus Wednesday, October 26th from 12:45 - 1:45 p.m. in building 410 room 212 on the main campus to discuss their company and potential positions to fill. To reserve a seat, log in to Career Connection, or email the Student Employment office at stuemploy@tridenttech.edu.

 

 

Who is Levelwing?

They are a data-driven marketing solutions firm and a full-service digital advertising agency. Founded in 2002 by Steve Parker Jr. and Jeff Adelson-Yan, the agency grew out of a 450 sqaure foot New Yrok apartment into a multi-office agency serving global clients. Levelwing was named the #1 and #2 Fastest Growing Company by the Charleston Regional Business journal in 2010 and 2011, respectively.
At Levelwing, team members work as data-driven marketers providing innovative digital solutions, leveraging data in order to focus on accountability, ask smarter questions, and continually pursue more meaningful answers. The work is challenging, fast-paced, and requires an analytical mindset. Team members generally have strong backgrounds in computers, data analysis, media, and marketing.

Dress for Success

How do you dress for an interview? Two words: Professional and Conservative.

Professional

• Men - Generally, this is a suit although you may get by with a shirt and tie if the position is in a more casual setting. Always dress better than what the employees wear on a daily basis and it is always better to be over dressed than under dressed.
• Women - Business suit or a nice top (with sleeves) and slacks or skirt.

Conservative

• Darker colors (blue, black, grey, etc.)
• Minimal jewelry (small earrings, one ring, small necklace, etc.)
• Hair should be well groomed and not contain bold colors or highlights
• No bright colors
• Women - clothes should not be low cut or above the knee
• Men - clothes should fit well and be pressed
• Very minimal cologne/perfume; none is better

This may seem to be a lot of guidelines that shouldn't make a difference in your ability to perform the functions of the position, but the first impression you make on an interview team may determine whether or not you are hired. You do not want to be remembered for dressing inappropriately for an interview.

Employer Visit

Coca-Cola Consolidated will be on campus Wednesday September 28th at 12:45 and September 29th at 1:00 p.m. Representatives will provide information on working for Coca-Cola as a career and discuss available openings at their distribution warehouse. This is a good opportunity to ask questions and possibly discuss a part-time opportunity while you attend college. To register, go to the Career Connection website, or send an email to stuemploy@tridenttech.edu.

Work-Study

Welcome to the 2011 Fall Semester!

Each new school year brings new students seeking employment opportunities through the work-study program. It also brings a lot of questions about the program. Here are answers to some of the most common questions.

What is work-study?

- The program is designed to allow students an opportunity to earn an hourly wage working part-time in either an on-campus or select off-campus position. These opportunities do not interfere with your class schedule.

What are the qualifications?

- There are two types of work-study, Institutional and Federal. Institutional positions are funded by the college and require enrollment in 6 hours or more and an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher. Federal positions are based on financial aid eligibility and require enrollment in 6 hours or more, GPA of 2.0 or higher, and the student cannot be on Financial Aid Probation.

How do I apply?

- You must complete an application with the Student Employment office so that your eligibility may be screened. You also must register on Career Connection, upload a resume, and then apply for work-study positions that are advertised. You will be contacted for an interview just as you would for any job you apply to. For more information, visit our work-study web page.

The Job Search

You may have heard that finding a job is a full-time job in itself. It can be. The market is very competitive for many industries and employers are searching for the "best" candidates instead of the only candidates.

What does this mean for the job seeker? First, you should make sure you are presenting yourself as a candidate who can fulfill the job description. Pay attention to the requirements of the position. Make sure you are clearly demonstrating your ability to perform required tasks.

Second, you should be prepared to apply for more positions than you may have anticipated. Competition is stiff and managers receive many applications/resumes for each opening. You may be qualified, but not "as qualified" as others who apply.

Third, use many methods of finding openings. On-line gives you the quickest method to find the most openings, but remember to network and use personal interaction as well. Many companies only accept resumes on-line so that should be your first resource.

Finally, do not be discouraged! It is easy to lose motivation, but your opportunity is out there. You just need to locate it. Many times you find the job you wanted in a place you didn't expect. Keep in mind that most companies need people in administration, information technology, accounting, marketing/sales, etc. Example: if you are a computer programmer, keep in mind that Food Lion has a computer network. Hidden jobs are some of the best sources of opportunity.

How to get noticed

Today's job market is extremely competitive. For every open position you can expect to compete with dozens of other applicants at a minimum. Sometimes even hundreds. Managers cannot afford to interview everyone, so they generally select 5 - 10 of the top candidates. How can you make the cut?

• Address the needs of the position rather than trying to list every accomplishment in your life
• Use key words from the position description in your resume
• Organize your resume so that the most important information for the position is listed first

Using a generic resume that you send out for every position is poor use of your time. You must convince the hiring manager that you are a good candidate for "their" position. The use of key words and addressing the position requirements will do just that.