To "Temp" or not to "Temp"

I am often asked whether working as a temporary employee looks bad on a resume.  My answer is always the same: all periods of employment look good. Working in a temporary position can also allow you to develop new skills, audition for possible long-term positions within the company, and show future employers that you have a strong work ethic.

If you are having trouble finding a full-time position in your industry of choice, consider working for a temporary agency in areas that will strengthen your primary skill set and teach you additional skills. Experience in the work place is very important to employers and having diverse abilities will make you even more competitive.

Job Search Anxiety

The process of searching for employment can be very stressful. You may be transitioning from the exhiliration of graduating from college to entering the job market, or just searching for a position while still attending school.  The self-imposed pressure of wanting to secure a stable position can take a toll on your mental and physical health.  It is important to be at peak performance as you speak with each employer you meet.  You are making a first impression each interview and you do not want to appear tired, depressed, moody or defeated.

There are some very good articles on The Ladder which address the issue.
Dealing with Anxiety

What do employers want?

Hiring a new employee is a big investment of time and money for an employer.  If the person selected does not work out, it is a waste of both. This makes the selection process very important to an employer and is why resume review and the interview process can seem so grueling.  So what is an employer looking for?

Job specific skills. Read the job description carefully and make sure you are selling yourself as the best person to fill the job. Your resume should be tailored with "key words" in the job description to make it easy for the employer to want to interview you. During the interview you should emphasize your qualifications that are a fit for the job description as well.

Soft skills.  This is an area that many employers find to be very lacking in candidates. These are skills such as:

• Strong work ethic
• Initiative
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Teamwork
• Interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Flexibility and adaptability

Be sure to give examples of your soft skills during an interview. This can go a long way towards convincing an employer that you are a good fit.

Back to class...back to work!

Summer classes are starting, and for many of you, that also means finding job for the summer (or longer). The Student Employment office has a few tools to help you locate a position.

Career Connection - Our on-line job posting system that is only available to current TTC students and alumni.  We generally approve jobs each day on the system and average 140 - 150 active jobs on a typical day.  If you are not registered, you are missing some great opportunities that can only be found there.  Create an account (if you do not have one), upload a resume, and apply on-line for most of the positions. Be sure to check this site regularly as we also post announcements of employer visits and other events that might help you find the right job.

Outside Searches - Our web site has an organized listing of other helpful job search tools. Take advantage of this page to maximize your search. 

Finding employment is never an easy process, but by using these sources we hope you will maximize the use of your time.

Stand out from the crowd

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.

Finding Employment

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 fill 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.

Verizon Wireless is back!

Sorry, but the session was canceled.  Not enough interest expressed to have them come to campus. We will try again in the summer.

Verizon Wireless is back on campus Wednesday, April 11th at 1:45.  They will be presenting their presentation called "Book bag to Briefcase".  The focus of this presentation will be on interviewing for your next position. Verizon has held many good sessions for students in the past and this one is very well timed with graduation around the corner. Plan to attend this session to help you with your next interview.

Seating is limited, so please RSVP by sending an email to the Student Employment office or registering on the Career Connection system.

Career Fair gone...What now?

If you attended the Career Fair last Wednesday, you had the opportunity to meet with over 100 employers. A lot of you did based on attendance numbers.  We had almost 900 people come through in the three hour time period!  Employers and attendees were both enthusiastic about the turnout.  Hopefully, you found a lead or two on potential employment, but what if you didn't?

A career fair is just one tool.  Do not despair if you did not find the job that fits your needs. You should be using as many search methods as possible. One possibility is Career Connection.

If you are not registered on the Student Employment Career Connection site, you are missing out on many jobs posted by local employers for TTC students and alumni. On any given day you will find between 90 - 120 active job postings.  Most of them will accept a resume submitted on-line through the system, and the few that do not give instructions on how to apply. Employers that advertise on Career Connection want TTC trained applicants.

Get your account setup today if you do not have one, upload a resume (or several versions if desired), and start searching for your opportunity.

Seeking Employment?

I am sure many of you will attend the Career Fair on Wednesday, however there is an immediate resource available to all students and alumni of TTC.  Career Connection is our on-line job posting system and is free for your use.  As of this morning, we have 158 openings advertised!  We generally average between 90 - 100 on any given day.  Why use Career Connection when there are many other sites available?

1. The site is monitored by your Student Employment staff.  All employers are reviewed by our staff before being approved.  Each job posting is reviewed as well.
2. Employers advertising through Career Connection are seeking TTC students or graduates.
3. Flexibility.  You may save several versions of your resume, cover letters, documents, etc. to your account. This allows you to pick and choose what to send to each employer.
4. Announcements and notifications.  Stay abreast of employer visits and workshops. Create a "Job Agent" to automatically notify you of positions you may be interested in.

Registration is free and you may keep your account upon graduation. There really is no reason not to register!  Registration tip:  use your personal email address rather than your TTC email. This way you will not encounter any problems once you graduate and lose your school email acount.

Career Fair 2012

We are now at 116 employers for the career fair! We have a very good mix of employers to speak with. If you are looking for a position now, or in the near future, please keep these tips in mind:

• You are making a first impression - make a good one.
• Dress appropriately; no shorts, flip-flops, t-shirts, etc. (turn off for employers).
• Bring copies of your resume.
• Do some research on any employers you may be interested in.
• Be able to verbalize what type of position you want.
• Come alone. Do not bring your children. If you cannot attend this event without bringing your children, employers will immediately assume childcare will be an issue in the future.

This event is one of the larger career fairs in the tri-county area and is designed with TTC students and alumni in mind. Take advantage of this opportunity and make it productive!