Jobs are available!

As of this morning, we have 284 job postings on the Career Connection site!  If you are looking for work (part-time, full-time or seasonal) there is probably a position for you! Stay active with your account and make sure you have a good resume to send to employers. 

Tips to help

Create a Search Agent - go to the 'Job Search' tab and use the advanced search option, then follow the directions at the top of the page to create the agent. This feature can be setup to run your saved search and email you the results on a regular basis so you do not have to remember to check in. 

Login regularly - we post news of employer visits and other hiring events in the local area that might be of interest to you.  You may also want to conduct a job search even if you have a Search Agent. Employers sometimes list jobs in categories you may not have thought of and didn't come up in your agent search.

Have multiple resumes - if you are looking for work in multiple industries, you should have a resume tailored to each area.  One generic resume is not effective.  Contact our office if you need assistance.

stuemploy@tridenttech.edu

843.574.6302

Post Career Fair Notes

The Career Fair was a big success yesterday! We ended up with 121 employers in attendance. I hope everyone found the event to be helpful in their career planning.  The employers were very satisfied and the attendees I spoke with seemed to be very hopeful in the conversations they had with employers.

Overall, I felt the attendees were more prepared than in past years.  There seemed to be a lot of resumes in hands and dress was more appropriate (for the most part). Always keep in mind that when you meet with an employer, you are making a first impression - good OR bad.  A good impression will make them want to follow up with you later.

We are working on future events, so be sure to follow the blog for updates!

Career Fair Update

The annual Career Fair is only one week away and we are busy finalizing the employer list.  As always, there will be some last minute changes. Some employers not currently listed will be added and a couple scheduled to attend will drop out.  We will try to keep the on-line listing updated as much as possible.

We have a maximum of 121 tables in the College Center and all are spoken for!  We additionally have a few employers on a waiting list that we will try to accomodate.  There will definitely be a full house.

Please be sure to read the previous post from March 5th that discusses how to prepare for the Career Fair.  First impressions are lasting and can make the difference in an employer wanting to pursue hiring you or passing.

The Career Fair is primarily for our students and alumni, but it is also open to the public if you have friends/family who may be looking for work.

Opportunities are out there

We have had a lot of interest from employers in hiring TTC students/graduates lately!  Several companies have met with us to try to fill their open positions. We encourage them to use the Career Connection system and to be sure and attend the career fair.

Career Connection currently has over 200 advertised positions posted and we have almost maxed out our space for the career fair at 120 tables.  Use both of these tools to help in finding a career.  If you need assistance with a resume, please contact our office at 843.574.6302 or stuemploy@tridenttech.edu.  We will be happy to assist you!

Career Fair 2014!

The annual TTC Career Fair will be held on Wednesday, April 9th from 10:00 - 1:00 in the College Center, building 920 on the main campus.  We currently have over 100 employers registered and should easily reach our cap of 120.  This is always a great event to meet employers to discuss open positions or ask about future openings.

Suggestions for being successful at any career fair:

Dress appropriately!  This is the first impression you make with an employer so you should dress appropriately.  We hear many comments each year that students were not dressed appropriately. You do not need to wear a suit, but nice a nice pants and shirt combination would be fine.  What not to wear:

• Shorts
• Tank tops/t-shirts
• Flip flops (probably #1 complaint)
• Low cut tops
• Dirty clothes

Come alone.  Do not bring family/children with you.  This is a business forum to discuss potential hiring.  You should demonstrate that you do not have child/family care issues that might keep you from being reliable.

Bring resumes.  Not all companies will accept them at a career fair, but you want to be prepared for those that do.  Make sure it looks professional (our office can help!).

Speak and act in a professional manner.  You are being evaluated for a potential hire so show that you are the kind of employee a company would like to hire.

Lastly, we get a few complaints each year that "X" company was not there, or there were not enough employers from "X" industry.  We send out over 2000 invitations to every industry in the area.  We cannot force an employer to attend though.  If you do not see a company that is in your industry, rest assured it was not because we did not invite any.  Sometimes they are just not hiring at that time or do not have personnel they can send. 

Hiring!

If you are looking for employment, be sure to check in with the Career Connection site!  We currently have over 200 jobs listed with 40 added in the last couple of days.  Several employers have visited with our staff this week looking for quality employees.  Some will schedule campus visits in the near future and most of them have already posted positions on Career Connection.

The Importance of Interviewing Well

I've recently completed interviews for an open position and thought I would share some important tips that may help you in the future.  It takes a lot of work just to get an interview, why would you not want to do your best? 

When an employer calls you for an interview, they are trying to see if you are a good fit for the position.  This screening begins with that initial phone conversation and continues until the hire is complete.  Convince them you are the best fit for the job.  Here is how:

• Be professional and polite in all communications
• Research the company and the position
• Smile - who wants to work with someone who is not enthused about the job?
• Know what skills/traits/abilities you have that are directly related to the position
• Listen closely and be sure to answer the question
• Match your skills to the job description

Here are some interview killers to avoid:

• Be sure you want this job, not just a job - it is easy for the interviewer to tell and a bad signal to send; if you are just looking for a job, an employer will assume you will only be in the position long enough to find something better
• Don't show up unprepared; if you were given directions/assignments for the interview, follow the instructions
• Short, non-descriptive answers do not help the interviewer
• Not understanding the requirements of the position, or knowledge of the employer, indicates you have not done your research and are probably not a strong candidate
• Do not be rude or dismissive on the phone

Welcome to Spring 2014!

The holdays are behind us and we are beginning a new semester.  The spring semester is always a very busy time for the Student Employment office.  This is the time that employers start hiring for summer jobs and it is time for our Career Fair.

The annual Career Fair will be held on April 9th from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the 920 building.  Employers have already started registering and we anticipate 100+ once again.  Block off some time on your calendar so you have a chance to meet with hiring managers and recruiters.

Be sure to create an account on Career Connection, or update your account, so that you can add resumes and apply for open positions with some great companies.  Keeping your account updated is important so that you will receive any important information on jobs in your area of study.

As always, if you need assistance in the job search process, please contact our office!

Building 940 Suite D (main campus)
843-574-6302
stuemploy@tridenttech.edu

Use all of your tools - Career Connection

As a current student or graduate of TTC, you have access to our Career Connection system.  This on-line job posting system allows employers the opportunity to advertise open positions directly to you.  The majority of employers are local and are looking for employees with the qualifications obtained in our degree programs.  Registration is free and you can upload multiple versions of your resume, cover letters and other documents.

How do I get hired at Boeing?

I hear this question at least once or twice a day.  The answer is:

• Be qualified - carefully read the job description and evaluate your past training and experience
• Be pro-active - do not wait for someone to do the work for you
• Make sure your resume shows that you can perform the work described in the position description - employers can't read your mind so use "key words"
• Look for contractors who work with Boeing in addition to applying to Boeing itself
• Check the ReadySC website for open application periods.
• Post your resume on the Boeing Talent Network site.  This allows Boeing staff to search for qualified applicants for new positions that become available.

At the time of this posting, at least two of these contractors (Yoh Aerospace and CDI) are trying to fill over 100 positions at the Charleston plant.  Please contact the Student Employment office if you are interested.  There is a job description on the Career Connection system.

574-6302
stuemploy@tridenttech.edu