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WVJC Charleston Alumni Highlight - Donnie Ingram

2010 Computer Information Technology / Technical Emphasis Graduate

When Donnie Ingram was asked why he chose to attend West Virginia Junior College, his answer was blunt and honest.

He said, “I woke up one day and realized I was nearly 30, had no career and that I was going nowhere in the job I was in. I wanted a career, not just another J.O.B (Just Over Broke). Unfortunately, I had no degree or certifications, so my options were limited.”

Before enrolling at WVJC, he was working as a Phone Support Technician for a company in his area.

Donnie enrolled in the Computer Information Technology program at West Virginia Junior College and certainly made his time matter while in school. He served as the President of the Computer Club and worked as a Federal Work Study with the IT Department at the school. The instructors and staff at WVJC saw him as a leader to other students.

Career Management Director, Stephanie Duncan said, “Donnie always had a positive attitude and he was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. The other students looked up to him and our staff very much enjoyed it when he worked with us.”

School can be hard, but Donnie’s decision to attend WVJC certainly was the right one. He said, “The staff and faculty at WVJC go above and beyond what their job titles include in order to help students better their lives and achieve their career goals.”

Donnie graduated from WVJC with honors and is now a Desktop Support Technician at one of the largest corporations in West Virginia. He is responsible for the technological needs of 300 local employees and thousands of employees at remote branches and warehouses. He installs hardware and software and provides troubleshooting assistance to technological issues.

He never would have been able to land this job if it wasn’t for his degree from WVJC. He said, “Before getting my degree at WVJC, I was stuck in the unending cycle of one dead-end job after another with no future in sight. WVJC opened the door to a better future with exciting career opportunities by broadening my knowledge of technology, sharpening my research skills and teaching me the ability to stay current in my field.”

“Now, I am more financially stable. I am able to pay off my car, support my daughter, pay my bills every month and feel better about myself and my life in general.”

Professional Steps for your Contact Information After Graduation

Now that you have completed your program and graduated in a professional field of study, take a few minutes to make sure your contact information is updated from a ‘student’ to a ‘professional’. Here are a couple of ideas for contact information you need to update when you finish school.

1. Your Email
While you were enrolled in school, you probably had an email address that ended with your school’s name or initials and had an edu on the end. Make sure you have taken the time to create a new email address that is professional and includes your name in some way. A great rule of thumb for creating an email address: If you can write your email address down on a piece of paper without your name written on it and they can guess that it is yours – you should be good to go. Limit numbers end excess underlines or characters and make it as professional as possible.
Make an effort to check your email regularly. If you are applying for positions online, maybe companies may make a first attempt to contact you by sending an extended application or request for an interview via email. You certainly don’t want to miss out on a great career opportunity by not keeping up with popular forms of communication.

2. Your Voicemail
You may have been able to get away with a funny voicemail or one that isn’t 100% professional so far, but now is the time to change that. If you can’t make it to your phone and an employer leaves you a voicemail, this is essentially their first impression of you. Make sure you clearly state your name and use correct grammar. Do not include any songs, slang or profanity. Also, make sure you regularly check your voicemail. You never know who called while you were away!

3. Your Address
Are you moving now that you have graduated college? Or, do you live in a lengthy address or have a PO Box address? It is perfectly acceptable on a resume in today’s job searching trends to list only a city and state, separated by a comma, on your resume. An employer does not need to know the exact location of your residence, so it is fine to only list the minimum.
All of this contact information should be updated on your resume to make sure you are putting forth your best professional image to potential employers as you search for your perfect career!

A New Career and Your Finances

Landing your first career is such an outstanding achievement. Many times, individuals begin making money after they have been out of the workforce for a long period of time, so it is important to make sure you manage your finances completely and carefully!

1. Don’t Be Frivolous
Making money comes with responsibility. If you went into debt during school or have credit car bills, utility bills, house or rent payments, etc. make sure you make these a priority with your new income. It’s always fun to buy great new things, but the most important thing you can do is manage your money carefully and save for those ‘splurge’ purchases.

2. Create a Budget and Follow It
You should most definitely take the time to sit-down, look at your income and compare it to your expenses and your debt. There are several free resources on the internet that can help you build and manage your budget, so use them! We like this one: http://www.budgetworksheets.org/

3. Save What You Can
After you have created your budget and you know how much to allow for expenses and debt with each paycheck, start a savings account to save additional money. You never know when an emergency will arise and you’ll need that extra cash!

4. Utilize Your Resources
If you come into a situation where you have lost your source of income or you are struggling, always contact your Financial Aid Director at the campus where you attended school. They can help get you on the right track and can help make sure you don’t get behind in your loan repayments from your school loans. This is very important! You never want to ruin your credit when you could have had help!

Also, any student who attends PIHT, WVJC or OVCT can always come back to their campus for Career Management Assistance. The Career Management Director at your campus can assist you with updating your resume, filling out applications and they can even help you mail or fax your information to job leads. It’s up to you, though – you have to take the first step to call your campus and schedule an appointment!

2 P’s Likely to be forgotten in your Job Search

Here’s an easy fix to keep you organized and prepared for potential calls from interviewers while job searching. Don’t forget to always keep 2 very important “P’s” handy…a PEN and PAPER.

If an employer calls when you are not sitting at a desk or somewhere easy to find these items, you’ll then have a very real idea as to why this article is important.

An employer doesn’t know your schedule. They have no idea when you head to the gym, when you grocery shop, or when you pick up your kids from school. One thing your employer DOES know, however...is a phone number to contact you. So, make sure you are proactive by having these items available at all times. Scrambling around for a pen and a piece of paper can sound unprofessional on the phone and you certainly don’t want that you be your first impression.

Make sure you always get the company name, interviewer’s name, interview time and the address of the facility in which you are meeting with. Also, if they mention any additional materials you might need to bring such as a portfolio, driver’s license, certification cards, etc. that you jot those down, as well. It is easy to get nervous and excited with a phone call for an interview…so write down important notes.

This simple step can keep you calm and prepared for employer calls to your phone. Happy Job Searching!

WVJC Charleston Career Management Director - Stephanie Duncan

Hey, WVJC Charleston students! Say hello to your Career Management Director, Stephanie Duncan!

Stephanie has been with West Virginia Junior College Charleston Campus for almost four years. Some of you may recognize her as the smiling face that first introduced you to our campus, as she spent her first three years as an Admissions Representative.

Now, Stephanie has moved to the Career Management Director position in Charleston where she is responsible for working with students during their final quarter of enrollment to land positions in their field of study.
Stephanie is a 2004 graduate of Marshall University with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. She enjoys reading, attending country concerts and shoe shopping.

She has goals of connecting WVJC graduates with local employers and continuing to build career options for graduates by networking, community outreach and externship development. Her favorite part of the Career Management role so far is seeing the excitement and confidence on the faces of Charleston graduates as they begin their new careers.

If you are a WVJC current student or alumni and need assistance with placement or professional development, please feel free to contact Stephanie!

Stephanie Duncan
SDuncan@wvjc.edu
304.345.2820
Facebook: Stephanie Duncan
Twitter: StephLoweDuncan
LinkedIn- Stephanie (Lowe) Duncan

Ohio Valley College of Technology Career Management Director - Chad Grey

Hey OVCT Students and Alumni! Meet your Career Management Director, Mr. Chad Grey. Chad joined the OVCT Team in October and has made an immediate impact in the Career Management Department.

Chad is a Kent State University graduate from East Liverpool, OH. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2011 and joined the team at OVCT to assist with placement and career management for students. In his free time, he enjoys golf, tennis, basketball, hunting and anything outdoors.

Chad’s favorite part of working for OVCT is interacting with the students. He enjoys helping people…it’s been his goal to serve others in a professional career, so he is adjusting to his new position very well.

If you are a current student or a graduate of OVCT and need a little help with your job search, managing your career or if you’d just like to take the time to connect with Chad, here is his contact information:

Chad Grey
330.385.1070
CGrey@ovct.edu
Facbook: Chad Grey-ovct
Twitter: ChadGrey23
Linkedin: Chad Grey