Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Even Olympians Face Adversity...It Just Depends What You Choose To Do About It!

I am addicted to the Olympics, a true couch potato! I want to feel the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat myself by living vicariously through the athletes who are competing in the Winter Olympic Games. I actually resented having to answer the phone and had to schedule my calls at a time that would not interfere with the sports I wanted to watch! I sometimes wonder what they have that a lot of us lack. Is it some magical ingredient that helps them lead a charmed life, therefore making it easier for them to excel? Or is it just plain grit and determination to achieve success no matter what difficulty gets in their way. Have they a fairy god “something” that looks over them and enables them to endure what the rest of us cannot? Or do they know the result of endurance is personal satisfaction and self fulfillment.

Consider Lindsay Vonn, who despite a leg injury, suffered through the pain to capture the gold in the women's downhill and the bronze in the Super G. Look at Evan Lysacek, he didn't have a quad in his men's figure skating program, but he did not let this stop him from skating the performance of his life and winning the gold. And then there is little known short track racer J.R. Celeski who endured a severe injury to his leg in September 09 at the Olympic try outs, yet returned to skate in the Olympics and win the bronze in the 1500m right behind his teammate, the great Apolo Ohno who, by the way, fought depression and self doubt to become the first US Winter Olympian to win 7 medals!

As I watch these people compete, I marvel at their total commitment to condition themselves to be able to overcome any adversity that befalls them whether it is injury, illness or personal tragedy. They are able to discipline themselves to withstand bitter cold, endure excruciating pain, and excel in horrible conditions. When they win, they express their joy in a triumphant yet humble manner while congratulating their co-competitors (the one who lost) with sincere best wishes. When they lose, they exhibit the same humble manner and joy as they congratulate the competitor who beat them.

Seems to me that they are just like the rest of us - they just want to be the best they can be at what they choose to do. The simple truth is that the difference between them and us is that they choose to do it. They choose to endure hardship, despair, devastation, and personal loss and then to move forward - not backwards to achieve their goals. Maybe a lesson we can all draw from when the going gets tough!

KB

WVJC Charleston Offers the H1N1 Vaccine Thursday, February 25th

The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department will be administering the H1N1 flu vaccine this Thursday February 25, 2010 at West Virginia Junior College. They will set up in room 204 (The medical lab) from 9-11 am. The vaccine is free to anyone over the age of 12. Students will be excused from class by Rose to go get he shot. Students are also welcome to bring family members (over the age of 12). Family members will need to check in at the front office with either Jennifer or Rose, and then will be escorted to the medical lab.

You may seriously consider the H1N1 vaccine:
If you are pregnant
If you live or care or children under the age of 6 months
If you work in the Health care field
If you are 6 months-24 years old
If you are over the age of 25 with chronic health problems
or have a weak immune system




-SD

The More the Merrier...The Importance of Study Buddies

We have all had a special friend in our lives. The one who encourages you when you are down, cheers for you when you succeed, and will help you up when you fall. For some of us it is a family member or a childhood friend in which we share so much of our lives. West Virginia Junior College can also be a place for you to build strong, encouraging relationships with others.

When you are in school, having a Study Buddy can drastically improve your studying habits. Good friends push you to be better and you do the same for them. So, sharing in a life changing experience, like going to college, will be one more chapter in your friendship. There is certainly truth in the Phrase “strength in numbers.” You will also find greater success if you surround yourself with motivated people. People who not only want you to succeed, but they too want to succeed, as well.

Starting a study group with new friends at WVJC gives you the opportunity to discuss course material, receive assistance or tutoring and it provides you with valuable networking connections for your future. Many study groups and other activities are constantly popping up on campus, so keep your eyes open or start one yourself! You can connect with our Librarian, Fawn in the LRC for more information on developing study groups.

If you have a best friend, family member, or co-worker in your life that means a lot to you, then encourage them to take the step and get enrolled into one of WVJC’s associate degree programs so they too can change their lives. Please see your admissions representative if you are interested in getting information out to one of your potential “Study Buddies.”


-SD

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Start This Term Out Right!

The relief of a term ending and having a few days to rest will quickly diminish with the start of a brand new six weeks on Monday. Don’t stress! Here are a few tips to help you get on top of your game before this term starts.

1. Remember why you are here. At some point before enrolling, you made a decision that furthering your education was the right choice for you. Take some time to reflect on your decision. Think about all of the positive outcomes you can look forward to once you complete your program: a degree, a new career, self-satisfaction, etc. You have already won half the battle by choosing to continue your education, selecting the school that was right for you and making the decision to enroll…Now it is time to make the best of it!

2. Be prepared! Make sure you attend the first day of class. Pay attention when the teacher discusses your syllabus for each class so that you know exactly what to expect for the courses you are taking this term. Make sure you ask any questions you might have including what supplies you will need for the course. Knowing what to expect will help you feel confident and prepared and the more confidence you have before the work in the course begins, the better chance you stand at staying in school and receiving exemplary grades.

3. Realize that Change Will Occur. Whether it is the change in your life because you are starting school or the change in your classes, you can expect to see noticeable differences. Face the fact that some courses are going to be harder than others and make plans to accommodate this. In addition to attending your courses each day, you need to make sure you have time set in the evenings to study and complete your homework. Leave time for rest, too. Recharging at night gives you energy for the next day.

4. Use Your Resources. You have chosen to attend West Virginia Junior College in Charleston where our students matter. We have several resources available for you in case you have any questions or concerns while you are in school. A mentorship program ensures that you have someone you can easily speak with if you have any questions. Tutoring courses are offered if you feel that you are falling behind and our instructors make themselves available to assist you outside of class time. The Learning Resource Center with our awesome librarian can help you find a car pool, learn study skills, assist with research, and it offers many other great programs. The Career Services Department can help you find employment or externships in your field. These resources are available for our students because we want you to stay in school and succeed and ultimately find the perfect job for you in your field. We are here to help…so use us!

5. Be Here! Attend your classes and be ready to learn. You have made the step to enroll in school to further your education so now it is up to you to make the best of it! Prepare yourself, be confident and proactive, set goals and work toward success. Get involved in the clubs and activities at WVJC and give yourself a positive and professional reputation. Don’t fall behind by missing classes. You have committed your time and money to get your education and you chose a great school to help you every step of the way. Now it’s up to you.


-JT

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

American Idol - Let Hollywood Week Begin!

Hollywood Week begins on American Idol tonight! It is the week where the stars emerge and others fall (and hopefully for our viewing pleasure, not too gracefully). Plus, we finally get to see Ellen Degeneres in action! From the promos, it looks like it is on between she and Idol Panel King Simon Cowell. Hollywood Week usually involves numerous types of performances and many of the contestants are about to discover that getting the golden ticket to Hollywood may have been the easiest part of it all. Hollywood Week takes contestants through the American Idol ringer as they participate in group and individual performances and as the weeks drudge on, the number of contestants will dwindle down. At the end of Hollywood week AI will finally be ready to unveil just what America has been waiting on. The top 25!

SD

Job Searching...Easy Mistakes to Avoid

Beginning a job search is never easy. There are so many ways to search and so many different resources to use making it more convenient for searching employees, but this also opens up room for mistakes. There are a few simple rules to follow when searching for jobs and a few mistakes to avoid.

1. Use all of the Resources you Can
It is easy to go with one job searching technique and hope for the best. There are tons of resources available to searchers today, so use them! Gaining the most exposure and branding yourself professionally in as many ways possible gives you the best possible chance to land the perfect position for you. Don’t limit yourself to a few resources; use whatever is available to you. Internet sites, temporary agencies, Career Services Departments from your educational facilities, newspaper advertisements and networking are all excellent ways to search. Limiting yourself to just a few of these can drastically reduce your chances of finding the best position for you.

2. Focus on What you have to Offer…Not on what you Lack
We can always point out what we lack in any situation, especially when searching for a new career. Instead of focusing on negatives like not having enough experience, being over-qualified or struggling with finding a job, focus on positives. What can you offer the company you are interviewing for? Find out your greatest strengths and use them as a focal point when you begin talking with companies and sell yourself. Explaining that you ‘need a job’ is not the way to get on a hiring manager’s good side. As a matter of fact, it makes you look desperate and could raise concerns as to whether or not you were particularly interested in the job or if you would take anything at this point. Companies want a new employee who is interested in the position, skilled at what they do and can offer them the most benefits if they are hired. A good tip is to sit down and look at contributions you have made at previous places of employment or involvement from your education. Develop a list of your strengths and correlate them with the job responsibilities of the position in which you are interested. Look at this before your interview so you have a fresh wave of confidence and these strengths are in the top of your head to mention during the interview. Always remember…it is not what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company.

3. Don’t Apply for ANY Job…Apply for Jobs that you WANT
You are going to come in contact with several positions in which you are interested. Some will consider you, some will not. Some will bring you in for an interview, some will bring you in for two interviews, and then they may choose someone else for the position. Do not let rejection put an obstacle in your job searching path. Focus on the types of jobs that you want and continue to look for positions using your skills, experience and educational background. If you begin looking for ‘anything’ as a career, your lack of interest will show in an interview and hiring managers don’t want a new employee who lacks motivation or interest in their job. Even if you did get lucky and land a position that you weren’t particularly interested in, chances are, you will quit the position and end up right back where you are now. Maintain focus and keep looking for the right fit for you. Hiring managers may choose someone else and that means you can re-evaluate your steps throughout the interview process and make improvements for next time. Learn the best way to sell yourself and use your knowledge as an advantage. The right job at the right company will come and you’ll be glad that you saved yourself for the right fit.

4. PROOFREAD
Look over your resume, your cover letter, your application, writing samples or anything else you have to turn into a Human Resources Department. A simple typo, grammar mistake or incorrect word usage is a clear sign to a potential employer that you are lacking an eye for detail. If you are not willing to take the appropriate time to make sure you are turning in perfect work to sell yourself for a position, a hiring manager will have question as to whether or not you will take the time to turn in perfect work for their company. Many managers immediately throw away resumes, cover letters or applications that come across their desk with errors. Take the time to double-check and triple-check items you are turning in for potential employment. Have someone else look it over to be sure and use your resources. If your school has a Career Services Department, have them review and assist you with documents. Many internet sites now offer the option to turn in your resume for review, too. Taking the time to make sure your information is correct and without error is a sure way to put yourself ahead of the other job searchers who may not have been as detail-oriented as you are.

5. Be Qualified…Not Over Confident or Entitled
You will undoubtedly come across several positions which you are more than qualified for. Use this to your advantage to point out how you can benefit the company if they choose to hire you. Show your strengths, your degree if you have one and your experience, but do not act as if you are entitled to have the position. There are thousands of job searchers just like you who have the same, if not more, qualifications that you do. Maintain your focus on what you can do for the company. Mention that you want to continue learning, you want to join organizations in your field to stay informed, you want to excel in the job responsibilities and that you want to build a career with the company…not just have a job with them. These types of points show a hiring manager that you know you are qualified for the position, but you want to do even more to make yourself an asset. They will appreciate this much more than an individual who comes in feeling entitled because they have a degree and experience. Show that you want to do more.

These are some easy steps to follow when searching for a new career. Following these can help you feel more confident and more knowledgeable about job searching and it can set you apart from other searchers in your field with similar qualifications. Remember…sell yourself and brand yourself professionally. Hiring managers won’t remember most of what you say…but they will remember how you say it, how you can benefit them and how you portray yourself in an interview.

JT

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

American Idol - Denver | WVJC Recap

Well, it was one more pretty disappointing stop on the American Idol Audition Tour overall. It looked as though quite a bit of talent made it through unfortunately once again we didn’t get to see much of it. I did however find a few of the contestants noteworthy. For starters I find it easier to give everyone a nickname helps me remember them the next day.

“Drew Carey” a single dad from Denver performed much to my liking ‘Tempted.’ It was smooth a sweet and I enjoyed the performance and the honesty in his back story. He apparently spent most of his early childhood on the run with his mother. He and his mother moved to various places around the country without permission from his father. They were in Maui, Hawaii when his father found him and brought him back to Denver.

“Wig Girl” That’s really all I have to say about her. I was not impressed and it was pretty clear she was rocking a wig and singing about rogaine? I am not thrilled she made it through; I did however find her daughter adorable.
“David Beckham 2” He wasn’t the best audition of the night but his back story also got me. At 21 he was in a bad motorcycle accident and it changed his view on life from there on. Plus I am a sucker for a guy with a guitar. He had a nice voice but it was pretty obvious he was nervous. But I think Posh Spice liked him because he strongly resembled her husband David Beckham after the girls asked him to take his hair down.

“The MILF.” The MILF unfortunately turned out to be only 16! I thought at first glance this was her chance at a final addition and that one of the 15 small children with her at the audition belonged to her. She is a beautiful girl but, I really thought she was 27 or 28. Sad when I discovered she was just old enough to audition. I really didn’t care for her John Mayer cover but the judges liked it and sent her to Hollywood.

“Helium Girl” I never caught whether or not she was actually an American. They spent most of her audition either making fun of her voice or commending her on flying 14 hours to get to the audition. Neither of which were interesting. Her voice sounded well beyond oxygen deprived but she sang in a much deeper tone? Not sure how that one works but her she could do well in Hollywood if she chooses not to speak and just sings everything. I am also pretty sure there are people at these auditions who have driven 14 hours (or so) to get there. I am willing to bet a plane ride is much more comfortable than a car ride!

“Crack Salesman Kenny” The entire intro for Kenny was him standing on a street corner scream-singing at people. My very first though is he probably slings crack on that corner which was kinda scary to begin with. But then, the audition was borderline scary as well. Kenny continued on after being told “NO” by Scream-singing ‘Go-go-go-go –go-go’ as they judges were verbally ushering him out. He just knew he had what the judges were looking for. Nope, sorry Kenny back to the street corner to sale your Cra- a- a- a- a- a- a- ck!

“Country Cross Over” I struggled with 1) naming her and 2) if I should even include her. But, she made it to Hollywood, so I am. “CCO” sang a Carrie Underwood tune. Which by all accounts, is a difficult thing to do. But I did not like her voice or see anything really Hollywood worthy about her. But, once again, the judges have spoken and she got through.

“Bikini Boy” I stuck with his already given nickname. I found it very appropriate that all the judges just stood up and walked out as soon as he finished the first line of the song. It was nothing short of a waste of valuable film time that could have been used on someone worthwhile!

Let us know your thoughts on this week's American Idol! We look forward to hearing what you think.


SD

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Professional References...Help!

Check out some job listings. Undoubtedly, at the bottom you will see the words “Please send resume and professional references” What does this mean?

First, we can start with the actual definition of a ‘Professional Reference’. A professional reference is anyone you have worked with who can speak on your behalf. It is highly recommended to use your previous bosses, supervisors, instructors, etc. Using family members or friends is not recommended, as you want to use individuals who can speak on your professional behalf.

An employer is going to use these individuals to learn a little bit more about you. This usually takes place after your interview, so if they are calling to find out more, it is a good sign. They wouldn’t waste their time calling if they weren’t interested in you.

You need to make sure you inform the individuals you choose as references before you use them. Make sure they have a head’s up that they might be getting a call. It is usually a good idea to give your professional references an updated resume and a fact sheet informing them of your current status. If you have returned to school or taken a position at another company or whatever your life may have led you since you last worked with your references, it is important to let them know.

Give the company as much detailed information as possible when you list your references. You should have at least three, but no more than five individuals and should include the following information:

Name
Company
Job Title
Address
Phone Numbers
E-mail
Relationship

Follow these easy steps to submitting references and increase your chances for getting the job! Positive feedback from previous employers, supervisors and instructors to a prospective employer is an easy way to show that you are the right candidate for the job.