Word Travels Fast in a Small City...

Charleston: The capitol city of West Virginia. While there are many things to mention when it comes to our reputation, we can be sure that one word would not be included. That word is “BIG”.

We are not a big state and Charleston is not a big city, by any means. With this means a few things…

First, if you have a good reputation, it spreads quickly. Whether it is the West Virginia Junior College’s reputation for providing quality, employable students to area employers or if it is an individual student’s reputation in their field of study, the point is, word travels fast in a small city.

What does this mean?

We will start by looking at the school’s reputation. We send out students during their final twelve weeks enrolled to complete externships at local facilities in their field. Students must meet a required number of hours with hands-on experience, but in addition to this, there are rules they must follow. These rules include specific items such as dress code, conduct, behavior, attitude, professionalism, etc.

Why do we make your professional image such an important part of your externship? The answer is simple. All it takes is one ‘bad apple’ sent to an externship for someone to tell someone else to tell someone else, so-on, and so-on to ruin our reputation.

For example, if we send one Medical Assistant student with a bad attitude and poor attendance to a Doctor’s Office for their externship and they get removed from the facility, this is what happens: The doctor goes golfing with his other doctor buddies that weekend and talks about the horrible student that WEST VIRGINIA JUNIOR COLLEGE sent them.

When this type of scenario happens, what does that do to the reputation? Well, the next time that particular doctor’s friend is hiring for a Medical Assistant and YOUR resume shows up with “WEST VIRGINIA JUNIOR COLELGE” listed under your education section, you can put your best bet on the employer throwing it in the trash.
It takes one bad student to ruin the reputation of the entire school and while we make efforts every day to improve our reputation and to show that we produce the best students for hire, it is difficult when students aren’t on their “A-GAME” when they enter their externships.

In addition to the effect a bad performance at your externship or first job does to the school’s reputation, you can also take a look at the individual reputation for yourself that you are ruining. If you quit a job without notice or perform poorly at an externship, you are burning your bridges with potential references for the future.
If you leave a position under bad circumstances, this greatly affects your future for employment. As mentioned before…we live in a small city. Everyone knows everyone and just like the example above regarding the externship, the same goes for your name. Word gets around quickly and you want to make sure both your name and your school are on the high end of those words…not the bottom.

So, give your name and your school a GOOD reputation in the Charleston area. Have excellent attendance, a good attitude, be dependable and show the skills that you have learned as a student at West Virginia Junior College so we can build a professional and positive reputation together.

-JT

Your Facebook Status is Depressing...

Social Media. Oh, Social Media. It offers SO many perks for users. We can increase our online reputation, improve our search results, network professionally, find old friends and keep people up-to-date on our lives with these sites. All of these features are wonderful, but when you click the ‘Update My Status’ icon, what kind of image of yourself are you portraying to others?

“My boyfriend broke up with me.” “I’m so depressed.” “Ugh, I’m totally going to fail this class.” “I hate my job.” “My life sucks.”

These are just a few samples of the types of status updates I see on some of our students pages on a regular basis.

It is fine to be upset, to have a crappy day and to want to announce to the whole world that your ex boyfriend is a total jerk and it would most definitely be in his best interest to get run over by a car. I am sure your friends would love to chime in on that status and talk about what a two-timing jerk he was, how ugly his new girlfriend is AND comment on the fact that his jeans always looked funny, he tied his shoe laces too tight and he had a big nose. We can all get sucked into the negative topics on our social media sites, but here is a real reason why we, in fact, shouldn’t do this.

Hopefully you are using your social networking sites to build a professional image and to brand yourself in a way that you are proud to show to others online. (After all, if you are putting this information online, you had better be sure you want the internet world to see it all…because it CAN be found.)

So, here’s the deal:

If an employer logs on and finds your profile and sees these negative status updates, what kind of image is that portraying to them? It makes you look like a miserable person. You look like you hate school, hate learning, hate your job, hate your friends, hate your family, hate your pets, hate….everything. Is finding this information going to make them say, “WOW! I think we should DEFINITELY bring this person in for an interview?” Of course it isn’t! As a matter of fact, you are more likely to have your information tossed directly where all of that negative energy you are giving out on your status updates should go…in the trash can.

This might seem harsh. And I can only imagine some of you sitting here right now saying “Psh, it’s my freedom of speech I can say what I want, why are they checking my stuff, anyway? This is my PRIVACY!”

The truth is, yes, you can say what you want. And you might wonder why they are checking out your information, but if put in their position, I would, too. It costs a ton of money to hire a new employee. The cost to run the advertisement for the job, to take the time to interview the candidates, to complete the paperwork, to actually make the hire…this isn’t all free. They want to make sure they are choosing the best candidate for the job and if you have your information available online for them to check it out, they are going to do it. It makes sense if you really think about it.

So, sure. You have the RIGHT to say what you want. But what kind of image do YOU want to portray? Are you a ‘Negative Nancy’ who never has anything pleasant to say? Do you hate everything you are involved in? Does your status make you look like you don’t get along well with others? Well, if it does…I can promise you that I wouldn’t want to hire you and I think I can speak for hiring managers when I say, they won’t hire you, either.

So, sure. You have the RIGHT to say what you want. But what kind of image do YOU want to portray? Are you a ‘Negative Nancy’ who never has anything pleasant to say? Do you hate everything you are involved in? Does your status make you look like you don’t get along well with others? Well, if it does…I can promise you that I wouldn’t want to hire you and I think I can speak for hiring managers when I say, they won’t hire you, either.

So, next time you update your status, stop and think to yourself…”What is this status telling others about me?” Getting a job in our economy isn’t easy. We want to make sure we are doing everything we can to portray a positive, professional image of ourselves. This is just one more easy adjustment we can make in the ‘Brand New, Professional YOU!’

(besides…putting a link to our blog at www.wvjc.blogspot.com is a way better status than a depressing one. :))

-JT

Nail It on Interview Day

You finally landed an interview! Hopefully you followed the previous blog about what you should do the night before your interview and you are ready to nail it. Here are a few tips to remember before you head toward the company.

1. Maintain a Professional Image
Maintaining a professional image means you are dressing and acting to impress! Dress professionally and conservatively and make sure you keep your perfume or cologne, your hair and your make-up minimal. Don’t chew gum and make sure your cell phone is OFF!

Maintain your Professional Image WHEN:
• Pulling into the facility
• Greeting the receptionist
• Filling out an application
• Taking an assessment
• Interviewing
• Leaving the premises

Why is this important? Well, if you pull into the facility with your music blaring loud, smoking a cigarette and talking on your cell phone loudly, you are not portraying a very good first image. You want to come in with a clean-cut, positive attitude that will impress the interviewer and everyone who works at the facility. A negative first image can kill your chances of landing a job before you even see the interviewer.

2. ALWAYS be on Time!
Punctuality is important, especially to employers seeking to hire a candidate. It costs a lot of money for the time and effort it takes to hire a new employee, so they certainly are not going to hire someone who is late for an interview.

• Allow plenty of time to reach your destination. If you are unfamiliar with the location, take a test drive prior to your interview to ensure you know the way.
• Check traffic reports so you know if you need to leave a little bit earlier than expected. It is better to know before you leave than finding out while you’re on your way.
• Do not arrive in the office more than fifteen minutes early. If you are earlier than that, sit in your car or go to a coffee shop to wait. It makes an interviewer uncomfortable because they might not be ready for you if you come earlier than that.

3. The ANATOMY of your Interview
There are some simple rules that you should follow every time you walk into an interview:
• Always firmly shake hands with the interviewer when you enter
• Begin by talking about neutral subjects. Never mention politics or personal topics
• Ask appropriate questions at the end of the interview (NEVER salary, benefits or vacation)
• Ask when you will be hearing from the interviewer regarding a hiring decision
• Request a business card
• Thank the interviewer and shake their hand before you leave

These are a few easy tips to follow for every interview. It will leave a lasting impression to the interviewer and will give you confidence from beginning to end.

4. Extra Tips
• SMILE!
Greeting an interviewer with a warm smile and a firm hand shake gives an immediate feeling of comfort between the interviewer and the interviewee. A smile shows confidence, it shows that you are comfortable and it shows that you are a pleasant person to be around.

• Make NEUTRAL Eye Contact
Do not stare at the interviewer…It can make them feel uncomfortable. Approximately 60% of eye contact is considered the best amount in the United States. More than this can make you seem too intense and any less might make you appear uninterested.

• Walk with Self-Assured Stride and Carry Items in the Left Hand
Walking with confidence shows that you are comfortable in your own skin and that you are excited to be interviewing for this position. It can show that you feel you have the qualifications necessary and that you are the right person for the job. Carrying your items in the left hand gives you the ability to give a firm hand shake with your right hand without shuffling items.

-JT

How a Lack of Common Courtesy can SINK your Interview

Now that you are getting ready to embark on the “professional world” making sure you are presenting yourself professionally in all avenues is very important. Julie has covered many different areas in life where professionalism trumps individuality. Using your Facebook account to help your career, not hinder it and using a professional voicemail on your home/cell phone are just a few of the small adjustments to start considering as graduation approaches.

You don’t have to lose your individuality… just transition it to the new, professional YOU. Once you’ve graduated from WVJC you have the college credentials to go out into the work world. You are in charge of the presentation of these new skills. Take into consideration every aspect of the job searching process. Always use please and thank you, sir or ma’am, when speaking to any individual, at any step of the job search. Rude voicemails, mistreating the front desk secretary, showing late, or not showing at all to a scheduled appointment, and not following up with the interviewer properly can all spell instant disaster for you and your career at that company. Instead look at it from the entire picture. There are circumstances where the person you interview with is not the one who set up the interview. Make sure you clear up who you will be interviewing with during that conversation so you may enter the interview prepared. Also show courtesy and manners to the individual setting the appointment. Although they may not have the final decision, they may have some say in the matter.

Pulling the ole' no-call-no-show to your interview enables you to kiss that job good bye. No matter the excuse, it is your responsibility to call if any changes are needed to your appointment time. Earth shattering things happen to people every day and I am not trying to take away from that fact. However, your potential employer is not aware of that unless you make them aware of it. The employer is in need of a new employee to fill an open position, so they too are on a time deadline and are looking for an individual that can be reliable, responsible, punctual, and professional. A no call no show is none of those things.

Rescheduling or canceling an appointment doesn’t have to be a bad thing, just be smart about it. First of all, try to avoid this at any cost. But, bad things can happen to good people. Most people understand that. Make sure you call to reschedule or cancel your appointment as soon as you know there is a change. The more time before the interview the better. Be polite when you make this call. The interviewer may be disappointed or show some aggravation but keep in mind it is their job to fill that position, and usually as quickly as possible. So, if they set up the first interview with you they must have deemed you a potential candidate.

Common courtesy is the main point here. Polish up on your manners and your personal interaction skills between now and graduation. You can never be over prepared. You can always stop in and ask any of the WVJC staff members for help when you aren’t sure.

SD

The Same Old Thing?

When I was a child, many, many years ago, my dad used to tell me a story.

He would begin with – “many, many years ago, way up in the great north woods, 15 men were sitting around a campfire. When one arose and said, “Uncle John, tell us a story”. So Uncle John arose and said…… many, many years ago, way up in the great north woods, 15 men were sitting around a campfire. When one arose and said, “Uncle John, tell us a story”. So Uncle John arose and said……many many years ago, way up in the great north woods…..! Until I was at least 10 or older, my dad would always get to the third or fourth “Uncle John, tell us a story”, before I finally realized that I was hearing the same story over and over. I would get so mad at him for fooling me! I felt cheated because I had expected to hear something of worth, not the same story over and over again.

I think this is like our lives sometimes. We tell the same old story over and over, we use the same old excuses for telling the same old story over and over, until eventually, no one wants to hear our tired, same old story over and over again, because it has become meaningless! The problem is, we begin to believe our same old story and think that we can’t change it……… but we can. Do you wear the same clothes every day? Do you listen to only one song on the radio or your IPOD? Do you eat the same food item every day at every meal? Do you only watch one television show? Do you visit only one website on the internet? Do you only have one number stored in your phone? Do you only have one friend on Facebook? If we can manage to change our clothes, our music, our food, and our friends, etc., why can’t we manage to change ourselves when we need to make a change? That same old story we tell every day for why we are late to class, or why we don’t make it to class at all becomes meaningless. That same old story we tell for why we are failing a class, or not getting our homework in on time becomes meaningless. That same old story we tell for why we have to have our cell phones on in class, or why we have to treat another individual with disrespect becomes meaningless.

Don’t let your same old story become meaningless…..otherwise, eventually, no one will want to hear it anymore. You are the author…change your story.

KB

Sweet Dreams Before Your Interview...But First, Make Sure You're Ready!

You finally landed an interview! It turns out that all of the job searching and preparation has finally paid off. Hopefully, you are taking the time to have a little rest and relaxation the night before to calm your nerves…But first, make sure you are prepared for the next day! Here is an easy checklist of things to remember to do BEFORE the day of an interview.

1. Research the Company!
You MUST have an understanding of the company you are going to interview with. You should look for key points including the kinds of clients they work with, their work environment, office locations, plans for improvement and any other information you can gather.
• Look at the company website
• Find the company on Social Networking sites
• Ask your professional network
• Talk to your Career Services Department at your school

It is always a good idea to let your family, friends and professional network of individuals know where you are interviewing. You never know when someone might have previously worked for the employer, knows someone else who works there, can offer some helpful advice or can recommend you.

2. Know the Job Description & Job Responsibilities
Take the time to re-read the job description so you know the needs of the company. You should always make sure you mention that you hold the skills they need in the ideal candidate in both your resume and cover letter. In addition to having it in writing, make sure you can relate the responsibilities of the job into real-life experiences that you have in your experience at previous positions or externships.
• Always focus on what good you can do for the company
• Show employers that you have the skills they are seeking in the ideal candidate
• Sell yourself! Explain how your experiences have prepared you for this job
Employers use a Job Description when posting a job to tell exactly what they are looking for. Make sure you show them that YOU are exactly what they are looking for by knowing the description and responsibilities of the job and by being able to show that you are capable of handling it.

3. Prepare your clothing and items to take with you
First impressions are extremely important. They can make or break you in an interview. Make sure you have prepared everything for both your physical appearance and your professional appearance.
• Prepare your outfit beforehand so you can ensure everything fits correctly
• Have at least 3 copies of your resume ON RESUME PAPER to distribute to interviewers
• Bring a list of your professional references
• Bring a pen and paper to take notes
• Bring forms of identification
LEAVE THESE ITEMS AT HOME OR IN THE CAR!
• Cell phone
• Ipod
• Drink
• Gum
• Children
Being prepared the night before will make your morning before an interview much less stressful. There is nothing worse than putting on an outfit the morning of an interview and realizing it no longer fits or that the cat jumped and snagged your sweater. Preparing the outfit and documents you need to take with you beforehand can drastically reduce stress which will calm your nerves and give you more confidence when heading into the interview.

4. Know the Way
Do you know where you are going? Make sure you take the time to double-check the address of the facility where you are interviewing and plan the best route to get there.
• Mapquest directions if you need to
• Take a test-drive if you are unfamiliar with the location.
• Make sure you know the best route and keep an eye out for construction or places that could get congested with traffic.

The day of the interview, make sure you leave in plenty of time to avoid any traffic problems on your way. Dealing with the risk of being late increases stress before an interview and can cause you to be flustered and seem uneasy when you begin the interviewing process. Always avoid this by taking a test-drive the night before and checking the traffic report before you head out.

5. Relax
Once you are fully prepared for the interview, take the time to relax. Calm your nerves and gain the confidence you need before walking into the interview. You have taken all the right steps in finding the perfect career…Now, let it happen!

JT

Voicemail...What does yours say about YOU?

“Yo…I ain’t here right now leave me a message I’ll get back atcha”

Voicemail. We all have it and undoubtedly, when we first get a new cell phone, we call to set it up. Take a moment today to call your voicemail and listen to it…what kind of message are you sending to callers who hear it?

1. Using slang or inappropriate language
This is one of the biggest mistakes you can make on your voicemail, especially when you are searching for employment. If an employer calls you to schedule an interview and hears you using incorrect grammar or slang or, worse, hears you use foul language, you can kiss your opportunity for that position goodbye. Employers invest an outrageous amount of money into hiring a new employee…They want them to have a professional image and a good reputation. They are not going to take the chance on someone who gives an immediate red flag from their voicemail.

2. Music
Whether it is the new ‘call tones’ that callers hear instead of a ring when they call you or if you put a recording of a song on your voicemail, you need to remember a few things. First, if you have a ‘call tone’ you need to make sure it is of TASTEFUL music. Using a loud song with offensive language or music that deals with drugs, crime, etc. does not give an interviewer a good image of who they are calling. If you choose to use a song instead of the ring noise for callers to hear, use caution when choosing your tune.

Second, it is important to be professional in your personalized voicemail. If you choose to leave a message for callers more than just your phone number or your name, make sure you are professional. DO NOT leave recordings of songs that callers have to listen to before leaving a message. Employers have honestly admitted to hanging up and not returning a call for an interview because they did not want to listen to the song for 30 seconds before they could leave a message. A simple, professional voicemail leaving your name and alternate ways to contact you or explaining that you will return a call as soon as possible is the best option.
3. CHECK your messages!
In the era of texting, we sometimes forget that people do still contact us and leave us voicemails. Make sure you keep a conscious check of when you have a voicemail and have paper and a pen ready to take notes if you need to. Employers call you when they are ready to begin interviewing, so if you hesitate on checking your messages or returning a call, you could miss your chance at an interview.

-JT

I'll Ride With You...You Ride With Me. We'll Both Make It To School

WVJC’s location in downtown Charleston is very helpful when it comes time for your externships and your job placement. It is, however, no secret that the parking in any downtown city is a bit of a problem. An easy solution for the everyday hunt for a parking space, as well as reducing the weekly fill-ups at the gas pump, is starting your own Carpool to and from the Junior College.

Gas prices are constantly fluctuating and many of you are currently without work do, you may find that starting or joining a car pool with fellow classmates will lessen the load. I know that our minds automatically wander to a chaotic scene where someone over sleeps or forgets to pick someone up, or even worse intentionally leaves someone behind. To that,I say choose your car pools wisely!

I have looked into two types of car pools. You may opt for one of these two types of car pools. 1) The driver picks up passengers on the way to school. 2) The passengers drive their cars to the driver’s house and leave their cars there. (If someone does not show they take themselves, and everyone else still has a ride).
Another concern may be compensation. The best bets are either rotating who drives (daily, weekly, or monthly depending on your carpool), or splitting up gas money to the driver. I remind you again choose wisely when it comes to your car pool. If you know an individual who is ALWAYS late for class it would probably benefit you more to avoid starting a carpool with them. Or to at least drive the car pool so that if lateness does in fact remain an issue you can still make it in time.

Make friends, ride together and save time and gas! Visit Fawn Atkins in the LRC to find out more.

-SL