Behind the Scenes - Meet our Staff! Admissions Representative, Stephanie Duncan

Hi guys it is Stephanie! Some of you already know me from the admissions process. I have been at West Virginia Junior College for almost 3 years now and it has become an important part of my life. Everything from utilizing facebook for open communication to constantly being on the lookout for potentially great students is my daily task.

The rest of you are familiar with Kathy or Vicky. I am a part of a team of awesome women who help you through the enrollment process. We work as a team here and that is one of the things I really love about WVJC. It is a place where I can help students willing to put in the hard work it takes to change their lives.

Everyday my students amaze me. They work so hard in class and in their externships all while many of them juggle full time jobs or family!! But I have to say that the VERY best part of my job is seeing you all walk across the stage at graduation in front of all of your family, friends, classmates, and teachers. It makes everything I do everyday worth it.

Personally I am a Marshall University School of Journalism and Mass Communications graduate. I recently celebrated my one year wedding anniversary. I have no animals or kids yet but according to a sticker I got on my birthday from my niece, I am an AWESOME AUNT! And sometimes, I think I am really funny. That about sums it up for this admissions representative, check back I may update you with more.

"My Last Two Weeks" - Diary of a Student by Jackie Davis

It is Wednesday, December 8th...the day I officially complete my Externship!

I have had such a wonderful experience at St. Francis Hospital and I appreciate everything they have done to teach me and to allow me to grow and learn in the medical field. I am so excited to finally be finished! I can't believe the time is passing so quickly.

I have had two job interviews this week thanks to the help of Ms. Julie Tawney in Career Services. That's one of the best parts of West Virginia Junior College...their Career Services Department helps you create your resume and other career related documents, assists you in interview training and helps you every step of the way before you land your first job.

That's it for today...Check back tomorrow to see if I am nervous as I prepare for my last week at WVJC!

Student Highlight - Brittany Dotson

Hello, my name is Brittany Dotson. I am 23 years old and I was born with Spinal Bifida but I have never let it stop me from doing whatever I put my mind to. I currently live in Charleston, WV where I attend West Virginia Junior College in downtown Charleston with hopes of becoming a Certified Medical Assistant. It's a great college with great people, students and faculty. They have hands-on training and small classes and I love that everyone always has a smile on their faces. That makes the day a lot easier. So, come out and join the great experiences that I have the chance to become a part of...take it from me, you will love it!

Behind the Scenes - Meet our Instructors! Amy Barnette

.HI! HOW ARE YOU? I am Amy Barnette I have been an instructor for WVJC Charleston for about a year now! I have to say I have the greatest job ever, I love my co-workers and the students are awesome.


I recently became the Mentor for all first quarter students. Basically, I help new student adjust to coming back to school. But, you should all know my door is always open :-)


The holidays are right around the corner. Christmas is my favorite time of year. I wonder around singing Christmas carols-so if you are ever in the singing spirit come find me.

WVJC Charleston Staff - Behind the Scenes! Career Services Director, Julie Tawney

Ms. Tawney.

So, you want to know more about me? Here we go...

It's Monday, December 6th and it is COLD! I just had a birthday on Friday and turned the big 2-5! This month is a busy one for me as I prepare for the Holidays, help students start their perfect careers in their fields of study AND continue planning my wedding. :)

I've got to tell you...I'm pretty blessed with such an amazing group of students that graduate this quarter. They are all SO smart and have such great personalities! We had a really exciting week last week with Mock Interviews which included area employers like Charleston Area Medical Center, Advantage Technology and BB&T. The students absolutely rocked them! In addition to that, our Medical Assistants took their Nationally Certified Medical Assistant Exam and they did a great job!

The rest of my life is basically consumed planning my wedding which will be on July 16, 2011. I'll post a picture of myself and my future hubby soon. :)

This week is filled with job searching, finishing externship hours and DON'T FORGET...We are having the Facebook Scavenger Hunt! Be sure to search West Virginia Junior College Charleston Campus for updates! Start looking ahead to your finals, students! It's never too early to start studying!

We'll be featuring a Staff Member, Instructor and Student each week on our Blog, so make sure you check back to get a 'Behind the Scenes Look' at WVJC Charleston!

"My Last Two Weeks" - Diary of a Student by Jackie Davis

Today, I am headed to my Externship at St. Francis Hospital Center of Pain Relief. I have really enjoyed my Externship at this hospital because I have learned so much about my field and future career!



Each student at West Virginia Junior College completes an Externship during their final quarter in their field. It is a great way for students to learn about their future working environment and tog et some hands-on experience.



I am very much looking forward to graduation in 2 short weeks and I passed my National Certified Medical Assistant Exam on Friday! Things are really looking great!

Common Courtesy - "The Voicemail"

We can’t always answer our phones and it brings up two very important points regarding professionalism.

1. What does your voicemail say about you?
2. What kind of voicemail messages are you leaving?

1.
Technology and cell phone services are taking cell phone calls to a new level with ‘ring-back tones’ and music, so it’s important to remember the audience that you’ll be receiving calls from. When you are nearing graduation, you will more than likely be receiving calls from Hiring Managers, HR Specialists and other potential hirers so it is absolutely important that your voicemail is professional.
Make sure you have a professional ring when they call. This means no offensive language in songs and nothing that could make them have a doubt about you from a simple phone call. Remember, a key part to jobs searching is to AVOID showing a red flag or giving a reason to NOT hire you.

Next, make sure your voicemail itself is professional stating only your name and a quick message informing the caller that you will call them back at your earliest convenience. This means the funny joke of saying “Hello” and pausing for a few seconds so the person calling you starts talking and THEN continuing your voicemail has got to go. Also, make sure you don’t play any music in your voicemail. Keep the information short and sweet so the caller wants to leave you a voicemail and doesn’t hang up and ruin your chances of potentially landing a position.

2.
When you leave a message for someone, you need to be quick and informative. You don’t need to leave a five minute message with a ton of information. Let them know why you’re calling, how they can reach you when they return your call and when the best time to call is. That is all you need to leave for a caller. When they return your call, you can give them the additional information.

“Why can’t I leave all of the information in the message?”
Usually, we want to hear back from the person whom we are leaving a message. The easiest way to do this is by following the steps above. Let them know that you are calling and how to return your call to obtain the necessary information and it guarantees a call-back.

Leaving professional voicemails and having a professional voicemail for callers is one of the first steps to building your professional image and ultimately landing that perfect job!


-JT