Understanding all of the functions that a new school offers is a little overwhelming! We are updating our information to make sure our students understand the functions of our departments, staff and faculty!
Career Services at West Virginia Junior College isn’t just your average Career Services. Our role is not just to help place you in your Externship and train you for your job search; it is much more than that.
Did you know that West Virginia Junior College Charleston Campus offers LIFETIME PLACEMENT? Yes! That means forever! Once you are a graduate of our school, we will always be here to help you update your resume and assist you in finding a job. Simply contact Career Services at your campus and schedule an appointment to talk with the Career Services Director!
We can also help you send out resumes to employers. Have you found a position you would like to send your resume to in the newspaper? Just let us know…we can easily fax or mail your resume so you don’t have to pay for postage or faxing fees.
Need some help on resume development and you aren’t quite through your enrollment to be in Career Prep? Stop by for a complimentary Job Search Packet which offers information on the entire job search process. We are happy to help!
These are just a few great perks of WVJC Career Services. Stop in the Career Services Office today to learn more!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Finals Week Champs!
Are you ready to take on the challenge of Finals Week? If not, it’s time to start thinking about it! Here are a few tips to help get YOU prepared.
1. Start now!
It is time for you to start studying if you haven’t started yet! It’s Thursday…This means you have a whole 3-day weekend to start organizing notes, reading chapters and brushing up on those study guides! Don’t wait until the last minute!
2. Make Friends
If you have some close friends in class, now is a good time to collaborate with them to have a study group. Fun fact: Study groups who bring food study longer and have more energy to complete tasks following the session.
3. Questions? ASK FOR HELP!
Here is the great thing about being a student at West Virginia Junior College: We are ALL here to help you! If you need some additional tutoring, a second look at a paper or could just use a pep talk…come see any of us. We are all here to see you succeed.
4. Tell your Friends and Family that it’s YOUR TIME
You know those friends and family who said “We’re here when you need us?” Well, it’s time to put them to the test. Make sure you have some YOU time in the next week to get away from outside distractions – social gatherings, kids, events, etc. Tell your husband to pick up a pizza on the way home and give the kids a bath a day this week…and tell your friends that you would love to hang out with them AFTER finals are over on Thursday! The more distractions you have, the less-likely you are to focus on a study regimen to help you nail those last exams.
5. Rest, Relax…and Eat!
Don’t study yourself into a fury of panic. Take time to understand your lectures, notes and readings and utilize study methods that work best for you. Do not cram! Take the time before your tests to rest, relax…and make sure you eat a well-balanced meal so your tummy isn’t growling during the exam. A hungry student is a very unhappy and unfocused student!
Good Luck on finals!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Excuses, Excuses
Dependability is a major factor when entering the workforce. In the ‘real world’ your 3,000 excuses don’t matter.
Employers want individuals who are punctual, dependable and happy to be at work. If you are an individual who frequently ‘has’ to miss class or work for a variety of reasons, you should prepare yourself for a farewell wave from your employer (You know who you are).
Things happen…and employers are not oblivious to this. However, the topic of dependability becomes exceptionally prevalent when you are missing work on a frequent basis.
Tips:
• If you have children, make sure you have backup child care in case of an emergency.
• Schedule appointments outside of work hours or on your lunch break. This may mean scheduling a very early morning appointment or scheduling well in advance to get a lunch-time appointment.
• Keep up on sleep and a healthy diet to keep your immune system healthy
• Maintain contact with your boss. If you do have to miss, make sure you openly communicate the time you need out of the office, the reasoning and time of return
Remember: Dependability matters to many people. If you are a student who frequently misses class, you will lose the luxury of possibly using that particular instructor as a professional reference when you begin job searching. Employers WILL fire you for attendance and tardiness issues which will cause a hardship when you search for a new job, as the prior position will not serve as a reference for you.
Make your job searching easier…start using your time management and organization skills to ensure you are at work or in class every day and on time!
Monday, June 6, 2011
Julie Tawney Wins Innovation Award
Charleston Campus Career Services Director Julie Tawney won a prestigious award through Vandalia Consulting on Thursday at the annual company-wide staff meeting.
The Vandalia Innovation Award was given to Julie Tawney on behalf of her creative methods in reaching potential students and employers. Her efforts in social media, externship programs and community outreach were recognized as excellent qualifications to receive the award above staff and faculty throughout all five campuses owned by Vandalia Consulting.
West Virginia Junior College Charleston Campus extends a huge congratulations to Julie!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Interviewing Fear #3 - "I'll Stutter or Mumble"
Cat got your tongue? Fight back…you need it during your interview!
Worrying about stuttering or mumbling during your interview is totally normal…But it’s something that you can easily control.
If you are confident in the information you have provided on your resume, talking about it should be the easy part! Here are a few tips for nailing the information on your resume:
1. Make sure your resume is updated
If you don’t have the most up-to-date and relevant information on your resume, you are not giving yourself the best shot at the position. Be sure to have current job, education and community involvement information.
2. Review the resume in depth
Your resume should have skills, honors and qualifications listed on it. Make sure you know each of these items and can talk about them while relating them to experiences working in your field or during your training. Interviewers will be able to relate to real-life experience that has enhanced your skill set.
3. Be Confident!
Confidence is a huge factor in interviewing. The better prepared you are to discuss your qualifications and let an interviewer know that you are the one for the job, the better chance you are going to have at receiving it. Use your training and experience to your benefit and nail it!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Interviewing Fear #2 - "They Won't Like My Answers"
If this is a concern you have regarding your interview, it’s a good thing! First impressions are VERY important for candidates seeking positions, so you always want to make sure you have you have on your A-Game when you walk into an interview.
Here are a few tips for sounding confident and for creating a great first impression at an interview:
1. Be Honest on your Resume AND in the Interview!
An interviewer can most definitely tell when a candidate is not being truthful. Make sure you only list facts on your resume regarding your education, experience and skills and always be honest when discussing these matters in your interview. If you lie to get a job, there is a good chance that you don’t have the skills to handle it once you start. If you are not skilled in an area they discuss, tell them how much of a quick learner you are and how you love to learn new things to make yourself an asset for the people you work for. The interviewer will be thankful that you were honest and your initiative to be a great employee will surely stick in their mind.
2. Be Confident!
If you have only facts on your resume, there is no reason to be nervous about your answers. All you are doing is talking about yourself! Make sure you always review your resume so you quickly remember responsibilities / examples from previous jobs and talk in a calm manner which is not too soft, not too loud and not too fast! You want to make sure they hear what you are saying and that they know you can control yourself in stressful situations.
3. Research, Research, Research!
Use your resources. Google the person who is going to interview…look them up on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Having a little knowledge about them before the interview will make you feel more comfortable before you walk-in. It’s a great way to know that if they graduated from Marshall, you shouldn’t walk in with a WVU pen to take notes! ;) Always use internet resources to your advantage!
These easy tips should have you feeling confident and successful with your background, education and training. Employers will pick-up on your genuine drive to succeed and your initiative to be a great employee at their company.
Here are a few tips for sounding confident and for creating a great first impression at an interview:
1. Be Honest on your Resume AND in the Interview!
An interviewer can most definitely tell when a candidate is not being truthful. Make sure you only list facts on your resume regarding your education, experience and skills and always be honest when discussing these matters in your interview. If you lie to get a job, there is a good chance that you don’t have the skills to handle it once you start. If you are not skilled in an area they discuss, tell them how much of a quick learner you are and how you love to learn new things to make yourself an asset for the people you work for. The interviewer will be thankful that you were honest and your initiative to be a great employee will surely stick in their mind.
2. Be Confident!
If you have only facts on your resume, there is no reason to be nervous about your answers. All you are doing is talking about yourself! Make sure you always review your resume so you quickly remember responsibilities / examples from previous jobs and talk in a calm manner which is not too soft, not too loud and not too fast! You want to make sure they hear what you are saying and that they know you can control yourself in stressful situations.
3. Research, Research, Research!
Use your resources. Google the person who is going to interview…look them up on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. Having a little knowledge about them before the interview will make you feel more comfortable before you walk-in. It’s a great way to know that if they graduated from Marshall, you shouldn’t walk in with a WVU pen to take notes! ;) Always use internet resources to your advantage!
These easy tips should have you feeling confident and successful with your background, education and training. Employers will pick-up on your genuine drive to succeed and your initiative to be a great employee at their company.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Interviewing Fear #1 - "They will ask me a question in which I don't know the answer"
Students frequently mention their fear of not knowing the answer to a question in an interview. Here are a few tips to prepare you for any interview questions that might come your way:
1. Know Your Resume
Your resume is the one thing during an interview that you have 100% control of. Make sure each piece of information you list is correct and true and that you update it on a consistent basis. Add new jobs, promotions, skills, technological skills, etc. so you always have an updated resume if you need to begin a new job search.
2. Review Skills and Job-Specific Materials
Before you interview, make sure you review your relevant job experience and skills for the particular position in which you are interested. If these skills and experiences are fresh in your mind, you will have easy ammunition to answer a question that might otherwise be difficult to answer during an interview.
• For Example: “Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult patient. How did you handle the situation?”
o When I worked as a Medical Assisting Extern at a Primary Care Facility in Charleston, I frequently had patients who were tired, sick and absolutely did not want to have to make a visit to the doctor. I made sure that I provided the best patient care by being friendly, positive and working as efficiently as possible to get the patient in, examined and out of the office as quickly as possible.
A quick review can prepare you for difficult questions that you may not otherwise be prepared to answer.
3. Research the Company
Always make sure you conduct thorough research for the company and position in which you are applying. This research will enable you to match your skills and experiences with the company’s needs and it shows an employer that you are truly interested in becoming an asset for their company. Remember…it isn’t what the company can do for you, it is what YOU can do FOR the company.
These are a few easy steps to prepare you for answering one of those tough interview questions asked by an employer. Remember: Talk with confidence and use your experiences through your training at school and your externship to give specific examples when answering questions.
-JT
1. Know Your Resume
Your resume is the one thing during an interview that you have 100% control of. Make sure each piece of information you list is correct and true and that you update it on a consistent basis. Add new jobs, promotions, skills, technological skills, etc. so you always have an updated resume if you need to begin a new job search.
2. Review Skills and Job-Specific Materials
Before you interview, make sure you review your relevant job experience and skills for the particular position in which you are interested. If these skills and experiences are fresh in your mind, you will have easy ammunition to answer a question that might otherwise be difficult to answer during an interview.
• For Example: “Tell me about a time you had to work with a difficult patient. How did you handle the situation?”
o When I worked as a Medical Assisting Extern at a Primary Care Facility in Charleston, I frequently had patients who were tired, sick and absolutely did not want to have to make a visit to the doctor. I made sure that I provided the best patient care by being friendly, positive and working as efficiently as possible to get the patient in, examined and out of the office as quickly as possible.
A quick review can prepare you for difficult questions that you may not otherwise be prepared to answer.
3. Research the Company
Always make sure you conduct thorough research for the company and position in which you are applying. This research will enable you to match your skills and experiences with the company’s needs and it shows an employer that you are truly interested in becoming an asset for their company. Remember…it isn’t what the company can do for you, it is what YOU can do FOR the company.
These are a few easy steps to prepare you for answering one of those tough interview questions asked by an employer. Remember: Talk with confidence and use your experiences through your training at school and your externship to give specific examples when answering questions.
-JT
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
"What is YOUR Biggest Interviewing Fear?"
This question has been asked to students over a span of several quarters during their Career Preparation course at West Virginia Junior College. The following is a compiled list of some of the most popular answers. Do any of these match your biggest fears?
1. They will ask me a question in which I don’t know the answer
2. They won’t like my answers
3. I’ll stutter or mumble
4. They won’t like the way I look
5. I won’t be prepared
Follow us in the coming weeks as we carefully examine each of these fears and offer some great tips to overcome them. The first key to a successful interview is to be yourself…no one can do THAT better than you.
-JT
1. They will ask me a question in which I don’t know the answer
2. They won’t like my answers
3. I’ll stutter or mumble
4. They won’t like the way I look
5. I won’t be prepared
Follow us in the coming weeks as we carefully examine each of these fears and offer some great tips to overcome them. The first key to a successful interview is to be yourself…no one can do THAT better than you.
-JT
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