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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

WVJC Career Services- How Can We Help?

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

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

"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

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!