Marianne Millan

The five keys to work success are great tips that every student should learn. As someone who has had issues in my internship in the past, these keys would have been very useful to me. Some of them may be common sense, but it's good to remind yourself of the five keys and think about them when considering areas of improvement. These will be important to teach to students when they are starting internships or jobs. It was so helpful to also read about the application of these keys. Sometimes we think there is no way to improve our weaknesses,… >>>

I learned about interview Do's and Don'ts. These were extremely helpful as interviews are very important for obtaining a job. Sometimes, employers even make hiring decisions based off interview skills alone. This may not be the best way to find good employees, but we should prepare our students to not only have the necessary skills to succeed in a job but also to have great communication skills that get them a good relationship with their employers and coworkers.

Resumes not only talk about our work experiences but also about who we are. Employers want to know about both. It's important to have a clean and organized resume but also make it unique and personal. I also learned that at times we may think there is not much to add to our resume, but there is always more than we realize. We need to help students learn everything they can add to theirs.

Not every job is enjoyable, it depends on the person and their interests. Many people only see jobs as a means for money. But as educators, we need to help students realize that not every job has to be unenjoyable. They can find something they like in an area they are good in or want to be good in. If we can help them find passion and excitement for their future careers, it will help with student satisfaction and possibly retention.

 I learned about the importance of feedback. A school isn't just about providing education and forgetting about their students after graduation. A school needs to continue their relationships with past graduates and in doing so will benefit from many connections and improvements.

I learned that negotiating a salary can be seen as a candidate being serious about the job. The Career Services Department needs to ensure that they are able to prepare students with negotiating skills and tools so they are able to get the salary they deserve and have higher chances of staying at their job long-term.

I learned that it is extremely important to make connections with employers and other businesses to allow students to make those connections as well. Doing so will provide a much bigger opportunity to find a job after graduation or gain experience beforehand to build their resume and become a competitive candidate.

I learned the many different ways in which career services can help students as well as what the main goal is: to help students become successful. We don't just provide information to satisfy, we ensure that our students are being trained properly, have all of the information they need, and become the employees every company desires to have.