Monthly Archives: October 2013

Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Samantha Kheim

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

As the weather changes and the holiday season looms around the corner, summer internship opportunities may be far from your mind.  Summer may be months away, but now is the time to explore your options to enhance your resume and prepare yourself for your post-graduation career.

At Dardis Academy, we have a team of recruitment managers dedicated to keeping your summer 2014 internship top of mind.  These recruitment managers tour their designated regions to attend career fairs, college information sessions and more to promote the unique Classroom to Career internship program with Dardis.

We will feature our recruitment managers regularly on this blog to share the true spirit of Dardis and encourage you or a college student in your life to apply for this life-changing internship!  Applications must be processed by May 1, but space is limited, so don’t delay!

In our first recruitment manager spotlight, we introduce Samantha Kheim:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
The ability to apply skills from the Academy as an entrepreneur.  I am also very excited to see young adults start their professional networking early on.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
In most internships, students find themselves only exposed to the company through what they hear and see when they are making copies.  With Dardis, they are the business.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
The #1 quality that employers look for on a resume is real world experience.  Even if your extracurricular activities and GPA are off the charts, they want to find someone who have proven experience getting a job done.

What Dardis intern success stories do you share with prospective interns?
My favorite success story is Elliot Salter.  Elliot went through the Dardis Academy in 2013 and was one of our top-sellers.  He is an example of working smart.  Elliott made $3,200 in a summer, when many of his peers were sitting at home.  He did all of that in about 30 hours per week.

In one word, what’s Dardis all about?
Development.

Where can students find you?
Culver-Stockton College, UMSL, Washington University, SLU, Webster University, Truman State University and more to come!

How can students contact you for more information?
Call me at 636.233.2189 or email any time at samantha@dardisinc.com.

Classroom to Career Internship Parent Guide

By | Classroom to Career | No Comments

Parents have a vested interest in their children’s future.  They want them to have positive experiences, obtain a quality education, surround themselves with good people and ultimately, find a fulfilling career.

In the past, students who went to college and finished with a diploma in hand were likely to land a job post-college.  In today’s world, the stakes are higher, with increased competition and lower job availability.  Students need something extra to shine above the rest, which can come in the form of an internship.

According to a 2012 Internships.com poll, 63 percent of the students in the college class of 2012 completed at least one internship.  28 percent of students completed two!  Our Classroom to Career internship program has never been more important.  As a parent, here’s what you need to know:

  • The Classroom to Career internship program begins with a weeklong, skills-based training program that will give your son or daughter formal professional training that he or she will use for his or her entire career!  Examples include selling techniques, presentations skills, overcoming obstacles and more.
  • After the Academy, students will work independently for the summer to sell quality, Dardis professional clothing to pre-identified leads in their communities.  Dardis provides sales and marketing material, product catalogs and order forms for students to use in presentations to best represent themselves and Dardis.
  • Students are responsible for hotel accommodations and meals for the Academy, as well as the intern uniform.
  • Safety is a top priority for our interns, so Dardis has a three-pronged approach to safety, which includes training, awareness and prevention.
  • Parents are asked to sign a document showing their support for their student in the form of a “Parent Support Letter,” which serves as an information tool for the parents to know what the student wants to do over the summer and to be part of the decision process.
  • For students to have a successful summer, we ask that they be coachable, work hard and study hard!

Internships lay the crucial groundwork for a successful career, especially those like the Classroom to Career program where students gain professional communication skills, as well as invaluable sales and marketing experience.  Dardis is building future leaders, and helping students bridge the gap between their college course and the business world.

Not yet convinced?  Check out our parent testimonials to hear firsthand from parents of former interns.

To get more information for a young person in your life, call 1-800-720-6329, and we will be happy to answer your questions or set up an in-person meeting with a Recruitment Manager.

 

Photo credit: Nic McPhee, Flickr

Beyond the Classroom: Preparing for the “Real World”

By | Classroom to Career | No Comments

Most high school students close their lockers for the last time and toss their caps at graduation thinking that college is final preparation for entry into the “real world.”  At a basic level, that’s true.  A college education can provide students with the book smarts and social experiences needed to jump start an adult life, as well as a career.

But do four (sometimes more!) years at a university really prepare students for challenges found in the workplace?

One study followed 2,300 undergraduates from 2005 to 2007 and found that 36 percent of students did not demonstrate significant improvement in key measures of critical thinking, complex reasoning and writing.  If book knowledge did not increase, it’s likely that other skills did not, as well.  While only one study, students have to wonder, will I really be ready to graduate?

Melinda Boisjolie, an intern for the National Association for College Admission Counseling, may have said it best:

“It is a tough realization, but a college degree does not automatically translate into a job.  Experience and involvement are just as important, if not more important than high grades.  While the significance of grades depends on your major and what you intend to do after your undergraduate years, they don’t mean anything if you do not know how to effectively communicate with others.”

Effective communication.  Experience and involvement.  This is where Dardis comes in.

Through our Classroom to Career internship program, college students gain real life business experience after completing professional training to set them apart when they apply for their first job and beyond.  In the Dardis Academy, interns learn the skills they will need on the job, including selling techniques, presentation skills, time management and more.  Following the Academy, our interns use their skills to sell quality, professional clothing, while putting their new skills to the test.

It’s not about the clothes or even the financial benefits that successful students can lean on after a well-spent summer.  It’s about equipping students with the real world skills and experiences that they will need to succeed post-graduation.

According to a 2012 Internships.com survey, 66 percent of employers believe interview performance and relevant work experience are the most important factors in their hiring decisions—far more significant than strong academic performance.

Combined with a quality education, Dardis interns have what it takes to not only get the job, but to do well in whatever they do.  Learn more about the benefits of our internship program today and recommend the Classroom to Career program to a college student in your life.

 

Photo credit: CollegeDegrees360, Flickr

Strengthening Relationships Through Meaningful Conversations

By | Leadership | No Comments

As business professionals, we talk a lot.  From conference calls to client meetings to the water cooler, we discuss not only business need but our personal lives.  While any professional can talk, it takes a well-trained employee to engage in meaningful conversations, no matter what the topic.

Whether you are an up and coming professional or a seasoned business person, think about the most engaging leaders in your world.  How do they speak to others?  How do they lead meetings and discuss critical issues?  At the end of the day, how they do they get the job done?

Successful leaders know how to engage others in conversation and then contribute their own ideas effectively, which is why we focus on communication in the Dardis Academy.  Even in a world of email and social media, young professionals still need to learn how to brainstorm, discuss and then sell in person.

2013 summer intern Katelyn Wheeldon already knows that the active listening techniques and communications skills she learned in the Academy will benefit her future career:

“I learned that the number one complaint about salespeople is that they talk too much, which made me try to ask open-ended questions and listen to my customers.  Also, learning how to cut out filler words through eye contact helped me give effective presentations and talk to large groups of people,” she said.

Communications training sets the foundation for meaningful conversations in the workplace, which fosters productive interactions.  These interactions are not only positive for employee engagement, but more importantly, they positively impact the company’s bottom line.

Meaningful conversations do not have to be heavy or riddled with lofty words.  LinkedIn contributor John Hall recently posted 13 simple ways that employees can have more meaningful conversations on the company’s blog:

  1. Don’t get too excited about your next thought.
  2. Ask good questions that show you’re engaged.
  3. Do your homework without being creepy.
  4. Try to genuinely relate.
  5. Don’t waste people’s time.
  6. Let people sell themselves.
  7. Ask how you can add value.
  8. Do what you can to help.
  9. Reach out in meaningful ways.
  10. Decrease personal barriers.
  11. Listen and remember key points.
  12. Hold back on sharing how awesome you are.
  13. Recognize other people.

Developing a habit for meaningful conversations does not happen overnight.  Focus on one or two of these simple steps this work week and see how your business thrives.

Photo credit: Victor1558, Flickr

Contact Dardis today to learn more. Contact Us