All posts by Jessica Weinberger

Dec 13
0

Show You’re Ready With Your Resume

By | Career Advice | No Comments

Resumes serve as a foundational tool for all professionals to advance in their careers, but for recent grads, resumes are more than foundational – they’re crucial to landing the first job out of college. Fine-tuned interview skills and real life work experience (through valuable internships like Dardis’ Classroom to Career program) can lead to a job offer, but your resume first needs to get you through the front door.

As a current student or recent grad, you’re likely wondering how to fill that important sheet of paper when you don’t have years of work experience to highlight. While seasoned professionals need to concisely summarize numerous positions, your goal is to build upon the experience you do have – both paid and unpaid – to show you have what it takes to succeed.

“Craft a strong resume that says you’re ready for the workforce.”
Amanda Augustine, Job Search Expert, TheLadders

Many experts have strong opinions on what makes a resume stand out, but there is no blanket how-to guide for crafting the perfect resume. Stick to these basic guidelines to begin, and let your resume evolve as you grow in your career.

Keep it clean
Rely on simple fonts and a clean format to keep your resume professional. Use bullet points, when possible, for an easy read.

Tell your story
Organize your resume so that the information not only flows, but tells your unique story. Prioritize what content you list first and let your personality shine through.

Be specific
Employers want to pinpoint your actual work responsibilities, so make it easy for recruiters by using action verbs and highlighting specific projects and accomplishments.

Tailor the resume for the company
While it’s easy to push your resume to dozens of prospective employers at once, it pays to customize your information for each position. Use a strong objective paragraph or cover letter to show that you’re right for that specific position.

Proofread, proofread, proofread
Don’t let a resume typo prevent you from getting the job. Reread your resume multiple times to catch any grammar errors, and look to your school’s career center for a second opinion.

Accomplished leaders don’t rely on the first version of the resume they created post-college. Continually improve the formatting and refresh the text to maintain a stellar resume that will propel you through your career.

Photo credit: michaeln3 via Flickr 

Dec 06
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Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Courtney Conklin

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

Courtney Conklin, a member of our passionate recruiting team, truly believes that the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program is a valuable experience for any college student:

“The internship is for anyone and any major.  If you are a student who is willing to work hard and work smart, you are going to be successful, just like our previous graduates!” she  said.

Courtney travels across the state of Illinois with this very message as she searches for the best and brightest students for our Classroom to Career internship program. While the May 1 application deadline is months away, all of our recruitment managers encourage students and their parents to spend time over the holiday season discussing summer internship opportunities – including Dardis’ competitive program, which will serve as the gateway to future career success.

Learn more from Courtney in our latest recruitment manager spotlight:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
There are so many benefits of our Classroom to Career program!  If I had to choose the greatest benefit, I would choose personal growth.  From start to finish, students are working with a variety of professionals from different backgrounds while gaining real-life experience.  This growth and experience allows the Dardis intern to mature and develop on both a personal and professional level.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
Dardis Academy provides the two main things employers are looking for in an applicant: communication skills and real-world experience.  Students are not only learning valuable skills in the classroom, but they are able to then apply those skills in the field. After completing our program, our graduates are a fully-trained, proven asset to any organization!

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
Real-world experience is the #1 thing employers look for on a resume.  Our internship provides students with that experience, giving our students the competitive edge they need to set themselves apart from other applicants.

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

How can students contact you for more information?
Students can contact me at courtney@dardisinc.com or 563-940-7547, as well as Facebook and LinkedIn.

Nov 29
0

The 5 Keys to Intentional Networking

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“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

Networking continues to exist as a buzzword in the corporate world for good reason. The people you interact with both professionally and personally have the power to lead you to new opportunities, serve as references and provide meaningful career advice. In this digital age, LinkedIn connections and Twitter followers supplement traditional networking opportunities such as formal, in-person events.

It can be tempting for business professional, both experienced and in-experienced, to grab hold of every networking opportunity that becomes available, but smart professionals pick and choose which events and channels serve them the most in their specific field of work.

The most effective networking is intentional networking. Here’s how to get started:

Prepare your elevator speech
Some of the most important networking happens on the fly, so prepare a short, 2-minute professional overview that details your past work experience, current position and career goals.

Effectively manage your LinkedIn presence
Do you have a LinkedIn profile? If the answer is no, you’re missing a crucial opportunity to advertise yourself through a global network of more than 259,000,000 registered members. Take five minutes today and easily create your profile by importing your resume and adding a professional photo. If you already have a profile, commit to updating your profile to effectively showcase your experience. Connect with new and old colleagues, and don’t forget to join relevant industry groups.

Find a mentor in your field
A broad network will help you quickly expand your network, but you should also identify a professional that can meet with you in-person on a monthly or quarterly basis. These meetings can be formal or informal, but this set-aside time will give you the opportunity to ask important career questions and develop a strong mentor relationship.

Join the right professional organizations
If you’re a student, invest time in professional organizations both on and off-campus to build a network that will benefit you the most post-graduation. As a current professional, challenge yourself to use your time wisely by socializing at group meetings and industry events.

Engage in person and online
Intentional networking exists on and offline. Both channels work together to bolster your network, so don’t let your hundreds of LinkedIn connections replace valuable in-person networking opportunities.

 

Photo credit: GDC Europe

Nov 22
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Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Amy Jo Troyer

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Dardis Recruitment Manager Amy Jo Troyer has been busy connecting with prospective students in her designated region of Kansas. From career fairs to classroom presentations to hosting campus information sessions, Amy Jo continues to spread the word about the exciting Classroom to Career internship program in anticipation of the May 1, 2014 application deadline.

Her dedication to the Dardis mission shines through her work every day, but Amy Jo says that her efforts are most importantly supported by the real life success stories from past interns. Read on to learn more about her perspective on this great opportunity for students that will ensure they walk across the stage at graduation with purpose.

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
The dynamic experience! You’ll be part of a team that values you, supports you and celebrates your success. You’ll learn valuable skills that apply to every facet of your life, both personal and professional. You’ll reap the benefits of seeing a task through until the end because you’ve committed to doing so. And, most importantly, you ensure your future success. While others may walk across the stage at graduation with uncertainty, you will do so with great purpose.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
We have far more in store for you than running errands. You will receive corporate level executive training and a roadmap for guaranteed success as an entrepreneur. You simply won’t get that anywhere else.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
Plain and simple, it’s what employers want. Be the student that stands out in the crowd with a resume and experience that commands attention. This internship will enhance your education, develop your professional network and create great opportunity. Think of it this way – every week you spend with Dardis brings you closer to the top of the job candidate list your future employer will have!

In one word, what’s Dardis all about?
Greatness!

How can students contact you for more information?
Learn firsthand what high level executives at John Deere, Wells Fargo, Principal Financial Group and many more already know – we are the very best at what we do! For more information, you can contact me at 913-306-1412 or amyjo@dardisinc.com.

Nov 15
0

Experience Is Essential

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

A recent poll showed that in 2012, 63 percent of the students in the Class of 2012 completed at least one internship, and 28 percent of students completed two. Internships are no longer an optional piece of the college experience. They represent a crucial component of any student’s resume, and the college students of today are recognizing that experience is essential in today’s job market.

Not all internships are created equal. Employment at a well-known company can jump off the page, but it’s the real world experience that will help you land the job and propel your career. Dardis’ Classroom to Career internship program combines the respect of the Dardis, Inc. umbrella of companies with the tangible pieces that students need in their working lives post-college.

Networking, communications skills and sales training all contribute to a successful career, but the hands-on experience in this unique internship program ensures students stand out among the rest. During the interview process, past Dardis interns can speak about specific customer experiences, selling techniques and high-profile presentations that will convey the sense of passion and motivation that recruiters look for in recent grads. While some interns focus on secretarial work, Dardis interns do the work and gain valuable experience along the way.

In our latest Recruitment Manager spotlight, Josh Martens shares more about this challenging and worthwhile internship experience:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
The opportunity to gain professional work experience.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
Not only is there opportunity to gain experience, but it also takes students through executive level training, which will help them excel in their career after graduation, and also in the classroom until they graduate.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
It is one of the major things that employers look for, and if a student expects to get a career after graduation, it is essential that they gain this before graduation.

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

How can students contact you for more information?
Students can call me at 402-650-0087 or email me at josh@dardisinc.com.

Nov 08
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Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Tera Edmunds

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For Iowa Recruitment Manager Tera Edmunds, explaining the benefits of the Classroom to Career internship program to students is simple.

“What better way to spend your summer than getting paid, meeting new people, and making your resume shine?”

Dardis Academy is all of that and more – read on for more valuable information from Tera in our second recruitment manager spotlight:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
Not only are our students going to get high-level executive training, but they have the opportunity to apply those skills to a real-life, full-time, paid experience.  They will build their network, practice their communication skills, connect with leaders in their area and more.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
It’s a paid opportunity for students to actually apply invaluable training to real-world experience.  No other internship can compete with our caliber of student training.  It is the competitive edge that students need to stand out from the crowd.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
It is going to set students apart from other applicants.  Thousands of people are going to apply for the same position, and employers are looking for high-performing students that use their knowledge from the classroom and apply it to noteworthy experiences.  This is that noteworthy experience.  If you have the Dardis name on your resume, I guarantee that your resume will be put into the interview pile.

What Dardis intern success stories do you share with prospective interns?
One of the top-selling students from last summer already has job offers lined up.  He now has the ability to choose which path he’d like to go on because of his experience with Dardis.  As graduation draws near, some students desperately accept any position offered to them. This internship will open all kinds of doors. You will have the ability to design your future exactly how you want it.

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

Where can students find you?
Social media platforms, campus visits, information sessions, classroom presentations and more.  I will be all over the place and always communicating so that students know when I will be visiting a campus.

How can students contact you for more information?

Nov 01
2

Exciting News From Dardis, Inc.

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It has been an exciting season for the staff at Dardis, Inc.  Our 2013 Classroom to Career internship program wrapped up with our top intern bringing in nearly $16,000 in three months.  We are now actively recruiting students for our summer 2014 program and developing the resources and tools needed to keep Dardis growing into the future.

We are pleased to report on two developments that prove Dardis, Inc. is here to stay:

New Dardis, Inc. website is now live

Dardis, Inc. encompasses a family of companies, each with different services and value.  We recently launched a new website describing each of these elements to provide a more comprehensive picture of Dardis.

This website serves as an umbrella to detail each business unit:

  • Dardis Communications:  Our executive training program designed to teach leaders how to speak as well as they think and convey the essence of professionalism they need to succeed
  • Dardis Academy:  Our student training program that combines advanced communication skills training with a paid internship
  • Dardis Apparel:  Our apparel business which is based on exceptional product, great price and convenience

Check out the site today and be sure to share any feedback with us!

New distribution center nears completion

Our new apparel distribution center in Dyersville is nearly complete!  The 25,000 square foot distribution center in Dyersville’s 20 West Industrial Park will ship and store professional apparel for Dardis Apparel, a component of our comprehensive approach to developing clients’ professional image.

Founder Greg Dardis:

“I’m very excited to be building close to where I grew up,” Dardis said.  “I love the area, the people and everything about back home. We looked at a number of possible locations, and Dyersville came out on top.  I was impressed with the Dyersville Economic Development Corporation and their dedication to helping businesses thrive. We’re looking forward to this next phase of our business and the opportunity to be part of this progressive community.”

Dardis Communications has offices in Chicago, Des Moines and Coralville.

Oct 25
0

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.

Oct 18
0

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

Oct 11
0

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

Contact Dardis today to learn more. Contact Us