college internships

Feb 27
0

College Senior: Set Goals, Learn to Sell to Succeed

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

University of Northern Iowa senior Ty Flood eagerly anticipates graduation this spring. With a degree in marketing, this Des Moines native credits his real world experience with Dardis for laying a foundation for a successful career post-college.

Ty shares his first-hand internship experience, encouraging other college students to “become comfortable with being uncomfortable” to grow and succeed in their careers.

Describe your experience with Dardis.
My internship with Dardis was hands-down one of the biggest learning experiences that I have ever had. The internship was challenging, but incredibly rewarding. Not only did I learn a lot about myself, but I had the opportunity to connect with many successful people in the Des Moines area.

What was one of the most important lessons you learned through the Dardis program?
One of the biggest lessons that the internship instilled in me is the importance of goal setting. There will be days where you hit the ground running, but there will be days when you don’t feel like a million bucks. Through setting goals, you will always have something to stride toward.

What kind of skills do you feel are most important for college students to learn through internships and volunteer work before graduation?
A skill that is critically important for any college student to learn is the ability to sell. No matter what walk of life that you travel down, you are going to have to sell yourself and your ideas to peers, leadership or customers. Every day, you are constantly selling your credibility.

What are your goals for the future? How has Dardis helped you work toward these short-term and long-term goals?
Currently, my short-term goal is to attain a full-time sales position before graduation. Through both the week-long seminar and the nine-week internship, I gained skills in oral, and written communication, as well as professional image and sales skills. This has been incredibly helpful in interviews. I received true business experience through this internship.

Ultimately, a long-term goal would be to start and run my own business. Dardis has prepared me for this by giving me a taste of what the entrepreneurial life is like by building a customer list and fulfilling their needs.

What advice do you have for other undergraduate students as they prepare for their careers?
Become comfortable with being uncomfortable. As a young professional, a lot of things are going to be new to us. Don’t shy away from these new things. Hunt them down and hit it head-on because that’s the only way that we can grow.

Jul 25
0

Dardis Interns Learn to Manage Their Territory

By | Classroom to Career | No Comments

Knowing your market, identifying the key players and finding the right opportunities to explore represent key factors for any successful business professional, and our Dardis interns are learning firsthand how to effectively manage their territories.

Angelique Punt, a soon-to-be senior at Augustana College, oversees the Quad Cities area and through the Classroom to Career internship program, she has expanded her territory into spaces she never thought imaginable. She recently met with an executive at a local advertising firm that she was introduced to through a friend.

“Knowing your clients and what they do in their day-to-day life will help make a successful sale,” she said.

When learning how to manage their territories, interns have to keep an open mind about the key players in the territory, just like in the business world. Logan Masenthin, a University of Kansas senior, said that she had to stop putting her work in a box and branch out. She recently had an experience where she unexpectedly made a sale in her territory.

“I made a sale to a neighbor and local businessman on the same day that I made a sale to an important lawyer in downtown Kansas City,” Masenthin said. “I learned that different sorts of people in the city can be interested in what I am doing.”

St. Scholastica senior Trevor Morlock has already learned that a little creativity can lead to making the most out of his territory.  He recently visited his local Chamber of Commerce and used their directory to set up appointments with individuals he may not have met otherwise. Territory management still comes with its challenges like rejection, but with the skills learned in the Dardis Academy, Morlock and other interns are prepared to persevere.

“You have to overcome those challenges, ignore them and keep moving on because sooner than later, if you keep pushing forward, the challenge will turn into a triumph,” he said.

Stay tuned to our blog for more success stories from our interns who continue to effectively management their territories!

July Weekly Sales Leaders
Congratulations to our July weekly sales leaders with an additional congrats to Fran Campbell of Team Kansas. She earned more than $6,000 in week nine!

Dardis_July

Week 6:  Kaelee Wittrock, $2,070
University of Iowa, Senior/Graduate, Team Iowa

Week 7:  Dylan Vidinich, $1,105
Illinois State University, Junior, Team Illinois

Week 8:  Cameron James, $2,830
University of Iowa, Sophomore, Team Iowa

Week 9:  Fran Campbell, $6,313
University of Kansas, Graduate Student, Team Kansas

Photo credit: 23am.com via Flickr

Apr 25
0

Find Your Leaders of Tomorrow with the Dardis Career Partner Program

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Thousands of college seniors toss their graduation caps each spring ready to hit the job market, forcing employers to sift through a saturated pool of prospective entry-level employees without knowing if the recent grads have the real-life skills to back up their degrees.

Successful companies invest in the next generation of professionals, and through the Dardis Career Partner Program, we can connect you with young employees in our Classroom to Career internship program that are poised to advance your organization into the future.

Students in the Classroom to Career internship program complete formal, skills-based training through the Dardis Academy where they learn important presentation skills, professional image skills, business etiquette, selling techniques and more. Once complete, they spend a summer putting their skills into action selling quality, professional clothing in their communities. The program serves as a crucial opportunity for students to gain real-life, professional experience that will bridge the gap from the college classroom to the business world.

“A partnership with Dardis is an innovative way to reach some of the most driven, achievement oriented and brightest students in the country.”
– Greg Dardis, CEO & President

As a participant in the Dardis Career Partner Program, companies can send a representative to attend the full Dardis Academy training session, allowing them to interact with the students, track their progress throughout the summer and reconnect with them to offer a future position at their company.

Career Partners have full access to Classroom to Career program graduates through an alumni database of resumes, and Dardis also maintains a job posting section on our website exclusively for Career Partners. We communicate with Career Partners throughout the year to connect you with quality candidates that we believe would be a good match for your organization.

Other benefits include:

  • Marketing of your brand
  • Access to student assessments
  • Log-in to our alumni database
  • Invitation to networking events
  • Weekly newsletter
  • Placement assistance and recommendations

Career Partners have unprecedented access to proven, motivated young professionals that represent the best of the best. Dardis’ first partners include Cottingham & Butler and GreatAmerica Financial Services. We continue to seek new partners ready to work with the business leaders of tomorrow at the upcoming Dardis Academy that begins May 13 in Chicago.

To learn more about the Dardis Career Partner program and to register, visit www.dardisacademy.com/career-partner-program.

Photo credit: Maryland GovPics via Flickr

Jan 03
0

5 New Year’s Resolutions for College Students

By | Career Advice | No Comments

The start of a new year represents an opportunity to begin with a clean slate – both personally and professionally. As we move from one year from the next, we can look back at all we have accomplished and look forward with clear direction, motivation and likely, resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions don’t have to revolve around personal goals like weight loss or repairing broken relationships. As a college student, you have the unique opportunity to start a new year with strategic goals that will greatly enhance your future career. So get out a pen and paper and physically write down three to five resolutions for the upcoming year. By putting your goals onto paper and posting them in a prominent location in your dorm or apartment, you will be more likely to achieve your goals and jumpstart your career.

Not sure where to begin? Here are some suggestions:

Apply for a summer internship
This should be the #1 resolution on your list. Quality internships like Dardis’ Classroom to Career program combine real world experience with executive-level training to give you the skills that employers look for.  Summer is only a few months away, so before you start a new semester, complete our online application.

Enhance your resume
Your resume needs to best reflect your skills and experience as it relates to the specific job you’re applying for. Try reformatting your resume or updating the verbiage to include more active, project-driven information and then have a professional in your school’s career center offer additional feedback.

Improve your online presence
No, your Facebook profile doesn’t count. Create a LinkedIn profile or improve your current profile by adding a recent photo, past work experience and volunteer work. You should also commit to reviewing your privacy settings on other social networking sites to ensure that employers only see the best version of you.

Focus on development
Employers look for well-rounded candidates, so make a resolution to regularly attend career events on and off campus to hone your business communication and networking skills. You could also choose a specific skill like public speaking to work on this year. Don’t forget to also volunteer at worthy organizations to help others while enhancing your resume.

Dream big
It’s a new year. Anything is possible and the only limitations that exist are the ones you place on yourself!

Remember, you don’t have to wait for the ball to drop in Times Square to make goals for your personal life or your career. Reevaluate your progress each month and add resolutions to your list throughout the year to propel yourself toward a successful career.

 

Photo credit: Anthony Quintano via Flickr

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 

Nov 01
2

Exciting News From Dardis, Inc.

By | Dardis News | No Comments

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.

May 24
0

Training future leaders through the Dardis Sales Academy

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Dardis Clothiers is not just about suits, dress shirts and ties. Dardis is in the business of building future leaders. Through Dardis Communications, we train corporate executives on presentation skills, professional image, sales skills and business writing. But the future of business lies in the students who participate in Dardis Sales Academy.

This student training and development program equips students with the practical skills and real-world experience that they’ll need to be successful post-high school or post-college.  Through a one-week training program followed by nine weeks of real-world internship experience, high school and college students gain life skills in independence, confidence, goal setting and self-motivation.

That’s where we come in. Dardis works to build character within young people, first within the Dardis Sales Academy and then our summer internship program. We have a unique platform in which students can run their own business, make great money, and at the same time, learn valuable life skills.

Through the Dardis Sales Academy, students evolve into highly trained professionals before they enter the sales field. From beginning to end, students are immersed in experiential learning. At the academy, students learn:

  • Presentation and communication skills
  • Selling and persuasion skills
  • Importance of professional image
  • Business skills like accounting and bookkeeping
  • Territory and time management
  • And more!

These skills are needed more than ever in our competitive job market. Thousands of students graduate each year with a college degree, but many students lack the necessary skills needed to be successful on the job. Surveys show that oral and written communication skills are the number one shortfall among college graduates, and students lack the professional image and the ability to sell themselves and their ideas effectively.

Dardis’ unique summer internship is an opportunity for students after attending the Dardis Sales Academy to jump-start their future careers by running their own business selling men’s apparel. Stay tuned to our blog for more information on this exciting internship program that brings Dardis product right to your front door!

Do you know someone who should apply for the Dardis Sales Academy? Learn more today.

Contact Dardis today to learn more. Contact Us