leadership

Mar 14
0

Dardis Classroom to Career: Just the Beginning

By | Classroom to Career | No Comments

As we look forward to the May 1 application deadline for our 2014 summer internship program, our Recruitment Managers are sprinting to the finish line, spreading the Dardis mission across the Midwest and beyond to prospective interns.  At career fairs, information sessions and individual meetings, they speak about our executive-level training program, the value of business experience and even the opportunity for interns to win a trip to Mexico.

Each of these pieces adds value to our Classroom to Career program, which continues to educate and propel college students into successful careers. But our internship is just the beginning for Classroom to Career alums. The tools and skills that students gain through our program impacts not only their job search post-college, but also the opportunities they have after they’ve landed their first job.

Dardis alums can rely on the professional skills and practical experiences they gain through Dardis as they advance into management roles and take on new responsibilities. The values of hard work and a commitment to excellence will make them strong and fair leaders. Our internship program is more than just selling clothes – it’s molding a business professional that can succeed and make a difference in any field, both today and years down the road.

The connections that Dardis interns make during their summer experience help them build a network quicker than their peers, which can open doors for them at any point in the future. A thorough, well-executed presentation as a Dardis intern can lead to a job opportunity or even a recommendation in a later season of life.

The Dardis experience serves as a gateway to limitless opportunities and success for young adults in a crowded job market – something that our former interns don’t take for granted.

“Learning the skills in the Academy and then seeing success as a result is huge,” said Ben B., a 2012 Dardis Academy graduate. “Not only for a confidence booster, but also for paving the way for the rest of my career. This is the real thing. Real life. Real world. Real business experience.”

Photo credit: by tableatny via Flickr

Oct 04
0

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