Career Services Update - week of November 3, 2003!
* Mark your calendar – Wednesday, November 19, in the Stickney Room at noon, MBNA will be on campus to present this month's Brown Bag topic - Interview Techniques. Bring a lunch from home or from the cafeteria and listen as Calvin Chen not only speaks about interview techniques, but he'll answer your questions as well.
ALSO - it's not too late to sign up to interview for on-campus recruiters! Enterprise and Wells-Fargo will both be looking to interview December 2003 and May 2004 Thomas grads NEXT WEEK! Stop into the Career Services office to sign up!
* Contest News – Congratulations to Becky Hodgdon! Becky’s vote of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups was last month’s contest winner. Becky will win a bag of these treats and the Career Services office will fill our candy dish with them as a result of the October contest of the month (check for candy on Tuesday!). Peanut Butter Cups were the clear favorite with Twix coming in a distant second. Hard to believe, but we also received votes for raisinettes, bull’s eyes, and Jelly Belly Jelly Beans in tropical flavor. Willy Wonka himself would be proud!
Now for NOVEMBER’S contest. Hmmm. With the holidays approaching, let’s start thinking about what makes us thankful. Our family tradition has been to go around the table, naming what pops in our heads. I’ve heard things like cell phones, family members and everything in between! The November contest is to send us an e-mail telling us what you are thankful for this year. The winner will receive something that you will be thankful for in your first job!! More details coming...
* Job Hunting tips - BACKGROUND GLITCHES COULD PREVENT JOB OFFERS
One thing many students don't realize is how their actions seemingly outside of their search for employment can have an impact on it. Students need to realize the importance of making good decisions, and understand how those decisions are tied to their futures, according to Dolores Gatley, coordinator of the career center at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston.
"These days, there are more challenges in the way of background checks, such as credit history and criminal checks," says Gatley. "students need to know that these are now commonplace."
Gatley says that she knows of two students who were denied jobs at banks because of a glitch on their criminal records. In Massachusetts, she explains, failure to show up for jury duty is included on a criminal record.
"That alone is enough for any bank or financial institution to not hire you," says Gatley.
"The advice I give to students from middle school to college is that having a police record of any kind or having bad credit really hampers your job search," he says.
* Interview tips - We've mentioned this before but we can't stress this enough. The THANK-YOU LETTER. This is one of the most important yet least used tools in a job search. The basic rule of thumb is that everyone who helps you in any way gets a thank-you letter. When used to follow up on employment interviews, thank-you letters should be sent within 24 hours to everyone who interviewed you. For more information, stop into the Career Services office or check out our website.
* Weekly humor - The Three Sons
Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. Getting back together, they discussed the gifts they were able to give their elderly Mother.
The first said, "I built a big house for our Mother." The second said, "I sent her a Mercedes with a driver." The third smiled and said, "I've got you both beat. You remember how Mom enjoyed reading the Bible? And you know she can't see very well any more. I sent her a remarkable parrot that recites the entire Bible. It took Elders in the church 12 years to teach him. He's one of a kind. Mama just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot recites it."
Soon thereafter, Mom sent out her letters of thanks: "Milton," she wrote one son, "the house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house."
"Gerald," she wrote to another, "I am too old to travel any more. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. I stay most of the time at home, so I rarely use the Mercedes. And the driver is so rude!"
"Dearest Donald," she wrote to her third son, "you have the good sense to know what your Mother likes. The chicken was delicious!"
Have a great week!
Career Services
Thomas College
Waterville, ME
(207) 859-1106 - phone
(207) 859-1114 - fax