Page 343 - Keys To Community College Success

Courses. Take a course or two in your areas of interest
to determine if you like the material and excel in it. Find
out what courses are required for a major in those areas.
Check out your school’s course catalogue for detailed
information. Also, consider talking with the department
chair, or an older student who has taken some of the
courses, to gain more insight into the field.
Internships. An internship gives you a chance to work
in your chosen field to see how you like it. Your career
center may list summer or year-round internship opportu-
nities. For more comprehensive guides, check out reference
books like those published by Vault, as well as Internet
sources like Internships.com and Princeton Review.
Jobs. You may discover career opportunities while earn-
ing money during a part-time job. Someone who takes a
legal proofreading job to make extra cash might discover
an interest in law. Someone who answers phones for a newspaper company might be
drawn into journalism.
Volunteering. Helping others in need offers rewards including an introduction to INTERNSHIP
careers, experience, new contacts, and a positive impression on potential employers. A temporary work program
Many schools sponsor volunteer groups or have committees that organize volunteering in which a student can
opportunities. The federal government encourages volunteerism through AmeriCorps, gain supervised practical
a federal volunteer clearinghouse, which awards its volunteers money to pay for tuition experience in a particular
or student loans.
professional field.
Service learning. The goal of service learning is to provide the community with ser-
vice and give students knowledge gained from hands-on experience. Students in ser-
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vice learning programs enroll in credit-bearing courses where service and related
assignments are required. Taking the risk of service learning can reward you with a
sense of civic responsibility, opportunity to apply what you learn in the classroom, and
personal growth. If you are interested, talk to your advisor about whether your school
offers service learning programs.

Know What Employers Want
If you want to enter the job market or are already in it, know that prospective
employers look for particular skills and qualities that mark you as a promising can-
didate. Most employers require you to have a skillset that includes specific technical
know-how, but in this rapidly changing workplace, transferable skills may be even
more crucial to your success.

SKILLSET
Transferable skills A combination of the
In the modern workplace, workers will hold an average of 11 jobs through their pro- knowledge, talent, and
ductive working years. The high rate of job change means that abilities such as suc- needed to perform
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abilities that are
cessful thinking and teamwork are crucial to workplace success and can transfer from a specific job.
one job or career to another. For example, you will need teamwork and writing skills
for almost any job. Key 12.4 describes transferable skills employers seek.
Emotional intelligence
Employers are also drawn to emotionally intelligent job candidates. Consider this sce-
nario: You arrive at work distracted by a personal problem and tired from studying late
the night before. Your supervisor is overloaded with a major project due that day. The
person you work most closely with is coming in late due to a car problem. Everyone is Careers and More
stressed out. What does an emotionally intelligent person do?

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