On average, only two percent of candidates that apply for a job will get an interview according to Glassdoor. With Career Edge, students attend workshops designed to help adults prepare for the job market. Participants are taught the skills needed to get and keep a job. The workshop series is based on targeted instruction in four areas: laying the foundation, job search preparation, interview preparation and keeping a job.
The Afterschool Download editors caught up with three Career Edge graduates to see where they ended up in their careers and how they landed their current positions. Here is what they had to say:
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Prep beforehand for your interview
Andwele Weather has been working at FedEx since August 2017. He landed his job after graduating from Career Edge and works as a package handler for the company. While catching up with Weather, we learned about the importance of prepping before an interview.
“Be prepared to answer tough questions,” said Weather. “In the interview process for my current position there were different questions that we had discussed in Career Edge workshops. They would have been difficult if we had not prepared for those questions beforehand. So, I was able to give strong answers.”
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Dress for success
Charles Garrison has been working for BNB Welding since 2016. He recently was promoted to second-shift supervisor and is in charge of the entire second-shift crew.
“No matter what kind of job you are interviewing for make sure to dress nicely,” said Garrison. “I was interviewing for a labor job, welding and fabricating. But I still made sure I had on a nice shirt for my interview. Being a supervisor now, when I see someone come in for an interview with ripped jeans or a messy shirt, I don’t tend to take them seriously.”
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Don’t bring up salary in your interview
Christopher Phillips has been working as a welder for Tradesmen International since April 2017. The most important lesson he learned in Career Edge was what to avoid bringing up in an interview.
“Don’t talk about money,” said Phillips. “When you are interviewing for a position, that is not the right time to talk about your salary. When you are offered the position, you will be able to discuss it then.”
For more information on upcoming sessions for Career Edge go to www.flintandgenesee.org/education-training/career-edge/
Career Edge is made possible through the generous support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.