Read Chapter Three

The goals for Class Session Three are:

• to  appreciate the importance of career-related experience before looking for work
• to identify options for obtaining additional experience

Remember "what employers value" from Class One? If not, review the presentation from NACE. They valued:

• Skills
• Education
• Career-related experience
• Personal qualities such as work ethic

3-7 Write an email to an employer NOW explaining why they should hire you. What experiences would you emphasize? Describe the internships, summer jobs, campus jobs, part-time and volunteer work you have undertaken as a college student that will prepare you for this position. 

Use skills language in your description such as

• "I used my ability to motivate and encourage adolescents to supervise six high school students in a community recreation program."
• Or I used my public relations skills to organize a fund drive to raise money for the Leukemia Society."

Don’t say

• "I only worked for the Rec Department."
• Or "I was just a volunteer at the Leukemia Society"!

Put this email in your Portfolio. Don’t send it to anyone yet!

3-8 Are you satisfied with the experiences you have to offer?

If not, what can you do to improve your qualifications and experience prior to beginning your job search? Get a part-time internship? Volunteer as a public relations assistant during the holiday break? Take a computer class? Who could help you make plans?

Write a paragraph outlining your plan for your Portfolio. Be as specific as possible when describing the needs employers try to fill and the skills you hope to bring.

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Class Session Four