career advice

Mar 14
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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

Dec 20
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Executive-level Training Provides the Competitive Edge

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

Professional, skills-driven training through Dardis Academy represents one of the greatest assets of Dardis’ Classroom to Career internship program. This week-long training goes beyond lectures to include customized sessions that involve instructor briefings, student practice, instructor coaching, group feedback and individualized videotape review. We know that students and adults learn best through interactive coaching and individual practice, so our training methodology provides students with instant feedback and the opportunity to observe and measure their progress throughout the training experience.

To create the best learning environment, we ensure our training is:

  • Practical and applicable
  • Interactive and participative
  • 100% linked to the student’s goals and objectives

Students emerge from this valuable experience with the skills they need to succeed in our exciting internship program and in their careers.

But how important is professional training? Just ask Nebraska Recruiting Manager Nick McEvoy. He cites Dardis’ training program as the top benefit for Dardis interns. Read more in our latest Recruitment Manager Spotlight:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
Truly the greatest benefit is one week of executive level training. The Dardis Academy is much more than just providing a job – they are providing students with real world skills and experience.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
Our executive level training program. Thousands of executives every year go through our training and development program. Student participants will come out with a competitive edge from their peers after one summer with the Dardis Academy.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
Receiving real world experience is massive. It takes real hard work to get ahead in your career, but you can accomplish this while having a lot of fun. It’s crucial to first understand and grasp the importance of real world experience while in college.

What Dardis intern success stories do you share with prospective interns?
We spoke with one of the top sellers this past year at our Great Recruiters Meeting. He loved his Dardis experience. He spoke about his freedom to set his own schedule during the summer as long as he got his work done. He challenged himself while learning to work smart.

In one word, what’s Dardis all about?
Communication.

How can students contact you for more information?
You can contact me by email at nicholas@dardisinc.com or by phone at 402-995-1167.

Nov 22
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Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Amy Jo Troyer

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

Dardis Recruitment Manager Amy Jo Troyer has been busy connecting with prospective students in her designated region of Kansas. From career fairs to classroom presentations to hosting campus information sessions, Amy Jo continues to spread the word about the exciting Classroom to Career internship program in anticipation of the May 1, 2014 application deadline.

Her dedication to the Dardis mission shines through her work every day, but Amy Jo says that her efforts are most importantly supported by the real life success stories from past interns. Read on to learn more about her perspective on this great opportunity for students that will ensure they walk across the stage at graduation with purpose.

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
The dynamic experience! You’ll be part of a team that values you, supports you and celebrates your success. You’ll learn valuable skills that apply to every facet of your life, both personal and professional. You’ll reap the benefits of seeing a task through until the end because you’ve committed to doing so. And, most importantly, you ensure your future success. While others may walk across the stage at graduation with uncertainty, you will do so with great purpose.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
We have far more in store for you than running errands. You will receive corporate level executive training and a roadmap for guaranteed success as an entrepreneur. You simply won’t get that anywhere else.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
Plain and simple, it’s what employers want. Be the student that stands out in the crowd with a resume and experience that commands attention. This internship will enhance your education, develop your professional network and create great opportunity. Think of it this way – every week you spend with Dardis brings you closer to the top of the job candidate list your future employer will have!

In one word, what’s Dardis all about?
Greatness!

How can students contact you for more information?
Learn firsthand what high level executives at John Deere, Wells Fargo, Principal Financial Group and many more already know – we are the very best at what we do! For more information, you can contact me at 913-306-1412 or amyjo@dardisinc.com.

Nov 15
0

Experience Is Essential

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

A recent poll showed that in 2012, 63 percent of the students in the Class of 2012 completed at least one internship, and 28 percent of students completed two. Internships are no longer an optional piece of the college experience. They represent a crucial component of any student’s resume, and the college students of today are recognizing that experience is essential in today’s job market.

Not all internships are created equal. Employment at a well-known company can jump off the page, but it’s the real world experience that will help you land the job and propel your career. Dardis’ Classroom to Career internship program combines the respect of the Dardis, Inc. umbrella of companies with the tangible pieces that students need in their working lives post-college.

Networking, communications skills and sales training all contribute to a successful career, but the hands-on experience in this unique internship program ensures students stand out among the rest. During the interview process, past Dardis interns can speak about specific customer experiences, selling techniques and high-profile presentations that will convey the sense of passion and motivation that recruiters look for in recent grads. While some interns focus on secretarial work, Dardis interns do the work and gain valuable experience along the way.

In our latest Recruitment Manager spotlight, Josh Martens shares more about this challenging and worthwhile internship experience:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
The opportunity to gain professional work experience.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
Not only is there opportunity to gain experience, but it also takes students through executive level training, which will help them excel in their career after graduation, and also in the classroom until they graduate.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
It is one of the major things that employers look for, and if a student expects to get a career after graduation, it is essential that they gain this before graduation.

In one word, what’s Dardis all about?
Professionalism.

How can students contact you for more information?
Students can call me at 402-650-0087 or email me at josh@dardisinc.com.

Nov 08
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Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Tera Edmunds

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

For Iowa Recruitment Manager Tera Edmunds, explaining the benefits of the Classroom to Career internship program to students is simple.

“What better way to spend your summer than getting paid, meeting new people, and making your resume shine?”

Dardis Academy is all of that and more – read on for more valuable information from Tera in our second recruitment manager spotlight:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
Not only are our students going to get high-level executive training, but they have the opportunity to apply those skills to a real-life, full-time, paid experience.  They will build their network, practice their communication skills, connect with leaders in their area and more.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
It’s a paid opportunity for students to actually apply invaluable training to real-world experience.  No other internship can compete with our caliber of student training.  It is the competitive edge that students need to stand out from the crowd.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
It is going to set students apart from other applicants.  Thousands of people are going to apply for the same position, and employers are looking for high-performing students that use their knowledge from the classroom and apply it to noteworthy experiences.  This is that noteworthy experience.  If you have the Dardis name on your resume, I guarantee that your resume will be put into the interview pile.

What Dardis intern success stories do you share with prospective interns?
One of the top-selling students from last summer already has job offers lined up.  He now has the ability to choose which path he’d like to go on because of his experience with Dardis.  As graduation draws near, some students desperately accept any position offered to them. This internship will open all kinds of doors. You will have the ability to design your future exactly how you want it.

In one word, what’s Dardis all about?
Experience.

Where can students find you?
Social media platforms, campus visits, information sessions, classroom presentations and more.  I will be all over the place and always communicating so that students know when I will be visiting a campus.

How can students contact you for more information?

Sep 20
0

Fashion (and Career) Advice You Can Trust

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

Our Dardis clothiers are proud to serve as trusted menswear experts for clients nationwide.  From fabric to fit, we know how to make you look your best in a professional setting.  Our products are made with the highest quality materials and most importantly, at the best possible price for you.

We combine fashion expertise with a thorough understanding of the power of a professional image.

Successful people have an awareness and appreciation for professional image and “looking the part,” and our educated clothiers share that knowledge directly with each of our clients.

Our professional image advice comes from more than a decade of training executives through our sister company, Dardis Communications.  The training we provide is proven to be effective in developing effective speakers and respected leaders in companies of all sizes.

You can find career advice anywhere, from the Internet, family members or a thick step-by-step guide at your local bookstore.  Each avenue can provide value, but it’s important to rely on the experts, like Dardis Communications, when preparing for a promotion, new role or when looking for a development opportunity.

Not all advice can be trusted.  Check out Forbes’ “6 Career Tips You Should Put In The Shredder,” for example.  You may have heard these recommendations before, but as the Forbes article states, some advice can be wrong if taken too literally.

  • Don’t argue with the offer.
  • Don’t take risks with your career.
  • Keep your resume on one page.
  • Find a company you can work at forever.
  • Show no weakness.
  • Don’t spend company money.

Through our Classroom to Career program, we educate groups of young leaders to be effective sales people and strong speakers.  The Dardis Academy training program gives students the competitive edge that they need to succeed in the marketplace.  And our clients can’t help but notice.

“I love Dardis!  Yes, the product quality is very good, but I especially like the service.  The students offer great suggestions on clothing options and pairings, which is a huge benefit for some of us who are challenged with what looks good together.  I’m hooked!”
– Chad Furlong, Senior IT Manager, University of Iowa Foundation

So whether a Dardis representative is leading an individual consultation or helping you with your presentation skills, know that Dardis is proud to provide the foundation that will serve you in your career and help you achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.

Photo credit: Ram Karthik

Contact Dardis today to learn more. Contact Us