internship experience

Feb 14
0

Dardis Key to Success: Professional Image Skills

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

In the Dardis Academy training course, we stress to our interns the importance of skills like business communication, selling techniques and effective presentations– all things they won’t learn from a textbook. But beyond these practical, career-focused components, we also teach our interns the importance of an often neglected “skill” – maintaining a professional image.

While a professional image won’t land you the job, it can definitely lose you the job. The difference between a professional image and a sloppy look can mean the difference between a promotion and a demotion. Professional image isn’t just about the clothes you wear –it’s a persona that effectively displays your confidence, your expertise and your passion for your work.

By arriving to work (or worse, an interview!) with a crumpled, untucked dress shirt, you portray to your colleagues that you do not value what you do or what you bring to the company.  Conversely, by dressing smartly with a careful attention to fit and detail, you send the message that you are prepared to take on challenges and thrive in an evolving environment. At Dardis, we sell professional apparel for a reason – it matters!

Beyond your physical appearance, you can enhance your professional image by maintaining a professional demeanor at the office and always treating every situation as a worthwhile learning experience.  Your supervisor and your colleagues take note about how you handle challenges with other teammates and how you deal with stress. Don’t let a heated moment or a difficult project break down your professionalism and threaten your career advancement opportunities.

Not sure how to hone your professional image? Start with these recommendations:

  • Be authentic: Potential employers see right through a false exterior. Be genuine in your words and actions.
  • Dress the part: You don’t need a fortune to invest in quality pieces that enhance your appearance and show you’re ready for the job.
  • Find a mentor: Identify a mentor that embodies the professional skills you hope to also portray and look for ways you can develop similar skills.

A professional image takes time and effort to maintain, but by entering the job market with this firm foundation, you will be ready to handle everything that comes your way.

Photo credit: Dell via Flickr

Jan 17
0

Your Dardis Academy Quick Reference Guide

By | The Dardis difference | No Comments

At Dardis Academy, we’ve seen our internship program grow because of our passionate Recruitment Managers, our social media presence and our biggest advocates – the interns themselves! The testimonials from students, parents and professionals prove that the skills and experience that make up this unique internship program are invaluable for any career path.

You can always learn about the Dardis mission via our website, but if you’re new to Dardis Academy or a longtime friend, here is a quick reference guide describing the Dardis difference.

What is the Classroom to Career program?
Our internship program includes a week-long executive-level training program followed by 12 weeks in the student’s hometown selling quality professional clothing from Dardis Clothiers. Students manage their own schedule, approach prospective customers and deliver presentations highlighting our products features and benefits before asking for the business and gaining referrals. This real world business experience gives students the competitive advantage in the job market.

Why clothes?
Image in the workplace is key to success. Through Dardis Communications training courses, the Dardis team identified the opportunity to help men that don’t like to shop but want and need to look good.

Do I get paid?
Yes! Students have the opportunity to directly impact the amount of money they earn based on the work they put forth during the summer working with clients. High-performing interns also have a chance to win a trip to Mexico!

Why is training a part of the program?
The Dardis Academy is designed to provide students with the skills they will need to be successful in life and business, as well as a platform in which to apply the skills they’ve learned.  For one week, students are trained in various courses by corporate executives and sales managers who have put into practice everything they teach.  Courses include presentation skills, professional image, sales training, product knowledge, success principles, time and territory management, business ethics, financial strategy and safety.

How do I apply? When is the deadline?
Students can complete the simple application online. The priority application deadline is May 1, but don’t delay, spots fill up fast!

For more frequently asked questions, visit www.dardisacademy.com/faq/.

Photo credit: shutterhacks via Flickr

Jan 10
0

Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Bryan Feilen

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

In our first Recruitment Manager Spotlight for 2014, Bryan Feilen describes how the Classroom to Career internship program sets the path to a successful future for students in his territory of Indiana and beyond.

Why should students spend time now focusing on their future careers?
Students should always look to gain a competitive edge, which is pertinent to gaining individual success in the future. You shouldn’t be the student that isn’t participating in anything while your peers are gaining experience.

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
Students can use the fundamentals we provide through training in every professional avenue. Putting the fundamentals to work through the internship will display their new level of professionalism while networking with executives that they may want to work for after they graduate.  There isn’t a better way to build your professional network than through an internship that puts you in front of the people that will interview you after graduation.

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

What is one piece of career advice you give to college students?
Don’t fall victim to complacency. Change in routine, striving for a promotion, trying something new or seeking a new job is exactly what creates success. Lastly, change is constant. Monitor the things around you and make sure they are things, people or groups that will help you move forward. Always strive to move in the direction of success.

What can interns expect to learn in the Dardis Academy?
Students can expect a rigorous week of training. Training isn’t solely focused on our great product, but mostly focused on the fundamentals of being an effective communicator. This is the key to being an outstanding leader and professional.

Why are you passionate about the Dardis mission?
The key components of our mission are the components that create successful individuals. We provide the opportunity to gain independence, confidence, goal setting and self-motivation. These are the attributes of successful individuals. These are the same components I tried to instill in students and student athletes at the high school level as a high school teacher. It’s a blessing to be a part of a company that is striving to instill these same attributes through an internship program.

How can students contact you for more information?
Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly. I’m very passionate about development and look forward to assisting students during this professional journey. My email is bryan@dardisinc.com and phone is 317-306-0524.

Oct 25
0

Recruitment Manager Spotlight: Samantha Kheim

By | Someone you should know | No Comments

As the weather changes and the holiday season looms around the corner, summer internship opportunities may be far from your mind.  Summer may be months away, but now is the time to explore your options to enhance your resume and prepare yourself for your post-graduation career.

At Dardis Academy, we have a team of recruitment managers dedicated to keeping your summer 2014 internship top of mind.  These recruitment managers tour their designated regions to attend career fairs, college information sessions and more to promote the unique Classroom to Career internship program with Dardis.

We will feature our recruitment managers regularly on this blog to share the true spirit of Dardis and encourage you or a college student in your life to apply for this life-changing internship!  Applications must be processed by May 1, but space is limited, so don’t delay!

In our first recruitment manager spotlight, we introduce Samantha Kheim:

What is the greatest benefit of the Dardis Classroom to Career internship program?
The ability to apply skills from the Academy as an entrepreneur.  I am also very excited to see young adults start their professional networking early on.

What sets the Dardis internship apart from other internship opportunities?
In most internships, students find themselves only exposed to the company through what they hear and see when they are making copies.  With Dardis, they are the business.

Why do you think it’s important for students to gain real life career experience while in college?
The #1 quality that employers look for on a resume is real world experience.  Even if your extracurricular activities and GPA are off the charts, they want to find someone who have proven experience getting a job done.

What Dardis intern success stories do you share with prospective interns?
My favorite success story is Elliot Salter.  Elliot went through the Dardis Academy in 2013 and was one of our top-sellers.  He is an example of working smart.  Elliott made $3,200 in a summer, when many of his peers were sitting at home.  He did all of that in about 30 hours per week.

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

Where can students find you?
Culver-Stockton College, UMSL, Washington University, SLU, Webster University, Truman State University and more to come!

How can students contact you for more information?
Call me at 636.233.2189 or email any time at samantha@dardisinc.com.

Oct 18
0

Classroom to Career Internship Parent Guide

By | Classroom to Career | No Comments

Parents have a vested interest in their children’s future.  They want them to have positive experiences, obtain a quality education, surround themselves with good people and ultimately, find a fulfilling career.

In the past, students who went to college and finished with a diploma in hand were likely to land a job post-college.  In today’s world, the stakes are higher, with increased competition and lower job availability.  Students need something extra to shine above the rest, which can come in the form of an internship.

According to a 2012 Internships.com poll, 63 percent of the students in the college class of 2012 completed at least one internship.  28 percent of students completed two!  Our Classroom to Career internship program has never been more important.  As a parent, here’s what you need to know:

  • The Classroom to Career internship program begins with a weeklong, skills-based training program that will give your son or daughter formal professional training that he or she will use for his or her entire career!  Examples include selling techniques, presentations skills, overcoming obstacles and more.
  • After the Academy, students will work independently for the summer to sell quality, Dardis professional clothing to pre-identified leads in their communities.  Dardis provides sales and marketing material, product catalogs and order forms for students to use in presentations to best represent themselves and Dardis.
  • Students are responsible for hotel accommodations and meals for the Academy, as well as the intern uniform.
  • Safety is a top priority for our interns, so Dardis has a three-pronged approach to safety, which includes training, awareness and prevention.
  • Parents are asked to sign a document showing their support for their student in the form of a “Parent Support Letter,” which serves as an information tool for the parents to know what the student wants to do over the summer and to be part of the decision process.
  • For students to have a successful summer, we ask that they be coachable, work hard and study hard!

Internships lay the crucial groundwork for a successful career, especially those like the Classroom to Career program where students gain professional communication skills, as well as invaluable sales and marketing experience.  Dardis is building future leaders, and helping students bridge the gap between their college course and the business world.

Not yet convinced?  Check out our parent testimonials to hear firsthand from parents of former interns.

To get more information for a young person in your life, call 1-800-720-6329, and we will be happy to answer your questions or set up an in-person meeting with a Recruitment Manager.

 

Photo credit: Nic McPhee, Flickr

Aug 23
0

Become a Dardis Career Partner today

By | Food for thought | No Comments

Successful companies reach their goals and achieve positive results because of the employees that make up their workforce.  They are the most effective brand ambassadors, the heart of the company and a key measure of success.  But how do companies find the best talent?

Dardis trains the best of the best every year and interacts directly with the leaders of today, as well as the leaders of tomorrow.  Through the Career Partner Program, companies and organizations have the opportunity to connect to those leaders who are trained, motivated and most importantly, proven.

All Dardis Academy interns complete an extensive skills-based training course before embarking on a summer internship that gives them invaluable sales experience that can apply to any field.

Companies that participate in the Career Partner Program can meet students from the Academy, and then work with our Recruitment Managers to fill openings through our resume database.  For only the cost of a few recruiting events, you can have access to people with executive-level training through Dardis Communications, as well as our interns with proven sales and marketing experience.

A 2012 study by the Center for American Progress shows just how costly it is to replace an employee –whether the employee is unqualified, a poor fit or lacks the skills necessary to perform the job assigned.

  • For all positions except executives and physicians, the median cost of turnover was 21 percent of an employee’s annual salary.
  • For workers earning less than $50,000 annually, which covers three-quarters of all workers in the United States, a typical cost of turnover is 20 percent of a salary, the same as across positions earning $75,000 a year or less, which includes 9 in 10 U.S. workers.

By hiring qualified individuals with a track record of success, you can eliminate additional costs and time by retaining quality employees.

Contact us today to learn more about the Dardis Career Partner Program, and be prepared to bolster your talent base with qualified – and proven – candidates.

 

Photo credit: Image courtesy of SOMMAI / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

Contact Dardis today to learn more. Contact Us