how to place students with no experience
for the phlebotomy and medical assistant students its really hard to find jobs. because the employers required them to have at least 6 months of working experience. any ideas?
Jymy,
this is where externship and volunteering come into play. By doing so, your students will gain some work experience and that is a great opportunity for them to back door their way to the job.
Thanks!
Jorge,
Good points about the challenges of entry-level employment. It is often the graduate's first "real" job. It is not only about the skills but also the mindset and belief in ones limited experience. That is a reason we strongly believe that every training program should have an externship component whether it is required or not. Instructors also have to talk about the workplace every day and show how theory and skills learned in class are used in the workplace. Alumni need to be asked to mentor and coach students. Alumni also know where those entry level jobs are so are a great resource. It is also important to keep in touch with all employers because entry-level jobs are really hard to find.
Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Understanding the difficulty in finding employment with work experience I can tell you from first hand experience that entry level employment is much more difficult. One has to start the preparation of being employed from the outset, taking their training to heart put it all on the line during their externship and work hand in hand with Career Services and the companies that work with entry level candidates. I am not a fan of the job boards for entry level as it is extremely difficult to be considered against competition with experience, therefore we strive on reaching out to Employers in the industry that will entertain the notion of hiring minimal or no experience candidates and try to establish a base of employers to create a strong foundation for our Graduates
Michele,
Good start, Michele. Students with little experience are the most challenging and need the most assistance. We suggest that they be required to complete a serious of workshops to be sure they have a meaningful resume and can easily speak about what they can do, what they are good at, and the skills they know. This is the time to think about the importance of externships to give students to opportunity to practice skills they learn in the classroom and apply to the real world of work. Many times, if they are properly prepared, they could be offered a job from the externship. All this helps to build self confidence, which as you know is vital to the job search process. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Reinforce their relevant coursework experience and have them discuss what most interested them.
may,
Great to hear that externships are working for you. We also agree that a successful externship is one where the student is prepared and has a long list of what has to be done at the externship site. There must be a school supervisor and also an onsite supervisor. The student must be given specific tasks to complete and must be measured as to success and where more work is needed. The more formalized the externship the more effective. Sometimes you can measure how effective the externship will be by the depth and breadth of your externship manual. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Susan, I have practiced what you mentioned and it works. Placing the students at an externship opportunity that will train them to hire down the road has generated great results in our placement rate.
It's a bit of forward thinking, but it works.
Its super important to stress tot he students to treat externship like a working interview so they perfrom at optimum to uncrease their chances of being hired.
Cesar G ,
Getting a letter of recommendation from an externship could probably be part of the experience. Students need to be super prepared to be successful when they are externs. The externship has to be aware of the need to provide feedback to the student. All this should result in great letters of recommendation and even a job! Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I normally suggest to the student to obtain a recommendation letter from their externship site. Also, it is the way they are selling themselves. They may not be informing the employer enough about their training and community involvement.
jorge,
We agree that students must be prepared to enter the externship experience. There needs to be specific and demonstrated skills, abilities, and attitudes before a student can be an extern. The student needs to know this is an extended job interview so needs all the employment skills and knowledge for an interview. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
I agree. The externships provide the missing experience in a real work environment. Many times the externship site will become the first place of work for the student, but it is important motivate the student for that purpose.
Bianca,
Attitude - that is the secret! How to motivate and develop great attitude in your students depends on everyone on staff, and of course instructors! That's why we think instructors should also be working in the career field they teach. Just imagine instructors talking about their days at work - the fun, the satisfying, and the challenging parts. Instructors can involve students in the conversations - ask them what they would have done or how they will handle certain situations when faced with them. Bring students to the job. Get students excited and motivated. It is easy once you figure out how easy it is! Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Yes I agree! I have had employers hire students with no experience, but because of the students willingness to learn with a great attitutde and the hands on expereience they have at our school, employers are more than happy to train them personally.
Bianca!
Kathryn,
Very good points. We especially like the metaphor of getting their feet wet without drowning! More and more we see the benefits of internships for just about every program. It gives students confidence and experience in the real world of work. They can gain skills to add to their resumes. This is especially important when students have little to put on their resumes. At an internship employers can enjoy an extended job interview and might hire the student upon graduation. Many benefits so that students are successful on day one of their real jobs! Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
This can definitely be challenging. Our training center offers the home health aide program/ certification. It seems that the Home Health Agencies do not have a problem hiring our Home Health Aides. Typically, they would place the Home Health Aides with clients who may be a little more independent where they would not require so much of the 'personal care' side. This way, new graduates can "get there feet wet" without "drowning". Most of the agencies would never place a new graduate with a severe patient when they are just starting out.
On a different perspective, I can see where it may be challenging for those who did phlebotomy. If the students are willing to partake in an unpaid internship, I think it would certainly add value to them.
ARIELYS,
To our knowledge there is no externship requirement but doesn't offering externships make sense? In fact, we think that every program should have an externship component. Students need to get a feel for the workplace in order to successfully enter it. For many the externship is the only "experience" they have for the resumes. That tells us about the importance of externships. The externship sites are also great contacts for job openings and feedback about your training. Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
It is true that most employers require experience, for the Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy programs how many hours of externship would really provide experience?
Deborah,
Sounds like your programs are structured extremely well to add the experiential component that students typically don't have. Hands-on, labs, and externships can be developed so that the student gains resume-worthy experience. We have heard of schools where 100% of the externship students get hired at the externship site. We would love to get their handbook! Thanks, Susan
Dr. Susan Schulz
Very few of our graduates have previous experience in their fields of study. Our school is very hands-on and lab intensive and with their externships they actually bring quite a bit of experience to the job. We have a qualifications section on their resumes showing all the things they are able to do in their fields of study and also show their externship and all of the things they did there. That way their resume is full of their field of study and just a little is employment history.
