Old Cheezhead

Fall Internships

All over the country college students are returning to class. The beginning of school marks the end of the most popular time of the year for students to have internships. Although many individuals may think that they have to wait till next summer rolls around, the fall semester is actually an excellent time to gain the valuable experiences offered through internships. 

For starters, fall internships are less competitive than those offered during the summer. Since most students have more free time during the three month break, many individuals are only interested in taking on an internship during this time. With a smaller number of applicants, one is much more likely to be selected for the jobs of their choice. 

With a smaller number of individuals applying for fall internships also comes the opportunity for one to stand out. Companies that take on interns during this semester often only select a few individuals. Because of this, one has a better chance of having their hard work noticed. With a smaller number of interns to be compared to, one is also more likely to be offered a paid position than during the summer.

Many individuals also find that fall and spring job search is more satisfying. Due to the number of interns participating in summer programs, companies often find it necessary to create a very structured system. Each individual is assigned a certain task and usually spends their time doing only that. With a smaller number of individuals to manage, off season internships often offer more flexibility, which offers students more room to grow as professionals. Being assigned a more varied group of task also looks better of a resume than having to admit that one spend their summer doing nothing but copying papers and dispersing company mail.

Some find fall and spring internships a little more difficult to manage, due to the fact that they also have classes to worry about. Because of this, off season internships are best for organized and motivated individuals. Before one sets out to find a fall internship it is important to figure out just how much time they will have available. Many fall programs only require ten to fifteen hours a week, which most will find is not to difficult to fit into their schedule. 

If one is searching for an internship now, contacting their adviser is a great place to start. Often companies tell the corresponding departments of local colleges about their open entry level jobs to make things a bit more convenient.

East Texas Employment Opportunities

Approximately 700 attended the August 23 job fair held at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center, hoping to checkout jobs in Dallas, Texas. Individuals who showed up for the event that was held by the East Texas Workforce Center were either unemployed or simply looking for a better place to work which offered higher pay and more benefits. Those who attended filled out applications, gathered information about area companies looking to hire and set up interviews. Some individuals were even hired on the spot.

According to Larry Hamilton, the East Texas Workforce Center's business services coordinator for the eastern counties, stated that both employers and the potential employees that attended seemed satisfied with the event.

Paul Johnson, who attended on behalf of Alcoa, said that his company was searching for a pool of possible employees. Johnson said that Alcoa is “currently expanding and are looking for injection and compression molding operators and maintenance mechanics. Alcoa hopes to hire six new operators and three new mechanics to fill their Dallas jobs. Positions will pay anywhere from $11.58 to $16.39 an hour.

Also attending was a representative of the Dallas Police Department, Guy Bientendorf. The Police Department has a large number of slots to fill entry level jobs and is in the process of extending their recruiting efforts through Texas and neighboring states. They hope to hire around 350 officers before the end of this year and another 350 to 400 in 2008. Bientendorf said that to find the new recruits the Police Department needs, they will most likely interview approximately 3,500 individuals.  Dallas Police officers start out making a minimum of $41,700 a year.

For those in search of Dallas jobs who were unable to attend the event, finding out which companies attended and contacting these individuals would be in their best interest.

Individuals who continue to search for area employment should consider attending future job fairs. A schedule of upcoming events can be found on the East Texas Workforce Center's website, along with contact information. Those who do attend such events should remember that, although it is not a formal interview, dressing and behaving as if one is in such a situation is a must. Also, one should remember to bring several copies of their most up to date resume for interested employers.