Doylestown, PA (PRWEB) June 17, 2014
Hiring of new college grads is expected to increase for the first time in several years, rising by as much as 8 percent, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. But the key for college students to land one of these jobs is to prepare well ahead of time by boosting their career experience while still in school, according to Helen Brown, Academic Outreach Manager for Vector Marketing Corporation, which is the single-level direct sales division of Cutco Cutlery Corporation, the largest manufacturer of high-end kitchen cutlery in North America. Cutco is sold primarily by a network of college students who sell the products via in-home personal demonstrations (not multi-level marketing or door-to-door sales).
“Impressing recruiters and hiring managers requires creating a resume that reflects true, hands-on career experience in addition to stellar academic credentials,” Brown says.
Brown offers tips to help college students prepare for the job hunt while still in college:
- Don’t go after just any work experience. Focus on skill-building experience that will set you apart from other candidates in your field. “Think as a career person, not as a student, before accepting a summer or part-time job,” Brown says. “If you want to become a teacher after graduation, consider a job in a day care center, for example.”
- Volunteer your way to an impressive resume. Volunteering, though unpaid, builds valuable work experience on a resume. “And volunteering shows potential employers that you are focused on giving back, which is always a plus,” Brown says.
- Look at the holes in your background and seek part-time experience or internships to fill them.
- Cultivate relationships that lead to great references. “One reference from a respected individual in your desired field can do wonders for getting your foot in the door,” Brown says.
Brown points to the skills student sales representatives learn when selling Cutco in college, which include:
- Making presentations
- Time management
- Teamwork
- Customer service
- Closing techniques
- Generating sales leads
“These types of skills are beneficial regardless of the career the individual chooses to pursue after graduation,” Brown says. “We speak with hiring managers from a variety of different industries who tell us that if they see Cutco sales experience on a resume, they will likely interview that candidate.”
About Cutco Cutlery and Vector Marketing
Cutco Cutlery is a 65-year-old company with headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Olean, New York. Vector Marketing is the company’s sales division, coordinating all sales for Cutco Cutlery through a national network of college students who sell products through in-home personal demonstrations. More than 15 million US households have a Cutco product.