Prepare yourself for the workforce

Sasha Hatinger

Staff Writer

Whether you are a student at Washtenaw Community College who is nearing graduation or simply a student at WCC who is ready to enter the workforce in their profession–being as prepared as possible is the key to success. 

“Get as much experience and practice as you can while you’re a student at Washtenaw Community College,” MariAnn Apley, manager of the start-up program for the WCC’s Entrepreneurship Center, said. 

“That means get involved in activities–after school activities, after class activities, talk to faculty, just get as much advice as possible, and practice your skills and develop those skills,” Apley said. 

The director of the Entrepreneurship Center, Michelle Julet, also offers advice to students who are preparing to enter the workforce. 

“And my advice is, when it comes time to actually apply for a job, is to make yourself a perfect fit for that job,” Julet said. 

Preparation goes beyond practice. Having a custom cover letter and resume for each job students apply for is also important. 

“Tailor your resume and your cover letter to that job description,” Julet said. “Make each resume and cover letter unique to that job by using the wording from that job description in your resume and your cover letter.” 

During the interview process, Julet suggests that students should also express how they can problem-solve to prospective employers.

“Have stories about how you’ve solved problems and how you’ve come up with solutions, and have quantitative and qualitative stories,” Julet said. 

Assistant Director of experiential learning and employer engagement, Barbara Hauswirth shared more about the career center and the services the center offers. “The intention of the career center for career success is to assist students–to prepare them for employment or guide them on a path,” Hauswirth said. 

Hauswirth said that the center offers services such as career assessments, cover letter and resume writing, and experiential learning. Services offered at the center are available life-long to WCC students and WCC alumni.

What can students expect once joining the workforce?

A piece of advice from Hauswirth, “Invest in lifelong learning,” Hauswirth said. “… Figure out how you can continue to differentiate yourself in [your] career…” 

Digital media specialist intern of the Entrepreneurship Center, Ayden Zimmer shared his experience joining the professional workforce. 

“I was looking for experience, and once I got into the job, I was actually able to leverage that experience and take that raw experience I had and optimize it with people and see how that works,” Zimmer said. 

Zimmer said that with his experience, gaining mentors and networking with other professionals is something that he can utilize in the future. 

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