Feature
Clackamas Print
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
5
op tips to snag a summer i<
lela Dickerson
The Clackamas Print
It’s June, and your mom is telling
u that if you don’t get a job by the
d of the month, you’re going to have
move out — what the hell do you do?
Finding a summer job is a difficult
ik most of the time. It’s tedious and
ually very exhausting. But no wor-
s, friend; here’s what you do.
Apply at more than one place at a
lie. By doing this, you’re opening as
any doors for yourself as possible,
you apply at only one place and are
med down for a job, you have no
¡er options than to start over from the
ginning. If you’re applying at more
in one company that uses generic
plications, save yourself some time
d make photocopies at your local
blic library, at a grocery store, or here
the CCC library.
When you go to ask for an applica-
n, pay close attention to anything the
rson you’re speaking to says; it may
important later.
Also, don’t dress in your trashiest
ins. You don’t necessarily have to ask
r the application while wearing your
:est suit or dress, but you never get a
cond chance to make a first impres­
in. Wear some nice jeans, nice shoes
d a nice shirt. Do your hair neatly,
d (women) wear a little makeup.
Attach a resume to your application,
in’t staple it, though. Invest in some
those really nifty, big, pinchy paper
ps. If you attach a resume to your
plication, you look more professional
d usually have room to add more
irk experience or references.
If you need help writii^ a resume, go
to the Writing Center in the Community
Center, Room 140, and the people there
will be more than happy to help you.
If you haven’t had much work expe­
rience, that’s okay. On your resume
put any jobs or community service you
have had, including babysitting for your
mom, mowing your neighbor’s lawn,
or even picking up trash in the com­
munity.
Focus on your strong points. If you’re
really good with people, say that. If you
like to clean and organize, say that.
Don’t say things like, “I’m okay with
people” or “I’ve had little experience
with blah blah blah.” Phrases as such
make you seem weak and not a good
candidate.
Look for companies that are just
opening nearby where you live, espe­
cially if you don’t drive. For example,
there is a Safeway and a Quizno’s
that just opened a few weeks ago in
Milwaukie. New companies like that
are almost always hiring, and even if
you don’t want to work there or think
they won’t hire you, apply. A job is a
job, and you’ll never know if you’ll get
it unless you try.
Call back. Then, call back again.
Keep calling the companies back until
they give you a definite “No” answer.
Don’t be rude, though. Always be
courteous on the phone. It will impress
your potential employer and makes you
look professional.
When you call, ask to speak to a
manager. After you get the manager on
the phone, ask him or her if he or she
had a chance to review your application
and resume. If the answer is no, ask
when he or she might have a chance to
look at it.
Then, give ‘them a definite date
without giving a date. Say, “If I call
back tomorrow, do you think you’ll
have looked at it by then?” Remember,
POLITE! POLITE! POLITE! You
are trying to butter up this per­
son, while still being sincere
When you get called back for
an interview, dress your best
Fix your hair nicely, (men)
shave and (women) put on
modest make up and
perfume. Show up
1..0- to 15 minutes
early; prompt­
ness impresses.
When you
begin
the
interview,
shake the
inter
view­
er’s
hand
and
intro­
duce
yourself.
Answer
the questions
directly
and
honestly. If you don’t
know the answer or are not sure
how to answer, ask the interviewer
to rephrase the question. Honesty is
the best policy.
After the interview is finished, shake
the interviewer’s hand again and thank
him or her for taking the time to meet
with you. Call them back the next day,
and keep calling until you get a definite
answer.
'antages draws on experience, research for popular classes
ydia Branshaw
he Clackamas Print
It’s not every day that you
et a teacher who openly
nits to being in trouble, but
alth Education Instructor
n Pantages will.
Though he looks nothing
e the “ex-long-haired-hip-
i-freak from Berkeley, Calif,
the ‘60s,”
nt a g e s
sa back-
t o u n d
ih drugs,
irty-two
irs ago, he
t behind
igs and
ise
to
inge his
As a child
wing up
Northern
lifornia,
remem-
s at one
ie want-
to be
doctor, PANTAGES
ich may
ie later led to his becom-
an addiction counselor. He
a spent a lot of time at the
fiols with his mother, who
s a high school registrar.
Even when I wasn’t in
tool, during the summer, I
s at school,” Pantages said,
like many college students,
had “lots of pay-the-bills
s” through college, includ-
working as a furniture
ver, a house painter and
ennis teacher. He attended
¡d College and majored in
chology, and later contin-
• his education at OHSU,
¡oring in medical psychol­
ogy.
“It was a change of career,”
said Pantages in reference to
becoming an educator.
He came to Clackamas in
1990, just as Ballot 5 was
passed, one of the first bills to
cut educational spending.
“I came at a bad time, but
they gave me a position any­
way,” he said.
With a 15-year background
in addiction
counseling,
Pantages
uses
his
experience
not
only
with drugs,
but
also
his
pro­
fessional
experienc­
es, to teach
his popu­
lar classes.
Currently,
he teaches
the Body
and Drugs
series,
Body and
Alcohol,
a class on
Mental Health, and also Music
and Media: Sex, Drugs and
Rock n’ Roll. In the past, he
has taught leadership classes,
as well as study skills.
Pantages has no favorite
course to teach.
“I like them all. I teach such
cool classes. How couldn’t you
like them all?” he laughed.
Pantages said that his class­
es have been easy to teach
because his students are openly
interested in the subject mat­
ter.
And though he teaches
classes about drugs and alco­
hol abuse, he does not tell
his students what is right and
wrong.
“I try to teach without a bias
in mind,” he said. “I try to get
the students to think. I don’t
tell them to quit.”
He enjoys the topic of drugs
and alcohol.
“It keeps me up to date,”
he said. “Thirty years ago,
cocaine wasn’t a big thing. I
have to research just to under­
stand what I’m teaching.”
As a member of the CCC
family for more than 17 years
now, Pantages has been more
than involved. He was actively
part of the leadership program
and still helps with the part-
time faculty.
As for the future, Pantages
and his wife are looking for­
ward to their snorkeling trip in
Hawaii, drug-free of course.
Your future isn't waiting for fall.
Neither should you.
Get a jump on your accounting, management or nursing degree by starting this summer.
Our online courses make enjoying your summer a breeze. Then in the fail you’ll be in the
advanced classes in your major. And you’ll be getting ahead in life. So start right now.
Call Portland Linfield Advisor, Jennifer Morey Hawkins at 503-413-7166, Loveridge Hall,
Suite 31, 2215 NW Northrup St. (jhawkinsdlinfield.edu)