Pierce College students can now apply for part-time and full-time Brahma jobs as well as internships.
William Macaraeg is a student worker at the Career and Transfer Office. He virtually assists students and refers them to counselors they should meet with. This way students can speak with counselors to reassess how they can transfer to universities and how they can meet the requirements to transfer.
He says working for Pierce has been a refreshing experience, especially during the pandemic. Getting back and talking with people in person after more than a year of being in quarantine is refreshing to him.
“We no longer have to do everything virtually, we can do things in person,” Macaraeg said. “It’s a refreshing experience and a refreshing atmosphere as well.”
Macaraeg says students need the most help in the afternoon. On Tuesdays he works from 2-7 p.m. and on Wednesdays he works from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“Answering people’s questions is the bulk of my job,” Macaraeg said. “It’s really enhancing my people skills and I’m enjoying learning how to speak with others more efficiently, clearly and in a professional manner.”
He believes that it is important to get involved and find his place anywhere. He says that place for him was at the Career and Transfer Center.
“They took me in openly and they were the ones that helped me realize that anyone can find a place here in Pierce College,” Macaraeg said.
He really wanted to begin his professional career so he decided to submit his job application anywhere he could. This included any jobs that the Federal Work Study Program offered including the Career and Transfer Center.
A week later after applying, Macaraeg explained that he got an email about a follow up interview.
“A week after that email I spoke and interviewed with them,” Macaraeg said. “Three hours later, they emailed me that I got the position. It happened all so sudden and unexpected. It was an unexpected pleasure to get that offer and be employed here at Pierce.”
William Macaraeg says as a student worker it is important to always keep learning. Those that are willing to learn and devote themselves to giving their best is what is needed to get hired.
“Keep asking questions and keep being persistent in what you want,” Macaraeg said.
Career and Transfer Center Graduate Intern Elizabeth Galadjian is usually in the Zoom Lounge where students can pop in and ask quick questions or have longer sessions if necessary. Students can be taken into breakout rooms to review applications, personal statements and anything regarding the transfer process.
Galadjian also runs the Brahma Jobs Instagram account, @piercectc. Weekly highlights are posted as well as podcasts and articles to keep students informed.
“I highlight three positions every week,” Galadjian said. “The highlight has the job title, the company, and where the job is located.”
Podcasts include topics about transferable skills, personal insight from mentors about becoming a mentor and job searching during COVID.
Galadjian said that a lot of the articles have a common theme in regards to virtual communication and landing a job remotely which are found through Brahma Jobs.
Galadjian said that students can find local and farther out positions in Santa Monica, Encino and Thousand Oaks. She said positions vary from office assistants, file clerks as well as jobs related to majors.
“You can search by your major, search for office jobs if you want more administrative work, or search for more labor intensive jobs on Brahma Jobs,” Galadjian said.
Galadjian said that students hired at Pierce will get extensive training within the department they applied for to get them familiar with protocols and procedures. Training for jobs off campus varies based on the company’s protocol, discipline and type of company.
Career Center Counselor and Brahma Jobs Manager Wendi Meckler, manages the Brahma Jobs website.
“Brahma Jobs is awesome for students and alumni to look at because employers are coming to us to post these jobs,” Meckler said. “They are looking for Pierce students and alumni.”
Meckler said this means that employers are supportive of “student status.” The schedule would be flexible for the student because they are aware of students’ busy lives.
“There’s been so many random emails that have been coming through, trying to get students to pay money in order to apply for an opportunity,” Meckler said.
When applying for Brahma Jobs, Meckler warns students to pay attention to red flags and not pay for any opportunity even if it’s saying money will be given afterwards. Personal information should not be given until it is known that the job or internship is from a legit business or company. She recommends further researching by double checking with the Career Center.
“Those emails ask to pay money, give personal information and a social security number,” Meckler said. “Do not give them any of that type of information.”
Meckler says that it is important that students get out there and apply for jobs. Internships and related work experience in the field that students want to get into is a gateway into a good job after college, Meckler says.
“It does not matter what you’re doing,” Meckler said. “Just get some work experience on your resume that a recruiter can talk to you about because one hundred percent of the time you’re going to learn transferable skills from that roll into the next role that you do,” Meckler said.
Brahma Jobs will upload a student’s resume if they have one they would like to use or students can use a resume builder provided by Brahma Jobs. Students should double check with the Career Center for final feedback or with someone that a student trusts. Resumes should be sent in a PDF format so the employer has that version Meckler said.
Brahma Jobs Link:
https://www.collegecentral.com/pierce/
Career Center Link:
https://www.piercecollege.edu/offices/career_center/findajob.asp
Instagram: @piercectc