Biz-eWerk

How can a sailing trip to Cuba, a rumored Rolling Stones concert, the US State Department, a major supermarket chain, and an interest in brewing great beer converge to help form one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States? Scott Hansen, CEO of Charleston-based Island Brands USA, stops by Biz-eWerk to tell the story of how business success can be launched from 350,000 empty cans. (Som...

Thinking about working for a start-up? In this episode, AC Pandos , Growth and Operations at Debbie , tells us what it's like to be a full-time student and full-time employee working with a company helping people break out of debt and into financial wellness. Advice from AC? Expect to work hard, celebrate your wins, wear a lot of hats, have diverse thinking, and be innovative. Find something you'r...

Wanna strike fear into the hearts of every undergrad on the planet? GMAT. GRE. LSAT. MCAT. Graduate school admissions tests. Separately, or together, these letters are guaranteed to frighten even the stoutest of hearts. Fear not, Biz-eWerk has some solid FastCast suggestions for planning and preparing for these exams. (And look for even more insights in later episodes, especially those ever-import...

850 million + people use LinkedIn, and they are not all relevant to your network. With LinkedIn Groups, you’re meeting like-minded individuals with the ability to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and more. Why aren't you using this feature?

References are relevant - But who should you ask? How do you choose someone to speak for you who ensures the most effective description regarding your abilities and suitability for a role? In part II of our series, we'll discuss why thinking strategically about your references, prepping your references, and ensuring the confidentiality of your references is vital.  

"References Provided Upon Request." A waste of resume real estate, so you can drop that from your resume. BUT you'll still need references from time to time, and being prepared with references now, will help you in the future. How to choose the best ones and prepare the person to provide the best reference is the topic of this episode.

It's an age-old dilemma when graduation is right around the corner - "When Do I Start Looking for a Job?" In this episode, we'll talk about two critical aspects of the job search - Research and Networking.

"Tell me about a time you failed." It's a question I flubbed in an interview a few years back, and there's no reason for you to make the same mistake. Consider this question an opportunity to admit that sometimes you're not as successful as you'd like to be, and you can recognize the failure, learn from the failure, and improve as a result. But there's a catch - don't get caught up in the storylin...

"How do I stand out to a recruiter?" is a common question in most candidates' minds. To help us answer that question are two special guests from the HR and talent acquisition fields - Leander Gaymon (CofC '06) and Taylor Whitescarver from Piedmont Plastics. Quick tip? Make sure that Elevator Pitch is ready!

Networking. Most people picture this as a large group event, with lots of noise, and a whole lot of people you don't know. In that context, it's understandable why "networking" is viewed with trepidation. But networking works - And understanding strategies for successfully networking can be truly valuable for your career and professional development. Listen in on this convo with Erin Halford, CofC...

Final questions in an interview are very much a part of the interview – a crucial part. I dare say interviews are made, and broken, at this point. In my interview experience, one opportunity was supported by my end-of-interview questions, and another opportunity was lost. In this episode, I'll tell you one question to absolutely avoid, but more importantly, how to craft questions that will demonst...

Questions at the end of the interview - It's a critical element in any successful interview. I always recommend 3 to 5 prepared questions that I can use at the end of the interview when they ask, “Do you have any questions for us?” Prepared questions are important, but the best questions are questions you’ve created from the interview. Sometimes it’s something you want to be clarified, sometimes i...

"Do you have any questions for us?" This is a critical point in the interview. The interview is NOT over. Always ask questions because not asking questions is a red flag. Take this opportunity to leave the interviewers with a great impression of your thoughtfulness, preparation, and how you match the position. In this episode, “Could you please describe the performance review process?”

The cover letter is important – we’ve established that in previous episodes. To maximize its value, it needs to be addressed to someone specific . In a pinch, I’ve used “Dear Hiring Manager” in the greeting, but that’s not optimal. In this FastCast, Biz-eWerk urges you to STOP USING “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN” for cover letters. The “whom” you are hoping “may be concerned” isn’t a real person. Unless...

What does it take to start with a new venture and build it from an idea into an enduring business? Biz-eWerk sat down with Randy Bitting (College of Charleston '03), Head and Co-Founder of Career Readiness at SkillSurvey to find out. From the first video interview platform (InterviewStream) to analyzing career readiness using Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SkillSurvey), Randy is a seria...

Technology has limits. One day you're holding the latest greatest cultural technological revolution in your hand, and seemingly the very next day, it's techno-trash. This week, NYC retired the last of its street payphones. What was once a communication army of over 8000 phones, is now a museum relic. Why should you care? Check out this episode for Biz-eWerk's homage "To the Last Pay Phone."

How do you start a business? It’s an age-old question we include in the catch-all “entrepreneurship.” But entrepreneurship has so many moving parts, that it’s too daunting for most people to even get started. In this episode, Kristina Wright (CofC ’18) talks about how she went from employee to entrepreneur very quickly after graduation, and her journey thus far as CEO of SimplyWright, LLC. Key adv...

Going back to the days when the newspaper was king, long before TVs were common, and radio could only cover so much in a limited time, the news via print was critical for getting information out in a detailed format. But how to maximize the newspaper’s impact? A visual trick, by virtue of how the newspaper was bundled, came to the fore: Above the Fold . Here's how you can use Above the Fold to sho...

Lately I’ve been hearing people worry about “bragging” in an interview. You might get an interview question like, “What makes you a great match for this role?” Even though you KNOW you’re the best candidate, it’s up to you to explain why. In short, the job interview is NOT A PLACE to hide your talents and skills, and Biz-eWerk breaks down how to successfully answer this common, critical question.

One of the things I really enjoy about podcasting is meeting unique people in the business world who are also podcasters. In the midst of the Great Resignation, or The Big Quit, or even lately The Great Renegotiation, what is the Future of Work? In this episode, I interview Michelle Smith, CofC Alum, Program Manager with Amazon, Entrepreneur, Podcaster for Let's Talk About Skills, Baby , and a lea...

"How do I stand out as a candidate?" How many times have I heard that? Let's just say, a lot. Turns out, it's not difficult, but it requires taking the initiative to get your info out there. In this episode of Biz-eWerk, Taylor Whitescarver, HR Specialist and Campus Recruiter at Piedmont Plastics, offers suggestions on how you can be successful in your career search and beyond.

SPECIAL GUEST INTERVIEW! Featuring Justin McLain , Managing Partner at Duart Mull Capital Partners in ATL. Justin is a proud alumnus of the College of Charleston and a tireless and enthusiastic supporter of what we do here. He's been recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, and one of Atlanta’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs by Business to Business Magazine.

Rules, rules, everywhere rules. And it's part of the job search too. So how can you successfully negotiate the remade (and still changing) landscape of rules for finding your next job? Check out this week's discussion of remote work, balancing job duties with family, negotiating, and avoiding burnout with insights from Rachel Feintzeig's article in The Wall Street Journal - The New Rules for Findi...

Welcome to the Second Season of Biz-eWerk! In this episode, we'll start off the new year with some best practices for starting and sustaining conversation. I'll discuss an article by Dominique Michelle Astorino from wellandgood.com to help you Start a Conversation, especially since, well, it's probably been a while since you had to do that face to face, without looking at thumbnail people in a Zoo...

Before we say goodbye to 2021, let's talk about 2022 and the second season of Biz-eWerk . We'll have a new theme song, new guests, and new topics, but we'll still be helping you Mind Your Business . Some things never change.