How to make your online job application stand out

HUMAN RESOURCES: Learn the do's and don'ts of the
job application process from Philadelphia employers at
our Human Resources Panel Discussion. 

If you’ve applied for a new job in the last five years, you probably submitted your application online. And whether it was on an individual employer website or aggregate job board, chances are you never received a response from some of those applications.

This might have left you with a few questions. If you felt qualified for the position, why didn’t the employer respond to your application? Should you apply again? What are employers looking for in an applicant? And how can you stand out in a crowded job market?

These are common questions for many job seekers, and we wanted to provide you with the answers straight from local employers. So we invited seven hiring managers to come to Peirce to speak on the do’s and don’ts of interviews, cover letters, and resumes for our Career Development Services’ Human Resources Panel discussion.

It will take place on Oct. 3 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. in rooms 51 and 52 of College Hall. Attendees will have the chance to network with employers from various industries, including business, healthcare, IT, and the paralegal field who understand the ins and outs of the hiring process. Panelists’ names and companies will be provided once you RSVP, so the only way to know who will be there is to come out and see for yourself!

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How a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership & Management differs from an MBA

Earning a master’s degree can open the door to leadership and management positions that might not be available to a bachelor’s degree holder. But once you decide to go to graduate school, the next big choice is choosing your degree program.

Many students who want to further their education with a business-related master’s degree ask me how Peirce’s master’s degree in Organizational Leadership & Management differs from a MBA program. To put it simply, most MBA programs focus on traditional methods of business management with a quantitative approach. While programs vary, they usually place emphasis on statistics, economics, and business management.

Conversely, a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership & Management provides more contemporary methods of managing through motivation, commitment, inspiration, and communication. The primary goal of the program is to prepare students for successful careers in organizational change, consultation, leadership, and management.

But this just cracks the surface of these programs and the benefits graduates will reap from each. We’ve detailed some of the key points below.

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Peirce College news for students, faculty, and educators

Members of the media have been tapping Peirce’s experts lately for insight on different topics, including educational guidance and career advice. We’re recapping some of these headlines today in case you missed them.

Taking a gap year: What students should consider. Deciding to take a year off between high school and college requires careful consideration. That’s why FOXBusiness reporter Emily Driscoll tapped Rita Toliver-Roberts, Vice President, Academic Advancement, for her advice on whether students should take a gap year. Rita advised that taking a gap year for the right reasons, such as “feeling under prepared for the academic rigors of college, needing more time to find the right-fit school, or wanting to seek out experiential opportunities and work/career experience” is OK. However, she cautioned against taking a gap year just for a break, as “in our competitive society, taking a break for the sake of simply ‘resting’ should not be an option.”

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Meet our Professional Training Corps coaches

The school year is well underway, and our first class of PTC students have spent the past few weeks becoming acquainted with their classes, professors, coaches, and the College. In case you missed it, we partnered with Year Up to launch Professional Training Corps (PTC) in Philadelphia, giving urban young adults the academic and professional skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their full potential.

We thought we’d acquaint you with some of the Year Up faces that you’ll be seeing around the College, starting with Margaret Rizzo, Associate Director of Operations and People Development for Year Up. Margaret is part of the team who came to Peirce this summer to head up our partnership, and she will be keeping us updated on the goings-on of our PTC class on the blog. Here’s her introduction of our Year Up coaches.

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We’re very excited to have launched our PTC initiative here in Philadelphia in partnership with Peirce, and things have been off to a great start.

A strong tenet of our training program is the coach support that our students receive. Each student is assigned a coach who stays with them while they’re in the PTC program. The coach encourages and supports them throughout the year, giving them the tools they need to succeed in PTC and their careers.

We wanted to highlight the fantastic group of coaches we have here in Philadelphia. If you see them in the hallway, feel free to say hi!

From Left to Right: Dan Holland, Nakia Mack, Stefanie Cuadrado, Jameel Pugh

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Welcoming Assistant Professor Bob Brzenchek to our Criminal Justice program

CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Bob Brzenchek joins Peirce's Criminal
Justice department as an Assistant Professor

Peirce College's Legal Studies department has just expanded in an important way. Former law enforcement official, intelligence specialist, and defense contractor Robert (Bob) Brzenchek is joining our team as an Assistant Professor for the Criminal Justice Studies program.

Not only does Bob have a highly impressive resume of hands-on experience, he also holds a master's degree in Strategic Intelligence with a concentration in Terrorism Studies from American Public University System, and a bachelor's degree from George Mason University. He is currently working toward his Doctorate of Philosophy in Business Administration & Homeland Security Leadership with Northcentral University, and previously headed up to the Criminal Justice Department at Virginia College.

It's this marriage of academic prowess and boots-on-the-ground experience that makes Bob a great addition to our Legal Studies department. You'll be seeing his presence on campus, where he'll be teaching classes, and also here on the blog as an author. To get the ball rolling, we asked him to answer a few questions so you can get to know him better.

Q: Bob, you have an extraordinary background of criminal justice experience in many different fields. What inspired you to get into education?

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Celebrating Peirce College’s 148th birthday!

CELEBRATE: Today is Peirce
College's 148th birthday!

Thomas May Peirce founded Union Business College, the original name of Peirce College, on September 18, 1865 -- that makes today Peirce’s 148th birthday.

We’re very proud of our history and all that we’ve accomplished. We celebrated our birthday here at the College today with cake, coffee, and conversation about where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we’re heading into the future.

We also looked back at the some of the milestones we’ve accomplished throughout our history. Here are some of the biggest ones that shaped who we are and what it means for students and alumni to have a Peirce College degree.

1865 -- Union Business College opens its doors, focusing on career-related education and nine male students enroll. Women enroll shortly after, making the College one of the first higher education institutions in the United States to accept women. Classes are held year-round, students can begin at any time, and the time for completing any course of study is unlimited. Evening sessions are also available. Tuition for a full course is $30.

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Peirce College offers the only ABA-approved Paralegal Studies bachelor's degree program in Philadelphia

PARALEGALS IN PHILLY: Peirce College continues to offer
the only ABA-approved Paralegal Studies bachelor's
degree program in Philadelphia

The American Bar Association (ABA) grants approval to college programs that give students the training, insight, and knowledge they need to excel in the paralegal field. This ABA approval status is highly recognized in the legal field, so we were delighted when the ABA House of Delegates recently renewed its approval of our Paralegal Studies program.

This means that Peirce College continues to have the only ABA-approved Paralegal Studies bachelor's degree program in Philadelphia. We issued a press release today to share this news.

The paralegal field is evolving. The job market is competitive and many paralegal employers require that applicants have a bachelor's degree to even be considered for open positions. They also often look for additional credentials and portfolios of work that speak to an applicant’s experience and expertise.

So when a student notes that they’ve completed Peirce’s ABA-approved bachelor’s degree program -- the only one of its kind in Philadelphia -- they have an additional standout factor on their resume. Employers will see that Peirce’s Paralegal Studies graduates have the theoretical basis and applicable skills needed to excel in the paralegal field from day one.

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Featured Learner Series: How tough starts can equal strong finishes

FEATURED LEARNER: Abel is pictured here receiving his
scholarship from Philadelphia Academics, Inc.
Image courtesy of Kate Hennessy Photography. 

“I’m just a regular guy, working as hard as I can to achieve my dreams and goals.” That’s according to Abel Jose-Perez, a 2011 Kensington High School graduate and current Peirce student. He’s also our next Featured Learner, and for good reason: Abel might be a “regular guy,” but his motivation and dedication are inspiring to all those around him.

Abel was born and raised in Philadelphia in the Kensington area. He attended Kensington High School, where he felt that drugs, violence, and lack of focus on education were often part of the norm. His parents also divorced when he was a year old, adding additional instability in his life.

Yet he didn’t want his situation to set the pace for his educational journey. Instead, he used it as motivation to prove that a tough start doesn’t necessarily bring about a weak finish.

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New program aims to reduce joblessness among Philadelphia’s young adults

There are an estimated 45,000 people ages 18-24 without jobs and who are not attending school in Philadelphia, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. One of the biggest challenges they face is obtaining the education, knowledge, and skills that employers demand today. That’s why we’re starting a new partnership with Year Up to better prepare young people for jobs in today’s marketplace.

Year Up’s mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education. Through a one-year, intensive training program, Year Up provides low-income young adults, ages 18-24, with a combination of college credits, hands-on skill development, and corporate internships.

Focusing on innovations that allow for greater scale,Year Up has created the Professional Training Corps (PTC), an innovative program that leverages college partnerships to help students earn a degree while providing them with professional development and work experience closely linked to labor market demand.

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“Why didn’t I do this earlier?” Working mom returns to college to earn her bachelor’s degree

FOR FAMILY: Jennifer is earning her bachelor's
degree for herself and her family

Working moms already have a lot on their plates – they often balance building their careers, providing for their families, and giving back to their communities. Adding college student to that list might feel daunting, but for working mom Jennifer Shaw, it’s a step toward a life goal she set for herself a long time ago.

Jennifer earned her associate degree in Medical Practice Management at Peirce 18 years ago and has always seen it as just the beginning of her lifelong learning journey. But between raising her son as a single mother and working her way up the career ladder with the City of Philadelphia, the timing was never right – until now. Jennifer is returning to Peirce College this year through our Readmit program to achieve her dream of earning her bachelor’s degree.

Jennifer is a Philadelphia native, and grew up with her close-knit family in the Kensington area. With her grandmother living next door and three aunts on her block, she felt very supported by her family to continue her education. She graduated from high school in 1990 and took a semester off to decide what she wanted to do.

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