Hays is a vibrant community located in northwest Kansas between Kansas City and Denver on I-70! Are you an employer? Click here to sign up!
About Hays
Hays, America is a university community of
20,000 people located half way between Kansas City
and Denver on Interstate 70. We are the regional hub of Northwest Kansas for retail, education, medical service,
entertainment, and recreation. Ellis
County has the largest retail pull
factor in the state. Our downtown is being
revitalized with unique shops and entertainment and the north side of town is expanding with additional retail
offerings. We have a very diversified mix of businesses in the area although agriculture and oil are still major
parts of the regional economy. The Hays Regional Airport offers a commercial flight multiple times each day to
Denver and, according to recent rankings by Progressive Farmer, E-Podunk, and BizJournal; Hays, America has a
great quality of life. We happen to agree.
When you begin your job search, make sure your email address and voicemail message are simple and
professional, rather
than off the wall, inappropriate or bizarre. By doing so, you can ensure they will not harm your chances of being
contacted by an employer. Paying attention to these small details can greatly improve your prospects of being hired.
It seems basic, but too often a job seeker applies to a job with an email address like
[email protected] or
[email protected]. Definitely a turn-off for potential employers.
ame goes for your voicemail message. If an employer calls you up and hears the message, "Reynolds
Pizza, what's your
order? KIDDING! It's Brett, leave it after the beep," chances are they'll hang up without leaving a message. An
employer will consider a voicemail message like this unprofessional.
Instead, follow these rules for professional email addresses and voicemail messages:
Email address
Create a new email address specifically for your job search. This is a good step regardless, so you
don't mix up your
personal and job search emails.
If possible, include your name in your email address like [email protected] so the
employer can find email
correspondence from you easily.
It’s acceptable to create an email address that corresponds to your industry or profession, such as
[email protected].
Avoid unnecessarily complicated email addresses, especially those with long strings of numbers.
Mistakes could easily
be made while entering your email address, making it difficult for potential employers to contact you.
Voicemail message
Include your name or phone number in the message, mention you’re unavailable to answer the phone.
Then ask them to
leave their name, number and message, and say you will get back to them as soon as possible.
Example: "Hi, this is Rachel. I’m unable to take your call now, but please leave your name, number and message after
the tone and I’ll return your call as soon as possible. Thank you.”
Speak clearly, and sound professional and polite when recording your greeting.
Avoid background noise, musical or other “cute” messages, religious messages, joke messages, and profanity.
Job Fair Tips
In preparation for job fairs, make note of the following tips :
Come prepared. Bring many copies of your resume to submit to employers. If you spend a little
time getting some
background on an organization, then you can ask very focused and specific questions. This impresses
representatives
because it shows a genuine interest in them.
Dress appropriately. First impressions are important. Dress BUSINESS PROFESSIONAL.
Introduce yourself and be prepared to give your "career pitch." Extend your hand, say "hello"
and state your name.
Have your resume ready to give to the employer. Be ready to talk about your career interests.
Take notes when you inquire about next steps and the possibility of talking with additional
managers.
Ask the representative for his/her card. Having the business card of the representative you
have just spoken gives
you direct contact with the organization, including the proper spelling of the representative's name, direct
telephone
line, etc.
