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Vila & Son Landscaping will be among the dozens of Career Fair exhibitors at this year’s Student Career Days to be held at North Metro Technical College in Atlanta. According to company vice president and human resource director Yordy Rivero, she and her branch managers have a definite reason for being there. “We would like to find two interns for each of our four branch locations,” says Rivero, adding that the company will also be looking for permanent candidates.

Knowing that high-profile companies such as Vila & Son actively recruit at the Career Fair should be reason enough to attend SCD. But there are other reasons, many other reasons. “Attending Student Career Days and walking the Career Fair provides a great opportunity for students to meet landscape contractors and get a better understanding of what we’re looking for in interns and permanent candidates,” Rivero relates. “Students shouldn’t wait for their last year in school to attend, either. The sooner they find out what potential employers expect from them, in terms of skills sets and experience, the more likely they will be able to take courses that will help them along a career path.”

When asked what her expectations will be of students who approach the Vila & Son booth this spring, Rivero replies, “I prefer that they know a little about and research our company by obtaining some information that PLANET may have about us or by just going online. Then they can inquire about a specific branch location or service offering. Many students who approach us ask very good questions and that leaves a good impression.”

She continues, “We also expect serious intern and permanent candidates to have a professional demeanor and a résumé to show us.” Although it’s not necessary for Vila & Son candidates to participate in the competitive events, Rivero says her team enjoys seeing candidates in action and acting as cheerleaders for them. “It’s a fun event,” she adds. “Competing also shows us how well a particular student follows directions, enjoys what he or she does, and overall performs under a little duress.”

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During a 12-week period, Vila & Son interns rotate through a six-module program, giving them a broad perspective of the company and the industry. “It’s not all about us,” Rivero emphasizes. “We want to give students an idea of what the industry has to offer and what it’s like to run a business. Interns may not have a good idea of what they want to do. It may be a toss up between working in maintenance and installation. Or, maybe they think they want to be more involved in the business side of the business and then discover that field work is for them. Either way, showing them all the opportunities is good for them, for the industry, and for us.”

She offers this advice to students thinking about doing an internship. “Don’t think about it; do it,” she counsels students. “It’s the best way to receive real-life industry experience. When you intern with a company, make sure that you communicate with your mentor or advisor, too. We have an open-door policy with interns. If they want to spend more time in a particular department, we welcome their input. The experience is for their benefit more than it is ours. Yes, we often hire interns to full-time positions. Even when we don’t, though, we continue to correspond with past interns, fielding questions and offering advice.”

Attending Student Career Days should be part of any student’s ongoing learning experience, Rivero reiterates. It’s fun for students and landscape contractors alike, it’s educational, and it presents and once-a-year opportunity for students to begin shaping or reshaping their career path.

Return to March 2008 On Campus With PLANET