Reading Partners is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools and communities to provide elementary-aged students with the foundational literacy skills they need to read at grade level by the fourth grade. They do this by mobilizing and training community volunteers to provide one-on-one individualized literacy tutoring to our students, using our structured, evidence-based curriculum. This school year, they are partnering with 25+ schools in the New York City community with a goal of serving 1,400 students. Recruiter Jack Levine is sharing tips to maximize success in the application process!
What do you love about working with your organization?
I love getting to work with students on their level and help shape an individualized approach to their literacy journey. Watching them grow and move from identifying letters to sounding out words to turning letters into words into sentences. And more than that, it’s amazing to build a relationship with these young learners and show up as another person who believes in their brilliance and unlimited potential.
Why do you enjoy working with Fordham students?
Fordham students are energetic and engaged! We’ve loved seeing our Fordham tutors enter our reading centers and really take our mission to heart: they see the value in establishing a literacy mentorship relationship with their students and they understand the importance of meeting a student where they’re at in their literacy journey!
What’s your best advice for graduating seniors who are seeking a job?
It’s cliche, but you have the whole world in front of you. I think it’s important to remember there isn’t a set path you have to follow – we hear a lot about career trajectory and using your immediate post-grad years as the building blocks to your future career success. To be sure, this is important – but it’s also important that you really find yourself and find what feels right for you career-wise. Exploring your options doesn’t mean you’re all over the place or that you don’t have a specific career path: instead, you build a skill set with each opportunity, and the more you explore different options, the more your skill set diversifies and makes you a more well-rounded and versatile professional!
What’s your biggest red flag in an interview?
Not doing your basic research. It’s vital that you approach an interview with a basic understanding of the company you’re interviewing for. This doesn’t mean you need to know minute details of company strategy or the inner workings of its corporate structure; but you should be able to explain what the company does and what responsibilities the role you’re interviewing for entails. It’s always important to remember that at the end of the day, interviewers just want to feel confident that they know that you understand what the job is and can articulate what you might bring to that role.
How can students stand out in the recruiting process?
Fine-tuning your Resume and Cover Letter to the specific job you’re applying for. You should have a set Resume and Cover Letter that you use as a template, but you should be tweaking them for each job you apply to. It’s important to remember that having the right key words in your Skills section of your Resume or your explanation of qualifications in your Cover Letter need to match the job description. This can help tell the recruiter reviewing your application that you not only understand the job and are uniquely qualified, but that you took the time and effort to really read through their job posting and went the extra mile to show your motivation!
Anything else to add?
Reading Partners NYC is currently seeking volunteer tutors to work one-on-one with students to help reach our goal of serving 1,400 students this school year. Build your skills and resume and help a student become a lifelong learner! We offer flexible volunteer times throughout the school day for both in-person and virtual tutoring, with tutoring hours occurring roughly from 9am – 4pm. Want to learn more and sign up? Visit our website or email volunteerny@readingpartners.org
The Fordham Career Center is committed to building a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship while providing a bridge between the classroom experience and the world beyond. Throughout the job and internship search process, it is our goal to help students, alumni, community partners and employers alike understand the extraordinary value of a Fordham education. To learn more about our offerings and connect with the Career Center, visit fordham.edu/career.
