Posted August 6th, 2010 by admin
Job-hunting has become an anxiety-laden process due in part to hyper-competition and the poor state of our economy. That’s why college students should start thinking about how they plan to start their careers well-before graduation. If you spend time on campus, then you’ve likely networked without even knowing it, forming a foundation on which to build a multitude of connections that may benefit you in the future.
With that in mind, consider how much your network would expand if you really put forth the effort. Below are eight ways to network while in college – these avenues have proven beneficial to social and career-minded students.
Cultivate relationships with your classmates
As you become an upperclassman and your classes become smaller and more in-tune with your major, you’ll be required to work closely with your classmates. Typically, class participation, group projects and group papers factor into your grade. During the process, you’ll make friends and acquaintances with whom you share common goals. In the future, you can share job leads and other helpful information that could make employment more attainable.
Cultivate relationships with your professors
Maintain contact with the professors who were most helpful and friendly to you. They may provide written references to accompany your job applications, or even steer you toward a job opening. Most professors genuinely want to see their students succeed and thus will be happy to help you out.
Join a fraternity or sorority
In a Greek organization, you’ll form close bonds with like-minded students who’ll become loyal friends in the long-run. Additionally, alumni of your fraternity or sorority, who are already established in your prospective field of work, will be more than willing to assist you in your job search. Keep in mind that Greek organizations have many chapters nationwide, so a fellow member from another school in another state might even help you out.
Join campus organizations
Most colleges provide a variety of campus organizations that appeal to the varying interests of their students. There are professional organizations, volunteer-orientated organizations and organizations that cater to recreational interests. Obviously, professional organizations tend to be the most beneficial for career networking, but joining any organization will enable you to make connections.
Seek internships
An internship gives you the opportunity to put a foot in the door. Not only will you be gaining valuable experience in your prospective field of work, but you’ll also be proving your worth to your superiors, who in turn may provide you with written references, job leads or even a job with the company. The more internships you undertake, the more connections you’ll make. And finding them shouldn’t be too difficult. Some departments in colleges provide internship databases that contain internship opportunities in the city and state in which you’re located.
Attend job fairs
Job fairs give you the opportunity to speak directly with future employers. Colleges and their departments gather companies and organizations from near and far to recruit their students. In some cases, students are hired on the spot after impromptu interviews.
Attend networking events
Many colleges organize networking events that enable students to converse with established professionals in their prospective fields of work. Typically, these professionals speak to students about what it takes to achieve success, and offer any other advice that students may deem helpful – even well-after the event.
Join networking websites
Sites like LinkedIn – which has more than 70 million users from 200 countries – are excellent facilitators of career-oriented social networks. They connect professionals in varying fields, enabling them to exchange resources that are helpful to their careers.
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Posted July 30th, 2010 by admin
You’re out of work and there aren’t many jobs out there. You’re not getting job offers or even call-backs for interviews. You’re feeling vulnerable and desperate. Unfortunately, you’re just the person scammers are looking for.
The following are some tips so you can look for danger signs to avoid heartache and even money loss. Plus you’ll be able to save time and energy in searching for a real job.
Although many people think job scams only happen online, this is far from the truth. You also have to guard against listings in your local newspaper and fliers in your mailbox. If jobs seem to be too good to be true, they probably are. If a company is offering exceptionally high salaries and excellent benefits for little or no experience and a resume isn’t required, look out!
Be careful of jobs that ask you for money up front to apply for a job or a background check. Remember, your employer should be paying you, not the other way around! Also beware of job offers requiring you to make a purchase (other than paying for a uniform or a start-up kit with an established company, like Amway).
While the Internet has made searching for jobs easier, it also makes it easier for ID thieves and scammers to take advantage. No matter what reason or excuse the employer tells you, never give out your social security number, bank account number or other personal details on any job application form.
If you create a user account on sites like Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com – and what job seeker doesn’t – you might receive an e-mail saying there’s a problem with your account or they need to install new software. Again, stay away! The scammers want you to click a link to fix the issue, but what they’re really doing is taking you to a Web site that installs malware or viruses.
Be wary of employer e-mails with grammatical and spelling errors. Most online fraud is perpetrated by scammers located outside the United States. English is not their first language, which is clearly evident in their e-mails.
Watch out for work-at-home scams trying to take advantage of stay-at-home moms, students, senior citizens, or handicapped people looking to make money at home. Before you consider a work-at-home offer, research the company with the Better Business Bureau.
If you did not apply for a job, but receive an offer via e-mail or as spam, it is probably a job scam. Some offers even come with a detailed job description, so be careful.
You may not have thought about this, but references work both ways. You have the right to ask for a company’s references, especially if you’re not sure the company is legitimate. Request a list of other employees or contractors and contact them. If a company isn’t willing to provide references, this is a big red flag.
Post provided by APB Pole Barns. APB offers a large selection of pole barn kits and provides designs, plans, and building packages for post frame structures.
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Posted July 26th, 2010 by admin
If you are one of the many Americans who suffered a layoff in the last couple of years, you may have found yourself living on unemployment benefits for quite awhile. Although you spend much of your waking time seeking jobs on every website imaginable, cold calling local businesses, and even taking interviews, your efforts have left you exhausted, frustrated, and still unemployed. With the economy continuing along its current course, this story is all too common. And yet, you don’t have to let the days slip by in a blur of ads and applications. There are a few things you can do to pull yourself out of that funk, utilize your time wisely, and maybe even find an alternative to punching a time-clock to earn a paycheck.
Volunteer.
If you feel like you’re wasting your time, accomplishing nothing of value, or you’re simply bored, why not donate the one asset you have in spades: your time. You can work at a local shelter (for battered women or the homeless), help out at a retirement home, become a docent at a local museum (give tours for children, etc.), or engage in any number of activities that suit your interests and help others. At the end of the day, you will feel like you have accomplished something worthwhile and return to your job search infused with new reserves of energy and hope and you may have met some additional networking contacts.
Join a club.
There are many different types of clubs and associations (both personal and professional) that could offer you the opportunity to connect with others, spend some time away from the search engines, and just forget about the fact that you’re unemployed for a little while. If you’re lucky (and smart), you may even be able to use it as an opportunity to network and find yourself a new job.
Go back to school.
If you find that the major hang-up in securing employment is a lack of schooling, then perhaps it’s time to consider completing your degree. Since you’re not working anyway, apply for school and see if you can get in on a scholarship or grant (you have plenty of time to fill out applications) as well as federal financial aid (FAFSA). Even a student loan could offer you the chance to stay afloat while you work to better yourself (and your chances at employment).
Start a blog.
Whether you’re doing it to kill some time or you think you can turn it into a bona fide money-making enterprise, starting a blog is a great way to release some tension, hone your writing skills, and show prospective employers that you have been doing something of value while seeking work. Knowledge of blogging and internet culture is also a valuable asset that many corporations are seeking in new hires. And who knows, if you really develop your blog and work to get it recognized, you may be able to add advertising and rake in a little cash.
Freelance.
Now is a great time to think about alternative methods of earning a living. If you have any kind of marketable skills that can be utilized from home, you can probably get some freelance work. Writing, graphic design, marketing, customer service, virtual assistance, programming, and a host of other professions can be done from the comfort of your own home on a piecemeal basis, so sign up for free services like ODesk and Elance to set up a profile and start getting work.
Find alternate streams of income.
There are several Pay-Per-Click sites that could help provide some additional income while looking for your next ideal job. Sites like Clicksense, NeoBux, and InboxDollar allow you to earn some money as you job search.
Guest post by Leah Thompson a writer for Futon Covers for Less. Browse the internet’s largest selection of futon covers including leather futon covers at the lowest prices.
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This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
Palestinian Traffic Cop Loves His Job |
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Posted July 19th, 2010 by admin
It’s important to get your child off on the right foot when the time comes for them to enter the workforce. They will be uncertain about where to begin and your experience will prove beneficial. It’s important here to guide, not instruct. Here are a few ways to help you child find their first job.
1. Hire Them
It doesn’t get any easier than this when it comes to getting your child that first job. Bring your child in as part of any Summer help your business needs. Although it’s mandatory that you don’t coddle them or give them special favors, you can still make their first work experience a safe one as they gain confidence in the workforce.
2. Hidden Talents
Confucius said: “Choose an occupation you enjoy and you will never work a day in your life.”
And if there is better advice for finding a job, I’ve never heard it. You know your child, probably better than they know themselves. You know their strengths, their weakness. What they are naturally good at and what they struggle with. Keep your eyes and ears open for occupations that are perfectly suited to your child. If their first work experience is a nightmare, it’ll be an uphill battle in the years to come. Conversely, working a job they are eager to get to fosters a positive attitude which will serve them well in the future.
3. Tricks Of The Trade
As this will be your child’s first job, they are going to need to learn the proper way to prepare a resume and how to handle themselves in an interview. Here’s where you life experience comes in. Help and guide them through this process. The work you put in here will pay dividends down the road.
4. Dot Those I’s
There’s no point in taking the time to show your child how to ace an interview if they don’t even have a social security number or bank account in which to deposit future pay checks. Set your child up with these things first, explaining to them why they need them and how they will be used. And, while we’re at it, make sure you and your child use every resource at your disposal. School hiring programs need to be look at. And let’s now forget the internet, which can be an invaluable source.
5. Start Your Shopping Early
It’s going to be hard to find jobs that aren’t there, which is why it’s important that you encourage your child to start their job search early. March is probably a good time with regards to Summer work as available positions fill quickly when the days get longer. Delaying will lead to your child taking some nightmare position every other student passed on months ago or else being left out in the cold while the weather’s hot. Getting a good head start on the competition will land your child a job they’ll be happy to do.
This article was written by Andrew Salmon. He works for a website about life insurance for Canadians.
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101 Tips Every Job Seeker Should Know |
The Ultimate Online Job Seekers eBook |
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This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
Palestinian Traffic Cop Loves His Job |
Beef up your email signature |
Posted July 16th, 2010 by admin
The economy; it’s become a crutch for anything that has gone wrong. For most of us the excuse has gotten stale. But when you can find even the brightest of Master’s degree holders manning the till at your neighborhood fast foot joint you know there really is trouble. While many fields have virtually locked out new applicant, the medical field continues to grow with needs on almost every area. The medical field is huge with thousands of different specialties from medical transcriptionist to neurovascular specialist and almost all are seeing shortages. The appeal of job security and attractive income is enough to convince many people that a career in medicine is the right choice, but other factors weigh heavily on a good decision.
The first step to figuring out if a career in the medical field is right for you is to do your research. There are numerous opportunities within the field alone. Narrow it down by learning what job duties various positions have. Determine the educational requirements and average salary of the more attractive positions. Then do a little more research. This process should quickly narrow down your medical field of interest.
The next step is to arrange for a job shadowing experience. Get in the field of play! Lining up a job shadow can be intimidating but people rarely get turned down. Shadow multiple professionals in your top 2 or 3 fields of interest. If you find yourself bored or overly uncomfortable after a few shadows then you have a good sign it’s not the right career path for you. On the other hand if you feel excited or the day seemed to go by really fast; that’s your green light to head into the field.
Another technique you can use to determine if the medical field is a good fit for you is to take an anatomy class in your first year of school (or jump in a night class at a community college). Even clinical administrators need to know basic medical terminology, particularly of the human anatomy. This is an excellent step in weeding out fields of interest. If you find yourself good at rote memory then perhaps you would make a good coder. You may find yourself entranced by the skeletal system and find out you want to go into Orthopedics. Or perhaps you find that the class is a struggle; a bad showing in an anatomy class is usually a strong sign that you would do better in a different field.
Another step you can take is to set up an appointment with a local college career services coordinator. If there is one thing colleges can’t stand it is drop-outs. Because of this they will do anything in their power to help you make the right choice to jump start your new career. You may go in thinking about medical coding and come out enrolled in the nursing program. Sometimes a simple chat with the right people will get you seeing straight.
The number one way to tell that the medical field is your calling: pay attention to how you feel. We as humans are intuitive and it often does us a lot of good when we listen to our gut. Choosing a career is like getting lost in a forest and having to choose between two unruly paths. After some good old fashioned research and observation, intuition will take over and lead you on the best possible road to career enlightenment.
Kyle Simpson writes for Medical Coding Certification where you can find more information about a career and training in the medical field.
| Be sure to look for us on your favorite networks: |
| Visit Our Bookstore for Great Values! |
101 Tips Every Job Seeker Should Know |
The Ultimate Online Job Seekers eBook |
10 Biggest Interview Mistakes |
10 Biggest Resume Mistakes |
| Check out these hot articles! |
This makes us laugh… every time we see it |
The First Step to a Job You Love |
Palestinian Traffic Cop Loves His Job |
Beef up your email signature |
 Questions every job seeker should be prepared for BEFORE the interview |
