How to Find Jobs for College Graduates

How to Find Jobs for College Graduates As college seniors approach the end of the semester, they have a lot more to think about besides final exams and graduation parties. What they’re planning to do after college life is still a question left unanswered for many. For those soon-to-be graduates seeking employment, Beyond.com conducted a poll through February and March, asking college seniors how many jobs they have applied to so far. Faced with continued reports on the tough job market, the class of 2011 is clearly taking some initiative. Here’s what the results showed: More than 33 percent reported they have already applied for over 40 jobs. Just about 21 percent of respondents have applied for somewhere between 10 and 20 jobs. Almost 20 percent have applied for 21 to 40 jobs. 17 percent have applied for less than 10 jobs. The smallest percentage, 8.5 percent, have applied for no jobs at all. While the economy is looking much brighter for recent college graduates than it has the past couple years, it still takes that extra something to help young job seekers stand out among the other applicants. Here are some tips to help college graduates be at the top of their games and score entry-level jobs in their fields. 1. Clean up your online image Yes, employers do Google applicants. Make sure there’s nothing out there you wouldn’t want an employer to see. This includes ensuring your Facebook and Twitter privacy settings are intact and/or change your accounts to be employer-friendly to ensure you’re only viewed as a professional. 2. Start applying now…if you haven’t already The earlier the better. Many employers start looking for candidates months before graduation, so they are ready to fill the positions in May or June. Try to get ahead of the flood of Spring resumes by applying early and often. 3. Don’t be afraid to network â€" in person and online Every opportunity is an opportunity to network! Whether it’s chatting with a professor, staying in touch with an internship coordinator or creating a LinkedIn profile â€" don’t be afraid to put yourself out there professionally. The worst thing that can happen is nothing. Many people say landing a job is “all about who you know.” Well, the more people you are connected with virtually and in-person, the more chances you have of hearing about an employment opportunity. 4. Target your job search While not every opportunity is going to be your dream job, you can target what you want if you find job postings in a niche job board or LinkedIn group. For example, if you’re looking for finance jobs, find a place where these types of jobs are posted specifically. Niche job boards offer more targeted job search results and a greater variety of relevant job opportunities. 5. Download mobile job search apps Everyone is attached to their Smartphone these days, so why not receive job alerts and do some job-searching on the go? Check out the 20 Best Career-Enhancing iPhone Apps for more ideas. 6. Utilize your school’s career services It’s likely that your college or university has a career services office. Some schools also offer further training like a project management certificate or other classes to deepen your education. While you’re still a student, make use of these services by making an appointment to have your resume critiqued or do a mock interview. Also, join a professional student organization or participate in groups/activities on campus that are good resume builders. For example, if you’re an advertising major, you could join American Advertising Federation (AAF). 7. Prepare for interviews â€" homework “thank you’s” If you’ve received a call back after applying for a job, you need to be prepared and on top of your game. To stand out from the other interviewees, research the company beforehand. Have questions to ask â€" this will show you are interested. Also, send a hand-written thank you note or an email thank you at the very least. Check out How To Prepare for Your Job Interview for more tips. 8. Gain experience while job-searching If you have some spare time while applying for jobs, take on an internship in your desired field. This will give you extra experience to put on your resume and show that you took the initiative to advance your skill-set instead of waiting around or taking an irrelevant job. 9. Attend career fairs Career fairs are a great way to get in front of multiple employers looking to hire and network face-to-face. It provides the opportunity to showcase your communication skills and personality while participating in mini-interviews. It can help move your resume to the top of the pile. 10. Create an online career portfolio Distinguish yourself from other candidates and create a powerful web page that will display your skills and experiences to show employers that you’re willing to go the extra mile and are committed to your job search. Author: Rich Milgram is the Founder and CEO of Beyond.com, Inc. Since January 1998, Rich has developed and grown the company as a highly niche-specific web community, consisting of more than 15,000 sites providing services to business professionals and corporations to promote growth in career, business and life.

A Personal Brand is Demolished by Being Selfish Instead of Useful - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

A Personal Brand is Demolished by Being Selfish Instead of Useful - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career It is very rare for me to single people out for bad personal branding, especially when I made mistakes when I first entered the blogosphere a few years ago, such as spamming the press/bloggers and leaving self-promotional comments on blogs. Those days are over and by learning from mistakes, its helped me teach you how to do it right! Ive spoken before about how personal branding is not about you, but the audience or community that you serve. Im never going back on that mantra, I promise. I constantly promote others, which in turns helps promote my brand. You should do the same if you want to be successful! Todays personal branding case study comes from the crazy self-promoter known as Matt Bacak. Now, Im sure he had great intentions in all that hes done on the internet, but the perception is terrible and his brand has been engulfed with negative tweets and blog posts as a result. I wasnt going to originally blog on this today, but Scott Bradley told me that it was a must-post for my blog. Who is Matt Bacak? Matt Bacak is Entrepreneur Magazines e-Biz radio show host. He has branded himself as The Powerful Promoter. He considers himself a sought-after internet marketer but also has marketed for some of the worlds top experts whose reputations would shrivel if their followers ever found out someone else coached them on their online marketing strategies. Matt, an entrepreneur from the time he could pull a wagon, started his first company with employees at the age of 12. Selfish press releases Within the past few months, Matt has paid for two press releases (PRWeb Wire Service) that have bragged about the number of friends he has on Facebook and the number of followers he has on Twitter. October 13th: Matt Bacak Hits Facebooks 5000 Friend Limit December 2nd: The Powerful Promoter Promotes Himself Straight to the Top of Twitter Matt Bacak Achieves Another Social Networking Milestone Branding analysis Matts Twitter profile isnt branded whatsoever. In fact, its completely white, which in no way matches his personal site or his corporate website. He has almost 2,000 followers, but doesnt follow almost any of them. I know many people with thousands more than him. This comes off as very selfish and shows that he doesnt care about his community. Im still not even sure what Matt does because of the amount of focus hes placed on his own achievements. In the Facebook release, he starts naming successful people that hes friends with, yet I can bet you $100 that hes not and they dont know who he is. Also, Im sure he didnt get permission to use their names in commerce (for the release), so they could sue him, if they even cared. Hes not the only person with 5,000 friends on Facebook. Anyone can get 5,000 friends in Facebook if they dedicate an entire day to adding random people. Is it worthwhile? No. Spend time posting on your blog instead please. Results If you view the Twitter hash tag for Matt, you will notice all the harassment hes gotten today. Matt gets laughed at on Digg for not having skills. Digg users have named him The biggest douche in social media He has an entire website dedicated to mocking the amount of people that know him. There have been countless blog posts, some of which have called him a fraud for labeling himself as a top Twitter user when hes not. Final word Im sure Matt is a nice guy and probably has some credibility and raving fans, but having thousands of Facebook friends and Twitter followers isnt a big achievement. If he had 100,000 RSS subscribers to his blog, then I think that would be noteworthy, but you cant force that type of loyalty. Im sure Matt has learned a valuable lesson here and I hope to God that he doesnt send a press release entitled Just got 500 LinkedIn contacts, you should do business with me! Let this be a lesson to all of you: You gain the privilege to promote yourself, after youve promote everyone else.

Having It All Possible or Just a Trap - Classy Career Girl

Having It All Possible or Just a Trap “I want it all.” …You’ve either started singing the Queen song or you’re rolling your eyes. But let’s face it â€" each of us wants it all.  As simple as it may seem, the idea of “having it all” is one of the most controversial concepts around, with its own fair share of prejudice. I don’t know a single woman who doesn’t have her own opinion about what it’s like to have it all, or how to have it all, or whether it is possible that they can  have it all. As a successful career girl, I’m sure you have big dreams â€" but it’s just out of your reach, something that may not be possible, right? We all said we wanted to be an astronaut as children, but that’s a pipe dream, right? WRONG. Ok, let’s rewind. Let me make one thing crystal clear â€" you can have it all. It’s just not possible to wake up one day and find it in your lap. The road to success is paved with a lot of stepping stones, some changes to your thinking, and a willingness to keep going at it day after day. I’m not saying it’s time to cue the Rocky montage; I’m saying it’s time to wake up and decide that you’re going to make an effort, in the big ways and the small, to reach your idea of success. Step One: Put“ Having It All ” In Perspective. What someone wants is entirely dependent on their own tastes and what they enjoy in life. For some, having it all may be reclining on a beach with hunky towel boys and expensive Champagne in a flute glass. For others, it can be a quiet apartment with a good book and a nice cup of tea. Would you like to spend more time with your kids? Are you looking to make big impact at work? Full-time job? Part time? Your own gig? The value of these goals are only determined by how much the person enjoys them â€" which means you can have it all, but only if you know what your “all” is! This is all about declaring your vision of success. It has nothing to do with your bank account and everything to do with how you feel about your life and work. Step Two: Create a Motto! When you understand what your dream career and life look like, it’s time to pack them up in a guiding rule â€" A.K.A  your motto. Figure out a sentence that defines your approach. What are you going to say every morning to keep yourself going? What personifies your ideal dream of success? What personifies the person you want to be at the end of this?   Get really clear on what having it all means to you.  This year I’ve created a motto for myself to live by to help me to have a wonderful year and achieve my goals; it’s a motto that means something to me and helps me focus my priorities again. What’s yours? Step Three: Start With Small Stepping Stones Today. Often we think we can only live our dream lifestyles when we’ve reached our big goals, but I don’t believe that to be true. We can start living our dream life now. We just need to think about the small things (and the big things) that could help us live our dream life this year. Maybe you really, really, really want to be a carpenter; that doesn’t mean you have to get a degree right now or build a table tomorrow. You can start planning the small stepping stones that are going to get you that end result. Who should you reach out to? What books should you start reading? What hobbies will help cultivate that dream in your daily life? Those are the fundamentals to really making it work and making it possible. It won’t always be easy but at least you know where you’re headed.  Yes, having it all is out there, and its waiting for you!

I Have a New Job! Now How Do I Write a Resignation Letter

I Have a New Job! Now How Do I Write a Resignation Letter I Have a New Job! Now How Do I Write a Resignation Letter? Searching for a new job can be a long and frustrating task, especially when you are already employed and working full-time. Whether you are taking a significant career change, or you are just trying to climb up a rung or two on your career ladder, leaving your current job need not be a dramatic affair like what is often seen depicted in the movies. Whether you love or hate your present job, leaving for a better opportunity doesnt necessarily mean closing the door on your past career for good. Resigning from your current position is a big step that needs to be handled correctly keeping in mind that nothing in life is certain, so you dont want to permanently close any doors, and certainly not completely close them with bolts, chains and padlocks.While we would all love to do a Bridget Jones type resignation at least once in our life, in reality, no matter how unhappy you are with your current job, and how pleased you will be to leave it behind, there is no need to flounce out on a d ramatic note. There is also no need to write a resignation letter that lists in great detail why you are leaving and what you hate about the job.Send the right message with your resignation letterRemember that it is wise not to burn bridges with your previous employer. If you plan on having a long career, you will never know who you may end up working with â€" or for â€" in the future. The last thing you want is for your best-laid plans for your career path being scuppered at some point by a disgruntled ex-employer who themselves have also moved to a new position at a company that you long to work for.You also cannot know for sure what business connections your current employer may have established within your industry. They could spread negative information about you to other employers, which can see you earning a bad reputation even before you have applied for a job. Bear these points in mind when you are formulating your resignation letter. Its not an opportunity for you to ha ve a rant.What to include in your resignation letterOnce you have landed your new job, you will need to inform your manager that you are leaving. Usually, this involves having a meeting with them to let them know that you are resigning, which then should be followed up swiftly by a formal resignation letter.Your letter of resignation will be kept on record, so it simply needs to state the facts of your departure, such as the date you are leaving, and that you are willing to help them to get a new employee settled in and up to speed with the duties required of them.You should also sign off with a thank you line to say that you are grateful for the opportunity to be part of their organization, and for the experience you have gained.Resist the opportunity to nit-pick or list all the faults or flaws you saw in the role. Your resignation letter is simply an official notification of your leaving. It is not a job critique or a place to vent about other staff members or managers.Keep your r esignation letter simple and to the point. This is what you should include:The current date (this is the date you are submitting your letter)Your formal resignation statementA preferred leaving date (this will depend on what notice period you need to give)A short line to thank the company for the job opportunityYour signatureThere isnt any need to include any more information than this. While it is an excellent idea to express your thanks for your employment opportunity in the letter, you should never end the document on a negative note. Burning bridges isnt good for the future.When you sit down to create your resignation letter, do it at a time when you are relaxed, calm and in a positive frame of mind. Never write your letter when you are in a hurry to get somewhere, you are tired from work, or you are hungry or thirsty.Bear in mind that you will probably need to draw references from your boss or manager, so make sure that you paint them in a good light. They, in turn, will be mor e happy to supply you with a reference in the future, should you ever need one. previous article I Stand Out Resume Template Freebie next article Rose Gold Resume | The Free Template of The Week you might also like6 Online Gigs You Can Do During Coronavirus Outbreak (To Offset Your Lost Income)

Setting a Goal For Your Resume Writing

Setting a Goal For Your Resume WritingIf you are a person who has an interest in writing resumes, setting a goal for yourself should be one of the first things that you learn. This is because it will help you get things organized.Goal setting is not only important in developing and writing a resume. It can also help you to increase your productivity while working. A person who wants to make more money should set a goal that says that if he gets to a certain dollar amount in the end of the month, he will be given a certain amount of money as a bonus.When setting a goal, the first thing that you need to do is determine what you want to achieve. By doing this, you can then decide on the amount of money that you would like to have. You should set a goal in relation to what you earn every month.The next step to take is to write down your goal in the form of a checklist. This way, it will be easier for you to track down the steps that you need to follow in order to achieve the goal. After you have written down the steps, you can then go and find the necessary materials that you need to accomplish the goal.You should always be sure that you have everything that you need in order to achieve the goal. With that, you can now start to work. You can then start your goal by listing down all the tasks that you have to do in order to accomplish the goal. For example, if you are trying to set a goal to get a promotion within your company, you should list down all the tasks that you need to do for a promotion.Writing down all the tasks is a good strategy for you to start your project. When you write down the tasks, it will help you to organize them so that they will become easier to do. After you have finished writing down all the tasks, you should then work out a schedule that will allow you to complete the tasks on time.Finally, if you want to be able to achieve your goal in the long run, you should always set goals for yourself every now and then. This way, you will always b e motivated to continue with your goal as well as to get things done in order to reach your goal.Writing a resume may seem easy to do but it is not always that easy. However, if you set a goal for yourself every now and then, you will be able to achieve your goal in no time at all.

Productivity Killers And How To Overcome Them - CareerAlley

Productivity Killers And How To Overcome Them - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. We all experience moments when our productivity levels start to decline. It is only natural, after all, it is hard to keep the same level of work ethic and efficiency at all times. Nevertheless, when your productivity starts to falter, there is usually a reason behind it. With that in mind, in this blog post, we are going to take a look at some of the biggest productivity killers so that you can rectify them. Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash Computer alerts If your computer has the alerts feature activated for emails and social media messages, this is likely to be one of the main reasons why you are struggling to be productive in the workplace. Whenever you receive a pop-up notification in the corner of your screen telling you that you have a new message, you will be inclined to check this out straight away and reply accordingly. When you do this, it means that you are getting endlessly stopped in your tracks while working. This makes it impossible to work efficiently and finish tasks in a timely manner. After all, not only are you wasting time by checking messages, but you will be losing your train of thought. Cluttered and untidy workspace Another reason why you may be struggling to achieve high levels of productivity is because of your workspace. If your workspace is untidy and cluttered, you are not going to be able to think freely. The importance of a sanitary workplace cannot be underestimated. After all, dirt and clutter only have the impact of cluttering the mind. It causes irritation and frustration and prohibits anyone from being able to work to their best. Give your Workspace a purge and a clean, and notice the huge difference that this has. You cant expect to change years of working habits overnight. Small changes in how you work can gradually add up to big changes in productivity. Try one tip to start, and keep adding more as you find the strategies that work best for you. nytimes.com Endless unfocused hours staring at the computer screen We have all been there. You catch yourself gazing into space and youre not sure how long you have been doing it for. The most common reason for this is because you have not been taking periodical breaks throughout the day. You need to take regular breaks to re-energize your focus. Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash No schedule Last but not least, you may be struggling to work efficiently because you have not put a proper schedule in place. If you do not schedule your day and your tasks accordingly, it becomes incredibly difficult to focus. This is especially the case if you are working on a large project and it seems like the end goal is miles and miles away. To work more productively, you would be better off splitting up this task into lots of smaller tasks so that you are constantly meeting milestones. This will help you to stay motivated and productive.

Career Opportunities for Those Who Love Babies - CareerAlley

Career Opportunities for Those Who Love Babies - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.1 If you like working with children, especially babies, then there are several careers out there that you might find fulfilling. When you have an opportunity to work in a field that pays you well while you get to do what you love, you should not pass up the opportunity. Here are five careers involving babies that you can pursue. Each of them gives you a chance to do more than just accompany these new beginners in life. They let you have a profound impact in the quality of a persons life when they are just starting out in the world. Suggested Reading:Careers in Child Care Sonography If you love babies, you will like a career that encounters them at the very beginning of life. Sonographers have the honor and privilege of helping parents see their children before they are even born. They use ultrasound technology to see beneath the surface of the human skin. Sonography is a large field with many applications. If you want to focus on children in your career, you must study to be an obstetric sonographer. You can do much more than simply provide pictures for parents. This is very serious job because your work may also help reveal problems with the pregnancy or with the fetus. This opportunity to be so elemental in preserving the health of the child is another reward of being a sonographer. Obstetrician Another way to meet children at the very beginning is though obstetrics. An obstetrician is the primary caregiver for a woman during her pregnancy and especially at the moment of labor. This is the person who actually delivers the baby. An obstetrician is a medical doctor and a physician. In order to acquire this job, you must attend medical school. Your career will involve many steps and tasks besides helping babies be born into the world. Your interaction with patients will also largely end at birth or shortly thereafter, when the mother returns to the care of a gynecologist and the baby enters the care of a pediatrician. Pediatrician If you are interested in taking over at the next stage of a childs life, then the work of a pediatrician may interest you. Your work with children as a pediatrician will involve using professional skills to evaluate and diagnose illnesses as well as general well-being and development. As a pediatrician, you will have the opportunity to share many joys with parents and their babies as the latter develop and grow. You will also have the opportunity to save lives and preserve the health of babies. As a physician, you will be able to detect and treat illnesses that could have long-lasting effects on children. Midwife There are a number of people outside the usual array of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals who deal with babies on a regular basis. If you prefer one of these alternative routes to working with children, then become a midwife or a doula. Midwives are competent to help women deliver children on their own in most cases. A doula is a licensed birth assistant who accompanies a woman through pregnancy and birth while she is under the care of a physician. Nurse As a nurse, you have many ways that you could become involved in the lives of children. In their regular work, nurses work with people of all ages, including babies. Obstetric nurses and midwife nurses specialize in working with babies full-time. There are other ways to become involved in careers that work with babies. No matter what your choice is, you will be required to educate yourself and acquire the proper licenses in order to be trusted with children. Also take a look at 5 More Careers for Those Who Love Babies We are always eager to hear from our readers. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or suggestions regarding CareerAlley content. Good luck in your search,Joey Google+ Visit Joeys profile on Pinterest Job Search job title, keywords, company, location jobs by What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search