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Top 10 Job Hunting Sites for Recent Graduates

collegecareerlife — Mon, 03 May 2010 11:00:23 +0000

Recent graduates face the most dismal job market since the depression, but thankfully, the internet now makes job searching more convenient and easier than ever. Faced with endless possibilities, those straight out of college need guidance on which sites will help them find employment – and which are just a waste of time. The following list highlights ten of the most useful job-searching sites for recent grads and the unemployed alike.

1. Monster.com – This site, the “granddaddy” of job search sites, features constantly updated job listings, separated by area or field. Job seekers can search by keyword, location, or even pay. Message board are updated daily as are useful articles that provide tips to job hunters.

2. CareerBuilder.com – Similar to Monster, Career Builder is a job listing service that offers endless openings for jobs and careers in a specified area. Both part time and full time gigs are available here, though seekers may find themselves spending a lot of time sorting through which jobs are the most applicable.

3. Craigslist – Not for the traditional job seeker, craigslist acts as a provider of classified ads for any local area. Employers post available jobs on the site with a short description and are then able to interact directly with those seeking to apply. This site is great for niche or hard-market jobs.

3. LinkedIn – This site is the most useful social media tool available for job seekers. Users create a profile, much like on Facebook or MySpace, then use that profile to build meaningful connections with others in their field. Used primarily as a networking tool, LinkedIn is growing in popularity as well as importance in the job sphere.

4. Indeed – A rather unknown site compared to the larger job search engines, indeed.com is a great resource for creative job seekers. Writers, artists, and even musicians can find work here, easily searchable and sortable through the site’s impressive interface.

5. Net Temps - Recent grads may want to consider temporary work as a way to build up funds while looking for a full-time position while gaining valuable experience in a specific area. This site is a database for temp job in the area and field of interest or expertise.

6. College Recruiter – This site, aimed specifically at recent grads, not only offers job postings but expansive resources for job seekers as well. Resume advice, interview tips, and common job hunting mistakes are all topics which find light here.

7. Hound.com- Set up much like traditional search sites, this website allows users to use one central search bar to dig through employer’s corporate websites for job posts, saving time and energy for recent grads and recruiters alike.

8. Beyond.com – This site compiles data from niche sites across the country, such as charlottejobs.com and rodeojobs.net, in an easy to use, scanable form. Beyond saves users time and hassle as they no longer have to visit hundreds of different sites to find what they’re looking for.

9. USA.gov – Students who have just graduated should consider a military or government job. These positions typically pay well, are widely available, and offer unparalleled experience to those who qualify.

10. HotJobs- Capitalizing on the success of Career Builder and Monster, this site compiles all the best jobs Yahoo! has to offer and makes them easy to apply for directly online. Visitors to this site will find information on specific fields as well as data and trends in their marketplace of choice.

Job searching can be a daunting task, but sites such as those listed above make it much more manageable and convenient. Being able to apply online is an instant innovation that has landed thousands, if not millions, of people the position of their dreams, and is only set to continue in the future.

This post was contributed by Melissa Tamura, who recently ranked the top nursing schools for Zen College Life, a directory of online degrees.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2010. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Sites to Help You Choose a College or Grad Program

collegecareerlife — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:52:43 +0000

Choosing a college or graduate program involves consideration of many factors, including tuition and program rankings. If you want free information about thousands of colleges and graduate schools, try the following sites.

US News Rankings

Each year, US News ranks colleges and graduate programs. In addition to U.S. schools, the site also ranks the world’s best universities. You can find rankings by location or subject area. Although basic rankings are free, you’ll need to purchase a premium online edition for $14.95 to access detailed admissions and cost information about the graduate programs.

Princeton Review

Explore colleges and majors, prepare for standardized tests, and find scholarships at PrincetonReview.com. The Best Fit School Search suggests the best schools based on your qualifications and preferences. Princeton Review also offers a number of interesting rankings from student surveys.

College Prowler

Register at collegeprowler.com to search for matching scholarships, calculate the real cost of your education, and find schools that match your criteria. The site has thousands of student reviews and editorials, including what students say are the best and worst things about their schools.

Students Review

With around 70,000 reviews, StudentsReview.com is the place to find out what students really think about their colleges. There area also alumni reviewed majors, tips for getting in, and dynamic rankings.

My Plan

My Plan provides college statistics, including most popular majors and graduation rates. Use the query feature to search for colleges by student body, location, resources, cost, campus setting, majors and admissions. Colleges are ranked by overall satisfaction, prestige, school resources, and several other factors.

College Stats

Visit Collegestats.org to find colleges that match your criteria. You can view colleges with the lowest tuition costs, the largest colleges, and much more.

For both objective information and more subjective ratings, these websites can help you narrow down your college or graduate school choices. In an upcoming post, I’ll list specific questions to ask when choosing a college or graduate program.

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Social Media Options for the Private Person

collegecareerlife — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:44:43 +0000

Career experts recommend that job seekers use social media to market themselves. Private people may dismiss social media because the idea of anyone seeing their pictures and information is disturbing. Unfortunately, no one can ignore social media because many employers are checking sites for information on candidates. You want to make sure you distinguish yourself from others who share your name. It doesn’t mean you have to sign up on every sight, but you should choose one or two sites that allow you to create a professional profile.

LinkedIn is probably the best social media site for job-seekers. The focus will be on your professional and academic accomplishments, not on your personal life. LinkedIn allows you to get recommended from other members who have worked or who currently work with you. You can also show the address of your LinkedIn profile on your resume. If you’re still concerned about privacy, you can choose not to show your public profile and what information is shown if you do allow others to see your profile.

Facebook isn’t just for college students anymore. Many older professionals and businesses are setting up accounts. The problem is that when friends and family know you have a Facebook account, it will become personal and may not be useful in your job search. Luckily, you can hide your profile from those you haven’t friended so potential employers don’t see your personal profile. I don’t have a Facebook account myself, but a lot of people with my first and last name do. Since I’m a very private person and want to maintain a good (or non-existent) online reputation, this is very worrisome. With millions of people using social networking sites, chances are that someone with your name also has an account. You may want to create an account to distinguish yourself from others with the same name.

Twitter can be a great way to connect with recruiters and get updates from career experts. I joined Twitter to promote my writing on HubPages, and have really enjoyed getting updates from all my favorite websites and blogs. If you join Twitter, a few accounts to follow for great career and job-search advice : Brazen Careerist, CollegeCareer1, CollegeRecruiter (EntryLevelJob) , Careerealism, CareerLeak, ResumeQueen, CareerBuilder, Indeed, AfterCollege, and InternQueen. You should also identify industry-related publications and follow them for updates about your field.

Social networking can be a huge advantage for any job seeker, so don’t shy away from these sites out of fear of losing your privacy. Just keep your profiles completely professional and use privacy settings when necessary.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: facebook, linkedin, networking, privacy, twitter

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What’s the Job Really Like?

collegecareerlife — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:08:50 +0000

It’s easy to find job descriptions, but they don’t tell you what people really think about their jobs. Before deciding to pursue a career or accept a position, you should hear from the people who’ve actually been there. Several websites allow people to write honestly about their career experiences and submit employer reviews. A few resources where you can get insider information about careers and employers:

WIKIcareer is a new website that allows anyone to contribute information about a variety of careers and industries. Members can contribute career articles and advice for those considering a certain career.

The Career Project offers profiles of careers by people that have worked in them. Thousands of mentors have contributed their experiences to help you make a decision about what career to pursue.

Career Leak has job profiles for thousands of companies. You can find information about the work environment, responsibilities, and compensation for each job title. Former and current workers can also rate their job satisfaction, the stress level of a position, and give interview tips.

Job Vent allows anyone to anonymously post company reviews. Discover which companies have the happiest employees and which ones to avoid.

On Vault.com you can research companies and read insider information about working at a company. Go to the Companies page to see the best companies to work for in each industry.

FDCareer‘s company reviews include ratings of compensation, work, culture, growth and competitiveness. You can also participate in challenges that help improve your career skills.

If you’re preparing for a job interview, Glassdoor.com is a great place to find interview questions you’ll probably be asked. Former candidates can provide details about their interviewing experiences including the length of the interview, the number of interviewers, specific questions asked during the interview, and how long the hiring process took. Glassdoor also has salary information and company reviews provided by employees.

In The Career Chronicles: An Insider’s Guide to What Jobs Are Really Like – the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly from Over 750 Professionals you can read what people really think of their chosen profession. Veterinarian, architect, and attorney are a few of the twenty-four occupations included in the book.

When researching careers, don’t rely on one or two sources to help you make a decision. Take advantage of all the excellent resources available and gather as much information possible on each career before choosing a career.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: career, links, resource, websites

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What's the Job Really Like?

collegecareerlife — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:08:50 +0000

The Career Project offers profiles of careers by people that have worked in them. Thousands of mentors have contributed their experiences to help you make a decision about what career to pursue.

Job Vent allows anyone to anonymously post company reviews. Discover which companies have the happiest employees and which ones to avoid.

On Vault.com you can research companies and read insider information about working at a company. Go to the Companies page to see the best companies to work for in each industry.

FDCareer‘s company reviews include ratings of compensation, work, culture, growth and competitiveness. You can also participate in challenges that help improve your career skills.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: career, links, resource, websites

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Free Online Education Resources

collegecareerlife — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:44:29 +0000

Whether you’re a college student, recent graduate, or a professional that just wants to stay current, online classes are a great way to learn important skills needed in your chosen field. Or you may just want to learn about a topic you never had a chance to study. For free online learning resources, try the following sites:

The Comprehensive List of Free Online Courses found at GuidetoOnlineSchools.com lists all free courses available through the Open CourseWare Consortium. Classes range from the basics (Introduction to Biology) to the obscure (Physics of Rock Climbing). Participating universities include MIT, UC Berkeley, Carnegie Mellon, and Harvard.

w3schools Online Web Tutorials – W3Schools offers tutorials for beginning and advanced web developers. HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and SQL are some of the tutorials on the site. Users can also obtain certification online.

GCFLearnFree – Goodwill Community Foundation’s website has numerous tutorials and online classes to help you develop financial, career, and computer skills. Time management, setting goals, business etiquette, and coping with stress are a few of the sections in the Workplace Development Tutorial. You can also learn how to write a resume and fill out a job application. Other tutorials teach you how to manage money, search for a job, plan for retirement and buy a house. Classes in Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint, and Math Basics are offered free online.

BBC Languages – Learn Spanish, French, German, and many other languages at BBC’s language site. Each language section contains an in-depth tutorial for beginners along with vocabulary lists and grammar tips. You can also watch videos and find essential phrases to use in specific settings.

Despite the rising costs of college tuition, knowledge doesn’t have to be expensive. With these resources you can gain access to lectures and course materials from top universities, learn to build a website, or add a software proficiency to your resume – without spending a penny.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: classes, continuing ecucation, free, online, resocures, websites

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Helpful Sites for Finding an Internship

collegecareerlife — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:17:44 +0000

One of the hardest things about finding a job is getting the experience most employers want. Internships are a great way to get that experience and, fortunately, there are sites that list only internships or entry-level positions.

Urban Interns – Probably the best internship site I’ve found. Urban Intern allows small business owners and professionals to find assistants and part-time staff. The only downside is that most of the positions are located in New York and Boston. Luckily, there are some listings in other areas in addition to virtual opportunities.

CollegeRecruiter – College Recruiter lists entry-level positions and internships. The internship listing is fairly extensive, with positions in a variety of fields. Many of the entry-level positions are not truly entry-level, but the site allows you search for internships only.

Internship Programs - This site allows candidates to search by field, location, date, or employer. All listings that I found were actual internships (as opposed to jobs) and were in a variety of locations.

InternshipIN – InternshipIn matches students and start-ups. My searches yielded a good selection of jobs in a variety of industries and locations. However, many of the listings link to other job boards, and some of them are not entry-level.

Finding an internship can be as difficult as finding a job, but there are websites that can help you focus your search. An internship is a great way to get experience and prove yourself to potential employers, so don’t overlook internships if you are a recent graduate or career-changer.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Advantages of an Online Degree

collegecareerlife — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:12:54 +0000

This is a paid promotional post for Bryan College Online.

Online degrees are increasing in popularity because they offer many benefits, particularly for non-traditional students. I’ve taken several online courses and learned as much, if not more so, than in my traditional classes. What are some major advantages to an online education?

Flexibility is the probably greatest advantage to online degree programs. Online classes are particularly beneficial for students who need to work full-time while obtaining a degree. You can work anywhere at any time and you can learn at your own pace. Motivation is key, and those who are self-disciplined usually excel in online classes.

Another advantage of an online education is relevance. With an online degree, you learn what you need to know for your chosen career, not irrelevant information. In addition, many online colleges are focused on providing technical skills rather than just a liberal arts education because they recognize that most students are seeking degrees for the purpose of better career prospects.

Efficiency is also a benefit to learning online. If you’re well-organized and a fast learner, an online degree program can save you a lot of time. Professors often get off-topic during lectures, which can be especially frustrating if you have responsibilities outside of school. You also don’t have to spend time commuting to and from campus when you attend classes online.

If you are considering getting a degree online, there are some things you should look for when evaluating a college. The school’s website should have information about accreditation, which is usually found on the About Us page. You should also talk to a representative about financial aid that will be available should you choose to attend. Read the degree requirements carefully, because some practicum will be required for certain degree programs. Finally, be sure that any credits from courses taken at other institutions will transfer.

Bryan College is a great example of an accredited online college. It has been offering career-focused training since 1982. Bryan College Online offers an Associate of Applied Science in Business degree with an emphasis in Accounting, Finance, Management, Marketing, or Travel Agency Operations. A diploma in Medical Office Coding and Billing is also offered. Visit http://bryancollegeonline.edu/ to find out if an online education is right for you and to take a free online class.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: academic, college, degree, education

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Helpful Links for College Students

collegecareerlife — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:26:57 +0000

OnlineClasses.com has a list of 100 tips and tools to help you choose a major and a list of the 100 best blogs for career-minded students.

Lifehack.org offers advice for college freshman.

CollegeRuled is an online organizer and planner for college students only (.edu email address required).

LectureFox has free university lectures on a variety of topics.

The Student Loan Advisor from FinAid.org calculates the maximum amount you should borrow based on the degree you’re seeking.

The Career Project contains detailed occupation profiles with information about salary, work environment, and job satisfaction.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: academic, career, links, majors

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Fun Sites for College Students

collegecareerlife — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:10:40 +0000

Need to take a break from studying but tired of Facebook and YouTube? Try these entertaining websites created specifically for college students:

College Candy – This online magazine is written by college women and includes articles about pop culture, fashion, beauty, relationships, and college survival.

College Humor – A site full of funny (often irreverent) articles, pictures and videos. Anyone can write articles for the site and you may get paid for your work depending on its popularity.

Rate My Professors – You can rate professors on easiness, helpfulness, and clarity. Raters can also leave comments to which professors sometimes leave video responses (the most entertaining feature of the site).

Fall classes start soon at many colleges, and you may feel overwhelmed by your workload. It’s fine to occasionally take a break to visit your favorite websites - just don’t spend all day on them!

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Advice for Recent Graduates from HowStuffWorks.com Founder Marshall Brain

collegecareerlife — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:43:44 +0000

Marshall Brain is the founder of HowStuffWorks.com, an award-winning site that provides resources on thousands of topics. Mr. Brain was kind enough to answer some questions I had about the challenges recent college graduates are facing. For more information, visit the career channel at HowStuffWorks.

1. How do recent graduates get started in a career when they have no relevant experience?

If your experience is minimal or non-existent, you face one of life’s greatest employment challenges. You need to go into your interviews with a positive attitude and demonstrate your flexibility, your social skills and your ability to get the job done even if you have to learn new skills and meet demanding deadlines.

It’s a tough economy right now, so the job market is hypercompetitive; experience is a key differentiator between candidates. It’s never too late to start building up relevant experience through intern positions, co-oping, volunteering, etc. If you have no experience, be willing to take an entry-level job in order to build experience, and then work your way up. Or be willing to work for free in a post-graduation internship.

2. How can job candidates best prepare for an interview?

There are some great books out there, and many web sites, that have tons of advice on general interviewing skills. There are books on common interview questions and how to answer them correctly. In your specific field it is likely that there are sample “stumper” questions available on web sites, as well as advice on how to deal with them. If you have “problem areas” in your resume, research how to talk your way around them and accentuate the positive. Then practice. Assume the first several interviews you do will be a little rough around the edges, so do those with companies you don’t really care about. Get used to answering the questions and smooth out your responses. Ask your friends to interview you. If it’s a possibility, go to the career center and ask for a practice interview. Practice. Then when the “big interview” falls in your lap, it will be easy(er).

3. What are the most important soft skills and technical skills for graduates to have?

Your degree should have covered the technical skills, which you should have been able to perfect with internships in your chosen field. Therefore, technical skills should be solid at this point.

“Soft skills” include things like leadership ability, communication (spoken and written), teamwork, relationship-building, work ethic, problem solving, etc. You should have been building these skills over the last four years by taking on leadership roles (which would look good on a resume), working on team-based projects and extracurricular activities (which would look good on a resume), solving real-world problems in competitions (which would look good on a resume), etc. Assuming you have done none of those things, then your next-best option is to read about these soft skills. Get books on things like leadership, communication, negotiation, team building, business ethics, etc. and become a sponge.

4. What industries should graduates focus on while job searching?

Ideally a graduate should focus on industries in his or her area of expertise. But jobs are so scarce at the moment that graduates may want to cast a wider net. Or you may want to consider working for no money if you have no experience (I.E. a post-graduation internship). There are some startups getting venture funding right now. You might look for a venture-backed company like that since it would be hiring. Some industries (e.g. Green energy) are getting a boost from federal stimulus funding. Do some research and see which companies in your area are getting funding and may be hiring. Some areas are affected less in a recession. For example, people still get sick when the economy drops. Look for recession-proof industries.

5. How can new employees make a good impression during their first jobs or internships?

Some general traits that make a good impression with employers: working harder than everyone else, meeting deadlines, exceeding expectations, making friends, helping others, being grateful, figuring out what needs doing and getting it done before being asked, understanding what is important to the bottom line and focusing on that, putting first things first, making customers ecstatic, etc.

6. Many students are going to graduate school to ride out the recession. Is this a good idea?

Graduate school is something to consider regardless of the economy. The focus should be on making the most of your time and opportunities to fill holes in your resume. Graduate school is just one proven way to strengthen your professional profile. Build your soft skills. Get intern positions. If you come out of graduate school with a stellar resume and a marketable advanced degree, you are putting yourself in a position to succeed.

7. What options do recent graduates have if they’re having trouble making payments on student loan debt?

Every lender is different, and there are many different types of student loans. So if you are having trouble making payments, you need to communicate with your lender(s) and find out what options may be available. In some cases you can arrange for deferment or forbearance. You may also be able to delay payments with graduate school, military service, AmeriCorps service, etc. Loan consolidation may also help a little. Research all options.

But you might also want to consider sucking it up and getting started with payments. Get two jobs, move in with your parents (or get a couple of roommates to drastically lower rent), ride the bus instead of getting a car, etc. Yes, it’s painful. But the sooner you start paying, the sooner you get done.

8. Any other tips for recent graduates?

You have chosen one of the toughest economies in several decades to graduate. Expect things to be harder than normal in the job search, and do what you can to avoid discouragement. Do not forget that getting rejected is a normal part of job hunting, even in a good economy.

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: advice, career planning, financial aid, interview, job search

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Great Sites for Every Job-Seeker

collegecareerlife — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:30:07 +0000

Some job sites seem to only have jobs that require five or more years of experience, while others have mostly entry-level sales or marketing jobs. However, there are some sites that offer great jobs for a variety industries and experience levels. A few sites I like:

CareerJet – I was surprised at the number of I found on this site. The positions I see on most sites require several years of experience, but a good percentage of jobs in the fields I searched were entry-level positions.

Jobster – Plenty of entry-level jobs in addition to experienced positions. I also found job openings in a variety of states and cities. Some sites seem to only have jobs in certain locations, so I was glad to see more options.

RealMatch – RealMatch helps identify jobs for which you are best qualified, so you’re not applying for positions that aren’t a good fit. Although there are several work-at-home type jobs listed, RealMatch posts jobs from print ads in local newspapers and keeps track of jobs to which you’ve applied.

For more job search sites and information about who’s hiring, visit CareerAlley.

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AlumnIdea at UC SanDiego

collegecareerlife — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:55:00 +0000

I recently received an email about a new social media site for alumni of UC San Diego:

“The University of California San Diego recognizes the importance of leveraging social networks and hearing each individual voice amongst UCSD alumni. Introducing AlumnIDea! This social media site encourages alumni to submit their event ideas which can be voted ‘up’ or ‘down’ by other alumni. The most popular ideas are aggregated into a top-10 section which are then selected for implementation by UCSD alumni officers.

Currently the site is beta so we’d appreciate thoughts and ideas from your readers. The site supports all browsers and is a way for both new and old UCSD graduates to participate in a fully interactive environment. Please visit http://ucsd.alumnidea.com to check it out! UCSD is the first university to use this kind of platform for an alumni association so we’d appreciate you helping us spread the word! The site is a great way for recent grads to suggest their own ideas for a stronger Alumni network. “

What do you think about AlumnIdea? What ideas would you suggest for your college’s alumni association?

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