College, Career, Life » jobsearch

Tips for Using Job Boards

collegecareerlife — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 10:26:41 +0000

Finding a real job on a job board can be extremely frustrating. Jobs are often several weeks old, many ads are for surveys or commission-based sales jobs. Sifting through all the spam to find relevant jobs takes time, even with sorting options. A few tips for using a job board:

Ignore jobs that seem too good to be true and work-at-home ads. These ads are usually for training programs that charge you a lot of money to get trained in a field that may or may not be in-demand. They could also be total scams that ask for money up-front but never deliver any materials.

Ignore nationwide listings. These are usually work-at-home ads.

Check for details. What’s the company name and location or recruiting agency? Is there a detailed job description? Real companies with real jobs post details.

Apply through the company website. You’re much more likely to get a response if you send an email directly to the recruiter/hiring manager, or apply through the company’s career website.

Organize your search. Create a document with information about your usernames/passwords on job boards. Keep a record of the jobs to which you’ve, including date applied, job title, company, and location.

Create job alerts. Job alert is a great feature that delivers relevant jobs to your inbox so you don’t have to visit every job board each day. It’s best to sign up for daily alerts, so that you’ll have the chance to apply to jobs before they close.

Be specific. The more specific you are in your search, the more likely you are to find a job that matches your qualifications. For example, type in “accounts payable specialist”, instead of “accountant”. You can also type in skills rather than a job title. This method increases the chance that you’ll find real jobs with detailed descriptions of job requirements.

Don’t overlook niche job boards. You should sign up for several niche job boards that target workers in your industry, your geographic location and at your experience level. See the online resources page for a list of suggested job boards.

Job boards aren’t the only places to find jobs. Visit company career pages, look in your local newspaper’s classified ads, and visit your campus career center if you’re a student. For information about job openings in various industries and locations, visit CareerAlley.com.

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Post tags: employment, jobs, jobsearch

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Hiring Trends for 2010 College Graduates

collegecareerlife — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:55:22 +0000

Update: Latest hiring trends for the Class of 2010 (from MSNBC): Dim job outlook brightens for the class of 2010.

Summary:

5 % increase in hiring of 2010 graduates over 2009 graduates
most in-demand majors : accounting, business administration, computer science, engineering, and math
Survey shows only 40% of graduates have offers, compared to two-thirds of graduates in 2007

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Original Article:

College graduates faced a tough job market in 2009, but will 2010 graduates face similar challenges? Although layoffs have slowed down, unemployment is at a 26 year high and a recent survey conducted by Michigan State University’s Collegiate Employment Research Institute doesn’t offer a lot of hope to college seniors. The survey shows that hiring for 2010 graduates is predicted to decline by 2% from 2009.

According to MSU’s survey, large and medium-sized companies plan to decrease hiring, while smaller companies plan to hire more graduates. Statistics and environmental science are the most in-demand degrees, but one-third of employers would consider graduates with any degree. Regions with the most job growth are the South Central, Northwest, and Southwest.

Despite the negative survey results, many companies are thriving. A great example of growth in the technology industry is Intelius Screening Solutions, a leading provider of on-demand employment and drug screening solutions to thousands of businesses throughout North America. The company has experienced growth of 578% over the last five years and has added over 100 people to its workforce.

I spoke with Intelius Screening Solutions General Manager, Todd Owens, about hiring trends for 2010 graduates. Mr. Owens advises recent graduates to focus on growing industries such as healthcare, education, energy, and technology. He also suggests that graduates be open to relocation, since some areas are experiencing job growth. In addition, graduates should look at the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies for ideas on where to apply.

The greatest differentiator for businesses over the coming years will be customer service, says Mr. Owens. Sales, account management and customer service jobs are great choices for recent graduates with any degree. Young workers are ideal candidates for such positions because of their energy and enthusiasm. According to Mr. Owens, new graduates are a great investment for the future because they have a willingness to learn and to take on a variety of roles. He says that this is the best time to be entering the workforce because today’s young, eager, and educated graduates will be well-positioned for the next expansion.

So what should graduates do to improve their chances of finding employment? Surveys and experts indicate that graduates should focus on smaller companies. They should also be open to moving to regions where hiring is improving. Employers are looking for flexibility, so job-seekers need to demonstrate the ability to take on a variety of responsibilities. Read Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World
for more advice for life after graduation.

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Post tags: advice, business, economy, employment, jobsearch, trends

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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.

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Post tags: internship, jobsearch, websites

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OneWire.com Surveys College Career Counselors

collegecareerlife — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:23:38 +0000

A recent survey of college career counselors conducted by OneWire.com shows current trends at career centers. Some key findings:

67% of college career counselors expect the job market to turn around sometime in 2010, while 33% think an improvement will take longer.
69% of counselors said that campus recruiting has decreased.
91% of respondents have seen an increase in alumni seeking career help.
61% said that their students were confident they’d find a job by graduation.
networking, planning ahead, and using social networks are the top recommendations counselors are giving students.

Thanks to Brian Baumley for passing along the survey information.

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Post tags: career planning, college, economy, jobsearch, statistics, survey

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Job Numbers: What Really Matters

collegecareerlife — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:22:05 +0000

Job-related statistics can be misleading because there’s usually more to consider than a single number or percentage. Plenty of numbers related to employment can be found, but many factors aren’t obvious to most job-seekers. What matters – and what doesn’t- when it comes to employment statistics?

What doesn’t matter: job openings

What really matters: job openings vs. qualified applicants

Although the number of job openings is important, you should consider one other factor: how easy it is to become qualified. Despite a large number of openings, certain jobs may be hard to come by because so many people qualify for them. What you should look for is jobs that are in demand because of limiting factors such as a high level of education (including difficult “weed out” classes) and competitive training programs. Healthcare is a secure field not only because it is necessary even in a recession, but because most jobs in the field require certian training and/or certification.

What doesn’t matter: job board listings

What really matters: job board listings and recruitment

Most jobs aren’t advertised, so looking at job boards isn’t extremely helpful in assessing the demand for a given occupation. It is possible to find a job using these web-sites, but most jobs are filled through recruitment or connections. Some college programs have very high placement rates for graduates because of both the quality of the program and need for qualified employees in the field. Experienced professionals may receive offers through recruiters or directly from a potential employer. It’s better to talk with recruiters or professionals in your chosen industry to get a sense of job demand.

What doesn’t matter: demand

What really matters: locations and specialties with highest demand

Demand can be high for a given occupation, but you may still not find a job in your industry if you don’t live where the employers are located. Many industries, such as information technology, are geographically concentrated. Certain cities are much better for job seekers. Also, remember that you may not be able to get a job anywhere you want. For example, rural and inner-city schools are most in need of teachers, while new teachers may have trouble finding jobs at suburban schools.

Job statistics can be deceiving and hard to understand. You may need to look at what isn’t measured or beyond the numbers reported in order to get a better picture. To help with your research, visit the following links:

Top Entry-Level Employers 2009

America’s 25 Best Places to Move

© Andrea for College, Career, Life, 2009. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: economy, education, jobsearch, statistics

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Don't Let Your First Interview be Your Most Important

collegecareerlife — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:00:47 +0000

Before starting my first job search in the “real world”, I didn’t realize how the job interview process worked. I soon realized that companies usually interview many people for one position and put candidates through several interviews before making a decision. The first job interviews I had were for part-time jobs for which I was overqualified. At the time, I wasn’t thinking about these interviews as practice for more important job interviews-I just wanted some money to get me through school as I pursued a second degree. I now realize that those interviews gave me a chance to make mistakes without costing me much in terms of my career.

After interviewing with several different companies, I could anticipate what kind of questions would be asked. I’m still not extremely confident in interviews and feel that they’re too subjective, but at least I know what to expect. You might “practice” by interviewing for part-time jobs and internships. Unlike mock interviews held by some career centers or practicing with your friends, these interviews will allow you to feel the full effect of a job interview.

The most important thing I’ve learned by interviewing is to deal with rejection. Unfortunately, rejection can become a vicious cycle. You don’t get a job you wanted, your self-esteem plummets, you carry a negative attitude to your next interview and are turned down once again after the interviewer(s) pick up on your lack of enthusiasm. It can be demoralizing to face rejection after jumping through so many hoops, but it is a fact of job hunting that we have to accept. Interviews can give you an idea of what working at a company will be like and whether you would be a good fit for the company culture. Try to keep several options open and not put all your hopes on one company.

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College, Career, Life » jobsearch

Tips for Using Job Boards

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Hiring Trends for 2010 College Graduates

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Helpful Sites for Finding an Internship

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OneWire.com Surveys College Career Counselors

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Job Numbers: What Really Matters

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Don't Let Your First Interview be Your Most Important

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