Chicago is the third largest city in the United States and home to media mega-star, Oprah Winfrey. This bustling Lake Michigan metropolis is also home to over 9,000,000 people. Like New York City, the Chicago metropolitan area extends beyond state lines, incorporating parts of Wisconsin and Indiana. A recent college graduate looking for entry level employment in business could possibly find what he’s looking for in the “Windy City,” which is the Midwestern capital of finance, business and culture.

Founded in 1833, Chicago began as a transportation hub for the Northwest Territory that quickly grew to become one of the world’s most influential cities by 1890. Chicagoland, as it is affectionately known, has had its share of problems: the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which lead to major rebuilding and growth; the Haymarket Riot of 1886; and the scandal of Al Capone and his war with authorities during Prohibition in the 1920s. Yet Chicago has not only grown, but thrived.

Today, Chicago is a richly diverse city in the central region of the United States. Located in Northeastern Illinois on the southern tip of Lake Michigan, Chicago has much to offer a recent college graduate looking for entry level employment in a city that has a wide variety of things to do and see. Grant Park is 319 acres of culture and scenic beauty, offering visitors the choice between enjoying the park’s many shaded walking trails, Lake Shore Trail, softball fields or tennis courts, or exploring the Art Institute of Chicago, marveling at Buckingham Fountain – one of the world’s largest – or taking a culture-trip to the Museum Campus.

Chicago’s weather tends to be erratic and volatile with cold, dry winters and warm, rainy summers. A great way to escape the elements is to visit one of Chicago’s many theaters. Chicago offers not only the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet and the Lyric Opera, but also Second City – a famous improvisational comedy troupe – and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company.

A student looking for a quality college or university should check out the colleges and universities in the Chicago area:

*Depaul University – With an undergraduate enrollment of almost 15,000 in the fall of 2005, DePaul is Chicago’s largest university. It’s most popular majors are Accounting, Communications Studies/Speech, Communications and Rhetoric and Finance.

*Columbia College Chicago – This largest arts communications college offers major courses of study in Arts Management, Cinematography and Film/Video Production and Fine/Studio Arts.

*Northeastern Illinois University – among many others, Northeastern offers majors in Computer Science, Elementary Education and Teaching, Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies.

*Loyola University – a Jesuit Catholic university, this highly ranked institution’s most popular majors are Nursing – Registered Nurse Training (RN, ASN, BSN, MSN) and Psychology.

*Northwestern University – the fifth largest college or university in Chicago is said to have the best college newspaper. It’s most popular majors are Economics (General), Engineering, and, naturally, Journalism.

Some of Chicago’s many other colleges and universities are:

Adler School of Professional Psychology
American Academy of Art
Argosy University – Chicago
Cardean University
Catholic Theological Union at Chicago
Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Chicago State University
Chicago Theological Seminary
City Colleges of Chicago – District Office
DeVry University – Illinois
East-West University
Erikson Institute
Harrington College of Design
Illinois College of Optometry
Illinois Institute of Technology
Institute for Clinical Social Work
International Academy of Design and Technology
Kendall College
Lexington College
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

A recent college graduate looking for entry level employment or a college student looking for a quality internship can choose from among many well-known companies in the Chicago area. Here a just some of them:

MacDonald’s Corporation – by far the largest company in Chicago, hiring some 395,000 people, the MacDonald’s Corporation has entry level positions and internship opportunities in such areas as restaurant manager, business analyst, data and technical support, and finance.

Sears, Roebuck and Company – the second largest company in Chicago has internship and entry level employment opportunities in buying/merchandising, graphic design, sales and field management.

Boeing Company – engineering and science students rank this military aircraft builder as ideal for college students seeking internships. It’s also been recognized as a top employer for recent college graduates seeking entry level employment in engineering, business, manufacturing and quality assurance.

Sara Lee Corporation – this international food company has job opportunities in business, research, management and information technology.

Walgreen Company – this ever growing drug store and mail-order pharmaceutical company has internship and entry level job opportunities in information technology, marketing, pharmacy and legal.

Chicago also hosts such corporate giants as Abbott Laboratories, Kraft Foods and Playboy Enterprises to name a few. With access to schools like Northwestern and Loyola universities and companies like Boeing Company and the MacDonald’s Corporation, students seeking quality educations and internships and recent college graduates seeking entry level employment can find an opportunity in Chicago. It not only offers great educational and employment opportunities, but it has activities for both single and married recent college graduates who want to find fun and interesting ways to relax and unwind when they’re not at work.

Source: http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/webportal/home.do
*Population statistics courtesy of the US Census Bureau - Census 2000.

Posted by Tahjia Chapman on May 31, 2007 at 10:40 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dallas is a completely land locked city with a metropolitan area of 385 square miles. Founded in 1841, this center for telecommunications, information technology, banking and transportation legally achieved city status in 1871.

Originally a part of the Spanish Province of New Spain, when it was first settled in the 1500s, Dallas’ name origin is unknown. Although there are many speculations: it was named after Commodore Alexander James Dallas, brother of George Mifflin Dallas (eleventh vice-president of the United States), it was named for Walter R. Dallas who fought at San Jacinto, or James L. Dallas, Walter’s brother and a Texas Ranger, the mystery has never been solved.

The twentieth century brought Dallas leadership in the drug, book, jewelry and wholesale liquor market in the Southwestern United States. It also led the world’s inland cotton market and the manufacture of saddlery and cotton gin machinery. The discovery of oil not far from the city catapulted Dallas into the position of financial center for the oil industry in Texas and Oklahoma.

Jack Kilby, who invented the integrated circuit while working for Texas Instruments, took Dallas into the high-technology manufacturing industry. The city became America’s third-largest technology center, and with the relocation of oil companies to Houston, Dallas’ prominence in the technology industry became even larger.

Dallas is mostly flat with only two major waterways, the Trinity River and White Rock Lake, which is a popular spot for boaters and rowers. The surrounding park attracts joggers and bikers. The Dallas climate is humid and subtropical, with much of its 37.1 inches of annual rainfall occurring during the spring. Spring and fall in Dallas tend to be temperate and enjoyable while the winter can produce temperatures below freezing, due to cold fronts from the north; however, snow in Dallas is almost non-existent. With an annual accumulation of 4.5 inches, a recent college graduate looking for a place to have snowball fights with his children, might want to think twice about moving to Dallas.

Dallas is a city with a large Hispanic population, rich in Mexican culture and cuisine. Dallas has many art museums and the ritzy Deep Ellum area achieved notoriety during the 1920s and 1930s as a hotspot for jazz and blues in the south. Bessie Smith, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Robert Johnson appeared in such original Deep Ellum clubs as The Harlem and The Palace. Today, artists not only perform there, but they make their homes there as well.

Aside from the Cotton Bowl, another well-known event in Dallas is the State Fair of Texas. It’s an annual event, held at Fair Park, that’s been around since 1886. Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth and the Greek Food Festival of Dallas, give testament to the growing diversity of the once predominantly white city.

Dallas-Fort Worth offers students more than the Cotton Bowl. There are also many quality colleges and universities:

*University of Texas at Dallas – this university with “tons of international students” and “a lot of nontraditional students” has majors in Business Administration/Management and Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering.

*Texas Christian University – the most popular majors at this small institution are Advertising and Communications Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric.

*Southern Methodist University – this stereotypical university for the rich has majors in Communications, Journalism and Related Fields, and Social Sciences.

*Dallas Baptist University – students here have an average GPA of 3.65, majoring in Business Administration/Management, General Studies and Psychology.

*Texas Wesleyan University – located in Fort Worth, the most popular majors are Business Administration/Management, Psychology, and Radio and Television.

The above are only the largest colleges and universities in Dallas-Fort Worth. Below are other institutions of higher learning where students can attain a quality education:

Argosy University
Art Institute of Dallas
Christ for the Nations Institute
Criswell College
Dallas Theological Seminary
El Centro College
Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics
Mountain View College
Parker College
Paul Quinn College
Richland College
Southeastern Career Institute
University of North Texas at Dallas
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
Wade College
Westminster Theological Seminary
Westwood College of Technology

Dallas-Fort Worth has many major companies for college students seeking challenging internships and recent college graduates seeking entry level employment to explore:

Lockheed Martin Corporation – college students can find exciting internship and co-operative education opportunities, and recent college graduates can find entry level employment in engineering, information technology, finance, and graphic arts.

Kimberly-Clark – a major company in the manufacture of paper products, Kimberly-Clark has internship and co-operative education opportunities, along with entry level employment in research, sales, information technology, finance and marketing.

Southwest Airlines – the growing airline has jobs in finance, flight operations, human resources, public relations and technology.

Texas Instruments – the birthplace of the integrated circuit offers challenging internships and entry level jobs in finance, accounting, engineering, sales and field applications.

Blockbuster – recent college graduates looking for entry level employment in a “fun and dynamic” company can search this company’s Web site for jobs in information technology, human resources, legal, marketing, and management.

Anyone looking for southern hospitality in addition to quality education, fun and interesting internships, or entry level jobs that can lead to rewarding careers might want to take a look at Dallas. The Dallas metroplex is said to have “more shopping centers per capita” than another city or metropolitan area in the country.

Posted by Tahjia Chapman on May 22, 2007 at 9:12 PM | Leave a Comment (1)

Dear Sue: I was let go from my job of seven years over a month ago. I didn’t ask why I was being fired at the time because it came as a surprise to me. The reason on my employee exit form was “Company Termination.” I'm not sure how to explain this on interviews and am wondering if I should contact my previous employer and ask for an explanation.

It’s been over a month and I am not sure how my supervisor will react to me calling after so much time has passed. I would think if my termination was due to performance issues or a disagreement with my supervisor that that would have been noted as reason for termination.

- Need Closure

Sue Says: I don’t think it is too late for you to inquire, but if you do, it is possible you won’t get the closure you seek or be satisfied with the explanation you get.. Depending on the type of relationship you had with your supervisor you might consider asking him/her to meet for coffee, rather than simply calling and asking why you were terminated.

Depending on what you find out, you could say your job was “over”, position eliminated, or services no longer needed. Do not lie; state whatever feels most true to you and don’t over explain why your employment was terminated. Talk more about what you learned, what you bring to the next position and why you are right for the job you are seeking. Seven years employment with a company reflects favorably on you; if you focus on what you gained over the years, the reason you left will be of little importance. Good luck

Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can contact her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Send Sue your questions by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on May 3, 2007 at 5:46 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue: I work with "a few" very loud talkers. Some of my coworkers use the hands-free telephone headsets, and they don't realize just how loud they can be while on phone calls. I have repeatedly asked my closest coworker to "be a little quite - I can't hear the person on my phone", but to no avail.

We sit in 4 ft tall cubicles, and there is not the opportunity for more sound-proofing at this time.
To top all things off, I'm subjected to all the personal phone calls my coworkers make, many, many times each day. From 7am - 4pm. I'm not the only one--others can hear these coworkers phone conversations too. We joke & make comments about what we hear. We've asked our boss to speak with them, nothing happens. I'm ready to stand up and tell my coworker to shut-up, but I'm afraid I'd be the one fired.

Will you please reply to my plea? I want to be able to go into the next team meeting and hand out some kind of literature (to address this specific topic) to the whole department (as not to single out anyone). - Annoyed

Sue Says: I understand your frustration. Although I've addressed this issue before, you’ve prompted me to do it again. I put together a little something that I hope will do the trick for you. Bring it to your next meeting and let me know if it helps. I hope it does.

To: The Oblivious
You’ve been spotted in most every venue; the office, the airport, the restroom, the finest restaurants, to name a few. You can be with one or hundreds of others, yet somehow you act as if you are all alone. Some people give you dirty looks, others comment; some are straightforward, others more indirect. But for some reason you don’t “get it” and continue to be a source of irritation to others.

We all enjoy the ease of wearing headphones, using speakerphones and talking on a cell phone, but the convenience we enjoy shouldn’t be at the expense of others. To make things a little easier, please note the following guidelines, which are for all of us, including you:

Notice your surroundings. You may be engaged in what you think is a private conversation, but unless you are in a separate room with the door closed, your conversation can be heard by others who would rather not be hearing what you are saying.

Be considerate. Don’t force your coworkers (or strangers) to listen to your personal conversations.

Change your location. If you need to carry on a private conversation, go somewhere private.

Speak quieter than you usually do. When wearing headphones, speaking on speaker or talking on a cell phone people tend to speak louder than usual. So that you do not disturb others, speak quieter, not louder when talking.

Turn the (listening) volume down. If your volume is too high, you will think you need to talk loudly and others will hear both you and the person on the other end of the call.

Be discreet. If you wouldn’t say it over a loudspeaker, don’t say it. Your voice is amplified in open surroundings whether you’re aware of it or not.

Be responsive. If people have asked you to speak more quietly, do what is asked. Don’t assume the other person is being too sensitive; by the time someone is irritated enough to say something, it’s likely you’ve been a nuisance for some time.

Take a hint. Some people are less direct than others. If people are joking and making comments about your loud talking or your conversations, get a clue; it isn’t funny—it’s annoying.

Sue Morem is a professional speaker, trainer and syndicated columnist. She is author of the newly released 101 Tips for Graduates and How to Gain the Professional Edge, Second Edition. You can contact her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Send Sue your questions by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on May 2, 2007 at 1:43 PM | Leave a Comment (0)

Dear Sue: My boss is the type of person who has to be asked for a raise or review every year. I feel if I ask him, he’ll feel obligated and resent it later. I am feeling compelled to look for employment elsewhere. In your honest opinion, is that something that’s worth the effort?

- Rick

Sue Says: Yes, I think it is worthwhile for you to start looking to see what opportunities you might find. Whether you decide to act on what you find or not, you will at least know what is out there and what your options are. You might find something that suits you better or decide that where you are is where you want to stay.

However, keep in mind that there is no guarantee what your next boss will be like--you could be trading one problem for another. Even when it appears someone else is the cause of our problems, more often than not, part of the problem lies within us. You will benefit by trying to work through the issues you have with your boss.

Be cautious when making assumptions; you don’t know for sure what your boss is thinking or how he will react so why do you assume your boss will resent you for telling him what you need? There’s a good chance he will respect you for asserting yourself. Don’t accuse him of not giving you a review or a raise, just ask him when you can expect these things and tell him it is important for you to know what you can count on.

If you don’t say anything, nothing will change. Why not try to make the changes you are seeking?

Sue Morem is a professional speaker, best-selling author and syndicated columnist. Her books include How to Gain the Professional Edge, 101 Tips for Graduates, and the just released How to Get a Job and Keep It, Second Edition. You can contact her by email at asksue@suemorem.com or visit her web site at http://www.suemorem.com.

Send Sue your questions by clicking here: Ask Sue

Posted by Shawn Augustson, CollegeRecruiter.com on May 1, 2007 at 6:39 PM | Leave a Comment (0)