Cover Letter Tip: It’s Not About You

I saw one of my favorite (okay, my favorite) country singers — Toby Keith — rock the house in Hershey, PA this summer. He sang one of his crowd-pleasing hits, “I Wanna Talk About Me”:
“I wanna talk about me
Wanna talk about I
Wanna talk about number one
Oh my me my
What I think, what I like, what I
know, what I want, what I see
I like talking about you, usually, but occasionally
I wanna talk about me
I wanna talk about me”
That’s the song that most people seem to be listening to when they write their cover letters. I discussed the importance of getting in the hiring manager’s head in a previous blog post, but I still see cover letters that are completely focused on the writer and not the reader.

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Always Wanted To Be A Scientist Or Engineer? Here’s How To Pursue That Dream!

Junior year. You probably have the college jitters. In the coming year, colleges will be deciding about you, and you will be deciding about them. So what’s the most important thing you can do right now?
If you’re considering majoring in science or engineering, the answer may surprise you: dream.

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Nursing: The Opportunity To Make A Difference

Early baby boomers are now at an age when their healthcare needs are starting to increase. These “early boomers” will be followed by a tidal wave of individuals born right after World War II, putting further demands on a healthcare system already short of trained medical professionals.

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What I am Most Passionate About

In my job search, as well as in my life, the most important things to do are to stay focused and to stay positive. There are distractions in the world, such as the opposite sex and drugs, which can alter your mind-set, if you let them. My parents taught me that if I stayed focused on God and my education that good things could happen in the future. Life threw me a curve ball on September 11, 1997 when my father passed away when I was 13 years old. While this situation was hard to deal with, personally, I knew it was important to try and concentrate on school, and keep a positive attitude on life. My mother continued to raise me well and has seen me graduate from high school and college. Now, I must maintain that same focus and positive attitude in my job search. By doing so and keeping my faith in God, the right opportunity will come sooner or later.

College Students Multitasking a Lot

Ever spent a few minutes with one of today’s college students? If so, you’ll know that they’re experts at multitasking. Many see nothing wrong with carrying on a conversation with you while at the same texting one or more friends about something completely different. As annoying as that may be to a Gen X’er or Baby Boomer in a social setting, it is even more annoying to those same people in a work setting. While I’m not condoning that type of multitasking, I’m also a realist and I know that it is here to stay so I can either grumble about it or I can get used to it and perhaps even in some ways learn to embrace it.
Thankfully, a lot of the multitasking is occurring during their non-work hours. According to a recent study from William Blair, 93 percent of college students conduct at least one additional activity while also watching television. Overall, 41.6 percent of television time is spent multitasking. So what are the most popular distractions from television watching?

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Tips for Tapping the Hidden Job Market

You’ve typed up your résumé and bought a nice suit. You follow the job listings online every day. What else can you do to launch your career? Try the “hidden job market.”

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What Could An All-Women’s College Offer You

Question: What do all three of the women quoted below have in common?

• “I never ever thought I’d go to a women’s college.”
• “I was not going to an all-women’s college by any means.”
• “I remember getting in a fight with my mom. I said, ‘I’m not going to a women’s college—no way.’”

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What’s Really Hot In Science And Technology Today

Like many high school students, you probably have at least some idea of what you’re interested in becoming. You may even know that you have the potential to be a great scientist or engineer. One thing that will carry you through to a career, however, is true excitement about today’s research and tomorrow’s discoveries. So read on—your future career may be described here!

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Moms Going Back to Work for Financial Security

There has been a ton of discussion lately about stay-at-home moms sacrificing their financial health for the sake of raising their children. Whether you agree or disagree with this statement, there are a lot of moms returning to the workforce to make an extra buck and keep their foot in the corporate world.
However, it doesn’t have to be an all or nothing approach. What are some ways to successfully get you back into the working world? Take a look:
Work Part-Time
This can be one of the most appealing work alternatives for moms. You don’t have to give up all your freedom and time with your kids while earning a paycheck. That’s the misconception that many have while contemplating their next move. Not only does part-time work allow you to get your feet wet once again without diving in head first, you can pick up some new skills and start putting away some money while you’re at it.
Work-At-Home (for someone else) & Freelance
There are many ways this can happen. You can become skilled in a trade that hires home-workers such as medical transcriptionists. There are different courses out there to help you get started with such a thing. You can also become a virtual assistant or a freelancer for a business owner. The type of work would vary greatly depending on your strengths and the business owner’s needs.
Work-At-Home (for yourself)
Starting a business can be extremely scary and overwhelming but the Internet makes it easier than ever. Now don’t get me wrong: you still have to have strong business acumen and be willing to work very hard and constantly keep abreast of new marketing techniques, but you don’t need a lot of upfront capital. Domain names are cheap and there’s help out there to get started.
But do NOT get caught up in the easy-money scam. These scams prey on amateurs who might not know that it really is too good to be true. Those of us who have online businesses know that it takes time and a lot of hard work to become successful.
Volunteer
Now if you’re a mom who doesn’t care about earning an extra paycheck right now, then volunteering might be the route for you. It allows you to choose something you enjoy and believe in while honing some important business skills. Yes, volunteer work can easily be transformed into valuable assets that will work for you when and if it comes time to go back to work. It’s usually viewed upon very highly with employers.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure it’s your decision. Some people believe that all women should work outside the home. If not, you risk financial ruin. That is a very dire picture to paint especially where there are other ways you can gain financial security. Do what’s right for you and your family. If the time is right and you feel you are willing and able to jump back into working, then go for it…and don’t let anything hold you back.

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Tips for a Succeeding in an Entry Level Job

Whether you were a liberal arts student or a business major, chances are the degree you got in college did little to prepare you for the new situations you’ll face at your first “real” job after graduation. The first day at work can easily feel like the first day of kindergarten. Someone directs you to your assigned seat, and you don’t know most of your co-workers.
I’ve interviewed more than 200 young people facing the post-graduation work force for the first time. Many of them have told me, “I’m not prepared for a real job,” even if they’ve done well in school and have a great track record at the internships and part-time jobs they had during college. The good news is that most employers take the time to train you. But the training manual and orientation sessions probably won’t tell you the best ways to make the most out of those first nervous days.
10 Tips for Getting Settled in a New Job

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