Entry Level Jobs

Sonali Subhash, Education Linked

Entry Level Jobs : An Interview

Just the word can put you in a cold sweat. We all know how hard interviewing is because not one of us has been handed a great, satisfying job on a silver platter. If you have – let us know, we want to know what it feels like! That’s why Experience™ has put together what we consider to be the best tips for interviewing, especially if you are a college student or recent grad: what to do, what not to do, questions to look out for, preparation, success stories and more.

I have a few pointers, and they involve preparing your appearance, your knowledge about yourself, your knowledge about the employer/job, and preparing for the unexpected.
entry level jobs Continue Reading

Hunt or be Hunted – The Job Search Jungle

“The person who gets the farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare. The sure-thing boat never gets far from shore.” – Dale Carnegie

You are out for a walk in a National Park and suddenly you realize you are being stalked by an animal. You hear the sounds of branches snapping, some guttural growls but you don’t really see what is hunting you. Sounds ominous, but it is a jungle out there (although you are not likely to be eaten in a job hunt). And, you’ve probably been on both sides of the job hunt (hunting and hunted). Being hunted is a nice position to be in, where people are seeking you while you are not seriously looking for a job. My rule of thumb, even if I’m not looking for a job, is to always listen to the opportunity and, if you are interested, take it to it’s logical conclusion. You never know who you will meet and you never know how it will turn out. Of course, when you are on the job hunt, you are in control but you never know when you will land your trophy job. Today’s post is all about being hunted, what you need to consider and how you should respond (scared yet?). Continue Reading

3-Step Formula for An Outstanding Personal Branding Statement

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

Your CV is an amazingly important document; it not only speaks to your past accomplishments but acts as a predictor of your future capabilities. However, your resume can’t successfully complete this task if it isn’t packed with quality information. This includes an outstanding personal branding statement.

What is a personal branding statement? It is a statement that communicates who you are in the workplace. Borrowed from the marketing world, it reflects your professional reputation. On your resume, the statement is used to summarize, in just a few words, who you are. This is why it’s so important to take formulaic steps in order to develop one that gets the job done. Continue Reading

How Do You Handle The Dreaded Compensation Question? – It Depends

Sheila O'Connor, 15SecondResume

Most job candidates will tell me that the one question they dread more than any other is about compensation, with good reason. It’s a question that has no right answer. In fact, the best way to respond to the question will differ depending upon a number of factors including; who’s asking, what their role is in the hiring process, what stage of the hiring process that you are currently in and the level of the position. For example advice for how to respond to the question when asked by the hiring manager may undermine your candidacy with an outside recruiter. With all the material available about the compensation subject it can be daunting and confusing. You don’t want to put yourself at a disadvantage by pricing yourself too high nor do you want to price yourself too low. Continue Reading

4 Job Search Alternatives to Applying Online

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

The process of job seeking has nearly turned upside-down over the past decade thanks to the Internet and changes that have accompanied newer technology. One of the major adjustments we’ve witnessed is the manner in which employers accept applications.

Primarily, companies require candidates to submit applications via their online systems to improve convenience for all parties involved. But believe it or not, if you’re serious about getting a callback, applying online simply isn’t good enough. Continue Reading

College Dropouts Lost $3.8 Billion in Income in 2011

Sixty-eight percent of those who dropped out of college in 2011 stated that they blamed financial circumstances and lack of time for dropping out. According to the Department of Education, only 50 percent of this year’s freshman will graduate within five years. As bad as that sounds, a staggering 59 percent of low-income students are expected to drop-out before earning their four-year degree and the disparity is growing between their rate and the 34 percent rate amongst high-income students.

Sheila Danzig, founder of TheDegree.com said, “Students need to take advantage of what is available to them to ensure that they have the best chance at successful career. Many can test out of courses over a summer break and take less time to complete a degree.” Continue Reading

Networking: 10 Tips to See Better Results

If your style of networking has not been effective, then here is some helpful advice.

In the business world, we’re often advised to network. Interested in changing careers? Network! Need to attract some new clients? Network! Wish you had a knowledgeable mentor? Network! The fact is, networking is a valuable and effective tool that can enrich and advance your career…when you use it properly. The problem, according to Vickie Milazzo, is that many of us are wasting our time with a type of networking that is not working. Continue Reading

Office Politics Play a Role in Career Advancement, Most Workers Say

Are office politics really necessary to move up the corporate ladder?

Whether you’re running for office or just working in one, it pays to be a good politician, a new Robert Half survey suggests. More than half (56 percent) of workers interviewed said involvement in office politics is at least somewhat necessary to get ahead.

Job Boards Are 2nd Largest Source of Hire; College is 5th

Mark Mehler and Gerry Crispin of CareerXroads just released their 11th Annual Sources of Hire (SOH) Study – a snapshot of how large, highly-competitive, high-profile firms find their employees. Tracking and monitoring the sources of actual hires tells companies where to dedicate their hiring resources and tells job seekers where to direct their efforts.

Why track source of hire data? Companies need to know where to spend their time, effort and recruiting dollars. Job seekers need to know where to focus their efforts. This data helps both sides of the recruiting process because it tracks where employers actually hired people – not numbers of resumes received, not dollars spent, but actual hires. The top five sources of hires in 2011 were: Continue Reading

Facebook: An Indicator of Future Job Success?

Employers may learn all they need to about potential employees through one popular social media website.

Researchers have tapped into what may become a new, and better, tool for human resource professionals trying to predict the success of job candidates. It’s called Facebook. Continue Reading