What Employers Want in Students and Recent Graduates

The End of Come As You Are

Most of those who are in transition today are looking for a new job the same way they did the last time they were in the job market. And that’s a terrible mistake. In fact, it’s almost certain to lead to career cardiac arrest or what most of us call unemployment.
Why is that? Because today’s (and tomorrow’s) workplace is profoundly different from any that has ever existed in the United States. Just as the Great Depression changed the behavior of a whole generation of Americans, this Great Recession is changing the behavior of this generation of employers.
What we’re now seeing in corporate America is not a reduction in force; it’s a reduction in structure. There are fewer jobs, and those positions that have disappeared will never come back. But that’s not all. Even as they are downsizing their organization charts, America’s employers are also upgrading their staff. They’re trading out “C” level performers for “A” level talent.

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You Don’t Have to Hide Your Tattoos to Get a Job

Visible tattoos, once considered a serious flaw in the job interview, no longer seem to predict job search failure. With the success of TV reality shows like Miami Ink and LA Ink, college students are more inked and more colorful than ever. Pew Research in 2006 showed that 36% of 18 to 25 year-olds and 40% of those aged 26 to 40, have at least one tattoo. Earlier in 2000, the National Geographic News stated that 15% of Americans were tattooed.
In a 2006 survey of employer perceptions conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), hiring managers were asked to state the amount of influence that certain factors had on their hiring decisions. The results may be surprising to many career professionals who have urged job seekers to err on the side of being conservative and hide those tattoos.
The NACE survey results showed that only 29% of employers stated that obvious tattoos strongly influenced them while 71% said it had slight to no influence on their hiring decisions. A cautionary note – taken by itself, that does not mean that employers look favorably on tattoos in the job interview.
Add that, however, to what John A. Challenger, of renowned global outplacement firm, Challenger, Gray and Christmas stated in a 2007 interview with the Boston Globe. “A decade ago, showing off tattoos and body piercings would be a sure-fire way to get your resume placed in the ‘No Way!’ pile. Times have changed.”
Challenger shared that hiring managers were more concerned about baggy-underwear-revealing-pants and cell phones in the job interview then they were about tattoos.
While the trends have indicated greater tolerance for tattoos in the job interview, jobseekers should keep in mind that HR managers making hiring decisions have their own personal biases. A January 2008 Harris Interactive poll surveying more than 2000 adults found that 32% of people without tattoos believed that individuals with tattoos were more likely to do something deviant.
Additionally, more than half believed that a person with a tattoo is more rebellious. Hiring mangers conducting the job interview, although trying to remain objective, might still tend towards their personal opinions and dismiss your candidacy for the job.
New college grads should err on the side of conservatism and cover up those tattoos. There will be plenty of time to show them off later. For now the goal is to get the job offer and get the proverbial foot-in-the-door.
By: Article by Marcia Robinson and courtesy of BullsEyeResumes College Blogs. Robinson has been coaching, training, and writing on career, workplace, employment and education issues for students and career professionals for 10 years.
Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Proper Business Dress for the Work Place

Provided By: Associated Content, Inc.

Today perhaps more than ever before, people are having difficulty determining just what the proper business dress is. I am amazed as I watch applicants who enter my place of business to interview for a commission sales job and what their choice of clothing is.

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Update wardrobe for job success

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com
CHICAGO, IL — A recent study by two economists at Elon University in North Carolina suggests people — particularly men — who invest in their appearance receive higher pay. The thinking is, if you care enough to put on a necktie, there’s a good chance you’re also a conscientious and agreeable worker.

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Body Art in the Workplace

Nearly 40 years after “flower power,” body art has seen a resurgence. Men and women flaunt pierced navels at the beach, sterling silver glinting in the sun. Tattoo parlors have popped up in suburban areas in response to the demands of the younger generations, while some Baby Boomers are reviving their flirtations with their inky past.

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Clothes that Say “Pay Me More”

In most jobs, it’s unlikely your employer will ever send you home to change if you break one of the written or unwritten rules of the corporate dress code. But every day, you get a chance to make a statement about your value to the company through your choice of clothes. Moreover, salary negotiations can happen at any time. So don’t get caught off guard in your old lucky sweatshirt from your college exams on the day the company decides to offer spot bonuses. Here’s a list of ways to say “pay me more” – or at least avoid saying “pay me less” – with your wardrobe.
Would you ask for a raise wearing…

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Decoding the Dress Code

It’s not your parents’ workplace anymore – nor their dress code. Gone are the stuffy three-piece suits and conservative skirt sets of times past, replaced with a canvas of khaki on which a world of individuality is expressed, as if to say, “Trust me: I’m casual.” In some corporations and industries, it’s Casual Friday every day of the week. Yet even with today’s relaxed standards, it’s still not a good idea to show up for work in torn shorts and a baggy tee shirt. Especially if you deal directly with customers, the way you express yourself to the world is far more important than the true you – at least while you’re on the job. With a little thought and creativity, you can bring the two into harmony with positive professional results.

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20 Tips to Dress for Success

Do you possess the look of a professional? Do you look incredibly smart? Are you confident enough to take charge and get the job that you applying for?
Consider the fact that your resume is quite impressive and the employer can’t resist to have the audacity to ask you to come for an interview. But after the all the preparations, your final problem will surely comes up right after you realize and ask yourself ” what should I wear?” These things are actually important for the job hunters, people tend to have a systemic problem nowadays regarding what they should wear on a job interview. Honestly I’m wired toward automatically seeing the person in these kind of situations because I also had the same experienced when I was hunting for a right job. However many take these for granted, with the eloquence of having an “impressive resume” they forgot that applicants will not only be examined based on the job experience and personality but also with how they present themselves professionally.

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