5 Customer Service Jobs for College Grads to Keep Their Eye On

Ashley Verrill of Software Advice

Customer service has always been a great field for recent college graduates seeking entry-level employment. Most positions only require candidates to have used a phone, and be able to sound empathetic and patient. But the industry is evolving in such a way that new skills are becoming important – skills that could give applicants right out of college a leg-up from their veteran counterparts. Continue Reading

Optimism By Employers: India Most and Italy Least

Matt Ferguson, CEO of Careerbuilder

A new job forecast for the 10 largest world economies tells a tale of both confidence and caution. Brazil and India are voicing the greatest confidence with more than two-thirds of employers in these markets planning to add full-time, permanent headcount in 2013. Italy is the least optimistic, housing more employers who expect to decrease staff than those who expect to hire.

“The job outlook presents varying degrees of growth and deceleration as governments and businesses strive to rebuild and expand and deal with large deficits,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “Hiring activity in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) is projected to be significantly higher than other markets while recruitment in Europe remains sluggish as leaders struggle to resolve a debt crisis that has global implications. The overall hiring picture is improving, but companies will remain watchful as they navigate headwinds and maneuver through somewhat precarious economic terrain.” Continue Reading

Improve Customer Service with These 5 Effective Phrases

No matter where you work as a service provider you will no doubt come up against customers who are rude and angry, overly analytical, too friendly for comfort, or even utterly irrational, among other bad behaviors that leave you feeling frustrated, stressed out, and scrambling for the right words to say. And it isn’t always the customer who behaves badly. Sometimes you may say or do something you instantly regret and wish you could take back. Continue Reading

5 Tips to Manage Difficult Employees, Resulting in Better Customer Service

Good employers know that one part of having a successful business is delivering quality customer service.  This means having workers who deliver quality customer service; but, how do they deal with difficult employees?

Too often, organizations promise satisfaction to external customers and then allow internal politics to frustrate their employees’ good intentions to deliver. It’s important to remember that your customers aren’t the only ones who come through your organization’s door every day seeking quality service. Your coworkers and leaders also need to be served. If they’re not happy, it’s not likely they’ll deliver stellar service, and the same goes for you. Inevitably, “difficult people” will creep into your work life, disturbing you, your colleagues’, and your leaders’ workflow and negatively affecting the service you all provide your customers.

Ron Kaufman has some eye-opening news for you. He says, at some point, we’re all viewed by our colleagues as the organization’s “difficult person.” That’s why it’s important that we find a way to provide uplifting service internally all the time…even (and especially!) when difficult situations arise so internal tiffs don’t lead to rifts with customers. Continue Reading

How Nursing Has Changed Through the Years

Ever since the dawn of modern medical care, nurses have played an important role. In fact, the ever-increasing demand for nurses indicates that their role is more important, now than ever. And as nurses have increased in importance, their role has changed considerably. From minor considerations like their appearance, to major changes like evolving technology, nursing has made some prominent strides in the past 50 years.

Uniform Changes

These days, the only time you’ll see a nurse in a starched white uniform with white stockings and a cap is on Halloween, when kids come trick-or-treating. Nurse uniforms and dress codes have changed considerably since the 1960s and earlier, when nurses were expected to wear dresses, caps and capes – and absolutely no jewelry or cosmetics. Today’s nurses wear more functional scrubs and most healthcare facilities have relaxed the rules about cosmetics and jewelry. Continue Reading

54% of Employers Plan to Hire Recent College Grads

The college graduating class of 2012 is heading into a better job market than alumni of the previous three years, according to a new study. More than half of employers (54 percent) reported they plan to hire recent college graduates in 2012, up from 46 percent in 2011, 44 percent in 2010 and 43 percent in 2009. The national survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive from February 9 to March 2, 2012, included more than 2,000 hiring managers across industries and company sizes.

“This is the first time since the recession that we’re seeing a majority of employers planning to add recent college graduates to their employee roster,” said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. “Companies across industries are placing a strong emphasis on recruiting fresh talent for technology-related roles and positions designed to drive revenue – and they’re willing to pay more for high-skill, educated labor.”

How much will college grads likely earn?

Of those who plan to hire recent college graduates, 29 percent expect to offer higher starting salaries than they did in 2011. While employers were most likely to report that they would pay between $30,000 and $40,000, a significant portion will extend offers exceeding $50,000. Continue Reading

9 Jobs Expected to Increase in Demand

Are you interested in jobs with growth potential?  Depending on your interest(s), there are opportunities to find employment, according to new information from AARP.org.  If you are a college student or recent graduate, this could mean more entry level jobs; for job seekers as a whole, there are potentially more positions to compete for.  In addition, these jobs may provide job security.

Here are nine jobs and their expected growth from 2010 to 2020, as forecasted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Continue Reading

94% of Employers Okay With Candidates Who Took Lower Level Jobs During Recession

The vast majority of employers – 85 percent – reported that they are more understanding of employment gaps post-recession. Nine-in-ten (94 percent) said they wouldn’t think less of a candidate who took a position during the recession that was at a lower level than the one he/she previously held. The survey was conducted by Harris Interactive© among more than 3,000 employers across industries and company sizes.

“More than 5 million workers in the U.S. have been unemployed for six months or longer, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources for CareerBuilder. “While job seekers have voiced concern over how they may be perceived if they’ve been out of work for a while or took a job for which they were overqualified to make ends meet, the study shows employers understand the tough challenges the economy has created for workers. What is most important to employers is that workers show they have stayed active in sharpening their skills.” Continue Reading