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Friday, September 30, 2011

Why Your College Major Doesn’t Matter Anymore for Employment


There are some careers where a college major does matter. For example, if you happen to be in the field of accounting you will need your CPA or other major to land a job. However, most employers advise that they don’t care much about a college major when they are looking for the candidate to fill the position.

There are other things employers may value more in the current economy and industries. Corporations may have an interest in the classes you took and why, but you may find yourself working in an industry totally unrelated to the major you spent years studying in order to get a degree.

Experience

Experience is what virtually every employer has an interest in when reviewing a resume or interviewing an applicant. This is one of the most valuable things a candidate can offer. Whether you gained your experience from another job or internships, experience is a plus.

You can list experience you achieved through internships, volunteer work, extracurricular activities or part time jobs. What matters most is you have experience or professional skills for the industry you want to be part of or are applying for.

Skills

Skills are hand and hand with experience. These are tools you possess that are either inborn or learned. They will help you complete the job with little investment from the employer. For example, the performance displayed on a simple coding project will matter more to an employer than what you college diploma says to them. You may have majored in dance, but your skills as a computer coding expert through your experience with a summer internship makes you more attractive than someone else that may have majored in computer science, but bring nothing to the table as far as experience.

Passion
Passion is an enthusiasm for the work that cannot be taught or learned at college. It is something that is reflected in your work and will usually show an employer an employee that will perform at the highest level possible if hired for a position.

A passion for a field or industry can typically be reflected or conveyed during an interview process and spotted and identified regardless of what your college major says.

A college degree cannot be discounted for employment opportunities or getting your foot in the door. However, what your college major was isn’t as important as these others things listed. Employers want the best of the best and the cream of the crop. Our current economy makes it necessary for you to display yourself as such to acquire the position you want.

Almost 9 out of 10 people in the work force are in a field or industry that they didn’t go to college for. This may be due to the fact that our economy necessitates many people take positions that may not necessarily want, but need. It can also say that experience, skills and passion are more important than what your diploma makes you out to be.

pic is courtesy of bostinovation.com


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Monday, September 26, 2011

Get a Job during a Recession


Getting a job in our current economy can be a struggle to say the least. America’s current state of affairs includes a very high unemployment rate that has an average of 20 people applying for one position. There are some communities that have documented hundreds of people applying for one position. Job hunting is difficult at this time, but not impossible. There are some things you can do as a current job seeker during a recession to better your chances of getting your job.

1.    You need to be better than the next guy

This means that you want to be better, faster and smarter than anyone else that is seeking the same position that you are.
·         This includes updating your resume and making certain everything is current.
·         You want to make 4 calls a day to network contacts instead of 4 call a week
·         Attend  networking event for your niche
·         Follow up immediately after you meet someone or learn of an opportunity you are interested in. return phone calls as quickly as possible, send a thank you email after you interview and fax your resume as soon as you learn of a prospect.

2.    Find new strategies if your current ones are working

It can be very easy to get into a rut and get discouraged while hunting for a job over a long period of time. Things change and so should you. If current tactics are not producing the results you would like or hope to see, try something new.

Getting a job in a bad economy will require you to cast a wider net and be more ingenious than ever. Find new or different keywords when searching online. Consider moving to another type of employment platform; find new websites to search for employment. All of these changes will help you build a new approach to locating work opportunities and prospects.

3.    Try and find new ways to make a little income while you look for the big one

If you are able to make a small amount of income while you search for the job you want or need it can help with the stress surrounding job searching. Stress can make your state of mind not the best it can or should be while job hunting and hurt you.

Freelancing are great ways to make extra income and many people have found that this leads to a new career. This doesn’t work for everyone, but if you have ever considered entrepreneurship now may be the time to jump into it.

4.    Consider moving to a different location

Depending upon where you are located you may need to move in order to find the job you need or want. A different city or town may offer you more in the way of opportunities for your field or expertise.  Moving is not for everyone. However, if you are able to move to find employment consider it carefully. Review the area you are considering through research and resources at hand before you make this enormous decision.

These are tips and techniques to utilize during a recession to find employment opportunities.

pic is courtesy of distinctiveweb.com

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