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Sweet!
The good people at the Pongo Resume Blog released their list of 20 Twitter Tweeple Who Can Help Your Career and they were gracious enough to include Gradversity! What an honor!!
But wait, there’s more!
The list has 19 other great career experts who are worth following as well, including some of the TAP experts.
If you are looking for a job, follow these people on Twitter. They just may give you an edge.
One of my biggest regrets in life is that I didn’t take the opportunity to work or travel overseas after school. My initial regrets were for the experiences I could have had. However, I’ve also come to realize just how important international work experience can be in landing a great Entry Level Job (see Why Working Abroad Can Get You The Job).
Recently, Heather Human (Entry Level Careers Examiner for Examiner.com, fellow TAP Expert, and one of my favorite writers) sent me a link to an article she wrote called Finding an internship or entry-level job abroad. While I have spent my time on this site explaining the benefits of having international work experience, she is able to succinctly describe the steps you need to go through to land a job or internship in another country.
The entire article is full of great advice, there was one piece of information about resumes and international positions that even I was unaware of:
…In most other countries, a résumé is a curriculum vitae, commonly known as a CV. It’s similar to a résumé but usually contains more detailed information and is generally longer than the standard one-page resume used in the U.S. Many job hunting Web sites have sample CVs you can use to get started. If the country you are looking to work in does not use English as its primary language, ensure you translate your CV into the local language…
This is not only great advice, but it also highlights the need to do your homework about local customs. If a CV is expected by employers, your resume may not do you much good. This type of knowledge will help to ensure that you don’t waste your time.
Either way, this article is recommended reading for anyone who is planning to work abroad. Check out Finding an internship or entry-level job abroad.
Over the last few months, T.A.P. (The Twitter Advice Project run by CAREEREALISM) has been dispensing career advice from various experts to job seekers on Twitter.
This week, the program hit two major milestones. First, it reached the 100 question mark (meaning 100 questions successfully answered by the career experts). Second, it reached 5000 Twitter followers!
Best of all, it took only 2 months to reach both of these goals, surpassing the expectations of all involved.
So if you are a job hunter and you are looking for quality career advice, feel free to submit your question to twitter@careerealism.com and have it answered by a group of helpful experts.
And if you aren’t on Twitter, what are you waiting for?
Congratulations to T.A.P. for marking its first (of many) major milestones!
There’s a very interesting Q&A over at JT & Dale called The ‘Good Cop/Bad Cop’ Interview. For those of you who have never been through this type of interview, it’s defined as:
The “good guy” smiles and asks the easy questions, while the “bad cop” sneers and asks the tough ones.
This post caught my eye because I had an interview like this when I was looking for my first job. The only difference was that there was a third person (beyond the Good and the Bad Cop) who just sat there and stared at me without asking any questions. It can be a very difficult interview to master, but one that has tremendous upside if you perform well.
It’s a really interesting read if you are going to be interviewing any time soon. I highly recommend it.
Barbara Nixon recently sent me a post from her site which outlined how to Make the Most of a Phone Interview. Phone interviews are becoming more common as a screening tool for employers looking to hire New Grads for Entry Level Jobs so it’s vitally important that you set yourself up for success.
She has some great advice posted here, including:
If possible, make or take the call from a landline telephone, rather than a cell phone. You don’t want to have to worry about your call being dropped part-way through. If you must use a cell phone, be sure you’re in an area with exceptionally good coverage.
From my perspective, this is a MUST DO. It’s important that you eliminate all possible risks from your phone interview. The last thing you want is to experience a dropped call or poor reception. I would even go so far as to suggest that you find a “corded” phone, instead of a cordless one, just in case your battery gives out. It’s the little things that matter when you are trying to impress an employer.
If I could add only one thing to the list, it would be to smile. When you smile, the person you are speaking to can hear it in your voice. It will help convey not only warmth but sincerity as well, something that doesn’t come across well over the phone.
Use the link above to find the rest of her great advice.
In an effort to help you craft your resume, here’s a look at some of the best resources I’ve come across in the last few weeks:
Too many great resources, so little time.
Enjoy!
Over the past few months I’ve spent some time writing about how your presence on social networking sites can harm your career (see the Cisco Fatty Incident or Fixing A Damaged Online Reputation).
Well the good folks over at Resume Bear have compiled a list of Twitter Tweets called 30 Ways To Lose A Job On Twitter. It’s an excellent example of how your online musings can cost you.
One of the problems with sites like Facebook and Twitter is that unless you take steps to lock down your account, anything you type is freely available to other users. What some people fail to understand is that if Resume Bear can dig up this information, so can your boss or perspective employers.
While social networking can be both fun and rewarding, it’s important to remain dilligent about what you post. It may come back to haunt you.
This is not a good time to be a job hunter. The economy has been stuck in a downward spiral for months and every time you turn on the news you are bombarded with the latest unemployment data or layoff numbers. It’s enough to make anyone lose heart.
However, as Lindsay Olson shows us in her recent post How Not To Ask For Help In The Job Search, desperation is not only extremely difficult to overcome when you are looking for work, but it is also a major turn-off for employers.
Lindsay’s post shares a letter she received that just oozes desperation. It sounds like the author is at their wit’s end.
Here’s an excerpt:
…I know you have a lot of people in the same boat, but I’m hoping that you keep me in mind. While this little column is great, I am in desperate need of insurance and a real paycheck. Obviously I’m willing to take a pay [REDACTED] and even a ‘title’ (which really doesn’t mean a lot these days) reduction. I’ll strongly consider temp/freelance work as well. At the very least, I’m hoping you will respond that you received this.
While job hunting can be extremely challenging and stressful for the best of us, you must keep control of your emotions. My heart goes out to whoever wrote this letter as I’m sure that they are in dire straights. But regardless of how poorly they are doing, they need to realize that showing your desperation will cause more harm than good when it comes to finding work.
If you are in this situation, try to look at it from the employer’s perspective. They want to be shown what you can do for them and how you will solve their problems. They do not need to hear that you are in “desperate need of insurance and a real paycheck”.
To everyone reading this, keep the faith. We will eventually get out of this financial crisis. Until then, read How Not To Ask For Help In The Job Search. It will help add some perspective to your search.
There’s a great article up on SFGate (the home of the San Francisco Chronicle) called Ten Questions Never To Ask In Job Interviews.
As many of you know, I love articles that outline “What Not To Do”. Not only does this piece give you a great sense of what questions you should avoid, but it also provides a detailed rationale (just in case you needed it).
For example:
2. “Are you going to do a background check?”
It is amazing how many job candidates ask this question, which provokes alarm on the part of the interviewer, instead of the more general, “Can you please tell me a little about your selection process, from this point on?” Lots of people have credit issues that cause them worry during a job search or aren’t sure how solid their references from a previous job might be. If you’re invited for a second interview, you can broach any sensitive topics from your past then. Asking “Will you do a background check?” makes you look like a person with something to hide.
This is a must read for anyone who will be interviewing in the read future. Check out Ten Questions Never To Ask In Job Interviews
Here are some tips for keeping your job search and career planning alive over the holidays.
Best of luck with your work search and career development. Have a great holiday season!
About the author: Career development professional with 10 years of experience in career advising. Specializes in working with undergraduate students with little-to-no work experience. Special interests include: international students, immigrant populations, parents transitioning back into the workforce, faith in the workplace, and Christian career counseling.
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 for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
What Would Dad Say has an absolutely great Job Hunting Poem up that speaks volumes about the differences between our expectations for employment, what we say during interviews, and how we perform in our jobs.
Here’s an excerpt:
My boss told me exactly what I needed to do to keep my job. I knew better. My way was going to work better than his, what did he know? He’s worked for the same company for, what, 15 years? I am young, new, I have great ideas, I can make mine work, I will show him just how good and brilliant I really am. I need a job.
Please check out the full Job Hunter Poem. It’s worth the read!
Shortly after I posted my take on Jamie Varon’s Twitter Should Hire Me site, I received a request to take a look at a similar site called 100 Reasons You Should Hire Me. While the creator (Srinivas Rao) openly admitted that he was inspired by Jamie’s success, he thought his site was worth a review. Let’s take a look:
The Goal:
The goal is pretty simple. Try to use a guerrilla marketing gimmick (similar to Jamie’s) to attract the attention of recruiters and land a job.
The Good:
Personally, I like his bravado. He seems to be the outgoing type who will do whatever it takes to get noticed. This will be an asset to his job search when competing in a tough economy. While I wouldn’t necessarily use the same techniques that he is using, if he plays his cards right, it just might work out for him.
I also like (what I perceive to be) his sense of humor. A number of his 100 reasons are laugh-out-loud funny. They include:
57. You see tremendous potential in me
79. If I were determined enough, I could probably find a way to eat at no cost for seven days a week
82. I dare to dream
94. My sister is in med school. So, if we are hanging out in a social setting, and you have some sort of near death experience, and she happens to be there, she can save your life. Hopefully, that will never be necessary
At least, I hope these are an attempt at humor.
The Bad:
One of the things that is included on his list of 100 Reasons is…
You are sick of reading boring cover letters
While I agree that this site is a unique tactic which will likely garner him more attention than the average cover letter, I don’t see any reason for someone to hire him based on this site alone. Yes, he talks about his skills and what he can bring to an organization, but he doesn’t provide any concrete details on how he will fit into the organization or how his previous track record projects future performance.
More importantly, this site lacks the one thing that a cover letter must do: explain how you will fill the need for a company. Your cover letter needs to let the employer know that you can step in and solve their problems. A targeted cover letter will accomplish this in a way that this site cannot.
Unfortunately, when I see this site, I see only a marketing gimmick and I don’t feel any connection to him at all. You need an employer to understand what you bring to the table and know that you are keenly interested in what they are doing and what they have to offer. Without these key ingredients, it becomes a publicity stunt.
The Ugly:
The Facebook profile picture of him holding a drink and wearing sunglasses. These are the types of pictures that employers look for when vetting candidates. He’s just made the process easier for them by including one on the main page.
Oh yeah, and a Twitter widget which displays Tweets like:
Few more hours till my last class ever. Zoned out in strategic management
Nothing impresses an employer like “Zoning Out”.
The Result:
Only time will tell. It appears that as I write this, he is still in school and will be pushing hard for a job in the near future. I hope he posts information about his job search on this site. I’m interested to see what happens.
Lessons Learned:
If you take anything away from this, know that publicity is a double-edged sword. Properly used and controlled, it can be a powerful tool. But a poorly executed campaign will ruin your chances.
Everyone I’ve talked to has found this site polarizing. Leave your thoughts and comments below.
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last week you’ve probably heard of Susan Boyle. The 48 year old Scottish woman stunned the crowd (and the judges) on a recent episode of Britain’s Got Talent.
In case you missed it…
I’ve watched this video a number of times and I get goosebumps every time I do. It is such a great underdog story.
But what I find really interesting is the job hunting lesson we can take out of it.
When you first walk into an interview, you have about five seconds to make a positive first impression. If you don’t, you face a serious uphill battle that you are unlikely to over come. (Note: Read Blink by Malcolm Gladwell for some great analysis of the psychology behind first impressions).
Think about it in terms of Susan Boyle and your first impression of her. When you first see her walk on stage, you write her off almost immediately. After enduring too many seasons of shows like American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance (among many other knockoffs), it’s easy to become cynical when it comes to judging contestants. The online media were also quick to pick up on our need to judge others who have the courage (or stupidity in some cases) to put themselves on television. Take a look at this initial assessment by Chris Matyszczyk at CNET News:
She has the eyebrows of a Roman Emperor. She has the square shoulders of one of his centurions. And she walks like a bouncer who had one too many years in the NFL.
However, once she started to sing, she immidiately went from being the “Never Been Married, Never Been Kissed” Lady to someone who has wowed audiences with an amazing rendition of a beautiful song.
What is so amazing about this story is that she is able to overcome a negative first impression and make people fall in love with her. It is our collective surprise that has driven her initial popularity, but it is her talent that will take her places.
So what does this mean for you and your job search?
Most importantly, it outlines the importance of making a good first impression. I know that this sounds odd as I have been talking about how she overcame her bad first impression, but hear me out.
When you get to an interview, you have a number of factors that are within your control. Your clothes, body language, eye contact, hair style, handshake, greeting, and confidence each play a roll and are all elements of the Impression Equation. It is critical that you do everything in your power to use these elements to your advantage, because once the interview starts, the interviewer has all of the control. From that point on, your ability to change their first impression is limited as you have to answer their questions and follow their lead. It’s not impossible, but it can be very tricky.
Susan Boyle, on the other hand, was able to overcome a terrible first impression because she was in control. They may have told her to sing, but she chose the song and was able to play to the crowd. You don’t necessarily have that option.
If you think about it, Susan Boyle would not have become an overnight sensation if she was stunningly beautiful and could sing. She would have just been another attractive contestant on another reality show. It was the fact that she overcame this initial perception barrier that caused her to become an overnight celebrity. She used the first impression to her advantage (albeit unknowingly).
Overcoming this obstacle made her a celebrity, but it also gives you great cause to ensure you make a positive first impression. Use this great first impression to ensure your message is properly received. Landing the job you want may depend on it.
When we go off to college, sometimes we choose a career that just does not satisfy our needs. Many times scientists with the BS, MS, or PhD in the lifesciences or other science areas find themselves to be unsatisfied with the position that they find themselves in a year or two after graduation. What seemed fun and exciting is now boring and oppressive. Often the love of science and the desire to continue learning is still there, but not the desire to continue in the present career path. If you find yourself in this position, here’s a list of possible jobs for you, complete with brief descriptions where needed. These positions in sales, service, and marketing exist in all areas of medical sales: laboratory, clinical diagnostics, molecular, cellular, medical device, biotechnology, histology, pathology, hospital equipment, and pharmaceutical.
Sales
Inside Sales Positions – These are usually like call centers. The key here is to be okay with the cold call and to have the optimistic attitude for success. These positions can be fun and lucrative. They usually have set hours and require no travel.
Outside Sales Positions – These are usually field-based positions. They require someone with a lot of self-discipline and of course, that “sales personality.” These positions can be extremely lucrative and have a lot of flexibility. Depending on the size of the territory, the travel can be daunting. You should consider going on a ride along if this is interesting to you.
Business Development/Technology Transfer – These positions can range from someone who has a very strong technical understanding who investigates future products or acquisitions to someone who is a super salesman. You need to clearly understand your personality and specifically the job you’re looking at. These positions are all different. Assume nothing – ask a lot of questions.
Technical Service
Applications Specialists – Usually the “applications” part means that you will help make sure that the assay or test is working. Your company may provide a platform and your responsibility is to help the customer get their assays working on your instrumentation. This can be very challenging, and a good field apps person has to be a great communicator. These can be high-travel positions.
Field Service Positions – This position is usually responsible for setting up a new system that a customer purchased and troubleshooting when that system is not functioning correctly. These can be high-travel positions.
Field Technical Support – Same as above.
Customer Service – Maybe the company needs an extremely technical person to help the customer purchase the correct products. This will usually be a phone-based position. The hours will be set and include very little travel.
Technical Support – In-house – like the field-based position, but without the travel. Communication skills for this position are really important.
Marketing
Marketing: Strategic – (It’s important to note the difference between strategic and tactical.) The strategic marketing person is responsible for figuring out where the company should invest for future products and what the specifications for those products should be. This is an original-thought kind of person who understands the value of customer feedback and communication.
Marketing: Tactical – This person usually supports the field sales force with bulletins, pricing, and product training. Marketing job descriptions that do not clarify tactical vs. strategic are probably both. Many scientists pursue the MBA to move into marketing. Marketing positions can have a lot of travel. Be sure to ask about the requirements of every job. Never assume anything in the interview process.
Some additional careers you might consider that use your technical background:
Teaching – You probably know as much about this as I do…BioJobBlog has a post on this, as well as other great info on alternative science careers.
Patent/IP work – Some scientists actually pursue a law degree to marry with the technology. Every company will have one of these on staff or on retainer.
Can you think of any more?
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 for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
I was reading US News the other day and I came across an article by Karen Burns called 7 Keys to Snagging a Job as a College Grad. It’s a really great post with some solid, useful advice for New Grads.
While each of the seven points is good to know, there are two that stand out.
First:
Make your job hunt personal. In other words: meet, get to know, and keep in touch with real live human beings. Blasting your resume over the job boards may feel like job hunting, but networking is where it’s at.
This is great advice. As I was getting ready to graduate, I was completely dependent on job boards. On top of that, my network was weak and my networking skills were nonexistent. If I had a more robust network, I may have had greater success.
Second:
Be patient. Try to adopt a zen attitude about rejection. And remember, you only have to find one job–yours. Good luck.
So true. The process of finding an Entry Level Job is often a long and difficult one. However, if you can learn to stay positive and be patient, you will eventually find success.
Overall, this is a great read. Check out 7 Keys to Snagging a Job as a College Grad.
Disclaimer: There is some minor bad language in both this post and the accompanying video.
So a few weeks ago, out of the blue, I got an email from some guy named John. John has a site called Unemploymentality (which I was previously unaware of) and he wanted me to check out a mock video resume that he had posted (created by a friend). He specifically told me it was How Not To Make A Video Resume.
I generally get a lot of requests for public reviews and links, so I added this to my “read later” list and I went about my business. Now that I have had a chance to go back and watch it, I wish I had checked it out earlier.
The following is not only a great example of how not to create a Video Resume, but it’s also pretty funny. I had to watch it a couple of times to fully appreciate it.
Michael Spafferty’s Video Resume from Unemploymentality on Vimeo.
Classic.
In the accompanying post, there was a great line that I thought really captured the essence of How Not To Make A Video Resume:
Making a video resume is simple. Just boil-down your paper resume into a few points that articulate your experience, your interests and what type of social creature you are. After that, just script it out and talk into the camera. Don’t forget to get lots of sexy, super model shots too. HR reps love that shit.
…and it doesn’t hurt to take your pants off during your video resume at some point. HR reps love a sense of humor and nothing says funny like no pants.
It’s a great post. There’s also a supplementary article with some other Funny Video Resumes, including one by Michael Cera (of Juno and Superbad fame).
Some great stuff. Check out Unemploymentality when you have some time.
Go check out 7 Secrets to Successful Informational Interviews over at CAREEREALISM. It’s a great read on a worthwhile topic.
An Informational Interview is an excellent tool if used properly and can certainly set you apart from the crowd! If you are looking for a job, or will need to look for a job in the future, I would definitely check this out.
Enjoy!
While job hunting news has been all doom and gloom over the past few months, CareerBuilder has just come out with its list of the Ten Promising Jobs For The Class of 2009. For each job it outlines the recent employment numbers as well as estimated growth numbers through 2016. The list includes many broad careers (like Electrical Engineer and Marketing Manager) and also lists the type of major that would be best suited for each job.
After reading the list, I have a couple of observations:
So what can you take away from this?
If you are still in school, you need to be sure to position yourself properly in terms of “in-demand” skills. It’s important to know which skills employers are looking for, and how they translate into open positions. This may mean switching your major/minor, taking extra courses, or working towards a professional designation. Now is the time to make these important decisions.
However, if you have already completed your degree/diploma, and you don’t have the skills required by one of these jobs, don’t panic. My advice will be to frame the skills you do have in such a way that it makes you attractive to employers. Worst case scenario, you can always take some additional classes or work towards a professional designation.
Overall, it’s a very interesting list. I’d be interested to see if the predictions of future employment numbers come true!
It’s time for my weekly job hunting rant. Today’s topic?
Proofreading.
While I’m neither a recruiter or an HR Manager, I still see my fair share of resumes. While many are creative, well formatted, and checked for grammar and spelling, I still see many applications that have either poorly formed sentences or misspelled words.
There is nothing that you can say or do that will derail your hopes of landing a job faster than spelling and grammar errors. To an employer, this screams “lack of attention to detail” and will ruin your chances before you get a foot in the door.
So for the sake of your job search, and the sanity of all potential employers, proofread your resume and cover letter. If you are having trouble, ask a friend or relative to do it for you. It might not win you the job, but it will ensure you aren’t prematurely disqualified.
Choose a job you love,
and you will never have to work a day in your life.~ Confucius
How True!
I was scanning through my Feed Reader this morning and I found a post that linked to an outside article called 50 Things Every 18-Year-Old Should Know. While I don’t get into political discussions or debates through this site (the link is to a Right Wing News site), the list had some interesting, common-sense advice that can be applied at any age, not just to 18 year olds.
However, after reading all 50 items, one in particular caught my eye as it provides an interesting analogy for job hunting:
You beat 50% of the people by just showing up. You beat another 40% by working hard. The last 10% is a dogfight in the free enterprise system.
After reading it a few times, I started thinking about it like this:
The First 50% – This is the “job hunt” component of the search where you narrowly target positions which are a good fit for your education, experience and skill.
The Next 40% – This is where you take the time to craft a stellar, tailored application package (cover letter and resume) that makes the employer take notice
The Last 10% – This is where you stand out from the crowd with an amazing interview
This just goes to reinforce that successful job applicants are often the ones who are willing to work the hardest.
Thoughts? Comments?
So says Business Week in their article called Most 2009 College Grads Find Lower Salary Offers.
However, it seems that the pain is not felt equally across all new grads:
Among business graduates, the average offer rose 1%, to $46,973. But finance majors did considerably better: Their offers were up 2.3%, to $49,754, while business administration and management majors did best of all, with the average offer increasing 3.6%, to $45,778.
Bids for liberal arts majors, meanwhile, are flat, at $36,807, while well-paid professionals such as computer science majors are seeing salaries dip. The average offer to computer science grads fell 11%, from $65,379 to $58,837 this year.
I’m quite surprised at the hit that the computer science grads are seeing. I can only assume that this is a short-term drop, but then again, an economy like this will do strange things to any degree.
Anyone have any direct experience they would like to share?
Anyone who writes (or blogs) about the job market has been talking about how hard it is to find work in this economy. However, some people are turning to odd jobs and other freelance work to get by. There’s a great story at Metro News about people using Craigslist to find short term work.
One of the people profiled in the article has had a number of odd jobs over the last few months:
Simone Sneed has been a brand ambassador for a telephone company, a backup singer in a local theatre, a freelance grant writer and a psychic in a scavenger hunt — all for a day.
It seems that while full-time, salaried employment is difficult to find these days, it’s getting easier to find temporary work:
Job postings are down overall on Craigslist, the most-used job board in the United States, said Jim Buckmaster, CEO of Craigslist.org. But postings for short-term gigs are up.
Personally, I think that this is a great creative solution for new grads and Entry Level Job seekers. Anyone who has a student loan can tell you that the grace period (the period after graduation before you have to start repaying the loan) goes very fast. Anything that you can do improve your financial situation (while gaining experience) can be worth it in the short term.
Does anyone have any experience with these types of jobs? If so, hit our comment boards!
Over the past few weeks I have seen a huge increase in the number of review requests that have come in. It seems that this increase coincided with my posts on TwitterShouldHireMe and TwitterJobSearch.com.
Given the volume of requests (and the questions that have come with them), I have decided to establish some ground rules for site/product/service reviews on Gradversity.
So here are the rules (in no particular order):
- To be eligible for review, your site/product/service should cover one of the following topics:
- Job hunting
- Recruiting
- Networking
- Negotiation
- When you pitch your material for review, be sure to outline how this will benefit Gradversity readers and Entry Level Job seekers in general.
- You must be willing to take the good with the bad. The review will be open and honest and will proportionally highlight both the good and the bad. If you can’t take the criticism, you chose the wrong site for a review.
- If you want a website reviewed, you will receive two links back to your home page: one in the introduction and one in the conclusion. No additional links will be allowed.
- If you want a product or service reviewed, providing a sample would be helpful for context. However, please understand that providing a sample will not impact the outcome of the review. (Note: Due to the volume of requests and time constraints, samples will not be returned.)
- I am open to running a promotional contest for your product or service under the conditions that:
- I find your product/service valuable (at my sole discretion)
- You provide the promotional copy/trial free of charge
- I choose the format of the contest
For my part, I will try ensure that my feedback is constructive whenever possible when reviewing your material.
Still interested? Contact Gradversity.
Being a teacher is hard work. While I have never been a teacher myself, my Dad was a teacher, my Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law were both teachers (before becoming Principals), and my wife was a teacher (up until about a year ago when she switched careers). I can attest through their stories that it is one of the most challenging and under-appreciated professions around.
So when I found a CAREEREALISM article called Want To Be a Teacher? Better Read This First, it caught my eye. After reading it, I can only agree whole-heartedly with what was said.
The post details some of the hidden challenges that teachers face and helps to temper the expectations of many first time teachers. Based on what the author, Kristin Barrette, has to say, I can only commend her for attempting to show the next generation of teachers what the classroom is really like. If I can share one excerpt that sums up exactly what I have come to know about teaching (from the outside looking in) it’s this:
Regardless of what ignorant people tell you, teaching is not ‘just a job’ (and those same ignorant people will tell you that you have the easiest job on earth because you get summer vacation). If you want a nine to five job with weekends off, better start looking for a new career now. Sure, there are those teachers who come in each morning when the students do and are pulling out behind the buses in the afternoon, but those teachers really aren’t giving it their all. If you’re not in it to be the best teacher you can be, then you shouldn’t even be there. Yes, you will get paid far, far less than the amount you deserve. Yes, you will put in ten hour days and create lesson plans on Saturday afternoons. Yes, you will spend an exorbitant amount of your paycheck on items for your classroom. But you will do all these things because they are a part of doing what you love.
Interested? Find out about the Challenges of Teaching.
Most of the time that I spend working on this site is dedicated to sharing Entry Level Job advice from both myself and other experts. As the job search process can often be long and stressful (especially for new grads), I try to keep the information that I share as positive and encouraging as possible.
However, today I feel like ranting. The topic?
Predatory Recruiters.
Shortly after landing my first job (post graduation), I started getting phone calls from a recruiter at a medium-sized financial services company. When the first call came, I was in the process of moving out of my parents house and into my new apartment. I kindly informed him that I was no longer on the market, but thanked him for his time. I didn’t think any more about it.
While I was initially flattered, there were two things that bothered me. First, I didn’t apply to the job he was talking about. He had found my resume in a Resume Book that was published by my faculty. Second, the job involved selling financial products (mutual funds, etc.) on a commission-only basis to my friends and family. In order to make money, I had to pressure my loved ones into buying something that they probably didn’t want through guilt – not something I was interested in. This was over four years ago now and I still get irritated when I think about it. The fact that he called my parents house five more times (in one week intervals) asking the same question just solidified my resolve and frustration.
What really rubs me the wrong way is that there are a huge number of new grads out there who are in desperate need of an Entry Level Job. This need is amplified in the current economy where first time job seekers are competing for jobs against candidates who have more experience. Take into account the staggering student debt that many people carry and it makes things even worse.
It really gets to me that people may be put into a situation like this where they are forced to proposition their family and friends just to get by. I can’t imagine the stress that this would put on a family where finances may already be tightened by the economic downturn. Even the toll on your network of peers must be hard to bear. This type of predatory recruiting (which takes advantage of recent graduates) really bugs me.
I have no problem with incentive pay for new grads, but only if it is part of a larger compensation package and doesn’t involve being forced to sell to family and friends. I believe strongly in the fact that you should be paid for the work that you do and you shouldn’t be put into compromising positions by your employer. Too lofty a goal? Maybe, but it’s one I feel strongly about.
Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment…
There’s a new post over at Grad to Great with some excellent examples of what New Grads shouldn’t do when looking for Entry Level Jobs.
My favorite?
The gal who emails a potential employer to make sure there will be two chairs at the interview because her mom will be accompanying her to “check this company out”.
Check out the rest of the 5 College Grads that Suck. It’s pretty funny.
Came across an interesting quote today:
If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your resume and claim them as achievements.
~ Mason Cooley
Interesting advice. Any thoughts?
The following is a guest post by Adrianne George courtesy of Recruiting Blogswap.
Everyone is on Facebook these days. Maybe even your future employer. Here are 7 tips for using Facebook to find your next job.
1. Choose your photo wisely.
Those fun and cute photos of you with your pet, a Simpsons avatar, or even a celebrity are ok if you are already employed (assuming you don’t violate company policy) and do not have your resume/CV on every major job board. You potential employer very may well check your Internet reputation, including Facebook, when deciding if you are right for the job.
Post a cropped headshot set against a white background that shows you smiling. Let you first impression be one of a friendly person that your future teammates will like to have around.
2. Pay attention to your personal information.
If your potential employer finds your Facebook profile you can believe they will click on your Info tab. The About Me section should clearly and succinctly state your professional goals as it relates to your job. For example: Actively seeking a public relations position in the telecommunications industry where my education and experience will enhance the company bottom line. This is not the place to say you collect Hello Kitty purses. Again, this is exactly the place for that if you are looking for a job in the fashion industry.
Best sure to link to your blog or other websites you have created ONLY if they are examples of the skills or interests that are closely related to the job you seek. The Pages you have become a fan of will also show here so choose which ones to “fan” wisely. You don’t want to try and work for the “National Beef Council” if you are a fan of the “Vegetarians Rule” page, and alas you probably wouldn’t anyway. But you get the point.
Treat your Facebook Info box as if it were a cover letter: you want to make an excellent impression.
3. Delete those silly applications.
It is possible to block the drinks, sheep throwing, are you a hottie and other trivial applications that makes Facebook so much fun. For the time you are unemployed you want to project a professional image. Of course it is possible to add fun applications that match your job skills and reflect the job you want. For example, if you are looking for jobs in the gaming industry you should have the latest, trendiest game applications on your profile. This can show you keep up with the trends.
Choose your applications wisely.
4. Add the business applications that let you shine.
There are many business applications on Facebook that you can add to your profile to enhance your professional image. You can add a LinkedIn badge that redirects to your LinkedIn profile. You can add a business card application that states what you are looking for. You can upload your resume/CV. You can follow industry trends. You can even add a “What I Do” application that lists your skills to your profile and then lists your profile in their directory.
5. Add job search applications.
That seems so obvious but I had to say it. There are dozens and dozens of job applications on Facebook that were created by large job board and small niche ones as well. Type in “jobs” in the application directory search box and take the time to look through all of them. Some will make more sense to add than others. Add each and everyone that had the potential to reap a reward.
And be your own Facebook application by using the search function these to find people who work where you want to work.
6. Know what your friends are saying.
Your friends and friends of friend’s activities will show up in the news feed on your profile page. Watch what they are saying. If it reflects badly on you in the eyes of a potential employer get tough and remove that friend. This need only be temporary as once you are gainfully employed you can reactivate these friendships. Your true friends will understand and those “fake” friends will not even notice.
7. Status is everything.
You your status bar to look for work and get help from your Facebook friends. For example, update your status everything you answer a job advertisement, when you are researching a potential employer or when you have been called in for an interview. For example: Just say an ad for a great job at XYZ company. Does anyone have any inside information about XYZ? I’m sending in my resume/CV today.
Here is where your network may come in handy. Check your Facebook email and don’t be surprised if you hear from XYZ Company directly.
Facebook is fun, but it can also be an effective job search tool. Start by applying these seven steps and you will discover additional ways to enhance your job search.
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 for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.
Happy April Everyone!
It’s time for the monthly roundup where I provide a look back at some of the best posts that March 2009 had to offer:
Enjoy!