Top Entry Level Employers Of 2010

Posted on June 29, 2010 by

Collegegrad.com has recently published its list of the Top Entry Level Employers of 2010. If you are currently looking for your first “real” job, this might be a good place to start.

Here’s a sneak peak at the top five:

Verizon Wireless (10,500 jobs)
Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8,000 jobs)
Teach For America (4,500 jobs)
Peace Corps (4,140 jobs)
Hertz (3,500 jobs)

Click here to see the full list.

How To Stand Out As An Intern…Sort Of.

Posted on June 28, 2010 by

Want to stand out as an intern? Try rapping about your company’s products.

Seriously. It worked for this guy…

Now here’s the million-dollar question. Would you rather land a full time job because of your hard work and dedication? Or because of your 15 minutes of fame after getting posted on Mashable?

Discuss.

Never Use The Third Person On Your Resume

Posted on June 24, 2010 by

It seems as though using the third person on your resume made the Top 30 Executive Resume Pet Peeves list. If I had a list of my own, it would be pretty high on there as well.

Want an example? Here’s what you should try to avoid.

George Jones is a globally experienced broker and trader with significant, progressive brokerage experience and expertise.

This isn’t just a tip for executive resumes. It’s good advice for anyone trying to get a job. Avoid the third person at all costs. It will hurt your credibility as an applicant.

A Look At Microsoft’s Candidate Experience Lobby

Posted on June 21, 2010 by

“Wow” is all I can say. If you are interviewing with Microsoft, you may get a chance to see the Candidate Experience Lobby.

And what is a “Candidate Experience Lobby” you ask? Well, it’s your chance to play with some of the latest technology Microsoft has to offer. According to this post on their recruiting blog, the room has recently been upgraded:

We’ve had quite a few recent additions to our lounge including the newest games, Modern Warfare 2 controllers (for the serious gamer) and a sweet new Rockband set up – complete with ACDC “Back in the Black” drum sticks!

We’re also setting up some Zunes and Kin phones at the bar so candidates can explore the great variety of Microsoft devices while waiting for their interviews…

Sounds like a great way to get acquainted with the company!

Mastering Proper Networking Techniques

Posted on June 18, 2010 by

There’s a great article on Career Solvers called Why Networking Gets a Bad Rap and What to Do About It which provides information on how to “properly” network when looking for a job. It also has some excellent tips on how to be more effective while networking.

Among my favorite advice:

…when you network you should never ask someone for a job… You ask them for information that will help you in your search. Your goal is to build a relationship and establish rapport so that if a potential opportunity becomes available in the future, they will want to refer you…

and…

Building a network is about creating a genuine, caring relationship. Thank your contact for the information they have supplied and see if you can help them in some way. Maybe your contact is interested in living in an area that you are familiar with or has a child interested in attending the same school you just graduated from. Share your knowledge of the school and your experience there as a way to help the other person. Keep notes on what you learn about your contacts so that future correspondence can have a personalized touch…

Check out the full article here.

Using Facebook In Your Job Search

Posted on June 17, 2010 by

I’ve long maintained that Facebook can cause more harm than good when it comes to your job search. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be useful.

To get a better handle on how Facebook can be used to help you land a job, I’d recommend watching Alison Doyle’s video How to Job Search on Facebook. It’s an excellent primer on what you can do to improve your work related social networking.

Enjoy!

Get Launchpad Vol. 1 For Free!

Posted on June 16, 2010 by

Got some exciting news today from Chris Perry over at Career Rocketeer. He is now offering Launchpad: Your Career Search Strategy Guide (Vol. 1) for free!

If you are in the job market (or plan to be at some point in the future) then this is something you absolutely need to get your hands on. It’s full of amazing advice from some of the world’s best career experts.

And if you missed it, Launchpad Volume 2 is also for sale (with a contribution from yours truly)!

So what are you waiting for? Grab your copy of Launchpad: Your Career Search Strategy Guide (Vol. 1) today!

Should New Grads Wait For The Perfect Job?

Posted on June 15, 2010 by

If it were up to me, the answer would be no, it’s not worth waiting for your “dream job” as a new grad. I’ve written about this at length over the last couple of years, but now I finally have some company on the bandwagon.

If you’ve been reading the site for a while, you already know my stance on finding your dream job out of school. But I was reading Are today’s grads too picky about jobs? on MSN recently and I thought it was time to revisit the debate, this time with reinforcements.

Here’s the author’s rationale for suggesting that any job is better than waiting for the “right” job to come around:

Far from seeing this as a problem, we think Ivy League graduates SHOULD work at street fairs, Starbucks, McDonald’s, etc., to learn something about the world from which they have been insulated all these years. Queenan warns these young graduates they’ll have to work with people who believe in UFOs and play in REO Speedwagon tribute bands. We think they need that experience.

And why are these new grads in this situation in the first place? It’s some good, ol’ fashioned questionable logic:

Yet despite the fact that the new graduates are in no position to pose conditions for employers, many are increasingly declaring themselves unwilling to work more than 40 hours a week. Graduates are turning down job offers in high numbers — essentially opting to move back home with their parents if the work offered doesn’t match their self-assessed market value.

This is a classic issue of poor estimation. Perhaps a short story will help clarify things.

When I was younger, my sixth grade teacher gave me a couple of bound Sports Illustrated collections that had been surplussed from our school library. At the time, I was convinced they were worth a fortune. I tried selling them (with dreams of a thousand dollar payday) only to find that no one wanted them.

So I figured that if I held onto them for a few years, they would appreciate in value. However, my parents told me that something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.

Well guess what. I’m still trying to sell those books. My most recent attempt (half-seriously on eBay) met with no bids. Now, I just want them out of my house. You see, the lesson my parents taught me (or rather, let me learn) was true. If no one is willing to pay what you are looking for, you’ve over-estimated its value.

The same goes for new grads. Holding out with inflated expectations is an excellent way to remain unemployed for a very long time, especially in this market.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that you need to be aware that having unreasonable expectations is one thing, but not realizing the value of work experience (over sitting at home) is another thing altogether. Sometimes the best opportunities are hidden beneath the surface.

So don’t wait for your dream job. Find an opportunity that provides room to grow. You never know what will happen.

Ask Gradversity on formspring.me

Posted on June 14, 2010 by

If you have a job-related question, anonymous or otherwise, I’m now available on formspring.me to answer!

The lines are open, so ask away!

PRHR’s #1 Interview Skill

Posted on June 9, 2010 by

Silence. Precious silence.

I couldn’t agree more.

You have to read The #1 Job Interviewing Skill from Punk Rock HR. It explains exactly why what you don’t say is more important than what you do say.

I wish I’d written this…

Silence is your secret weapon.

Check it out here.

When Your Resignation Turns Sour

Posted on June 8, 2010 by

Yikes!

Just read about Evan Culver’s resignation from Mahalo on TechCrunch. Normally an employee leaving a startup isn’t news, but in this case, you get to see what happens when the boss overreacts.

I won’t spoil the surprise, but suffice it to say, after sending a perfectly reasonable resignation note to his boss and coworkers, his manager flipped out.

You have to read it to believe it.

Have you ever had a bad experience leaving a job? Leave us a comment!

Is Your Resume Producing the Response You So Desperately Need?

Posted on June 7, 2010 by

What one strategy is most likely to attract more attention to your resume from hiring managers and recruiters? Providing the potential employer with a picture of what you accomplished at your previous employers is one of the best ways to illustrate what you can deliver to their organization. Employers are looking for results; and when contemplating hiring decisions, they’ll choose the candidate with the best experience and most applicable prior successes. If they have a need—and you’ve demonstrated you can deliver—then you’re essentially showing them you are a perfect fit.

Allow me to explain. When I review a resume, I’m thinking: What can this person do for my company? Does he or she have the results to back up the experience? Is it the right candidate for this particular position?

The best way to communicate this to a potential employer is through accomplishment- and contribution-based resumes. Duties and responsibilities are subpar. Accomplishments and contributions are much better.

Don’t sell yourself short either. If you’re not in sales—and you don’t have hard numbers—that is okay; not every profession will. When I sit down with a client to put together a resume, I basically interview them, just as if I were interviewing them for the job they’re trying to get. I like to know about their entire history at their previous employer—not just what is on their current resume. I can discover a lot more about a client that way—and better relate this information on his or her resume. It is amazing to me, how many people don’t know what to say or how to say it on their resume. When compiling a list of accomplishments to place on your resume, start with these three questions:

Name the three things you are most proud of in your career.
What do you feel are your biggest strengths? Name three.
What makes you unique? Why should this employer hire you over another qualified candidate?

Okay, now take the answers to those questions and find a great way to incorporate them into your resume.

Global resume authority Jessica Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast is a former HR Manager who partners with professional- and executive-level candidates to create authentic, branded resumes and cover letters.

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.

College Grad Job Search – Are You Prepared?

Posted on June 2, 2010 by

If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm.

- Vince Lombardi

Is it almost time to graduate already? Four years felt like a long way off and, unless you are on the 5 year plan, in a few months you will be looking to start your new job. What, you don’t have a job lined up yet? Time is running short! If you’ve been listening to the advice of your professors, college career center and yes, even your parents, you’ve been preparing for your job search and should already be looking for a job. If you participated in Internship Programs over you college career you already have some great experience and may even have a job (or some leads). But even if you’ve done everything you should have you may not yet have a job lined up.

Preparing for the Job Hunt: The first part of any endeavor is preparation – knowing what you need, knowing what to do and knowing where to start.

College Graduation Checklist – Okay, so you know what you need to do to graduate (hopefully), but this article gives you a checklist of things you need to do to prepare for your job search – references, recommendation letters, resumes, cover letters – the usual suspects. This article is a great place to start to ensure you have a list of what you need. There are additional links on the left hand side of the page with relevant information on this topic.

How to Prepare for Work After College – This article, from ehow.com, has some great information and advice. The article has eight points, all of them are worth a read. Some of these points apply to earlier in your college career, but can certainly be leveraged now as well. In addition to the 8 points of advice, there are related links on the right hand side of the page.

The Tools You Will Need: Every trade and profession has tools. In this case I am talking about the tools of your job search.

Entry Level Resumes – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume. There are so many choices these days. This resource, from Collegegrad.com, provides a list of links to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).

References: The Keys to Choosing and Using the Best Job References in Your Job Search – You will need references in your job search and the best time to get them is before you graduate college. Letters from professors or Internship employers carry a lot of weight. This article, from Quintcareers.com, will help you make the best choices when choosing who you will ask for references. Just having reference letters is not enough, you need to have the right letters. In addition to the great information offered in this article, there is a list of questions that employers might ask your references. Definitely worth a read.

Guide to Researching Companies, Industries, and Countries – Okay, you have your tools, where do you start? This article, also from Quintcareers.com, provides some great background and an amazing list of links to resources for your job research. You do want to balance the amount of time you spend on research with actually looking for a job (you could spend months just making your list), but this article should be your list of where to look and how to look for companies that interest you.

Good luck in your search.