Posts Tagged ‘Entry Level Jobs’

Happy February Everyone!

It’s time for the monthly roundup where I provide a look back at some of the best posts that January 2009 had to offer:

1. How to sabotage your job search
2. Why network?
3. Resumes vs Cover Letters
4. Best. Job. Ever.
5. Job Hunting 2.0
6. Obama and your job search
7. Confessions from HR
8. You need to read this (because I made this mistake)
9. Best Companies for New Grads to Work for (2009 Edition)

Enjoy!

Interesting question posted over at Career Doctor regarding new graduates and IT jobs. While the question itself if too vague to know what “Chuck” is doing to find a job, the answer is spot on, especially for those of you who are hoping to work in IT.

Not only do you need the skills and training that your education will provide, but it is critical to find as much practical experience as you can in your field.

If you are able to show that you have some experience, you will have a leg up on other candidates who don’t have any beyond their education.

At this point the question is “how do I go about getting experience if I can’t find a job?” The posted answer has a list of great ways to gain experience, but the best (in my opinion) is volunteering, especially if it is for a local not-for-profit organization. Many not-for-profit agencies are low on funds and lack the budget for quality IT staff and support. Volunteering not only looks great on your resume, but it also will help you to gain valuable experience which you can leverage into another position. Plus, it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Whatever happens, do what you can to get practical experience. It will make a world of difference in your job hunt.

If you are a new grad, or are about to be a new grad, Experience.com has unleashed its list of the Best Places To Work For Recent Grads for 2009. There are some great companies on this list, including some big name players such as Electronic Arts and Wachovia.

If you are currently looking for work, this is always a great place to start. Just remember, the competition will be fierce, so you will need to do you best to stand out from the crowd.

Happy Hunting!

Though I may be a little slow on the uptake, I’m starting to come around to the idea of online social networking, particularly when it comes to helping new graduates find entry level jobs. Up until this point, I have always craved my personal privacy and have never opened a Facebook, MySpace, or any other social networking account for that reason. But that’s about to change.

In the coming weeks I am going to focus a series of posts on the benefits that online social networking can have on your job search. Hopefully, this will culminate in the creation of accounts  on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn in which I can help people find Entry Level Jobs.

As an opening salvo, here is an interesting article that was posted on Employment Digest about people using Twitter to land jobs, even in this tough economy.

Stay tuned!