Employment

Degrees in Communications: Disney’s Dream

November 14, 2012 by Guest Contributor

Mass Communications

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, the communications industry has a wide variety of interesting positions available, everything from graphics designers to reporters and technical writers to film editors. Plus there are announcers, photographers, translators, etc. And that doesn’t even take into consideration all the new media jobs coming online including things like game and app designers and social media coordinators. If you are considering a career in the world of communications you need to look no further than the master of mass communications– Walt Disney.

Walt Disney the Ultimate Role Model for Students of Communications

Walt Disney was a visionary leader in the field of mass communications. He always strove to make the impossible, plausible and he used the newest mass communications technology to enable his imaginary world to come to life on the big screen, TV, and even in the real world as he developed his Disney theme parks. Every advance in communications technology gave Disney a new way to expand his vision of bringing fantasy into reality.

In Disney’s world, anything could happen… mice could talk, Princesses could be awoken by a kiss and puppets could become real boys. Disney’s mastery of animation and his subsequent mastery of technology-empowered him to [Read more…] about Degrees in Communications: Disney’s Dream

Is a Liberal Arts Major a Wise Choice?

November 13, 2012 by Jorgen Rex Olson

Liberal Arts Major-

They were golden when they marched into their high school graduation ceremonies four years ago. They would be off to college in a few months to broaden their horizons, gain independence and ready themselves to make their way in the world. Instead, they are now without any significant income and, once again dependent on parents and, worst of all, sheepishly moving back into their old bedrooms. What was all the studying for? The all-nighters and the extra-credit assignments? The second-guessing and self-doubt then set in. Perhaps a more practical major would have prevented all of this. Is a major in the liberal arts, i.e., social sciences or humanities, really just a waste of time and money?

What Employers Want

In the current economy, of course, graduates with those “practical majors” find themselves in the same boat as their liberal arts major classmates. Still, which majors have proven to land post-baccalaureate employment quicker and with better compensation? Forbes magazine addressed this issue in an article about the 15 most valuable college majors. The magazine’s findings were based on a survey by Millennial Branding, LLC. Without exception, each in-demand major was derived from a mathematical or scientific discipline, with biomedical engineering topping the list. Nearly 70 percent of hiring managers, the article continues, want to see coursework relevant to the available positions. Looking for new employees to hit the ground running, high-paying firms seek candidates with an existing knowledge base in the field. As tuition soars and opportunities shrink, the sociology major appears to be an unprofitable investment.

The Best Liberal Arts Degree

Like other social sciences, sociology has a quantitative component requiring statistical research. Cultivating competence in [Read more…] about Is a Liberal Arts Major a Wise Choice?

Working for the Government in Public Administration

November 12, 2012 by Andrina Cagandahan

Many students and people looking for a career change have often wondered to themselves how to get started working for the government. These can be some of the highest-paying, most secure positions out there, and they touch many different fields and organizations – probably more than you imagine. Postal workers, municipal clerks, urban developers, and even workers that handle aircraft and artillery usually have one thing in common – a background in public administration. Public administration can lead you in many different directions, but some of the most common careers can also be the most lucrative.

Four Public Administration Careers to Consider

Policy Analysts

Many government agencies employ policy analysts, who evaluate their current policies and figure out ways to improve them or formulate new ones. They can be involved directly in finding the best ways to communicate with the public and also finding the best ways to address certain problems. This can mean conducting surveys or doing research on public perception – finding out which parts of an organization are working, and which need to be revised. Budget analysis is a similar job, but budget analysts focus on how much money is being spent and how a government organization can allocate its funds more wisely. [Read more…] about Working for the Government in Public Administration

Job Hunting Success: How to Make Yourself More Employable

November 8, 2012 by Karen Schweitzer

Job hunting success can be difficult in a tough economy. There is a lot of competition from other job seekers and fewer positions available. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to make yourself more employable. These tips will help you stand out among the competition.

Job Hunting Success Beings with a Good Resume

Job hunting success begins with a good resume

A poor resume is the reason many applicants do not get a call back from a potential employer. Even if you have a good record of work experience, it may not be fully demonstrated in your resume. Take time to really flesh out the work and academic history portions of your resume. Make note of your accomplishments and awards you may have received. Use numbers and statistics whenever possible to demonstrate proof of performance. If you have leadership experience, be sure to mention it. Keep all of the details to one or two pages maximum. If you need more room to go into detail about your work history, get rid of things like the resume “objective”–it’s fluff. The objective of every job seeker is to get a job that matches their qualifications, desires, and knowledge level; the potential employer knows that. If necessary, get help with your resume from a friend, family member, or a professional resume writer. [Read more…] about Job Hunting Success: How to Make Yourself More Employable

An Information Technology Career

November 7, 2012 by Sachin

Information Technology

With the rapid expansion of new technologies across the entire computer universe, it’s a great time to be interested in a career in the Information Technology field. There are so many different job opportunities available as companies struggle to maintain a leadership position in their industry. Almost any type of business, from retail to manufacturing, is implementing more and more computersystems and methods in an effort to stay competitive. It requires everything from knowledge of basic personal computer operations to networks, servers and even the latest wireless devices. It is certainly more complicated today than at any other time in history, and that is why well-trained, professional Information Technology personnel are always in demand.

Education is an important key in getting a job in the information technology field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are a variety of careers in Information Technology including:

Computer programmers which require a Bachelors degree and earned an average of $71,380 in 2010. Computer systems analysts earned an average of $77,740, Database administrators averaged $73,490, Network and computer systems administrators earned $69,160, while Software developers earned $90,530. With only some college Computer support specialists were still able to earn an average of $46,260 at the other end of the spectrum Computer and information research scientists require Doctoral or Professional degrees and average over $100,000 per year. So there are a variety of different types of positions available in the Information Technology field to suit a variety of different career needs at a variety of different education levels.

The question for you is: what kind of company you want to work for, and what kind of position you want?

Get Rid of IT Career Stagnation Once and for All

Answer the Basic Questions

The most efficient way to find the right career for you is to use a professional IT recruiter. If you’ve recently graduated from technical school, or if you have many years of previous experience, you have to set goals for yourself and decide exactly what you want to do with your career:

Factors Which Influence Career Choices

November 4, 2012 by Dr. Amarendra Alapati

As the old saying goes, “The Choices makes the man” life is full of choices. In our academic life for instance, a person is given the choice about which career to take up, normally during their college years. With so many options to choose from, a person might become confused and overwhelmed.

Education influences Career Choices

Education, in general, is important in equipping a person to fulfill the dreams that they have. It is the thing which will mold a person to become successful one day. Choosing the right career will determine the future that a person might have. Basically, the journey of making a choice about a professional career starts with career development.

What is Career Development?

Career development is generally a long and engaging process in choosing the right option amongst the many employment opportunities available to a person. People who undertake career development are actually influenced by a lot of factors. It is the combination of educational, economic, physical, social as well as psychological factors that can influence the nature of work during the life of an individual. Each person will experience some, or even all, of these influential factors as they go through the process of deciding which career option to choose. [Read more…] about Factors Which Influence Career Choices

Sit, Stay, Good Dog: Become a Certified Dog Trainer

November 3, 2012 by Dr. Amarendra Alapati

Certified Dog Trainer-

If you love dogs and spending lots of time training them, you might consider a career as a dog trainer. Did you know that as a dog trainer, you’ll need to have lots of patience and understanding with people, too? Dog trainers actually spend most of their time teaching people how to train and manage their own pets, so you’ll have to be a people person, as well. With the proper training and knowledge, you can choose one of the many diverse careers in the dog training area, from dog show preparation to military dog training to puppy kindergarten.

What do certified dog trainers do?

Certified Dog trainers are professionals who have learned methods for correcting canine behavior. Not all abide by the same techniques, but the end game tends to be the same – they want to increase your dog’s good habits while decreasing behavior that is less desirable. Some use treats to reinforce desired actions, others mark good behavior through clicks that are associated with praise or food, and others may even [Read more…] about Sit, Stay, Good Dog: Become a Certified Dog Trainer

5 More Phone Interview Tips to Help You Get a New Job

November 1, 2012 by AzouzGmach

When a company has a large pool of applicants for a job, it won’t have time to meet everyone personally. One way companies narrow down their search is through a phone interview. If you’re scheduled for a phone interview, it’s your first step towards a new job. Here are some tips to keep in mind so you can ace your phone interview and earn yourself a chance to meet the employer in person.

1) Be Prepared for the Interview

You want to make sure you’re well prepared for your phone interview before it starts. Print out a copy of your resume ahead of time so it is easy to reference during the call. You should also write out a few questions about the job and any information you definitely want to mention to the interviewer. Keep these papers in front of you during the call so you can use them as a reminder.

It can also be helpful to have computer access for your call. Load up the interviewing company’s website so you can reference it during your conversation. If your interviewer starts talking about something you don’t understand, you can do a quick web search while he’s talking. Just be careful not to let the computer take your mind off the call.

Note: If you’re worried about your ability to multi-task, you may do better leaving the computer off for your interview.

2) Remove Distractions

One of the problems with a phone interview is that it can [Read more…] about 5 More Phone Interview Tips to Help You Get a New Job

State Employment and Unemployment Rates- September 2012

October 29, 2012 by Tim McMahon

Unemployment Rates by State-

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released the individual state unemployment rates and once again NORTH DAKOTA has the lowest unemployment rates… literally begging for employees. They have “man camps” where men from all over the country are showing up and parking RV’s and cashing in on the high paying jobs available in the pipeline industry. And because the pay is so good it is driving up the wages everywhere else as Denny’s and McDonalds have to pay $15/hr in order to attract employees. Stories abound of labor being so scarce that Walmart quit stocking shelves and just places the pallets straight on the floor in the aisles and people grab the stock straight from the pallet.

On the other end of the spectrum we have Nevada where the gambling industry is hurting and they have 11.8% unemployment. This is followed by Rhode Island, California and New Jersey at 10.5%, 10.2% and 9.8% respectively.

Source: BLS Data is based on Unemployment rates for selected states, seasonally adjusted, September 2012

The full Unemployment Data for all 50 States plus D.C. is:

5 Excellent Tips to Ace your Next Phone Interview

October 25, 2012 by Justin Epley

Companies are increasingly finding it difficult to hire the best employees. One way firms are dealing with this problem is by holding initial phone interviews before scheduling a face-to-face interview. As a job seeker, you need to prepare yourself well if you wish to pass this initial huddle. Below is an overview of a few major tips you need to concentrate on to ace your phone interview.

Phone Interview Tip #1: Be cooperative

You should endeavor to answer all the questions fielded at you without evading any of them. You should be cooperative with the interviewer even when you feel the questions are being repeated. One of the mistakes many people make is that of referring the interviewer to their resumes. Something like “check my resume to understand what I am saying” will not go down well with most interviewers. Remember, it is not only your answers the interviewer will be interested in. Your manner of answering the questions will be used to determine your intelligence, level of cooperation, communication ability and many other things.

Phone Interview Tip #2: Do not ramble

It is tempting to talk too much but doing that will actually hurt your chances of acing the interview. In fact, it is better if you wait for two or more seconds after the interviewer has stopped talking before answering. This will eliminate your chances of interrupting the questioning process, something that can actually be viewed as rude. Rambling may also lead to numerous ‘ums’ and ‘ahhs’ in your conversation, and you cannot pass an interview that way. [Read more…] about 5 Excellent Tips to Ace your Next Phone Interview