5- Steps to Improve your Presentation Skills during Job

At some point in your career, you might have to stand up and present to a room full of people. And when you do, you'll find that it's not as easy as it looks. So to help you do it, read these tips and hints to improve your presentation skills. So you've been handed a suite of new projects to manage. What's next? Take these 5 steps to make sure you don't end up working around the clock and pulling your hair out while you're at it.

Prepare with care

To give a great presentation, you need great preparation. Start, by thinking about your topic and the audience and what they are most interested in. Then list your key points and write down the general structure of the presentation ahead.

If you need to, write down every word that you want to say and memorize it. Experienced presenters don't need to do this. But if you're a little nervous or you're new to presenting, then by writing everything down it will boost your confidence and settle your nerves on the day.

8-Things to do if you hate or not like your boss

In a world where your boss changes more often than your address, at some point in your career, you will end up with a boss you hate. Hating your boss has all sorts of side benefits. Like making your life miserable, adding to your stress, and probably lowering the quality of your work. Bosses are generally not a favorite personality and yet they play a major role in your career growth. Here are eight things to do if you do not like your boss.

1. Like Your boss

Stop looking at him through a filter that makes you despise him all the time. Learn to appreciate his good qualities. The more you dislike him, the more you will dislike him because then you will be ignoring most of him positive traits.

Eight Things To Do and Five Things Not To Do During Your Job Loss or layoff

Whether you are recently lost you job or just feeling a bit uncertain about your job security in these tough economic times, following 8+5 points can help you to get back on your feet quickly in the event of a layoff or job loss.

Eight Things To Do

1 - DON'T PANIC

You may have lost your job but you have not lost everything. You are a skilled individual and will work again. Do not ever lose sight of these two simple sentences. Do not let yourself fall into a spiral of negative thinking. Think back to all the other people that you know of that have lost jobs in the past and are now successfully employed.

How to Write Follow-up Thank You Letter After Job Interview?

Remember a very few people bother to send thank you letters - this can be your edge! Try to follow these hints when writing thank you letter.

1.     Keep your letters short and simple - usually one page is enough.

2.     Help the interviewer remember you by referring to specific points discussed in your

3.     interview: show that you were listening and mention something that will

4.     refresh the interviewer's memory of you

5.     Be sure your letters are professional, for example: typed, no errors, on quality paper, etc.

6.     Send your letter within one day - do not put it off!

7.     Emphasize your qualifications, especially those that are most relevant to the position

8.     Provide any information that was overlooked during the interview or that which was

9.     specifically requested by the interviewer

10.  Express your continued interest and enthusiasm for the position

How can I return to work after a career break?

Getting back to work after a significant break can seem very daunting. Many people who find themselves in this position just don't know where to begin and are often faced with barriers that other jobseekers don't come across…..

There are many reasons for taking a break from your career, but generally they fall under voluntary, such as taking an extended holiday, or involuntary, for example experiencing redundancy. The third category contains women looking to resume a career after maternity leave.

All situations require slightly adapted job search tactics, so take a look below to see how to make your return to the market a successful one.

15 Myths and Misconceptions About Job-Hunting

How much of a job-hunting expert are you? Read over these 15 myths and misconceptions about job-hunting and see how many of them you believed in and how many you knew were incorrect……..

 Once you know the truths about job-hunting, you should have more job search success -- and less stress.

Myth 1: Registering at Several Internet Job Boards Will Result in Multiple Job Offers
One of the most prevalent misconceptions in job-hunting is that job-hunting on the Web is some magic elixir that will result in employers lining up to interview you. While job-hunting on the Web should be one component of a job search for most job-seekers, it should not be viewed as having any higher success rates than applying to help-wanted ads in the newspaper or trade magazines. Only about 5 percent of job-seekers obtain jobs through ads.

Filling the Job - It Ain't Over 'til It's Over

The first runner-up gets the job many, many times.That's right. The number one finalist often falls out, and number two is hired…….

It's every company's headache...after what's often a lengthy process, they think they're about to close the file on the position when suddenly it's an active search all over again.

For recruiters, it's a nightmare...for all the reasons above and because recruiters don't receive the bulk of their fee until the candidate is placed. There's also usually a guarantee on the candidate, meaning if he or she falls out within a period of time after the start date, payment is refunded to the client.

How can I stay motivated during my job search?

When you set out on your job search, it's rarely possible to guess how long it will go on for. As time passes, the rejections mount up and the budgets get tighter, it's easy to become disheartened…….

However, this is exactly the time when you need to dust yourself off and put in more hard work than ever. One of the main attributes of a successful job seeker is persistence. Here's a few tips to help you stay positive:

Start as you mean to go on - The first 30 minutes of your day are golden. The thoughts you think and the actions you take during this critical time affect your performance levels for the rest of the day. Instead getting up late, set your alarm as if you were going to work, have a shower and take a walk to get some fresh air in your lungs.

3 words that will kill your job search

It's not unusual for job seekers to reach a point in their searches when they stop hoping to land a coveted job and resign themselves to consideringany position.......

 In theory, this "I'll take anything" attitude sounds promising: Less selectivity means greater possibilities, right?

Not so fast. Before spending precious time applying to jobs for which you're not qualified, consider these ways that a cast-your-net-everywhere tactic can backfire:

Strategies For Older Workers to Market Themselves

Just because you may be entering retirement age does not mean that you are too old to work if you still want (or need) to. In fact, many companies are looking to the Baby Boomer generation and beyond to fill in roles that require years of experience………

So if you're looking to come out of retirement, or simply want to switch jobs and are at an age that some might consider older, don't put yourself out of the game. Instead, take on a few of these strategies to help you market yourself so that you can obtain the same great opportunities as your younger counterparts.

5 Secrets to Jump Starting Your Job Search Today

It isn’t easy staying focused and motivated in a job search. You send countless resumes that no one responds to, recruiters don’t call you back, companies that claim to be hiring aren’t interviewing, and your professional networks simply aren’t generating leads. What’s the average job seeker to do?.......

For starters, you can stop doing what the average job seeker is doing and start doing what works. Here are five easy-to-implement strategies you can use right now to jump start your job search and outperform the job market.

Seven Tips on Navigating Sticky Workplace Conversations

No matter how you might try to avoid them, at some point in your career you will need to have difficult conversations with your boss…..

 It might be asking for a raise, delivering bad news or explaining you can't get all of your assignments completed. How you handle these conversations can make the difference between a positive or negative outcome.

Jodi Glickman, a former Goldman Sachs investment banker and founder of Great on the Job LLC, has written a new book,Great on the Job, which delves into how to have an effective communication strategy at work. She provides step-by-step guidelines on handling tricky situations.

5 Attitudes In The Workplace To Get You Ahead

You are looking for attitudes in the workplace to become your career booster. You are possibly past your first year mark at work. You have somewhat learned the ropes of your position but you feel you are slowing down…..

So, what are some of the attitudes in the workplace that can help you get ahead at work? These are many positive attitudes that can help you do that. In fact, the value of these attitudes is that they make you moremotivated and hence, give you a career boost.

These are the 5 career booster attitudes in the workplace to get you ahead:

1. Enthusiastic
I know, how can you ever feel enthusiastic about work especially when you already feel sluggish with the same work after a few years? It is precisely this reason that I ask you to be enthusiastic. To be enthusiastic at work is about a mental state. You need to make the decision to be enthusiastic. Start by saying I will be an eager participant in this project or task.

Attack your task with energy. Do not drag your feet. The more you tell yourself, “This is so boring”, or whatever the excuse maybe the worse you will feel. Get interested in the work and the energy will come naturally. Then decide to be eagerly involved. Being enthusiastic and energetic are attitudes in the workplace that can get you ahead. You cannot get ahead without energy.

2. Efficient
Strive to be the most efficient worker in your team. According to Webster’s Universal College Dictionary, to be efficient means “performing or functioning effectively with the least waste of time and effort.” When you are effective, you are producing the intended result. When you are efficient you do it with the least waste of time and effort. That means you are capable and competent.

If you carry with you the attitude in the workplace of constantly striving to be the most efficient worker, then you will sooner or later get ahead in your career. You will get a career booster because you are the most capable and competent on the team.

3. Excellence
Of the 5 attitudes in the workplace, this one probably calls for you to give yourself some pressure. A little pressure is good since it makes you push yourself harder. Strive for excellence in everything you do. Do not be contented with good. Go for great.

Exceed expectations by knowing that good is sometimes not good enough. Give everything your utmost best. You will naturally see how this becomes your career booster. When you strive for excellence in everything you do, you quite naturally surpass others in your work. That gets you ahead.

4. Early
Have you ever thought about being early as an attitude in the workplace that can get you ahead? Yes, especially when your workplace practices flexible time. Many people take flexible time for granted. They stroll in and out at their own pace, not knowing they have probably wasted productive time.

Start early at work. Some of my most productive days are those that I start early before the phone rings and before my staff walks in with questions. Clear your emails from last night, craft that important email when there are no disturbances.

5. Easy
Make every effort to be the easiest to work with in the office. Now, I am not saying compromise on your need for excellence. For example, this means not to complain and grumble each time there is a team meet. No one likes to work with someone who nags all the time.

When you are easy to work with, you make working enjoyable for the rest too. Such attitudes in the workplace is welcomed everywhere and you make yourself a competitive edge of any team. This competitive edge is your career booster.

There is no need for complicated plans to get a career boost. Simple steps with these attitudes in the workplace can get you ahead in your career.

Giving a Stalled Job Search a Jump-Start

After graduating in 2007 from Loyola Marymount University, Rachel Jones was laid off from two jobs consecutively in her chosen field, public relations. In the grueling nine-month job search that ensued, she sent her résumé to more than 130 employers, initially applying for just about any opening she could find—from office assistant to movie-production coordinator. She also sent the same generic cover letter to every employer……

"It's easy to fall into a routine of just copying and pasting in a new company name," the 24-year-old says.

It wasn't until Ms. Jones started focusing on junior positions in her field and writing introductory notes tailored to specific opportunities she was aiming for that things started to turn around. She started receiving more interview invites for jobs she actually wanted. In August, she landed an account-coordinator position at a small Los Angeles public-relations firm.

For many out-of-work professionals, finding a job in today's market requires far more effort than it did in the past—and a lot more stamina. Last month, the Labor Department reported that it takes unemployed workers an average of 27.2 weeks to land a job, up from 19.1 weeks in September 2008 and 16.7 in September 2007. But career experts say there are several ways job hunters can revive a stalled search.

Taking a highly targeted approach, as Ms. Jones eventually did, is one strategy. Another is to focus on obtaining leads to unadvertised positions where the companies seek out their own applicants. Relying solely on job-board listings, which have been shrinking, isn't enough these days. There were roughly 3.3 million jobs advertised online last month, compared with 4.4 million in September 2008 and 4.7 million in September 2007, according to the Conference Board, a research firm.

Many employers have cut back on advertising jobs online because they are overwhelmed with applications, says Bradley G. Richardson, a partner at executive-search firm Kaye/Bassman International Corp. in Plano, Texas. Instead, they are relying on word of mouth and referrals to draw a more manageable number of applicants, he says. That requires more networking on the part of the job seeker—even tapping into people you don't know well.

After getting laid off from a market-research firm in November, Jon Evoy says, he devoted most of his time to applying for positions he found online. "It's easier to sit in front of your computer and just start looking for jobs as opposed to pounding the pavement," he says.

But then a month passed during which Mr. Evoy, 30, says he failed to land a single interview. The lack of interest prompted him to shift gears. He reached out to everyone in his network—even people he hadn't spoken to in years. One was an advertising professional he had met two years earlier at an industry event. Kaplan Thaler Group Ltd., the New York agency where she worked, wasn't hiring at the time, but she agreed to set him up on an informational interview with a colleague who was a director at the firm.

Meanwhile, Mr. Evoy followed another bit of advice career counselors recommend to boost a lagging job search. He made a point of keeping up with news and trends in his target industry to identify potential job opportunities. When he came across an article in a trade magazine about how the firm he did the informational interview with had won a big client, he sent the director a congratulatory email and asked if the firm would be hiring soon to meet the new demands. He received a reply tipping him off to a coming job opening. He applied and got it. Later, Mr. Evoy learned that an employer he did a free-lance assignment for during his job search contacted the advertising firm and put in a good word for him—further proof of the power of networking.

A drawn-out job hunt also can give out-of-work professionals the time they need to fill a skills a gap—which in turn can jump-start a hunt. During her 10-month search last year, Laura Perry says she noticed many openings in her field, communications, required or preferred expertise in social media—something she lacked. "In my previous job, they had not embraced social media at all," she says.

So Ms. Perry, 54, attended a conference on the subject and later volunteered to create a Facebook page for a local hair salon. She went on to build Facebook and LinkedIn pages for the Los Angeles chapter of the Executive Women's Golf Association, of which she is a member. She also created a Twitter account for herself and tweets about the communications industry.

Ms. Perry added that social-media experience to her résumé and says what she learned helped her talk intelligently in interviews with employers—and she was able to point to samples of her work in this area. In July, she was hired as director of communications for the school of nursing at University of California, Los Angeles, where part of her job is to manage the school's presence on Facebook and other social media Web sites.

In a recession, another way to put a job search back on track is to push your boundaries. That means including employers of all sizes and in more cities—even if that requires considering lower-paying positions at small, unknown firms.

Following a layoff from a midsize publishing company in February, Brian Rushton Phillips, 37, embarked on a search for a creative-director position in the Toronto area paying annual salary of $85,000 or more.

"I began lowering my expectations [for pay] once it became clear that the market wouldn't accept it," he says. In August, he accepted an offer for such a job but from a small publisher in New York that pays about $15,000 less than he earned in his last position. But he says he is happy to have a job, particularly one in the field he wants to work in.

If other changes aren't helping refresh a job search, check for something as minor as a misspelled name or grammatical gaffe in your resume or cover letter. Job seekers should bear in mind that in a cutthroat market, employers are less inclined to ignore such errors, says Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, a career-coaching company in Chicago. It's critical for job seekers to take the time to carefully proofread their resumes and every cover-letter submission, or have someone else do it. "The slightest mistake of any component of your job search can destroy your chances," says Mr. Karsh. "This needs to be a flawless process."

by Sarah E. Needleman

This article reprinted in full without permission for the purposes of education and research, as permitted by Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976.

New Grads Must Be Creative in Job Search

Michael Jugenheimer considers himself lucky. He has a job.The 22-year-old from Danielson, Conn., received an offer on his graduation day from Grinnell College last month. It was payoff for a search that began in October…..

Jugenheimer won't be using his studies exactly as he envisioned, but he's thrilled. In his new position he will help raise money for Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. As of June 22, he'll be employed, and that is a victory in this economy, where 6.8 million people are looking for a job, the highest on record dating to 1967.

At the outset Jugenheimer interviewed with consulting firms specializing in community development projects. In school he had focused on global development studies — the impact of economic, political, and social change on the environment — as he pursued his economics degree. Some of the companies had projects in developing countries, while others worked on low-income housing in the United States.

However, he found the competition fierce.

"I would go on interviews and I'd be competing with people who had a master's degree or people who had experience," he said. "I realized I need to be looking at jobs that I have tangible direct experience in."

Around January, after a few months of interviewing, Jugenheimer changed course.

After assessing his skills, he recognized that he had accumulated significant experience in fundraising at Grinnell, a 1,600-student liberal arts college in central Iowa. He helped bring in money working with the college's alumni relations staff, assisted with phone-a-thons and joined a program that encouraged graduating seniors to donate before leaving the college.

With that experience, he began sending resumes to nonprofit groups, colleges and universities. The strategy worked. He had several interviews, some callbacks and the job offer on graduation day.

Jugenheimer did just the right thing by focusing on his skills and identifying employers that were looking for what he had to offer, said Catherine Byers Breet, a Minneapolis area job recruiter for companies, who also offers job coaching services to unemployed workers.

He was successful in finding a job because he realized he wasn't qualified yet for a job in the area of his studies, but he did have skills that are suitable for something else, at least for now, Byers Breet said.

"(Recent graduates) need to be realistic about what they're qualified to do," she said. That sometimes means taking a longer view of their career by accepting an entry-level job first, with the thought that it will help them get to their perfect job later.

Simply put, job coaches and college career advisers say it means the unemployed must think more creatively and broadly about how their particular set of skills can be used.

Three things Byers Breet said will help a job search, whether or not you're a recent graduate:

1.     Define your skills and identify the type of job that you want. Write it all down and then research the jobs that fit your skill set. Several Web sites allow you to plug in skills, to produce a list of appropriate jobs, among them: http://online.onetcenter.org.

2.     Identify the gaps between your skills and your ideal job. This may force you to realize you're not ready to step into the dream job right now. You may need to enter something more suitable to your skills that could be a stepping stone to where you want to be.

3.     Once you figure out what's realistic, focus your resume and cover letter appropriately. Get help if you need it. At some point, you'll need to get off the Internet and start networking with people. The Web can be a very good resource for many aspects of a job search, but nothing replaces meeting people who know people.

Networking is imperative in a competitive market, said Christian Garcia, director of the University of Miami's Toppel Career Center.

"Our message has been to prepare as early as possible, open your mind and keep all your options open," he said. Students are reminded to look at their career more broadly, understanding that the first job may not end up being the ideal, but it's still experience for a year or two and it will always look good on the resume.

A recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that just one in five of this year's college graduates who had applied for a job were hired. The survey of more than 16,500 graduating seniors at 840 colleges and universities, also found that 40 percent of responding seniors know that their first job out of school may not be as lucrative as they had hoped.

Jugenheimer said expectations vary depending on the career and cost of living in the city where a job is located, but many of his classmates would likely accept a $30,000 to $35,000 salary to start. That's near the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics estimate of the average privately employed U.S. worker salary.

Getting a paycheck for now and worrying about larger career aspirations later is how many recent graduates are approaching the job search, said Josh Burdick, 22, of Winchester, Mass., another Grinnell graduate.

"You get out there and find some way to pay the bills," he said. "Once you get started, it's much easier to keep your ear to the ground and learn about more opportunities."

Burdick was offered a job during finals week by the Urban Land Conservancy in Denver. The offer came only after multiple in-person and telephone interviews.

The conservancy is a nonprofit organization that buys real estate and buildings in urban areas and redevelops it. Its work includes establishing affordable housing and revitalizing neglected areas neighborhoods. He will be focusing on research projects assessing the effectiveness of federal housing programs.

Burdick is thankful for the experience it will offer and sees it as a steppingstone. He hasn't given up on that youthful dream: "I'd like to leave a physical mark on the world and build something."

by David Pitt

This article reprinted in full without permission for the purposes of education and research, as permitted by Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976.

Tips for a Successful Phone Interview

The phone interview has become the most popular way in which companies reduce the candidate pool for any particular job….

  And while they seem easy, they might be the hardest step in the job search process.  Most applicants are confident going into the phone interview, but find out quickly just how unprepared they are.  Here are some tips to help get you from the phone interview to a face-to-face meeting. 

Find a quiet space.  This is harder than it looks,especially if you already have a job.  You cannot participate in a phone interview from your work desk without everyone in the office knowing you are looking for a new job.  At the same time, hearing “tall white chocolate mocha for Fred” in the background is not the best way to endear oneself to the interviewer.  If you take the interview at home, you can’t simply apologize for a barking dog or crying baby and expect to move on in the process.  You must find a quiet place for the phone interview.  It shows the interviewer respect, it allows both parties to hear one another completely, and it reduces the amount of distractions that could cause you to make costly errors when asked difficult questions. 

Listen carefully.  You cannot rely on body language to help you get through the phone interview.  This becomes difficult during a conversation when you are unsure if your answers are satisfactory.  As a result, job applicants always find themselves always over-answering the question, trying too hard to please the interviewer and often times seeming desperate in the process.  At the same time, it is often common for the interviewee to talk over the interviewer when they excitedly want to answer the question.  Listen very carefully.  Make sure the interviewer is finished talking before jumping in.  Listen for verbal cues that will help you determine if your answer is satisfactory.  In the end, the best bet is to go with your gut and keep your answers quick and to the point. 

Dress appropriately.  Sometimes, rolling out of bed and participating in a phone interview actually hurts your chances of getting the job.  Sure, unless it is Skype, the person on the other end can’t see you, but a phone interview already makes it difficult to keep things formal.  If you are dressed in your pajamas, you might end up acting too informal on the phone and unprofessional in the eyes of the interviewer.  People act differently when dressed professionally.  While you don’t have to wear a suit and a tie, your attire should put you in the mood for what is one of the most important steps of the job search. 

Cheat.  The one thing a phone interview allows you to do is work off a script.  While you don’t want to make it obvious that you are reading off a paper (use your own words and maintain a conversational tone), it is very helpful to have a cheat sheet in front of you –information about the company you are interviewing for; questions you want to ask the interviewer; and answers to important questions about your experience.  People get nervous on phone interviews when they realize it is not as easy as they thought, so sometimes a quick reference guide on your computer makes it just a little easier to stay focused and get to the next round. 

Beyond that, the usual tips apply – research the company; prepare to answer questions about your greatest strengths, weaknesses and obstacles you had to overcome; be prepared for the all-important “do you have any questions” portion of the interview”; and always follow-up by thanking the interviewer for his or her time and addressing any portions of the interview you might want to elaborate on further to help your cause.  This should help you be in a better position as the interview process moves further into the live rounds.   

Jon Minners, Vault.com

Using study abroad to your job-hunting advantage

Study abroad has the potential to be life-changing and to bring about unanticipated new perspectives about your choice of major and career focus…..

  Even if you made the decision to go abroad without any consideration at all to how it might impact your career, the experience has been shown to be tied to career choices made years after graduation.

Study abroad and resumes

In the current tough economic climate, there’s intense competition for jobs in every field.  The question is how well prepared are you to compete and what can you do to stand out among your peers when the time comes to conduct a job search in your senior year?  Of course, internships and service-learning in the U.S. or abroad offer unique opportunities to build important skills and competencies, but studying abroad has many unique benefits which you can leverage.  If you carefully assess and analyze the outcomes of your time abroad, you’ll want to do more than just add the experience itself to your resume.

If you did not visit your career service office before leaving campus, it’s time to do so.  It will be useful to discuss the impact of your time abroad with an advisor who can assist you to:

Reflect upon the career preference you had and whether or not, as a result of your time abroad, you’re considering other options;

 Review how the experience strengthened your interpersonal and analytic skills; provided you with new cross-cultural insights;  improved your language competency;  and made you a more flexible and adaptable person;  and

Inform you about how to incorporate the above skills and competencies in cover letters and articulate these new attributes in job interviews.

The most important thing you will learn is that employers may not place any special value on the fact that you studied abroad; but, they will value how well you explain how your time overseas strengthened skills and competencies which are important to the company or organization.  It’s true that not every employer is looking for staff who speak a foreign language or who have a “global perspective,” but, since you chose to study abroad, there’s a strong likelihood you’re looking to work somewhere where your international experience is valued and will give you a strategic advantage.

Next steps

You need to craft a job search strategy which is purposeful and develop an intentional game plan to move your search forward in successful ways.  There are important steps you can take to identify employers whose goals and purpose align with your values and interests.   These steps should include the following:

Assess your career interests, personal values and professional skills

Align these with a field, a sector, a group of organizations which closely track your career preferences

Create a plan – with advice from your career service office- which moves your search forward in your senior year

Create space each week/month to conduct your research, meet with alumni, research organizations and track their job openings

Monitor all career events and presentations taking place on campus –and participate!

Research and networking

You can also design a networking strategy which leads you to speak with alumni, family and friends –on campus and in the community - who can provide valuable insights and information about the field you’re interested in. 

A career or faculty advisor can help you learn about professional associations and organizations to broaden your understanding of employment prospects in a given field.  It’s important to connect with alumni who can assist you in gaining a better understanding of how to break into a field and provide insight into the kind of skills valued for entry-level assignments

You can conduct LinkedIn searches after you upload your profile and join your campus alumni group after graduation. Before that, you can search and join groups relating to career interests you have,  geographic locales of interest, and other criteria.  LinkedIn is an invaluable asset – and used widely by professionals all over the world – in researching both organizations and individuals.  Which alumni are now or have ever worked at an organization of interest to you? 

Research websites of organizations where alumni have worked in your field and try to conduct background research which makes you a more informed networker when reaching out to speak with alums online.

Did you meet useful contacts while abroad?  Be sure to keep in touch with them and let them know about your career plans. 

Networking is about building strategic connections.  Develop a plan, stick to it, give yourself time to identify people you want to communicate with, craft a message, follow up, and keep at it. 

A job search takes preparation and especially time –while you are completing your degree, something you don’t have a lot of- so organize and prioritize the tasks you need to accomplish month by month.  Don’t wait until graduation is around the corner---as soon as you return to campus from studying abroad, get started. 

By Martin Tillman

Online Degrees and Your Career

Do you want to go back to school but don't want to quit your full-time job to do so? An online or distance learning program might be your best option….

Online colleges and distance learning programs allow workers to earn a degree without the hassle of driving to campus or attending classes. For full-time professionals, the option of learning on their own schedule is ideal. In a Zogby poll, 88 percent of those surveyed said that more people would complete a college degree if they didn't have to quit work and if they could balance their personal and work obligations.

While earning an online degree might seem like the answer to your back-to-school prayers, there are a few things to consider. How long will it take to earn the degree? How much will it cost? How do I know if a school is legitimate? And most importantly, how will employers perceive my online degree?

"Not all online programs are created equally," says Mary Ann Shurtz, executive vice president of Stratford University in Falls Church, Va., which offers both campus and online courses. "Because of this, the value of the degree and education one receives will be greatly influenced by the program they choose."

How do employers perceive online degrees?

To many people, a degree is a degree -- but to others, there can be an issue of trust, or lack of reputation and familiarity, says Marc Scheer, a career counselor and educational consultant based inNew York City.

"Traditional programs have been around for hundreds of years, but online programs are relatively new [and] employers tend to be less familiar with them," he says.

Employers are getting there, however. In a survey done by online institution Excelsior College and Zogby International, 61 percent of CEOs and small business owners nationwide said they were familiar with online or distance learning programs.

Not only are they familiar with them, but 83 percent of executives in the survey say that an online degree is as credible as one earned through a traditional campus-based program. Employers said such factors as the accreditation of the college or university, the quality of its graduates and the name of the institution awarding the degree were among other things they considered to make an online degree more credible.

Dannie McClain, a category manager for Town and Country Linen, says she thinks getting a degree from a school with both online and traditional programs has helped employers view her degree as credible. Initially hired without a degree, McClain now has a double online degree in marketing andbusiness from Michigan-based Baker College, which also has online programs.

"I think gaining my degree from a 'true' college that offers online courses in addition to regular ground courses helps in my employer seeing this as a 'true' degree," she says.

Not all employers feel the same way, however. Brandon Mendelson, a former business owner, says he wouldn't consider an applicant with an online degree -- even if he had everything he was seeking. He says he thinks that students get only a fraction of the learning experience online.

"I want someone who made the full commitment," he says. "These days, there are no excuses. Your job will pay for school; colleges have day care facilities that are usually free; so actually going to the school gives a candidate the edge in my book."

Advantages of online learning

But what about those who don't have time to make it to school every day? Luckily, one of the biggest perks of earning an online degree accommodates that very issue.

"Online degree programs are designed to help adult learners with busy lives earn their degree without being tied down to class times and without having to go to campus," says Jeff Caplan, dean of strategic enrollment management at American Sentinel University, an online university.

Michael Rogich, director of the center of online learning at Saint Leo University, based in Florida, says studying online is just as effective as studying traditionally, and in some sense is more powerful.

"With adult students, your options are either part time or online," Rogich says. "Online, the student has more access to a good program and is constantly connected to instructors and fellow classmates."

Tom Johansmeyer, who earned his MBA online and is currently working on his doctorate, is a perfect example of that. He says an online program was his only option for going back to school.

"I was working as a management consultant and spending 40 weeks a year on the road," he says. "With that kind of travel schedule, it would have been impossible for me to get to a classroom."

Indeed, online learning can benefit some students more than classroom learning. For example, some students might not learn as well in a classroom if they are shy or disengaged in group settings. In this case, Scheer says online students may benefit from their programs by interacting with students like themselves.  Additionally, online discussions can be more inclusive and productive than classroom debates, especially because online forums offer more opportunity for participation.

Disadvantages to online learning

Not having face-to-face interaction with a teacher, however, can also be seen as a disadvantage for some students.

"Being able to attend when you want means you have no face-to-face, so there are no real-time answers to questions you have," McClain says. "You either have to wait for someone to reply to a forum, e-mail the instructor or hope that there is someone on IM that can answer you."

Scheer says it's easy for online programs to be fraudulent and nonaccredited, so there's the possibility of being scammed or unable to transfer credits to another school. Finally, some employers simply don't accept online degrees from any school, accredited or not.

Tips for finding a quality online degree

Are you interested in going to back to school online? Here are six things to consider when looking for a quality online degree program, according to Shurtz:

1.      The reputation of the school. Is it an institution that provides only online degrees or does it have physical locations as well? Having actual campuses helps to establish credibility. A red flag would be the existence of only a post office box or suite number.

2.      The accreditation of the institution. The Department of Education says that researching the accreditation is essential. Diploma mills are usually accredited by fake agencies. It's important to make sure the accrediting agency is one recognized by the department or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

3.      Does the school offer technical help and easy access to speak with advisers, professors and the help desk?

4.      How quickly the degree can be earned. A red flag would be earning a bachelor's degree in just months.

5.      Program fees. Students should pay as they go and be charged per credit hour, rather than per program.

6.      The work involved to earn the degree. Diploma mills require very little work and often take life or work experience into account. Legitimate programs require the same amount of work one would expect attending class on a campus.

By Rachel Zupek

The Jobless Rate and How it Effects You

The jobless rate seems to keep getting worse. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment Situation as of August 05, 2011 showed that the "Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 117,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was little changed at 9.1 percent....

 Job gains occurred in health care, retail trade, manufacturing, and mining. Government employment continued to trend down.

In another featured news release, on June 24, 2011, "In 2010, 18.6 percent of persons with a disability were employed, compared with 63.5 percent for those with no disability. The unemployment rate for persons with a disability was 14.8 percent, compared with 9.4 percent for those with no disability."

Those numbers are stunning.

Many of those (possibly you) who are unemployed were laid off, terminated, downsized or let go through no fault of their own. Even knowing you didn't deserve to be let go, it is still difficult to handle. It is also not easy to handle the questions that come your way from friends, family and neighbors - not to mention prospective employers.

In this era of corporate mergers and a struggling economy, we've all come to realize that job security is quite rare these days. Everyone understands that no job is going to last a lifetime. Companies aren't loyal to their employees the way they used to be several decades ago.

The good news about losing your job in this day and age is that, while losing your job is still very painful, it is no longer considered a career-ending experience. It doesn't carry the stigma that it used to in years past.

So when you're interviewing and that question about a gap in your employment comes up, there's no need to lie or try to wrap the story in a pretty bow. Just tell the truth. Even if you were at fault in some way, just be honest. Explain that you have learned from the mistake and won't make it again.

Keep your answer brief, state what you've learned (if anything positive), and express your desire to move on. It shouldn't be the focal point of your interview.

Employers want to know about your talent, skills and capabilities, so emphasize those, assure them that you can help solve their problems, and convince them that you will be a hard-working, loyal and dedicated employee.

If you have the skills an employer needs, your past employment situation won't keep them from hiring you. Keep a positive attitude and exude energy wherever possible.

Top of Form

5 job-search tips for career changers

You've hit a turning point in your career. Whether it's because your job has slowly become less satisfying over the years, or you woke up one morning and realized you hated going to work, you've decided it's time for a change…

The "I don't know what I want to do, but I know it's not this" predicament is confusing at best. Besides the issue of figuring out what you want to do, there's also reality to consider. You might  think you'd make a great marriage counselor, but do you really have the time, energy and means to get the necessary training? Will your career change require you to relocate? How will you convince potential employers that, after 10 years in one career, you have the necessary experience for a new one?

Because the career-change process is complicated, it's important not to rush into anything. Take time to explore your options and answer all of the questions you have about the career paths you're considering. Or, as "What Color is Your Parachute?" – the best-selling career guide – puts it:

"Good career choice or career planning postpones the 'narrowing down' until it has first broadened your horizons and expanded the number of options you are thinking about. For example, you're in the newspaper business, but have you ever thought of teaching, or drawing or doing fashion? You first expand your mental horizons, to see all the possibilities, and only then do you start to narrow them down to the particular two or three that interest you the most."

Once you've got a short list of potential careers, it's time to begin your job search. Mark C.D. Newall, senior vice president at Keystone Associates, a career transition and management firm in Boston, offers the following quick tips for job searching in a new field.

1.    Play the game. As newbie, you're going to have to put in a lot of footwork. "Intensively networking, utilizing technology, honing your interviewing skills -- all of these things are important and need to be done," Newall says.

2. Identify your edge. Since you won't be able to rest on your experience, it's important to identify other selling points that will make you stand out to employers. "Everybody is smart, everybody works hard, everybody has a good degree -- differentiate yourself from all of the others by having an edge," Newall advises. "If you have global expertise, call it out. If you have outstanding and demonstrated interpersonal skills, let interviewers know that you will connect with and take care of their clients."

3. Be willing to move. Flexibility can go a long way when breaking into a new career. "Expanding your geography will also expand your opportunities," Newall says.

4. Speak to your passion. "Know what is important to you -- what really gives you that sense of accomplishment -- what gets you out of bed in the morning. Hiring managers will see your passion and how it relates to their business, and they want to hire that," Newall says. Given the amount of self-reflection career change usually requires, rattling off a list of things that make you tick shouldn't be too hard.

5. Have a solid methodology. Like in any job search, you'll need a game plan, Newall says. "Organize your time, your contacts, your approach, and conduct your job search in a planned and thoughtful manner. Then be ready to toss aside your plan, and be able to react to that last minute call."

By Kaitlin Madden

Job-hunting Errors to Avoid

Rejection is a killer. No matter how many times you tell yourself it's not going to hurt, it does. Turndowns take many forms, but in the job-hunter's mind they all say, "We don't want you. You're no good." Here are 10 common mistakes job-hunters make and ways to avoid them:

1. Your goals are unclear

You haven't examined yourself carefully. You're drifting, floating, and your resume says, "Seeking a challenging and rewarding position in which my background, training and abilities can be fully and effectively utilized." What is that? Are you hoping the employer will figure out where you belong? They can't and won't.

You must figure out what you want to do and tell employers clearly and precisely. Begin with structured testing and assessment like theBirkman Method®, and with time-tested paper-and-pencil exercises.

2. You're pretending

You're getting rejection everywhere you go. Nothing works. Perhaps you're trying to go somewhere you really don't belong or don't want to go. You know it, and employers know it instinctively. You're not listening to your insides. You're trying to do what's "practical or realistic" rather than what's right for you. When you listen to your intuition and go in the right direction, doors open.

3. You don't "appeal" to anyone

Your resume tells the employer what you "have done" and where you "have been," but that's not enough. They are interested in themselves, and you need to appeal to their situation and self-interest.

Recently, I noticed billboards for fast-food restaurants that said, "Buses Welcome." (Buses were welcome because each bus holds 60 customers!) The sign "Buses Welcome" repeated until finally one sign really grabbed me. It said, "BUS DRIVERS EAT FREE!"

Give employers 75 reasons to hire you. Make a list. Tell them in clear and simple language what you're going to do for them.

4. You're taking, not giving

You're coming across as a taker, not a giver. You're acting needy, explaining when you can't work and what you can't do. The biggest word in job-hunting is "Help," that's why it's called "Help Wanted," and you need to come across as energetic and enthusiastic. Your prospective boss may be tired, stressed and buried under a mountain of paperwork. They probably need help badly, and they will hire the person they think will help them the most, the fastest, with the least amount of hassle. The second they think you're helping them, you're on the way to being hired.

5. You take "no" too easily

You make a phone call or send a letter and no one answers. So you turn on the tape that says, "I'm Worthless." Don't give up. "No" doesn't mean "never." It means "not now, maybe later." If the job, the company, or the person interests you, stay in touch.

Once you find someone you like, make them a friend. Send him an occasional letter and something helpful. A clipping. An idea. A piece of your work. Send it with warmth and enthusiasm. Why do this? Because one day your friend may tell you a new job has opened up—your job.

6. You're "shopping" from a distance

Rejection letters are coming in by the hundreds. What's wrong? Perhaps you're too impersonal, too distant. The Director of Marketing doesn't like a letter addressed to "Director of Marketing." Would you like a love letter addressed to "Occupant?" Get personal. Find out who you are addressing.

A recent letter to me said, "Your article has directed and stimulated me and I'm following your directions..." AHA! She was talking about my favorite subject: me. Your prospective employer might like you to talk about his or her favorite subject too.

7. You're waiting

The interview was fantastic! You can feel it in your bones - you've got the job. Might as well go play tennis and wait. And wait and wait and wait. Until suddenly the bad news, "We've hired someone else." As salesmen say, you don't have the order (the job) until you have a check "in the hand" and then, not until you have cashed it. Then you have a job (temporarily). The solution is to stay busy. Keep a lot of balls in the air so that no one "rejection" will stop you.

8. You lack support

There are several kinds of people in the world. Positive people tend to know positive people, negative people seem to know negative people. Be sure you stay in a positive network. When someone is especially warm or kind, ask if they know any other really friendly people who might help. Chances are, they will. When you meet a negative or rejecting person, go somewhere else.

9. You've found a jerk

Sometimes you do everything right and still get rejected. A client recently wrote a letter that said, "Jim Taylor's my name...Transportation's my game." The hiring executive wrote back, "We find your introduction somewhat interesting in that you say, 'Transportation is your game.' Transportation is not a game to us - it is serious business. Your brief rundown of experience indicate specialization in areas where we are adequately staffed with competent professionals."

This seems cold and unfeeling. What can Jim do? "Judo" the rejection! For example, he could write back, "Thank you for your letter of... Yes, you do seem to take your work seriously—perhaps too seriously! I'm sending along a couple of transportation cartoons to help lighten your mood (include them). I do take my work seriously. Here are examples (include them). You will find me a very helpful employee as so-and-so did (include a one-line testimonial). Thank you for your attention. Let's talk again."

Take your power and use it. Don't let others have the last word. Often you can have the last work if you apply a little creativity.

10. You're rejecting yourself

You're telling yourself all the things you can't do, itemizing your failures. Why not make a list of "Neat Things About Me"—and don't be modest. Or keep a "win file." If someone says something nice about you, ask them to write it down. They most surely will.

Finally, remember how very special you are. Know that your background—everything you've done, both positive and negative—has a reason and purpose. It all fits together like a puzzle—and makes sense—if assembled properly.

BY Franklin covey