What to Do After College: Corporate Ladder Isn't the Only Path

Many students are so wrapped up in studying that career planning is close to the bottom of the to-do list. But thinking about life after graduation isn't exactly the worst thing you can do. Thankfully, there are many career options. You can go corporate, work for a small business, start your own business, or even purchase one that already exists.

Corporate

Many students choose the corporate path. Large firms often pay generous salaries and come loaded with perks. Employer paid health insurance is still the cheapest form around. And remember these three words: flexible spending account. A flex account is a corporate fund that allows you to use pre-tax dollars for necessary expenses.

And corporations offer a chance to move up the ladder and into a rewarding career. The great corporations are efficient, money making machines and employees are rewarded richly.

Start Your Own Business

Many entrepreneurs have turned into our world's most successful citizens. Entrepreneurs create most of the valuable products and services we love and use every day. (This article was written on a Mac, invented by famous entrepreneur Steve Jobs.) Even moderately successful entrepreneurs live pleasant lives. Here are three steps for small business start up:

Find Your Niche

A successful business fills a need not being served.

Enjoy your business

If you hate going to work or don't have faith in your product you are destined to fail.

Crunch the numbers

Create a solid business plan so you can better understand the potential of your idea.

Buy a business

When working for the man just isn't for you, and you can't think of a reasonable business model, you can always purchase an existing business or franchise.

Buying a business is extremely tricky, and often more costly than starting your own. One way to find a decent business is to contact a business broker. According to start up publisher Entrepreneur.com, a broker will assist you in many of the tough areas. Brokers will prescreen businesses, negotiate terms and guide you through the paperwork.

Whatever your choice, the thing to do is weigh all of your options.

Typical job interview questions and Checklist for the perfect job interview

Prepare well and stay calm in the face of unexpected questions

Who are you? Where do you see yourself in the future? What are your plus and minus points? Think carefully about how you want to present yourself and what you want to say about yourself, particularly regarding personal matters. Remember you’re in a job interview, not in the confessional! You can prepare in advance for the standard questions such as ‘Why do you want to work for us?’

You can also prepare for the typical questions that an interviewer will ask based on your CV. Try not to bore people with standard answers – and never complain about previous employers. Give yourself plenty of time to understand a question and what may lie behind it before answering. If you’re not sure, ask. And don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you have to have an answer for every question. Be honest and admit, for instance, that you’ve never really considered the intriguing question of who your role model might be.

Turning an interview into a dream job – stay calm, be personable

Keep calm even when faced with the unexpected, such as provocative questions like ‘Aren’t you biting off more than you can chew with this job?’ The interviewer is just trying to prompt you into saying a bit more. Stay objective, talk about your strengths, and don’t forget that they wouldn’t have called you for an interview if they’d thought you were completely unsuitable for the job.

Towards the end of the interview, your interviewer will tell you something about the company and ask you what you already know about it, so you should have researched the basics of both the company and the sector beforehand. You can find out more at this stage in the interview, but avoid annoying the interviewer by asking questions that have already been answered or which are easy to research, such as ‘How many people does the company employ?’ Recruitment experts recommend asking questions about what you will actually be doing, such as ‘Which other employees or departments will I be working with?’

It’s important that the interviewer gets a clear idea of you as a person, so you should be business-like and well informed but also pleasant, smartly dressed and punctual! There’s no single dress code for interviews, but simple elegance will always stand you in good stead. Pay attention to minor details that you think will be hidden, like down-at-heel shoes or coloured socks, and try on your interview outfit at least once in advance. During the interview, pay attention to your body language: don’t be too tense, but don’t be offhand either.

Job interviews around the world

A look at job interview practices around the world reveals there are certainly differences from country to country. Interviewers in the USA value a relaxed, self-confident performance, while those in China and Japan are more likely to react well to modesty.

Interviewers in Asian countries are quite happy to ask personal questions about such issues as marital status, children, health or age. In the USA and Britain, however, such private matters are usually not addressed. In many countries it’s bad manners to ask too early in the interview about the salary. In the USA, China and Brazil, for example, money is not mentioned until it looks likely that a contract is in the offing. In Germany, by contrast, salary negotiations are an integral part of any job interview.

And whether the interview is in Berlin, Boston or Beijing, immediately after it’s over, it’s important to ask the head of HR who will make the next contact, and when.

What Connection You Should Use to Get a Job?

Most of us know by now that using connections is the best way to find a job. Open jobs are simply so hard to find that our best hope often rests in our friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even relatives. They hear about the openings before we do…

Many articles tell you how to use your connections to find a job, but few tell you what not to do. Here are seven ways you shouldn't use your connections to get hired:

1.    Don’t assume personal friendship transfers to a professional relationship. Maybe it does, but just because you play softball with someone does not mean he can find you a job at his company or properly present you and your skills to the right person. Sometimes it is better for us to present our own skills to the HR manager than have someone who really doesn't know us in this way present them.

2.    Don’t make your job-hunting problems the first time you have ever talked about your career or work. You should be sharing your professional life with your contacts well before.

3.    Do not trash your last employer or industry. This might be tempting to do, particularly to someone you know, but it is never a good idea. They may shake their head in agreement during the conversation, but they will leave with a negative impression of you.

4.    Realize that appearing too insecure, needy, or desperate could change your connection and friendship. Right now, you are seen as equals, this might diminish you somehow. It is well worth that risk when the conversation is handled appropriately.

5.    Don't assume preparation is less important. Just because he or she is a “connection” does not mean you can short circuit the process. Come prepared with a list of companies that interest you. Hopefully, your connection can use this as a starting point. In other words, do not expect your connection to do all the work for you.

6.    Don’t guilt him into helping you. Chances are, if your connection is a friend, he will already want to do whatever he can to help you. Don’t make him feel guilty when he takes longer than you think he should to make an introduction or two.

7. Don’t force the issue. Trust your connection to know the right way to help you. If he does not think it makes sense for him to insert himself into the HR system at his company on your behalf, let it go.

  

9-Points to Start Your Own Business

Running your own business is a rewarding but engaging career and life choice. It demands your time and focus. Start by expecting to live your work until it is established so it can get off the ground. There are many different opinions about how to start a business from researching and writing a detailed business plan to organize it all to just jumping into a passion and trying to make money out of it.

1. Start with your idea

This probably isn't a brand new invention or product. In fact, many successful small businesses have found a way to deliver an existing service or product more efficiently and economically or have customized an existing product or service to fit an opportunity.

2. Put together a business plan

This doesn't require hundreds of pages with thousands of charts. Include research into things like how much you can charge for your product/service, how much it will cost to produce or deliver (include variable & fixed costs) and the size of your potential market (i.e. number of customers). The plan should evaluate your competitors - how many competitors, how strong are they, where are they, how will you compete. The plan should state what is required to enter this market, barriers to entry such as high fixed costs (factories, restaurants) and government regulations that must be met.

3. Determine if you need financing.

Your business plan will include a section on financing. How will you pay the costs to start and run your business? Do you need a bank loan? Use credit cards? Self finance? Also, you'll need to consider how much salary you need to support yourself while starting your business.

Put together your initial marketing plan. Marketing need not cost a fortune. Some businesses require very little. For example, many service businesses such as accounting firms build their practices through word-of-mouth referrals. You can also join free or low-cost associations to build awareness of your small business. Again, your business plan (product, customer, competitor) will help you determine the marketing efforts you need to undertake.

4. Build your infrastructure early

This doesn't mean build a big factory or a fancy office. It simply means keep accurate customer records, a clean set of updated books and a technology foundation, if necessary. One of the downfalls of many small businesses is that they don't know if they're making or losing money (i.e. the need for a clean set of books). Another downfall is when small business owners try to sell their company years later but lack accurate customer history and customer information. Many times, the customers of a small business are its best asset, and, without the records, the small business can be sold only for salvage.

5. Move forward and get started

Once you know you can be profitable take the leap and get started. Besides getting business supplies or advertising, plan ahead by establishing some new business clients ahead of time. If you're business is unlike a restaurant, that physically needs to wait for customers to walk into it's doors, establish accounts ahead of time. In this way, you will have pre-planned future receivables to look forward to. Think about and focus on making money first, where ever possible, instead of spending money. The more money you can bring in, without spending money, the more profitable you are going to be.

How Can You Keep Your Marriage Strong During A Job Loss?

Having met with many couples who called it quits because financial stressors tore their relationship apart, I have made a point of offering some tips on how to keep the marriage intact through such a rough patch, and more importantly suggest that they use this "professional interruption" as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship. Here are seven ways to keep your marriage strong during dire financial times.

1. Remember your vows

Part of your marital contract you once agreed to love and support one another in "good times and in bad." Believe it or not, I know couples who decide to reinforce this agreement by staging formal or informal vow renewal ceremonies. Putting emphasis on the stipulation that you will hang in there during the bad times certainly helps to reinforce what you signed up for from the get-go. 

2. Keep the situation in perspective

A job loss can be temporary. Consider yourself lucky that this unfortunate event is not life threatening. Together, celebrate the fact that one of you is employed and the other employable—a job loss is not a terminal illness.

3. Let your unemployed partner know you will help in the new job search

You can take an active role in many ways: Help your mate update an outdated resume; assist by going through job listings for him/her and make suggestions on which ones might be best to pursue; spread the word to colleagues and others in your professional network who might steer your spouse toward the right job; spend some quiet time alone helping him/her tally up the many skills and talents that might expand new job possibilities. Any one of these efforts will demonstrate that you are in job search mode along with your spouse.

4. Don’t slack off around the house with regard to shared responsibilities

Nothing will bring down a marriage faster in the equal status department than to assume that since your mate is unemployed he or she can tend to all the household duties. Your spouse may offer to pinch hit because he/she is jobless, which is fine but don't let them take on all the responsibility. It may make them feel demoted and contribute to a loss of self-esteem.

5. If you are the person who is employed, cut back on your favorite things that require money

If you are used to playing golf every Saturday, betting on the ponies, shopping at a gadget store, snapping up the latest fashions, or even enjoying lunch out a couple of times a week, call a moratorium on such extravagances. This will also let your unemployed mate know you are conserving funds to help make up for the loss of income. Not mentioning you are cutting back will send an even louder message. Just do it! Your spouse will take notice and thank you. 

Five Low Investment and High Profit Businesses

Office life just doesn't work for some people. So what keeps countless Americans in jobs they hate instead of at the helm of businesses they love? Most of the time, it's the fear of leaving a secure paycheck for an uncertain future. But what these would-be entrepreneurs don't realize is that there are some low-risk business options out there that don't require a six-figure investment. For those who are ready to ditch their 9-5 jobs, franchises offer a tested and affordable business model. In fact, many franchises can be started for less than $50,000.

1. Dry Cleaning Gopher

Keep former office mates looking dapper by owning PRESSED4TIME, a mobile dry cleaning service. With this business, all you need to do is pick up and deliver dry cleaning and shoes for repair from businesses and office buildings. A local plant does the dry cleaning; a repair shop fixes the shoes. Your job is simply to acquire customers and pick up and deliver their clothes.

The investment costs for PRESSED4TIME range from $20,000 to $30,000 with a $21,000 franchise fee. You can keep overhead costs low by working from home. You can go solo with one van or acquire additional vans and staff to expand your business. No previous dry cleaning experience is needed; the PRESSED4TIME home office provides training, arrangements with a local dry cleaning plant, and is available for ongoing advice and assistance.

2. Mobile Pet Groomer

Animal lovers should check out the Hydro-Groom Mobile Pet Wash franchise. With dogs and cats in 60 percent of U.S. households, there is no shortage of four-footed clients in need of grooming. This service is in especially high demand for busy families, senior citizens, and people who are housebound due to illness or a handicap.

The Hydro-Groom mobile unit is a small trailer that is hitched to your personal vehicle. The unit contains all necessary equipment for grooming and washing pets. No grooming experience? No problem. Hydro-Groom provides comprehensive on-site/on-the-job training for all new franchisees and 24/7 support to help you grow your business.

Investment costs for Hydro-Groom run from $15,000-$37,000 and you can run a single or multi-unit operation. Your income level depends on your ability to obtain and retain customers and how well you can keep their furry friends looking great.

3. PosiGrip

Believe it or not, there is money to be made from slippery floors. PosiGrip is a high-profit business that reduces the risks of falls and injuries in the home and workplace with an investment price tag of just $10,000 for franchise licensees. A non-slip tread design is applied to floors, tile, tubs, and showers, making them safer without changing the surface's color or appearance. The customer base for PosiGrip is huge, including malls, hotels, hospitals, offices, homes, restaurants, and airports. Any place with foot traffic is a place with a potential PosiGrip customer.

4. ACE/Security Laminates

Crime can pay—especially if your business involves protecting homes and offices from the bad guys. ACE/Security Laminates is the world leader in security window laminate protection and safety window film. ACE/Security Laminates' protective coatings make glass more resistant to rocks, sledgehammers, baseball bats, and even a bomb blast with over 2500 pounds of explosives.

With rising crime rates and the threat of terrorism, this business can be quite lucrative for a dedicated and determined entrepreneur. Dealership packages start at $25,000; investment costs scale up according to the size of your territory. New owners receive equipment and training as well as ongoing support from company headquarters.

5. SpanishFUN

ÀHabla espa–ol? Like to teach? You may want to consider a SpanishFUN franchise. SpanishFUN is a teaching franchise offering children ages 2-10 introductory second language skills with activities in a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere. Your customer base includes individual kids, youth groups, pre-schools, and childcare centers. Given that Latinos are the fastest growing group in the U.S., fluency in Spanish will be vital to anyone entering the working world.

The best part is that SpanishFUN is one of the more affordable businesses to start. Investment costs run about $12,500 and include an exclusive territory, teaching aids, and in-home training. Classes can be taught in your home or on location. You don't have to be fluent in Spanish to own the business either. You can work alone or hire additional instructors to increase your ability to grow the business.

You can leave your office job behind

With some courage and a modest cash investment, you too can leave your cubicle behind. If you're serious about going into business for yourself but don't know where or how to begin, franchises may offer the perfect opportunity to unleash your inner entrepreneur. To find a franchise opportunity that fits your needs, the International Franchise Association is a great place to start. You may also want to attend a trade show such as the West Coast Franchise Expo and the International Franchise Expo in Washington D.C. for more information on how to start your own franchise.

Apply for Federal Jobs That Provide You good Salary, Benefits and Job Security

The federal government has projected a 13 percent increase in employment through 2020 and offers good salaries and benefits, job security and flexible work schedules throughout the country. See the best federal jobs:

1. Air traffic controllers
Annual earnings: $113,840
Percent growth: 10.7 percent
Annual openings: 780

2. Criminal investigators
Annual earnings: $73,320
Percent growth: 29.8 percent
Annual openings: 1,160

3. Computer and information research scientists
Annual earnings: $99,730
Percent growth: 19.5 percent
Annual openings: 200

4. Social scientists and related workers
Annual earnings: $75,540
Percent growth: 19.3 percent
Annual openings: 800

5. Accountants and auditors
Annual earnings: $87,730
Percent growth: 11.1 percent
Annual openings: 740

6. Logisticians
Annual earnings: $76,000
Percent growth: 17.8 percent
Annual openings: 730

7. Scientists
Annual earnings: $113,050
Percent growth: 18.4 percent
Annual openings: 120

Apply through the link www.usajobs.gov

Quality Online Degree Can Lead You a Better Job. Consider Before Joining

Here are six things to consider when looking for a quality online degree program:

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.

No Job in UAE, What To Do?

It's more like showing up at someone's birthday party uninvited. What would you do? Look for someone you know? You won't be getting a piece of that birthday cake anytime soon. So do you flip a coin and just go to UAE because you have a gut feeling, or do you plan your trip?

If your answer was "Plan", then you have opted to read my multi-layered suggestions. While tracking and sorting messages from our database we concluded that 106 out of our seven figure candidates decided to go to UAE in the year 2011 without securing a job first. Only 30 were successful in getting placements in their preferred work zone. Candidates were a mix from countries such as Canada, USA, Australia, India, Pakistan and the Philippines. They were mid-level management with a degree and an above average risk tolerance. So then why did only 30 secure employment?

Before I answer that question, let's consider the uncertainty factor here. How did they prepare their trip to UAE and find work? Some cashed in their paid vacation days; others relinquished their post, few of them traveled with limited cash in their pockets. Which one of these would best describe you?

None of the above, I hope. Before you decide to go to UAE scraping off your left over leave time and money, you need to be in the "System". With that I mean, you must first be in touch with an employer or have a friend who can refer you to them directly.

Time unquestionably flies when you are in UAE, because its fun. You have places to go, things to buy, beaches to see and all that can gobble some of your leave time. You need approximately 60 days before you can start building a solid lead that can materialize so that you can make headway.

30 out of the 106 did just that. They had friends or relatives in UAE that were contacted ahead of time. They did not call the employers directly, but make sure the employer was somewhat aware of their arrival by having their friends refer their resumes to the Human Resources or hiring manager ahead of time.  So let's say you are not one of those fortunate ones to have friends in UAE, and since you are already in UAE now and need help, what do you do?

Let's go back a few steps here and find out what impression does a prospective employer have about you if you intruded up unprepared. Not a good one indeed. You are unprepared (repeated deliberately), you lack the skills to research, and network, and to a sad realization - you might not be getting an interview call either.

Don't start off by dropping resumes to job agencies and companies directly, no hard copies and not floppy disks please. Now-a-days they prefer an emailed resume, since hard copy resumes in UAE are looked upon like vacant land, very few people have them and it's hard to find. You might as well label your resume "Trash Can" before you hand it out to a reception desk. Hard copy resumes are good only if you show up at an interview; this gives the interviewer a second chances to glance through your experience and consider you, and they don't mind having an extra copy in front of them. It also makes you look prepared and keen for the job.

So now you have gone directly to most employers, and you have emailed resumes to addresses on every business card that you nicked off the front desk. You have done your follow up calls diligently. While you are spending the nights pondering your next move or taking advice from family abroad, you must try other avenues, why miss an additional chance if there is one. You should go to hang-out-places, make friends, and start networking.