Posted by admin | Under accredited online universities
Sunday Oct 25, 2009
Once upon a time, you applied for afterschool/weekend jobs at McDonald’s or the local Cinema and filled out an easy one-page sheet of past job addresses, references and dates. Times have changed! Now you are expected to fill in your roles, responsibilities and achievements at your past jobs. You’ll need to explain any absences or lapses in work. You need to pick and choose which stories to tell, worry about formatting, spell everything flawlessly and come up with a winning cover letter that best states your desires and your talents. Resume writing can be daunting, but you will need this skill when you apply for internship programs and entry level jobs. Here are some of the biggest pet peeves human resources managers have when it comes to resumes. If you avoid them and follow these great tips, you’ll be on your way to career path success!
John Logan is a human resources manager for the ZS Associates management-consulting firm in Princeton, N.J. and he shares some resume writing tips to help job seekers stand out from the pack. “I find that most resumes do not provide enough details for me to understand the scope of the candidate’s work,” Logan complains. He says that a good resume will detail specifics, such as the number of people supervised, the size of a project budget, sales figures or the estimated cost savings. “Anytime you can quantify your accomplishments, you give them more credibility,” explains Brian Howell from The QWorks Group. Some estimates say that at least 40% of your bullet points should have measurable metrics in them. Think in terms of comparative sales volume, the number of people you hired or led, the amount of money you saved, your success in completing projects based on goals, revenue-generating initiatives, process improvement and cost containment.
With so many job applicants these days, many larger corporations are running resumes through keyword-searchable computer databases to weed out some individuals. “Job-seekers should know the key skills and software packages and list them as appropriate,” says John Logan. However, he carefully adds that using the right keywords “will get a candidate into the search pool” but will not necessarily get them the job. “There is still some art in the employment process,” he says, adding that employers will personally go over their final applicant pool in some detail. In your resume writing, you should list computer programs, action words and nouns that are important to your industry. Often, reading job descriptions in your field for some time will give you a clue as to what employers are looking for. Ultimately, the entry level jobs will be given to those who know what employers want.
There are certain resume writing pet peeves in HR offices that, if found, will send your resume to the waste basket before your star achievements are even read. For starters, misspelled words, typos and poor grammar will kill any chance of getting the job. Secondly, staff managers do not want to see exhaustive paragraphs of text, so keep it in bullet format. Thirdly, do not use copious acronyms or industry-specific jargon that no one can decipher. Additionally, don’t use over-inflated “puffy” language, like saying you are “the winner of many awards” or an “inspirational leader.” Lastly, do not use first or third person in your writing; stick to omitted pronouns and active verbs instead. Whether you’re after a paid internship or full-time position, you’ll be able to get ahead using these resume tips.
Matthew McMillan is a leading expert in the genital wart treatments. His works are regularly featured in online health publications on matters relating genital warts medication. For more information, visit TreatmentForGenitalWarts.com.
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Posted by admin | Under accredited online universities
Saturday Oct 24, 2009
There’s no substitute for experience. The best and brightest minds in the country know that students can only learn so much within the confines of the classroom, so they need to find internships in their fields of interest to test the waters. Most interns will end up settling for unpaid, unfulfilling positions just to throw themselves out there. However, a handful of lucky undergrads will acquire jobs internships that earn them a decent wage and prepare them for jobs at Fortune 500 companies. Business Week recently reviewed 50 of the Best Internship Opportunities in America and here’s what they found.
Topping many lists of premium jobs internships is PriceWaterhouseCoopers. In 2009, this mega-employer had more than 2,800 intern positions and stated that they “place enormous importance” on their internship programs because “interns represent a significant source of talent” for the firm. Interns work with mentors, attend workshops, perform practice exercises and try their hand at numerous accounting tasks. Following the $23.80/hour internship opportunity, 88% of interns were offered a job and 87% of them accepted.
Similarly, Ernst & Young, another accounting firm, had more than 2,200 jobs internships in 2009, which paid /hour. “As an intern here, you’ll be part of a global organization, working alongside committed professionals as you develop the skills you’ll need to succeed,” their website proclaims. Interns will work with various clients in different industry sectors performing tasks like audit reviewing, tax planning and marketing strategy development. In the end, Ernst & Young extended job offers to 98% of interns and 92% accepted.
Other top companies that offer jobs internships include General Electric (/hour), IBM (/hour), Merrill Lynch (/hour), Lockheed Martin (.21/hour), Verizon (/hour), Nike (/hour), Boeing (/hour), the Central Intelligence Agency (.99/hour), General Mills (.48/hour), St Jude Medical (/hour) and L’Oreal USA (/hour). Ernst & Young (accounting), Grant Thornton (accounting), KPMG (accounting), Protiviti (consulting), Accenture (consulting), Raytheon (manufacturing) and Bearingpoint (consulting) have some of the highest rates for offering entry level jobs following the internship opportunities, with over 90% of their interns being asked. Some of the highest acceptance rates can be found by satisfied interns at Norfolk Southern, the CIA, the US Patent & Trademark, the Marriott, St Jude Medical, Metlife and Northrup Grumann.
Matthew McMillan is a leading expert in the curing genital warts. His works are regularly featured in online health publications on matters relating to gential wart cure. For more information, visit TreatmentForGenitalWarts.com.
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Posted by admin | Under accredited online universities
Thursday Oct 22, 2009
Are internships paid or unpaid?
Internships can be both paid and unpaid depending on your academic studies and your field of interest. Many internship programs may offer a small stipend to help you cover your basic expenses while you are working for them. Other internship programs may offer minimum wage while you are working for them for that set period. And there are some, such as in the medical field, that is mandatory and unpaid. Before you agree to an internship you need to make sure you know all of the basics such as what is covered, whether it will be paid and what kind of experience you can expect to gain from the program. It is often the case that one company may be offering an unpaid internship and another offering a paid one. At that point you need to look at what the company has to offer before basing your decision entirely on money potentially earned.
Are there internships offered in a different country?
Yes, there are internships in different countries. But choosing one is entirely based on your career field, your willingness to travel and your ability to live in a different country. Suppose you are a fashion design student and you want to take an internship that would benefit your education and resume. You may want to travel to fashion capitals such as Milan or Tokyo to have the opportunity to work with world renowned fashion houses.
If I am in college, where can I find internships posted?
If you are in college the first place you need to go is your advisor’s office. He or she can give you an idea on what companies in the area or in other parts of the country or world are going to suit your needs best. They can also refer you to the Academic Outreach program for your school. Most companies will alert colleges and universities of openings they have for potential interns. Your school can take a look at your grades, help you create a resume and even help you find the position that is right for you.
What if the internship I am working is not a good fit for me?
The first step in determining whether or not an internship is good for you actually begins before you even agree to sign on with the program. You will be interviewed and will be given the chance to ask any questions. This is not the time to joke around or act shy. You need to ask specifically what your duties are going to be and what you can expect from the company. If, after you are hired, you find that you are not learning anything or you are being used just to shuttle around coffee and mail, you may need to have a discussion with the person who hired you or is in charge of you. You are not there as a personal servant. Rather you are there to learn the skills you need to have a career after you graduate. If nothing changes after your discussion then you may need to give your notice and find a different internship program that is better suited to your needs.
Matthew McMillan is a leading expert in treating genital warts. His works are regularly featured in online health publications on matters relating medications of genital warts. For more information on how to get rid of genital wart, visit TreatmentForGenitalWarts.com.
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Posted by admin | Under accredited online universities
Thursday Oct 22, 2009
Are you wondering who has the best internship program? Frankly, it can be hard to weed through the duds. There are a number of companies out there who are capitalizing off of free student labor in exchange for credits, yet they really couldn’t care less about providing job skills or recruiting new prospects. Some students will feel insignificant and will find themselves faxing, answering phones and pouring coffee more than learning. Unfortunately, nearly half of internships are unpaid. Even so, anyone in academia will tell you that internship programs are essential to your career path. The good news is that there are many corporations out there who value their student intern applicants and hope to mold them into wonderful employees one day. Here are a few of Campus Grotto’s top 10 internships of 2009.
Gen-Y workers expect more from their internship programs and work environments than previous generations. They’ll give it their all if they feel satisfied with perks and work atmosphere, in essence. The Southwest Airlines internship program certainly has plenty of benefits, including a casual dress code, social functions like parties and luncheons, informal networking opportunities and career development classes on personality style, resume building and interviewing skills. Perhaps the best perk of all is the FREE UNLIMITED air travel anywhere Southwest flies! Their internship co op provides hands-on training experience in many different fields, such as Business/Finance, Flight/Ground Operations, Graphic Design/Creative Services, Legislative Communications, Marketing/Public Relations, Safety/Maintenance, Leadership Development/HR, Purchasing and Technology.
For the creative filmmaker/animator minds, nothing beats the internship program at Pixar. You’ll have to spend your first two years assembling a demo reel to submit to the company, but in your junior year of college you’ll be eligible to apply for the internship opportunity to assist in the production of a feature film! Pixar’s interns work with technical directors and contribute as full members of their technical team! Students work in developing programs, modeling sets and props, shading and illustrating, manipulating lighting effects, dressing sets, storyboard layout, rigging characters for animation and rendering the final digital shots to scan onto film. Interested applicants must have some experience using Linux or UNIX, programming languages like C, C++ or scripting languages like Tcl, Sh, Python or Perl. They should have some familiarity using 3D graphic programs like Maya, XSI or Lightwave and education in computer science, math, engineering and art. If you make the cut, Pixar has an unforgettable and meaningful job internship for you.
Genentech, one of Fortune’s “Best Companies to Work For,” offers an intensive internship program that runs for 10-12 weeks during the summer. Students will be placed into project teams related to research, development, manufacturing or business. Juniors majoring in physical sciences or chemical engineering are preferred. You will participate in an internship in San Francisco, Vacaville or Oceanside, California and you will also be paid. Eligible interns will even receive relocation assistance and jobs upon graduation. You will work on projects, career developing and networking in the field of your choice, such as Science, Medicine, Engineering, Computer Science, Law or Business. If biomarkers, genotypes, immune mediated diseases, molecules and cells are your thing, then Genentech is the place for you!
Sarah Lomas is a foremost expert in the yeast infection cure. She has had extensive experience and conducted countless experiments in finding yeast infection medications. She is also a highly acclaimed writer in the yeast infection field and you can find out more at Remedyforyeastinfection.com.
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Posted by admin | Under accredited online universities
Wednesday Oct 21, 2009
The median time a job seeker spends looking for a job has increased from 3.6 months to 4.4 months from the second to third quarter of 2008. In fact, it’s not unusual to hear of perfectly qualified individuals remaining out-of-work for six months. Additionally, in the third quarter of 2008, 13.4% of job seekers relocated to find work (which is up from 8.9% in the first quarter). Despite these grim statistics, one recruiter reminds us that “All too often, job seekers allow themselves to get mired in the doom and gloom of a failing job market. However, if they can remember to approach a job search with a mindset of ‘all I need is a single job offer’ then they will undoubtedly be successful. Once the glamour of the summer internship and college experience has worn off and it’s time to get a job, it’s time to have a realistic assessment of your skills.
First, do you have the education? If you dropped out of high school and suddenly feel like your options as a job seeker are severely limited, you can join the 17 million students who went back to get their General Education Diploma (GED). The test itself measures high school level intelligence in social studies, math, science, reading and writing. You can view sample questions and read more about getting your GED to help job opportunities at www.acenet.edu. Once you have your GED, you may want to consider pursuing vocational school education and internship opportunities, where you will enjoy hands-on activities and practical application.
Next, you need to ask yourself if you have experience. What matters most to an employer examining a job seeker’s record is that the individual knows what it’s like to work on a team, as well as individually. They want you to have a track record of interacting with clients, accomplishing tasks and working under pressure. It seems like a catch-22, doesn’t it? “How do I get experience if I have no experience,” you may ask? Internship opportunities are an ideal place to start. Many are unpaid and offer only college credit, but if you’re looking in the accounting, consulting, insurance, consumer goods, hospitality, engineering or science fields, then you’ll likely find a paid internship to help you acquire the skills you need. Typically, when you finish your interning, the company will ask you to stay and all your problems will be solved! For a list of the best internships, check out Business Week’s list of “Top 50 Internships.”
Education and experience are the two most important identifiers of a promising job seeker. However, job seekers must also be able to present themselves in a marketable way. They must convey that they are competent communicators, hard workers who are willing to go over and beyond for their companies, and are intelligent individuals. Much of this is done through a resume, which shows (in bullet point format) the quantifiable strengths you can bring to the company, with regard to sales volume, dollar signs, company savings or leadership numbers. Some of this is also demonstrated through a cover letter, which is your first chance to impress a prospective boss. You’ll want to use language from the job description to tailor your letter to their needs and suggest why you’re the candidate for the job. If you need help, you can find college assistance in the campus career center or community assistance at a job placement center.
Sarah Lomas is a foremost expert in treating yeast infection. Her work has been extensively published in various online publications in the areas of treatment of yeast infection. For more information on the treatment for yeast infections, visit Remedyforyeastinfection.com.
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Posted by admin | Under accredited online universities
Tuesday Oct 20, 2009
Why are internships important, you may ask? Well, according to a recent survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, paid undergraduate interns made an average of .33 per hour. This, of course, depended upon their industry, year in school, degree level and geographic location, but some engineering seniors found internship opportunities that earned them .44 per hour, compared to .68 for sophomores. Many companies use internship programs to recruit full-time hires, says Marilyn Mackes, executive director of NACE.
There are many different kinds of internships for those who will work for free, but some wonder if the paying types have gone extinct. “We used to pay, but we’re not doing that anymore,” explained Tom Triozzi, senior VP of BellAtlantic. “We ask them to work for free for a great work experience.” In this economy, even the competition for unpaid student intern positions has become so fierce that the NY Times reported some students are actually paying for their unpaid internship positions! “It’s kind of crazy,” said David Gaston, director of the University of Kansas career center. “The demand for internships in the past 5, 10 years has opened up this huge market.” One student’s parents paid $8,000 to get him an unpaid internship at Ford Models this summer, which was an opportunity, his parents say, he wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.
Some students wonder, “Is it really worth paying for unpaid internships?” Well, positions are sparse. The National Association of Colleges and Employers says that overall, summer internships have decreased by 21% since last year as companies trim their budgets. Competition is so fierce that 9,000 applicants paid the “University of Dreams” up to ,000 to get a guaranteed internship position this year (which is up 30% from 2008). Even so, students who have to work for economic hardship reasons are finding it nearly impossible to compete in such a market.
Yet the news is not all gloomy, experts suggest. Target, for instance, has held onto their paid internship programs to help them find the best and the brightest workers. “We get a lot of great talent,” comments Target recruiter Victor Rota. “Seventy to eighty percent of them come back to work for us, so the return on the investment is there.” Additionally, the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that companies that do offer paid internships are increasing the hourly wage by 5% on average, which takes the national average to .13/hour.
Sarah Lomas is a foremost expert in treating yeast infection. Her work has been extensively published in various online publications in the areas of treatment of yeast infection. For more information on the treatment for yeast infections, visit Remedyforyeastinfection.com.
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