Filed under: In the News, Job Search | Tags: analytical skills, Athens Ohio, Bobcat, career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, career skills, careers, communication, employer, GPA, hiring, job hunting, job outlook, Job Search, job skills, jobs, leadership, NACE, National Association of Colleges and Employers, networking, resources, students, teamwork, work ethic
2011 Job Outlook:
Good News for Class of 2011!
Based on information provided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook Fall 2011, employers are planning on hiring 13.5% more graduates in 2011 than they did in 2010. In addition to hiring more graduates, NACE has reported the hiring outlook for 2011 to be “good,” in contrast to last year’s rating of “fair.”
What do these statistics mean for you as a soon-to-be-graduate? They mean that you need to work on your GPA, and focus on your leadership skills when reaching out to employers in order to attain your true potential as a future employee. As discussed throughout NACE’s statistics, employers are working to cut many applications off if applicants GPAs do not fall above a 3.0. Additionally, to best present your credentials, be sure to successfully convey your strong communication skills, work ethic, teamwork, analytical skills, and overall initiative when pursuing any position with a company.
While the employment statistics for 2011 college graduates are high, proper attention needs to be paid to make sure you are able to put your best foot forward as a job applicant. By incorporating all discussed factors, your pathway to landing a career post-graduation will inevitably be secured, assisting in your overall growth as a future business leader.
—Contributed by Haley Drometer, Practicum Student for the Office of Career Services
The Office of Career Services is here to help you in your career pursuits and help you develop valuable careers skills. To make an appointment with a career counselor or to pick up copies of our handouts, stop by our office or visit our Handout Library online.
Filed under: Career Resources, Student Perspectives | Tags: Athens Ohio, Bobcat, career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, CareerCats, careers, communication, experience, leadership, marketing, Ohio University, portfolio, student, student involvement, student organization, students
CareerCATS: Opening the door to your future.
CareerCATS is an Ohio University student marketing organization that promotes services offered by the Office of Career Services. Members of the club volunteer during the Career Fair and support the Office in many other projects. CareerCATS organizes at least one big event each quarter with the intention of making it as relevant as possible to the majority of students on campus, regardless of their individual major and career goals. During fall quarter the club organized a Résumé Blitz to help students to polish their résumés before the Career Fair. In winter quarter they organized a “Credit Wise” workshop aimed at educating students about student loans, credit cards and credit history. Currently, the club is planning an etiquette dinner for the spring quarter.
CareerCATS offers an opportunity to gain valuable experience in a variety of areas. This group is the ideal place to develop skills in writing, presenting, graphic design, event planning, problem solving, organization and leadership. The club has something for every major and values each member. Fine art students can expand their professional portfolios by working on promotional material for the various events organized by CareerCATS and the Office. Communications students can develop their public speaking and writing skills by giving presentations about CareerCATS and the Career Services Office to different organizations across campus, as well writing for the group’s monthly newspaper.
For University College students, CareerCATS can help students decide on the major they want to pursue by discovering opportunities they may not have known about before. Lastly, being involved in the group is a great résumé builder!
To learn more about CareerCATS including information on how to join, please check out Career Services’ website.
—Written by Anna Morlang, CareerCATS Coordinator for the Office of Career Services
Filed under: Employer Perspectives | Tags: career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, careers, Center for Professional Excellence, communication, dos and don'ts, employer, leadership, new college grads, professional, professional dress, professional image, professional traits, professionalism, unprofessional, workplace, York College of Pensylvania
Professionalism in the Workplace for New College Grads
New college grads need to start putting workplace professionalism higher on their list of priorities as they seek jobs, employers say, according to a recent poll conducted by York College of Pennsylvania’s Center for Professional Excellence. The 2010 Professionalism in the Workplace Poll discovered eight specific areas in which employers have found new grads lacking:
- Accepting personal responsibility for decisions and actions.
- Being open to criticism.
- Displaying a sense of ethics.
- Being competent in verbal and written communication.
- Taking initiative.
- Projecting a professional image.
- Thinking independently.
- Demonstrating passion for their work.
The first two traits (accepting personal responsibility and being open to criticism) are the ones listed as needing the most improvement. Information Technology etiquette is another area in which employers are noticing less-than-desirable habits. The growing trend among students to surf the internet, text message, and respond to cell phone calls during class is translating into the work world in ways that employers find unprofessional.
Professionalism in the workplace is not limited to corporate jobs or specific professions (business, healthcare, law, etc.). In answer to the question, “Are all positions considered capable of exhibiting professionalism?” the majority of respondents indicated that they think of professionalism “as being related to the person rather than the position. Anyone in any position has the potential to exhibit professional traits and behavior.”
As you seek to project a professional image, keep in mind the following traits which were mentioned most often as characteristics of the professional employee:
- Personal interaction skills (includes courtesy and respect).
- Ability to communicate (includes listening skills).
- Work ethic (includes being motivated and working on a task until complete).
- Personal appearance.
- Self-confidence and self-awareness.
Filed under: From the Staff | Tags: business, career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, careers, communication, dos and don'ts, employer, From the Staff, job hunting, job skills, jobs, leadership, listen, listening habits, listening skills, Ohio University, professional, professional image, students, teamwork, workplace
Up Your Act in the Workplace, Part 2: LISTENING SKILLS
Developing good listening habits now is crucial to your career plans. The ability to listen well will benefit you no matter what type of job you intend to have. It will improve communication between you and the people you work with, making your working relationship more efficient and effective.
Poor listening skills can affect your performance on the job and create major mix-ups that you could have avoided just by taking the time to listen carefully. Take a moment now to evaluate yourself. Are you a good listener? Are there ways in which you can improve your listening skills? The following characteristics might indicate that you have some work to do:
- You often interrupt or finish another speaker’s sentence.
- You can remember what you said in a recent conversation, but you can repeat or paraphrase hardly any of what the other person said.
- You find yourself “zoning out” when another person is talking.
- You find yourself concentrating more on the speaker’s quirky accent than on what they are saying.
- You fidget or shuffle things around while someone is speaking, indicating that you don’t have time to listen right now.
If any or all of these apply to you, it might be a good idea to focus on developing your listening skills with a few of these tips:
1. Don’t interrupt.
One suggested way of breaking this habit is to apologize immediately and ask the speaker to continue what they were saying. After a couple of apologies, you’ll find yourself thinking twice before you jump in again.
2. Keep your mouth closed.
Even if the speaker pauses to think before they finish their sentence, resist the urge to fill in the silence. If you are constantly waiting for the chance to jump in, you aren’t really focusing on what the other person is saying, and therefore you’ll miss crucial information being discussed.
3. Maintain eye contact.
Be alert and lean forward while looking the speaker in the eyes. By doing this, you’re not only conveying interest which helps the speaker communicate better, but you’re also positioning yourself to avoid distractions (such as that bird flying around right outside the window, or incoming emails/text messages).
4. Repeat ideas and ask clarifying questions.
While someone is talking, concentrate on being able to paraphrase the idea and repeat it aloud. This helps you process the information and store it in your memory, and it ensures that you and the speaker understand each other.
Whether you currently hold a job or are still in school, start developing good listening habits now. A conscious effort to improve these skills will prove invaluable in the long run.
For more information on developing good listening skills, visit SalesVantage.com, CareerJournal.com, or CareerPlanning.about.com.
(Illustration credit to Kristy Pargeter).
Filed under: From the Staff | Tags: Athens Ohio, business, career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, careers, dos and don'ts, employer, From the Staff, job hunting, Job Search, job skills, jobs, leadership, Ohio University, students, time management, time management skills, up your act in the workplace, work skills, workplace, workplace skills
Up Your Act In the Workplace:
TIME MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Time management skills are often a major contributor to the success of new employees in any office setting. While professors may be lenient in their grading of a student’s paper that just-so-happened to be turned in three days late, employers are exponentially less patient with deadlines—especially in the workplace.
There are multiple reasons for why effective time management skills are crucial for any worker out in the field. First of all, time is a resource that cannot be stored, or reused. Once it is gone, it cannot be retrieved, so if up against a tight deadline due to procrastination, the chances of producing poor quality work are extremely high—eventually diminishing your reputation within the company.
A second reason why time management skills are important in the work place is because many employers evaluate employees on their efficiency. If a worker is unable to produce high-quality results in an efficient time period, their work will appear less valuable to a company, which might eventually lead to job termination. By utilizing time effectively, employees will come across as being determined, resourceful, and greatly beneficial to any company.
Finally, time management skills are an integral component to careers because prioritizing workload is extremely important in any workplace. If an employee has strong time management skills, is able to budget their time effectively, AND is able to put the correct value on the completion of different tasks, their significance within an office will significantly increase—and so will their potential for future career advancement.
Making a first impression in a new workplace is crucial. While students are often able to be relaxed with their time commitments, entry-level employees are held to higher standards. By understanding the importance of time as a resource, utilizing effective time efficiency, and prioritizing any workload successfully, it is inevitable that any new employee will have an immediate jumpstart into a successful career.
For more information on time management in the workplace, check out Career Success for Newbies.
—Contributed by Katy Taylor, Office of Career Services Special Events Coordinator
Filed under: In the News, Job Search | Tags: careers, corps member, education, employer, job hunting, Job Search, jobs, leadership, recruitment, students, teach, teach for america, teachforamerica, teaching job, teaching position, teaching positions, teamwork
Teach for America: You can help eliminate educational inequity
Calling “individuals from all backgrounds, majors, and professional experiences who have what it takes to excel as teachers and improve the quality of education for children growing up in low-income communities.”
What is educational inequity? Teach for America describes it as “the reality that where a child is born determines the quality of his or her education and life prospects.”
The statistics given speak for themselves:
- By the time they reach fourth grade, children living in low-income communities are already two to three grades behind their higher-income peers.
- Just half of students in low-income communities will graduate high school by age 18. Those who do graduate will perform on average at an eighth-grade level.
- Overall, only 1 in 10 students growing up in poverty will graduate from college.
Teach For America is breaking the cycle of educational inequity by targeting 39 specific urban and rural regions and sending well-trained teachers in to help students perform excellently at high levels. These corps members make a two-year commitment to go above and beyond traditional expectations for teachers, in order to help their students succeed.
So what does this have to do with you? You can become one of these corps members. No matter what your degree, you can use your talents and energy to help provide solid education to otherwise under-privileged children.
Application deadlines are coming up Wednesday, October 27, 2010; December 17, 2010; and February 4, 2011. Pick any deadline to apply for 2011.
For more information on this opportunity and to find out how to apply, visit www.teachforamerica.org.
Filed under: In the News, Job Search | Tags: analytic skills, career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, careers, classroom, classroom skills, communication, education, employer, internship, job skills, jobs, leadership, professional, resources, students, team, technical skills, work ethic, workplace
From the Classroom to the Workplace: How to apply your classroom skills in the job market
Besides refining your résumé and earning that college degree, there may be more to consider in order to make yourself more marketable. As you prepare to enter the job market, students are encouraged to look closely to how their experience in college can be beneficial to the job hunt. The article, “Which Classroom Skills Translate To The Job Market?” provides a list to see how your school experiences can become valuable job skills.
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Communication skills — Can you effectively share ideas?
Class presentations and group projects provide an opportunity to develop valuable communication skills that will be helpful when it comes to selling ideas or products, running meetings and more.
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Analytical skills — Are you detail oriented?
Classes promoting analytical skills can help in solving problems and analyzing information. Analytical skills are particularly prized in professions where you are expected to multi-task under pressure.
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Teamwork skills — Do you work well with others?
Although some group projects in school may seem like a waste of time, they can really help you when you enter the professional world. Working well with others is important as almost any level of employment. You can gain skills that help in managing organizations, supervising others and delegating responsibility. -
Technical skills — Are you computer savvy?
Being able to work with complex systems or equipment is an invaluable tool for applicants. Technical skills developed in the classroom can help launch a career in technology or media.
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Strong work ethic — Have you made special efforts to reach your goals?
Employers look for applicants that can meet deadlines, stay committed to tasks and handle pressure. Taking online classes or going to night school requires the dedication and time management skills, which come in handy when you have tight deadlines and meetings to attend.
To read more about classroom skills, check out this article and more at Yahoo! Education.
Filed under: Employer Perspectives, Job Search | Tags: Americorps, Americorps NCCC, Americorps State and National, Americorps VISTA, career advice, careers, employer, jobs, leadership, networking, resume, volunteering
A guest blog post from Rachel Diskin, an AmeriCorps VISTA leader at Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks
I was a frightened college senior in the spring of 2008. On paper I looked great: I had a good GPA and numerous degree-related internships. Unfortunately, I had no job prospects and no real clue where I envisioned myself working! I knew 3 things: that I wanted to work with people, that I wanted to “make a difference”, and that I had no idea how to accomplish those goals.
I had heard of different national service programs like Teach for America or City Year, so I decided to look deeper into those programs. What I learned was that these programs fell under an umbrella organization called AmeriCorps. Upon doing a little research, I learned that there are 3 branches of AmeriCorps: AmeriCorps State and National (working directly with people in poverty), AmeriCorps VISTA (building sustainability in an organization through behind-the-scenes work) and AmeriCorps NCCC (a traveling service team that works together to accomplish a variety of different tasks). Of the three options, AmeriCorps VISTA seemed the most appealing to me. The position descriptions I found detailed tasks such as recruiting volunteers, grant writing, creating marketing plans and materials and fund raising. I knew these responsibilities would lead to great professional experience for my resume. After scouring the website I had some serious decisions to make…
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I would technically be a volunteer (VISTA stands for “Volunteers in Service to America”), but I’d receive a living allowance- That’s great! Spending a year volunteering looks great on a resume, and I wouldn’t go broke doing it!
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There are thousands of AmeriCorps positions located across the USA- and positions are opening all the time- I could apply for positions anywhere- from New York to Iowa to California- even Hawaii or Alaska!!
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My student loans would get put into forbearance- The longer I can go without worrying about paying off student loan debt, the better!
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After my year was complete, I could pick between two End-of-Service Awards: $5,350 towards student loans or further education or $1,500 cash- Wow! That’s a great deal! I’d love to get rid of about 1/5 of my student loan debt right off the bat!
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AmeriCorps is a great introduction to the Non-Profit world- Hmmm… one year of volunteering could help me decide what I’d like to do for a career and help me land a job!
It sounded great, so I decided to give it a try. To make a long story short, I eventually made it through the interview process and moved from Michigan to serve for a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member with Habitat for Humanity- Greater Columbus. All of the positive aspects that helped me make my decision held true. In fact, I enjoyed my position so much that I decided to begin a second year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader with the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. Being a VISTA member and then a VISTA Leader has provided me a number of excellent opportunities. I have built relationships with a variety of great organizations within the central Ohio area, and now feel well-prepared for almost any position within the non-profit sector. I’ve gained skills in grant writing, interpersonal relationships, and leadership. AmeriCorps VISTA proved to be an excellent transition piece from college life to the “real world” and helped me find my passion in life. If you’re interested in getting your feet wet in the working world with a “year of service” feel free to contact me at rdiskin@oashf.org or 614.221.4336. Or you can visit the AmeriCorps website at www.americorps.gov.
— Rachel Diskin, AmeriCorps VISTA leader
Filed under: Student Perspectives | Tags: Athens Ohio, career fair, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, CareerCats, careers, leadership, marketing, Ohio University, professional, resources, resume, students, teamwork
I stumbled upon CareerCats after Sarah Meadows, the Graduate Assistant-Outreach to Student Groups at Career Services, came to one of my public relations meetings. She mentioned the group, CareerCats, and how it can be applicable to PR students. I was interested because I wanted to learn about other fields than PR. After I joined, I have realized that it has helped me develop a wider view of similar and complimentary opportunities even past my major.
What exactly is CareerCats? It’s a student organization that markets and promotes Career Services’ events, programs and services through team collaboration. Every major is accepted, and with the mix of opportunities that students can volunteer to do, it gives students the chance to create real-world experiences they have not learned in their textbooks or through class lectures.
Each quarter there is a new chance for planning, promoting and organizing events. For Fall Quarter, CareerCats mostly concentrated on the Resume Blitz, Winter Quarter Extreme Makeover: Career Edition and Spring Quarter Bulletin Board in a Bag. Every project in CareerCats is a team effort and relies on the student’s ideas, support and enthusiasm to move it forward. For Resume Blitz, Extreme Makeover, and Bulletin Board in a Bag, the team started from scratch and is accredited with each assignments success.
On top of the professional work we do, mix in some workshops, Career Fairs, a few socials, and you’ve got a recipe for a CareerCats experience. I have found some great friendships, mentors and real-world opportunities since I have joined CareerCats, and I am glad to be part of this team.
If you’re interested in becoming a CareerCat, here’s what you need:
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To be energetic, creative, fun, and a team player
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Wanting to develop highly marketable skills: leadership, marketing & research, public relations, creative design, and program planning
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Looking to obtain valuable experience to build your resume
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An CareerCats application.
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Print out the application and drop it off at the Career Services’ office located at Baker University Center Room 533
For more information, visit the CareerCats Application Facebook event. Applications are currently being accepted. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sarah Meadows at 740-593-2909 or sm224104@ohio.edu
— Nicole Bersani – a member of CareerCats
Filed under: From the Staff | Tags: Athens Ohio, business, career advice, career prep, Career Resources, Career Services, careers, communication, interviews, job hunting, job skills, jobs, leadership, problem-solving, professional, resume, teamwork, technical, transferable skills
With ever increasing competitiveness in the job market, transferable skills are an essential skill set to posses. Transferable skills are skills which you acquire through experiences and apply to present or future practices. Employers look to these skills in addition to your education and training to determine not only performance efficiency but also work environment fit. Whether deliberately or inadvertently acquired; college is the perfect time to begin developing your transferable skills set. Key skills that employers seek in a candidate include, but are not limited, to the following:
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Leadership
• Problem-solving
• Technical
Ohio University Office of Career Services 