What does Atlanta, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas, Boston, Baltimore, Cincinnati, New York and Los Angeles all have in common? Give up?? These are THE TOP 10 CITIES FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES FOR 2010 TO LOOK FOR JOBS. If you live in one of these cities, that’s great. But what if you have lived in South Carolina all of your life. The idea of moving to the ‘big city’ can be overwhelming. Just like a business, location is the most crucial decision to determine success. If someone were to tell you there was an INCREDIBLE opportunity in Dallas, TX would you be willing to leave your loved ones and move? Okay, I didn’t say “flee” … [Read more...]

I recently attended a job fair in Washington, DC where I had a chance to talk to quite a few of the 20 recruiters representing job categories ranging from the military to high-tech to higher education to auto dealerships looking for salespeople. Just as a side-note, I was surprised at the number and variety of positions available with national and regional whole foods markets. Everything from meat cutters ($20/hr) up through all levels of management. I wasn't there to get one of these jobs - I was there asking questions. Why? Because you've been  job-hunting for the past eight months to no avail. You've been told to join the networking … [Read more...]

Professional Ethics that can Make or Break your Career. You’ve heard of Bernie Madoff, right? How about Michael Vick, Governor Rod Blagojevich or Arnold Schwarzenegger? What do they ALL have in common?... Living through professional politics. It’s tough enough having your coworkers know about what’s going on, but image the world being in on it! No matter what your job is, office politics (school politics as well) is what drives your daily interactions with your staff, managers, clients, personnel, classmates, professors and so on. So how does that affect you? Politics determines who gets the job, the salary and the job title … [Read more...]

The Association of American Colleges and Universities recently asked employers who hire at least 25 percent of their workforce from two- or four-year colleges what they want institutions to teach. The answers did not suggest a narrow focus on just one type of job. Instead, 89 percent said they wanted more emphasis on “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing,” 81 percent asked for better “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” and 70 percent were looking for “the ability to innovate and be creative.” That means every course you take will give you the “edge” employers are looking for. Courses … [Read more...]

Did you know that there are currently 28,000 different occupations in the world! I know, I didn’t believe it either. Maybe you can’t see it if you’re unemployed or only working part-time, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics our unemployment rate has gone down from 9.7 in October 2010 to a low of 8.8 in March 2011. Although it's edged back up to 9.1 in July 2011, I believe that means the job market IS actually growing. I know what you’re thinking – then where are they? In a previous article I wrote: “Where are the Jobs Hiding,” I gave you a listing of employers who were looking that week. Well, did you jump on it? … [Read more...]

HE DID WHAT??? Are you ever in shock over the things your dorm mates or work buddies do? (Leave their shoes everywhere, never put anything back, etc.) You’d think they’d know better than that. Well, always remember “Common sense isn’t always common.” Think about it. We live in such a diverse culture today that everybody has totally different expectations based on their own experiences. That’s why people can do what they do without embarrassment. That was the subject of an article I recently read on AOL - "How Toxic Behavior Leads to Sinful Behavior at Work." The article did an excellent job of relating unseemly behavior … [Read more...]

Whether you are a student, an intern or a professional, your handshake leaves a powerful impression. A handshake says confident, credible and character all at the same time. When you're a job candidate, a strong handshake is not something you do to be cordial, it’s expected! Yes, there IS a correct way to shake hands. Let me explain. A handshake communicates on three levels. There needs to be a sense of firm confidence that says: "I know who I am." "I know why I’m here." "I’m the one for the job." - (I would say this one's really important.) Is it the same for women? You betcha. There should be no differentiation between … [Read more...]

Whether it's a job fair, a one-on-one interview, or a job opening taking applications there are some things you can do to STAND OUT, get ahead and get noticed by the right people. In each one of these scenarios the job recruiter or interviewer often speaks to 40 or more people a day in their quest for the right candidate. As the stream of candidates flows by, the person who stands out is the person most likely to succeed (get the job, interview, etc.). Here's 3 things you can do to improve your odds of being THE ONE. 1. Connect with the individual and not the company - Before an interview, most people will research the company. I … [Read more...]

Whether this is your first resume or the first one you'll get right, there are a few things that SHOULD NOT go on your resume. These items may seem obvious to some, but I've seen the mistakes made too many times to discount anything. From college students as well as professionals, I've seen too many resume's that resemble some Facebook pages... they are sharing waaaay too much personal information! I guess on a Facebook page it's a matter of opinion but on a resume personal information is a no-no. If you want your resume to be cutting-edge in today's cut-throat job market - you might strive to make it personal, but not to share personal … [Read more...]

Does your e-mail make a difference to an employer? You bet your *&#*! It does! I read an article by one of my colleagues, Rick Sherréll and it got my attention right away. His article entitled: “Your e-mail address is INCREDIBLE . . . and that’s not a compliment” focuses on the impact of your e-mail address. No, I do not intend to recap the entire article, but it got me to thinkin’. Most people have more than one address, right? If you only have one, you should probably create another. Why you ask? Professional address vs. personal address. (Simple enough) Your e-mail address can KILL your credibility. Using your name is … [Read more...]