Joining the workforce after several years college can be an intimidating thing. After four or five years of supposedly learning about a future career, suddenly you're thrown into the mix and must find your niche, your passion, your dream job. The truth is it can be overwhelming. Although your new job may be great, perhaps other people in your company have jobs you've never even heard of--and might be more your style. Fortunately, there are ways to determine which career path is right for you and how to find the one thing you're most passionate about. One great way to start is through a career advice site such as Noomii, a service that pairs you with a helpful, passionate and professional life coach to guide you through what is often a confusing period of life. Rather than assigning you to a random coach, Noomii analyzes your goals and objectives and assigns five coaches for you to consult before choosing the perfect coach for your needs. These services are offered in a variety of … [Read more...] about Using Your Passions to Find Your Dream Job
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Overcoming Top 10 First Interview Fears
Being called for a first interview is an exciting prospect, but it's also one that is stressful. Here are some tips to help you overcome the top 10 first interview fears and present yourself in the best possible way. 1. You won't arrive at the interview on time. Look up the company address online and make a dry run before the day of the interview. If the directions are not clear, call to clarify before your appointment. 2. You aren't sure of the spelling or pronunciation of the name of the person you will be meeting with. Making a mistake in someone's name is a major faux pas when going on a job interview, and one you will want to avoid at all costs. It's better to call the company to get clarification about someone's name than to say it incorrectly at the interview. You may find it helpful to write it down phonetically and practice saying it a few times before your meeting. 3. You won't be dressed appropriately for the interview. When in doubt, err on the side of being too … [Read more...] about Overcoming Top 10 First Interview Fears
Which Careers Have the Most Job Security?
With the layoffs that are occurring across several industries, many job seekers are wondering which jobs are the most secure. The threat of having no long-term security can be terrifying. Fortunately, there are some industries that have a large demand for talent, such as the healthcare industry, and which are unlikely to fire employees because of the high level of specialized training that these candidates must have. IT Technicians One of the most secure industries available is the IT industry. It meets both of the requirements for security: high demand and specialized training. IT professionals are responsible for setting up and maintaining networks for businesses and organizations. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for network and computer system administrators is expected to grow by 28 percent between 2010 and 2020. Teachers and College Professors Education is another industry that has a great deal of security, due largely to the tenure … [Read more...] about Which Careers Have the Most Job Security?
3 Steps to Building Your Brand While Still in College
Very often when we speak to college students the topic of what their goals are post graduation comes up. The responses are mixed but two schools of thought pose reoccurring roles - some students want to get into their dream career immediately and others are just hoping to get any job they can. I know this because of experience. When I graduated from Western International University in 2003 you can bet that all of my family members were wondering what my plans were for my career. As far as goals are concerned both of these are surprisingly not as ambitious as they should be and we'll tell you why. The job market, regardless of the specific industry or field, is highly competitive and if you want to become a viable candidate, it is simply not enough to hope or expect that employment will fall into your lap. Being proactive comprises several key steps and one of them is building your personal brand while you're still in college. Think of yourself as a product or a service. If you go to … [Read more...] about 3 Steps to Building Your Brand While Still in College
Is a Midlife Career Change Right For You?
Gone are the days when we would leave school and enter into a job for life. It is becoming increasingly common for people to change their careers – some do so as often as they change their shoes. Whether you’re on the hunt for more responsibility with a promotion, more money, or a complete change of direction; there are a whole host of reasons why you should change your career. But that’s all well and good in your twenties and thirties. What happens when we enter into our forties, or even our fifties? Is a midlife career change possible, or are we heading into midlife crisis territory? Is Changing Careers a Smart Move? The reality is it is never too late to change your career path. Whether you’re a victim of the economic downturn and have been made redundant, or you’ve fallen out of love with your job; now is the time for action. After all, if you no longer love your job; are you really giving 110%? A midlife career change is a great way to reignite your passion for work, or … [Read more...] about Is a Midlife Career Change Right For You?
How to Make Friends at Work
From learning the company’s standards to adapting your daily commute, starting a new job can be difficult for a variety of reasons. However, one of the more difficult aspects of changing jobs is making new friends at work. Whether you’re trying to earn acceptance into a solidly-formed clique at work or are worried about being disliked, the following are five tried and true ways to make friends at work. Get out There Cowering in your cubicle at work all day will achieve the exact opposite of what you desire if you want to make friends at work. To begin building relationships with your coworkers, you must get out from behind your work desk and socialize with others. From the break room to the boardroom, there are plenty of opportunities to interact with coworkers and to begin building friendships with them. Be Genuine A natural instinct most people feel while getting to know others is to be overly nice or super enthusiastic. While you should come across to your coworkers as … [Read more...] about How to Make Friends at Work
Motivating People to Volunteer
To many people--especially recent high school and college graduates--volunteering and community service can appear to be a step away from their long-term professional goals. Without any pay and performing tasks unrelated to the career aspirations of many soon-to-be professionals, volunteering often gets pushed to the side as one of those things that young people should embrace, but don't. However, this mindset overlooks the ways volunteering can actually contribute to your professional goals. In addition to improving your self-image and offering a sense of fulfillment from the things you devote yourself to, there are many benefits of volunteering that can pay dividends now and well into your future. Here's a look at some of the ways high school community service and other forms of volunteering can contribute to your loftiest goals. Bolstering your resume and applications One of the biggest challenges facing high school and college students is a lack of real-world experience. Yes, … [Read more...] about Motivating People to Volunteer
3 Tips for Getting a Promotion
Entering into the workforce can be an extremely stressful time for many individuals who are new to the world of business. Entry-level employees often work for low wages simply because they want to do whatever they can in order to rise to the top. While it can be a long and difficult road to travel, getting a promotion doesn't have to be impossible. Depending upon the logistics of the company that you work for, you might find yourself getting a promotion within your first year of employment if you take the right steps. The following are just 3 tips for getting a promotion in the modern business world, all of which are worth internalizing for entry-level employees. Keep Track of Your Successes If you're starting a new job, you've got to do everything possible to learn the ropes in the shortest possible period of time. Understanding what works for you and what does not is an essential part of adapting, and should not be underestimated. You can get a lot of mileage out of keeping track … [Read more...] about 3 Tips for Getting a Promotion
Positive Affirmations for the Workplace
We are all continually affirming when we think, whether we realize it or not. When we say that we hate our job or that we always hate our boss (for example), we are affirming these thoughts into our subconscious mind and unwittingly attracting more of the same into our experience. This explains why the person who changes their job because they hate their boss, often winds up with a similar boss and experience in their next job. The circumstances have changed, but their mindset hasn’t. Likewise, when we think positively, we are attracting more positive experiences into our reality. We can affirm in the positive or negative; either way what we affirm helps to contribute to our experiences. Therefore it makes sense, to practice thinking positively. Positive Affirmations for Work Choosing Positive Affirmations Choosing positive thoughts isn’t always easy. If we are stuck in a job we don’t like or just know that we have the worst boss in the world, it is easy to think thoughts that … [Read more...] about Positive Affirmations for the Workplace
Why you NEED to Be on LinkedIn
Ah, the world of social media. We update our status on Facebook, we laugh at trending topics on Twitter, we upload pictures we like to Pinterest... There's no doubt about it, social media is here to stay. Yet there's one social media site which you need to be on - and that's LinkedIn. Perhaps you've steered clear of LinkedIn and don't get what the fuss is about, or you may already have a profile and are not using it effectively? Whatever camp you belong to, LinkedIn is an incredibly powerful tool you can use for your personal benefit. Facebook and Twitter won't make your career - LinkedIn can. In this article from 360 feedback provider ETS, you'll see why you need to be a part of the LinkedIn love-in. #1 - LinkedIn - some facts Before we can start to get into the nitty gritty of LinkedIn, it's worth beginning with some facts about the social network. With over 175 million members, the US leads the way with nearly 7 million profiles. Other top countries include the United Kingdom, … [Read more...] about Why you NEED to Be on LinkedIn