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Why Going to College is a Good Idea

May 19, 2011 / Michelle Burton

Whether or not it’s a good idea to go to college has been in the news a lot lately. Many Americans are questioning how valuable a college degree is thanks to a shaky economy and an unemployment rate that’s at an all-time high. Well, the economy will bounce back eventually, and when it does, having a college degree will help you get a better job than having a high school diploma alone. This is especially true for the average American. We say “average American,” because naysayers love nothing more than to throw around the old “Bill Gates is a college dropout and he’s a billionaire!” The problem is, Bill Gates is not your average American. He, and a handful of others like him, are the exception—not the rule.

If you’re the average American, yes, you need a college degree to get a job in any given professional field. Doctors, lawyers, politicians, engineers, computer scientists, educators, ad executives, journalists, and many others would not be where they are today if they did not have a degree. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement for many professions, while others require an advanced degree. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

When it comes to paychecks and prospects, conventional wisdom is right. On average, college graduates earn more money, experience less unemployment, and have a wider variety of career options than other workers do. A college degree also makes it easier to enter many of the fastest growing, highest paying occupations. In some occupations, in fact, having a degree is the only way to get your start.

Many blue-collar jobs require some form of education as well. You may have to enroll in a training program at a trade school or other institution in order to earn an certificate, associate degree or other credential to become an electrician, construction worker, fireman, police officer, mechanic, or other blue-collar job. Sure, you may not have to obtain a bachelor’s degree for these positions, but you will still have to enroll in a specific program, pay tuition, and study in order to pass a number of challenging courses.

It is important to note bachelor’s degrees are increasingly becoming the norm for many blue-collar jobs. For example, a degree in fire science is attractive to most large fire departments and most police departments prefer recruits with college training. All Federal police agencies require a college degree.

There really are no short-cuts when it comes to obtaining even a decent job, with decent pay, and decent benefits. So, instead of focusing on the short-term, focus on your future. So far, it doesn’t look bright if you don’t have a college degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that individuals with less than a high school diploma have the highest rates of unemployment in the nation (around 14.6%), followed by individuals with a high school diploma (9.7%). Individuals with a professional degree, doctoral degree or a master’s degree have the lowest rates of unemployment at 1.7%, 2.1%, and 2.9%, respectively. The rate of unemployment for bachelor’s degree holder’s is around 3.3%.

A college degree has many more benefits besides better job opportunities and higher earnings than non-degree holders. A college degree builds self confidence, you become more independent, you’ll make new friends, you’ll learn more about multiple subject areas, and you’ll be exposed to different cultures, which is an asset in society and the workplace). You’ll also increase your network, which can be utilized for years and years to come.

For more information and statistics about college degrees in America, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov.

Your Career, Your Compensation, Your Education, Your Network

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6 Ways To Protect Yourself While On Business Trips

May 18, 2011 / admin

Small businesses are especially vulnerable to fraud and identity theft. Many lack the resources to hire an internal auditor who can keep an eye on vital financial accounts and organizational information. Therefore, the responsibility falls on the owner and the employees to be extra careful with company information when traveling. Here are 6 ways to protect yourself while on business trips.

1. Only use one credit card when traveling. Leave every other card at home, in a safe place. If you do find yourself the victim of credit card theft, you’ll be able to limit the loss if only one card is stolen.
2. Check all accounts daily. Make sure you log on and check all of your financial accounts daily while on a business trip. If a dishonest cashier or waiter has managed to steal your identity or credit card information, you’ll see the illegal activity as soon as it posts to your account. Then you can call your bank and report the theft. They’ll cancel the account immediately.
3. Add identity theft restoration to your travel insurance. Identity theft restoration could be the single most important service your insurance company can provide. If you find that your credit card or identity has been stolen, you’ll have immediate access to the right kind of support. That quick call could save you thousands of dollars in financial losses to your company.
4. Use pre-paid credit cards when traveling for business. A pre-paid credit card allows you to load it up with a limited amount of cash. Once that limit is reached, the card will be declined. Even the fastest thief will run out of juice before he does any serious damage to your company’s bank accounts. If you reach the limit before you’re ready to go home, you’ll have the authority to reload the card. It may be a little inconvenient, but it sure beats the alternative.
5. Keep your laptop locked in the hotel safe. Most hotels have safes in the rooms. Keep your laptop and any other information that would identify you or your company locked in that safe. Identity theft happens in many ways, and a savvy thief, who works as a housekeeper, can rob you blind with just a few key strokes.
6. Turn on the pass code on your smartphone. Smartphones carry as much personal information as our laptops, so make sure you turn on the pass code while on a business trip. In the event you leave it on a restaurant table, no one will be able to access vital financial and personal information. Hopefully, you’ll be able to get back to the place you left it before anyone can crack the code.

Always use some kind of identity theft restoration when traveling for business. You’ll be using strange ATM locations and shopping in strange stores. It’s much more difficult to spot suspicious activity in places that aren’t familiar. If you aren’t properly protected and insured, ask yourself if your business can afford a theft. How will you protect yourself?

Your Business

Are Job Fairs Really Worth It?

May 18, 2011 / Michelle Burton

In today’s tough job market, any opportunity to find a job is well worth the effort. Job fairs, also called “career fairs,” are a great job searching resource. They allow applicants to meet dozens of employers face to face. Not only this, but these employers are actively seeking candidates, so your chances of getting hired are much better when compared to submitting your resume blind or online with the rest of the crowd.

While job fairs offer the opportunity to meet potential employers face to face, they also offer a place to practice for future interviews. There’s no better place to sharpen your selling skills. If nothing else, you’ll walk away with a better idea of how to sell yourself and much more confidence doing it.

So, how do you prepare for a job fair? Well first, you have to find them. Use your favorite search engine to look for job fairs in your immediate and surrounding areas. If you’re willing to travel (this is never a bad idea), check nearby cities and states. Many participating employers may have an office in your area, so don’t rule out out-of-state job fairs.

After finding a list of job fairs you might be interested in, find out which companies will be participating. Each job fair will have a website that lists participating companies. Next, choose which companies you would like to work for. Keep in mind that you should also research the positions each company wants to fill and if you’re qualified for them. Once you have made several matches, research the companies on your list. Find out if they are solid companies with growth potential. You can find this information on the company website, business news websites, through press releases, and even the business section of your local newspaper.

With your list in hand, you can now make your way through the job fair without wasting much time. Visit the booths or tables of your top choices first. If you have time, walk through again just to see if there are any other companies that look interesting. You might find an additional company or two that may turn out to be a good fit.

Before you head out to the job fair, make sure you have at least a dozen resumes and a list of references to hand out. Next, always dress the part. This means never show up in jeans and a T-shirt. Professional attire always makes a good first impression. It will also make you feel more confident about approaching potential employers.

What you do after a job fair can be just as important as what you do during the fair. So, after meeting with employers, always ask for a business card. If available, ask for a company brochure as well. Always remember the person’s name you met with (if it’s not on the card). Follow-up with a letter or email to the company representatives you met with. Thank them for meeting with you and briefly discuss your strengths and what you can bring to the company. If you look forward to hearing from the representative, say so. If you haven’t heard from a representative in a week or so, it’s perfectly fine to follow-up again with a phone call. Your aggressiveness will certainly help you stand out from the crowd.

To search for career fairs in your area, in addition to using search engines, you can also try the National Career Fairs website at www.nationalcareerfairs.com.

Your Business, Your Career, Your Network

Tips for Extending your Company Outside the Office

May 16, 2011 / admin

With telecommunications technology you are connected to the entire world at all times of day, and for the savvy industrialist, that means having the ability to do business from anywhere. The world isn’t your oyster, it’s your office. Some business owners fear that extending their company beyond office walls will lead to lower quality work, but with better technology that is no longer the case. These tips will help your company branch out of industrial office parks or headquarters, all without sacrificing operations.

Use Mobile Apps

Chances are that you and other company leaders are already using smartphones. Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, smartphones are great business tools because of the plethora of apps available that can tackle many of the same tasks traditionally done in an office. Some of those tasks include:

• Meetings – Use teleconferencing tools like the Skype app to allow you to see the person you’re speaking with, which is ideal for presenting objects.
• Faxing – Instead of waiting to see incoming faxes at the office, use a tool like the Metrofax Internet Faxing mobile app to view faxes right on your smartphone as soon as they arrive.
• Printing – With printing apps, such as PrintCentral Pro, you can link with nearby WiFi-capable printers and print nearly any type of document right from your smartphone.

Bring the Company Network to You

IT solutions have been created to eliminate the need to access company data strictly from a computer station in your office. Thus, the wireless network of your company can be extended to various remote locations. With an extended network you can connect to the very same files stored electronically in your office. Not only does this allow you to truly work from home, but it increases your company’s ability to use the services of telecommuting, part-time and freelance employees in any location.

Never Close With Remote Customer Service

Problems don’t keep 9 to 5 hours, so when a customer needs assistance they expect to be helped immediately no matter what time of day. By hiring a provider of remote customer services, your customer service operations can be extended around the clock without having to maintain a 24-hour team in your office. With remote customer service you won’t lose a customer because they weren’t able to receive help.

Market With Social Media

Social media is a great way to interact with people, so it’s a boon for businesses to market to potential customers. Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are accessible from any Web-capable device, requiring only a username and password. You and company employees can launch marketing campaigns from anywhere which helps for those timely marketing angles.

By using these tips to extend your company outside the office, you are creating a whole new meaning to the phrase, “living at the office”. Your home, the coffee shop, the mall, have all become your office. Where do you plan to extend your company?

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Benefits of Volunteer Work

May 14, 2011 / Michelle Burton

Photo Credit: A.S. Zain / Shutterstock.com

Whether you’re interested in giving back, gaining work experience or filling work gaps, volunteer work has many benefits. For starters, as a volunteer worker, you can gain valuable work experience that can help you begin building a resume. For students, volunteering full-time during the summer months or on weekends during the regular semester will impress future employers and help you stand out from the crowd. For non-students, volunteering anytime will strengthen your resume and help you obtain skills that can lead to advancement opportunities.

Next, volunteering can actually help you find potential employers. When you volunteer, you’re always meeting new people. These people may give you job leads. By volunteering for programs related to your career field, you are also more likely to meet important contacts or other professionals with the same interests.

Volunteer work can help you gain valuable skills. For example, if you’re working for a non-profit, you might learn all about fundraising and develop skills related to working with groups. You might handle donations, help manage projects, and organize events. An organized candidate with management skills and the ability to work with large groups is a great asset to hiring companies.

While working with non-profits can help you gain valuable experience and skills, other fields can do the same. Other fields that may be open to volunteer workers are:

-Education
-Disaster Relief
-Community Development
-Research
-Medical/Health
-Construction
-Administration
-Land Conservation
-Parks & Recreation

To apply for a volunteer position at any given company, all you have to do is contact the company’s human resources department by email or phone and inquire about volunteer opportunities. Most companies have volunteer, internship or other similar programs. If they don’t, they will likely be open to the idea. The human resources department will tell you how to apply if opportunities are available or if they would be willing to consider it. If opportunities are seasonal, the department will give you information about the best times to apply. You will have the option to apply online or via snail mail.

You can also search for volunteer opportunities by visiting any of the following websites:

Good Luck!

Your Career, Your Education, Your Network, Your Team, Your Workplace