Job boards are amazing tools. It is no secret that they represent the leading edge of future recruiting and job placement. The economy, convenience, and downright effectiveness of virtual HR just cannot be beat by any medium of traditional hiring practices. Yet, the modern job board is incredibly under-utilized by most Human Resources and recruiting professionals. They seem to be more of a mystery than a problem solver. Well, let me de-mystify the job board for both Job Seekers and Employers…. (more…)
February 2007
Monthly Archive
Tue 27 Feb 2007
Build a relationship with your next employer…today!
Posted by james under Hot Topics , Careers , Home , BlogrollNo Comments
Thu 22 Feb 2007
Ever wondered what it would be like to up and move? I mean, just pull up the stakes, make camp in another state, and start fresh? Well, it looks like you might be able to take a peek into the future and find out what you are worth in any state.
I found a cool resource on www.careerinfonet.org to help you out. It is called the “Employability Checkup” and it only takes a minute to fill out. It will clue you in on important information including:
Thu 22 Feb 2007
So, what is the point….?
Posted by james under Schools , Hot Topics , Careers , Home , Blogroll1 Comment
Why go into debt for a piece of paper anyway? A college education can start at $10,000 and go up from there. In fact, a public institution Bachelor’s degree has been recently estimated at more than $45,000. Is it really worth it? I can tell you from first hand experience that it is absolutely worth the time and expense. There are several reasons why a college education is not only a good idea; but, a necessity in the job market of tomorrow. I will get to those in a minute. First things first….
A college education is most definitely an investment: paying upfront for larger, future returns. Sometimes all we can see is the money going out to student loans, fees, and credit card debt. What we don’t see about an education are the benefits that those payments and all that hard work can secure. (more…)
Mon 19 Feb 2007
I was perusing my latest issue of Net-Temps Careers newsletter Crossroads and came across some very good advice. The article was about what not to put on a resume. I have seen literally thousands of resumes and sometimes I wonder “What was this guy thinking?” Ever had a situation at work that was not your fault, but still didn’t go your way? Of course, all of us have. Spilling it in your resume is not the place to explain a somewhat compromising position. In the sage words of career columnist David Green:
Negative Words
”Negativity is never a good thing when it comes to an online resume. It doesn’t matter why you left your last job, never bring up words like: arrested, bored, fired, hate, or sexist. These words stick out to a recruiter, and your resume will likely only make it to the trash bin. If you had issues that you would like to bring up to your potential employer- save it for the actual interview.” (more…)
Mon 12 Feb 2007
The Best Jobs for the next Seven Years…..
Posted by james under Schools , Hot Topics , Careers , Home , Blogroll[2] Comments
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest growing jobs through 2014 are:
- Home health aides
- Network systems and data communications analysts
- Medical assistants
- Physician’s assistants
- Computer & software engineers (applications)
- Physical therapist assistants
- Dental hygienists
- Computer & software engineers (systems)
- Dental assistants
- Personal aides
An interesting (but not surprising!) factoid about this list is that of the Top 10 fastest growing careers; 60% of them require a college education. What’s more, the earning potential for non-degreed careers (1, 3, 9, and 10) is rated as either low or very low.
Let’s look at it from another perspective. The unemployment statistics reveal that the jobless rate is inversely proportional to educational level. In other words, the lower a candidate’s education level, the less chance they have of finding a job. The following chart illustrates this important point: (more…)
Wed 7 Feb 2007
…but the house isn’t quite done yet. It’s a little like that. The new redesign is a fresh coat of paint for old house. We redesigned the job board so it would be more user-friendly. One consistent hit the old-style DegreedJobs always took was that it was characteristically difficult to navigate. So, we brightened it up a bit and streamlined the front page. We placed the Job-Seeker NAV buttons at the top of the page and the seldom-used features buttons near the bottom. Looking at the bottom you will find, not only an easy link to the blog; but also interactive button to RSS feed DegreedBLOG to your favorite browser. That way, you can have the blog fed right into your homepage (talk about convenient!) But what about the results? Well, that is where the rubber meets the road. The job board has tripled its traffic and decreased operating expenses. In addition, we have also increased the quality of traffic. Reading a few posts already, I can see that not everyone agrees…and that’s o.k., too! But, we are listening and I can assure you that we will do everything in our power to make the transition easier for everyone. Thanks and please keep coming back! Oh, by the way…I like the crowd I’ve got. Keep on Bloggin’!
Tue 6 Feb 2007
…believe me; it is strange for me too trying to learn a few new tricks. But, in the long run it will be worth it!
Basically, the job board got to a point where we needed to change and evolve. Innovation is not just lip service that business luminaries pay to shareholders; it is a real concept that when implemented yields great results. And, it works on businesses large and small.
I sincerely wish to serve you better and to do that it is necessary for the board (and the blog!) to change a little. We are in the midst of a metamorphasis that will reveal the next stage in our little job board’s life cycle. It is a new beginning.
Please be patient as we grow to create an environment that adds value to your job search efforts. As always, I encourage all viewpoints and keep on bloggin’!
More to come…
Thanks and have a great day!
Mon 5 Feb 2007
Well, it is definitely that time of year! The lights are up, the presents are wrapped, and visions of a new year are seeping into my already saturated gray matter. But, what better time to take stock of 2006 and look ahead to 2007?
While 2006 was definitely a terrific year for DegreedJobs, we did have our obstacles. But hey, who doesn’t? Like an old friend used to say: “A plan is just something to deviate from.” Truer words were never spoken about the virtue of flexibility. So, what’s on tap for 2007? Well, we still have another week of 2006 left but I suppose I could let you have a peek!
2007 will see many new changes for DegreedJobs. New programs for the job board will include:
· Weekly communiqués with our Job-Seekers and Employer bases
· Exciting incentives and promotions (bigger than anything we have ever done!)
· Definitely more blogging!
We will be doing a lot of other stuff, too. Stuff that will keep you involved. Which brings me to my next point…what do you think? Do you have any suggestions about what DegreedJobs could do in 2007 to make things better for our users?
This is your chance to run a job board for a day. Drop as many comments and suggestions as you want. So, I leave it to you. What would you do to grow a business in 2007?
Happy Holidays!
Mon 5 Feb 2007
It’s no secret that online education has become more popular than ever. It offers students a chance to finish their degree without the restrictions of campus visits and (speaking from personal experience) the quality of education is—not only comparable—but improving every year. Prestigious institutions of higher learning that are offering online education are:
George Washington University, Villanova, Gonzaga, Regis University, Penn State, Auburn, and Boston University. The advent of high quality, online education has also ushered in the rise of parasitic entities that will take your money and leave you with nothing but a useless, yet official looking certificate. Enter the Degree Mill…
How to spot a Degree Mill
According to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), degree mills are a billion dollar industry that pose as legitimate schools or offer to sell transcripts outright for little or no work. If a student can earn a Bachelor’s degree in a year or less based only on “life experiences”, chances are you have stumbled on a degree mill. Some states such as Michigan and Oregon keep lists of suspected degree mills.
The best way to investigate whether or not an online program is legitimate is to check the school’s accreditation. There are six regional accrediting bodies* that oversees the educational standards of U.S. Colleges and Universities and is recognized by the Department of Education: (more…)