The Job Market Is Slowing, What Do I Do?

As a follow up to a posting of a news article that addresses the impact of a high unemployment rate on students, is a a guide on how to best approach this situation.

Still in School?

If you're not planning to graduate for a couple years you're probably in the best position and don't have much to worry about at this point.  The market will turn around eventually, so just sit tight and get your learn on!  If you want to be proactive, stay on top of the news and see what industries are making a come back so that you can position yourself accordingly when you graduate.  I don't believe companies will cut back on their recruiting efforts for internship positions as companies still need to train the future even if the economy is slowing.  

Plan on Graduating?

For those of you who are planning on graduating soon or have already graduated, don't panic!  Yes times are tough but they will get better.  Job hunting in a bad market is difficult as the competition for even entry level positions will be very high so you will need to put in the extra effort to stand out.  If you are truly determined in finding the right job for your future career, you will need to be very flexible and willing to relocate.  Many companies provide relocation packages and help get you on your feet.  Focusing your job searching in one particular location is very limiting and will lead to a job search dead end very quickly.  Set the right expectation when you're looking for your first job.  Jobs pertaining to your career may be hard to come by so don't set the bar so high or you will be easily frustrated with your first job.  Remember, you're still young and will have opportunities to rise as the job market gets healthier.  If possible, I would suggest going back to graduate school to continue your education so that you can enter a work force with an advanced degree and give some time for the job market to gain strength again.  

Whatever you do, don't panic!  The job market will turn around; it will just take some time.  

Job Marketing Looking Grimmer

I am not a big fan of continuously posting negative news but I feel that not posting the realty of the times is a disservice to my readers.  CNN recently posted on article with some job hiring statistical data worth noting:

• Employers said they planned to hire just 1.3% more graduates in 2009, a large drop from the 6% projection
  
• National unemployment is expected to be as high as 7% in Spring 2009, a rate not since met since 1993
  
• A sociology major applied to 60 positions only hearing back from 4 and settled for a part time position at a law firm
  
• Consider jobs outside the traditional role; Business majors should apply for finance-related positions in health care

Yes it looks bleak but this gives many a reason to try different career paths before settling while the job market stabilize.  I have provided a link the to the article below.

Grim Prospect For New Grads [via CNN Money]

Living Frugally - Having Trouble Making Rent?

Yes the economy is bad and for those not having to deal with an over priced mortgage, they may find themselves finding it harder to pay the rent every month.  I found an article at one of my favorite blogs that offered up an interesting way to drum up some extra funds.  Throw a Rent Party!  That's right, get some good music, drinks, food, and sell tickets at the door and you got yourself a rent party.  This was a novel idea back in the 1920's and 1930's but hey that's when we were in our last Great Depression right?

How to Raise Rent One Glass at a Time [via Lifehacker]

More Than Just the Salary

For those new grads, or soon to be new grads, there is more to the job offer than just the salary.  Here are the other things worth considering:

Vacation/Sick Time

At a minimum, companies will ofer 2 weeks of paid vacation that needs to accured.  There has been a recent trend in certain industries such as biotech who are providing a starting 3 weeks of vacation.  The amount of sick time a company gives is also variable ranging anywhere from 4 to 10 days and can be either be combined with vacation time or treated seperately.  

Medical Insurance

It is important for any young new graduate to get medical insurance and if a company is offering you a job without one, which is now a rare occurence, I would walk away.  The details of medical insurance can get confusing so we won't get into the details but make sure you are covered for medical, dental, and optical.  

Retirement/401 K

Many companies provide retirement benefits for their employees and some even provide matching where for every dollar the employee invests, the company will put in a certain amount.  This matching can range anywhere from 1% to 100% up to a certain amout of your salary.  

Holidays

We all like time off during the year and like sick time, the amount of holidays is variable for every company.  It can be as few at 7 and can be as many as 14 depending on the company operations.  Companies also offer floater holidays where you can take certain days off during the year up to your choosing.  

Telecommuting/Flex Schedule

In order to keep employess happy, companies are allowing employees to work at home and have more flexible schedules.  An example of a flexible schedule is the 9-80 where you work 9 hours a day Monday through Thursday and you get every other Friday off.  

Weekly Internship Posting

Summer Internship

ABC - Hollywood, CA

Paid TV Research Internship

Sony Picture - Westwood, CA

Environmental Regulatory Internship

Bayer - Baytown, TX

Technical Support Internship

IBM - Austin, TX

Audit Internship

RSM McGladery - Dallas, TX

Student Blogger Roundup

Another week of great posts from Student Bloggers:

I always felt that anyone can improve their essay writing during the course of their life.

How to Write Better Essays [via Student Charade]

Hoping to figure out what you spend your money on?  Here are some good tips!

College Money Tip #1: Where it All Begins [via Poorer Than You]

Sometimes the dorm just doesn't cut it.

Our Deluxe Apartment in the Sky [via Stringless Kite]

Racking up too many minutes on your cell phone?  Here are some great tips on making calls and while saving money.

Cut the Cost of Calling Home [via The Student Finance Blog]

Have you always wondered what you would do after graduation?

Things I might do... Later [via I Write With Pictures]

Beyond the GPA

Applying for a job, internship, or graduate school is very similar too applying for college where your GPA is very important but it won't get you all the way either.  As job pools get more competitive, it will be more important than ever to diversify yourself as much as possible.  

Volunteering

Someone that is willing to put in their own free time to better the lives of another is a valued characteristic by any recruiter.  This is a great oppurtunity to give something back to the community while padding your resume.  

Clubs

Being active in any club on campus allows you too socialize, destress, and network with others.  The best part of clubs though is the leadership potential that it offers if you get involved at that level.  Being a leader of club shows management potential and some well rounded characteristics compared to a GPA score.  

Tutoring

If you can teach it, then you've really learned it.  The best way to gauge someone's understanding of academic material is the ability to teach others.  Many campuses provided tutoring oppurtunties to students who have exeled in certain classes and sometime even pay on an hourly basis.  

VOTE!

Red Sprouts is taking a day off today for the most important day of the year. I encourage each and every one of my readers who are registered to get out and VOTE!

Cooking at Home

Many college students waste money on a weekly basis eating out and not getting the nutrition they need to maintain their physical and mental well being. Let's face it, there is no healthier or economical way to eat other than at home assuming that you're not eating Ramen on a daily basis. This is a good article on how to get started eating at home more often. It may seem that eating at home is time consuming which it can be but with proper planning it does not have to be.

Learning To Eat More Meals at Home [via Get Rich Slowly]

Weekly Internship Posting

Finance Internship
Burger King Brands, Inc. - Miami, FL

Wildlife Management Internship and Naturalist Internship
Kellogg Biological Station - Augusta, MI

Fitness Internship
CHD Meridian Healthcare, LLC - USA

Finance Internship
Scottrade - Blaine, MN

Management Internship - Culinary
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - Lake Buena Vista, FL

Student Blogger Roundup

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

Need a guide for student cooking on a budget?
Student Cooking - The Guide [via The Student Finance Blog]

Don't ever cheat!
Cheater's Make me Sad [via Undead Journal]

You think your tuition is high? Check out this list.
Top 100 Colleges By Highest Total Cost [via Campus Grotto]

Why you should probably do more than just smoke pot!
Potheads Go Boom In the Night [via Tales From Your Favorite Resident Assistant]

Everyone should try something new.
I'm Tired of Going to Basement Parties [via Coffee_girl]

Networking 101

Everyone has heard this buzz phrase, "It's not what you know, its who you know" and it is a very true statement indeed. Your grades and major can only get you so far but networking with people can get you a step closer to the job and career you desire.

Why Network?

When you're finally in the work place you'll soon realize that you don't go walking around with your major and GPA tattooed on your forehead. Interacting with people at your company is an often over looked aspect of your job and it can either make or break your career. Same goes in college. The more people you get to know and get along with in the job industry the easier it will be to find a job. A recommendation from someone working in the company will go a long way.

Where do you Network?

As a college student, there are many opportunities to speak with professionals. Heck, most professionals come to you and actually are looking for the opportunity to talk to college students to get a sense of the next generation of their work force. Many academic student groups organize either career nights or an informational session where a professional comes in and talk about their careers. Look to your university's career services to put these events together as well. Career fairs are also a great place to speak with recruiters and if you start early, you'll get to know them real well by the time you're actually looking for an internship or a job.

How do you Network?

So you've finally gotten the chance to walk up to someone and start networking but you're thinking, what do I say without looking stupid? First and foremost, don't forget to introduce yourself. It's a simple way of getting the conversation going. Find out more about their job and talk about some the class projects you've worked on or what would interest you in a career. What you're going for is finding the right chemistry and hoping that they sense it too. If they offer you a business card and opens up the opportunity to email him or her in the future for career advice then you're in the prefect position to develop a relationship.

Granted not all networking situations work out and don't expect to get business cards from everyone you meet but stay determined and network as much as possible. You'll gain good experience learning to interact with people out of college and hopefully a leg up on everyone else.

Interviewing with a Low GPA

Getting an interview spot with a low GPA is no easy task but getting through the interviews requires a bit more preparation. Not only do you have to prepare for the typical interview questions, you have to prepare yourself for this:

We've noticed you have a low GPA, would you like to explain it?

No Excuses

There is no real good excuse to have a low GPA, so don't think that pitching an excuse will do you any good. Death in the family? Should have talked to an academic advisor to hold your grades and drop out of school if needed as not to damage your GPA. What can work is honesty. If its due to bad study skills or unexpected standards of a college curriculum then you should be open and up front about it.

Weakness into Strength

Now that you and your recruiter have realized you have some not so great qualities on your resume, its time to turn a weakness into a strength. Think of this as an opportunity to explain how you've improved since hitting your low point in college and how it will help you become a professional in the future. If you've improved your study skills and have accelerated in certain key classes important in your major, make sure to point that out. You want the recruiter to feel comfortable that you've learned your lesson and are working to get your GPA back up. What a recruiter doesn't want to see is someone who is failing and hasn't made the choice to change and continue to fail.

Prove It

A recruiter can not deny your improvement if you bring them some solid proof such as a college transcript. Some recruiters will ask for this up front but only concentrate on the overall GPA. Be sure to bring a copy and really point out that you are improving in core classes and that your low GPA does not handicap you in any way. If you really want to wow the recruiter, you can always request a letter of recommendation from a professor in your major to vouch your academic improvement and your success as a professional.

Getting to Sleep Faster

Getting rest is an important part of being productive the next day but sometimes when you're up late and know you have to get to sleep soon for an early morning exam you realize that trying to get to sleep early is easily said than done. Here are some tips to getting to sleep quickly.

Tips For Getting to Sleep Faster & Sleep Better [via To-Done]

Weekly Internship Posting

Internship
HEICO Aerospace Corporation - Hollywood, FL

Internship
United Health Group - Duluth, GA

Financial Services Internship
UBS - Newport Beach, CA

Internship
CBS Corporation - New York, NY

Internet Advertising Internship
LogicalSolutions.net - Rochester, NY

Student Bloggers Roundup

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

Not sure what you're going to do for a living with your major? Sometimes your career can be just a conversation away.
Awesome! [via We Don't Eat Lint Here]

Thinking of starting a business venture and needs some tips on online marketing?
Online Marketing for Dummies [via Teresa Wu]

Having a great community near your college is a plus but do you think yours is great?
Community: Love it or Hate it? [via F1lm School]

This for you hard core computer science people out there!
Coder's Block [via The ByteBaker]

And I have to agree, never stop blogging.
Shutting Down My Blog [via Paul Stamatiou]

The Reality of Career Fairs

Many schools typically put on multiple career fairs a year providing the opportunity to students to apply for internships and jobs. However, the success rate most students have with finding a position through a career fair is quite low. For example a university will have on average 50 companies show up to their career fair each trying to fill on average one or two positions. Now if we assume that they are planning to hire someone out of that particular university that’s 50 to 100 positions available to any students attending the career fair. Typically 2,000 students will attend a career fair and submit their resume to recruiters. Assuming 100 positions are available to students, only 5% of those students will end up with a position. Though this is a rough estimate, the reality is that many students will not be able to solely use career fairs to find a job or internship.

What then is the point of attending a career fair? Networking. Career fairs will give you an opportunity to meet face to face with recruiters and learn more about the company. Even though you may not be able to get a position with a certain company, that doesn’t mean other positions won’t open at the same company. By using the career fair success strategies, you will be able to turn the recruiter into a contact for the future. Being able to provide contact information during an interview process will further enhance your prospects.

Though there is no guarantee towards getting a job or internship, you can still make the career fair experience a productive one.

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students

As the national economy is slowing, it is only natural for the job market to slow down as well. For those of you who are planning on graduating soon, prepare for a competitive job market and be flexible. Here are a few good points from a recent university article:

• Graduating students will be competing with those who have been recently laid off increasing the stakes
• Students will need to look outside their comfort zone and need to be willing to relocate
• Be as proactive as possible during your job search
• Undergrads may be in a better position as companies are always looking too keeping their pipeline young
• Your first job may not be your ultimate job

High Unemployment Rate Impacts Students [via The California Aggie]

Finance Tips for College Students

With how volatile the economy has been lately, everyone should be looking at their finances to make sure to stay out of debt and managing their cash efficiently. Get Rich Slowly has some great tips for college students in regards to managing their money for college and personal life.

27 Money Tips for College Students [via Lifehacker]

Weekly Internship Posting

Disney Interactive Media Group Summer Internship
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts - North Hollywood, CA

Marketing Internship
Pageflakes - San Francisco, CA

Film Research Internship
Sony Pictures - New York, NY

College Financial Representative Internship
Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Englewood, CO

Graduate Student Internship
Monsanto - Woodland, CA

Student Blogger Roundup

Another great week of posts at Student Bloggers:

Attending office hours is always a productive way to get ahead in class but these are 4 ways to make them unproductive.
Four Ways to Annoy a Professor When Asking for Help (And Four Things You Should Do Instead) [via Study Hacks]

For anyone that is studying abroad this year, this is a good post on getting over home sickness.
What a Feeling... [via Living the Life... of a College Student]

I know that actually looking for internships can be hard but it looks like there's a site being developed that could solve our problems.
World, meet my startup-to-be [via Jessica Mah Meets World]

There is nothing worse than bad student leaders!
How to Deal with (Incompetent) Student Leader [via Hack College]

You're going to have plenty of decisions to make between now and graduation. Learn how to decide.
Deciding How to Decide [via The Student Leader Think Tank]

Why the Interview and What to Expect

So you made the resume cut and you've been offered the interview, but really why have one at all? Let's put it this way, a resume can only tell them so much about you and a hiring manager already know you made the technical cut based on your resume. What they don't know is what your personality is like and how it would fit in their company culture. So walk into the interview with self confidence knowing you made the cut. Now what can you expect at an interview?

Your Resume in Depth

Even though a recruiter can read your resume, there's just something about hearing it from the horse's mouth. This is not too test you to see if you lied on your resume, which RedSprouts never supports, but to provide the chance to ask more questions about what is listed on your resume. I would advise reading your resume over before the interview to make sure you remember what is listed so you don't get caught off guard with any questions.

Behavioral/Technical Questions

I would consider this the real meat of the interview where the interviewer wants to know more about how you tick. Expect questions on teamwork, strenghts/weaknesses, leadership, and confrontation. For those of us with a low GPA, expect a question about why your GPA is low. For certain job positions, especially in the technical field, expect technical questions such as solving certain problems or explaining your position on current events. Even if the questions seem impossible, make the best attempt you can because sometimes the questions aren't designed too be solved but rather to see how you solve the problem.

Company Information

This is your chance to get more information about the company and the position you're applying for. Additionally it provides the oppurtunity to ask the interviewer questions. Don't forget to have a list of questions before entering the interview!

Interview Series - A Recent Graduate's Job Searching Experience

A new addition to RedSprouts this week is an interview with a recent graduate who is hoping to start a new career. RedSprouts will be posting interviews on other topics in the coming future.

Max is a recent graduate with a dual degree in chemical engineering and material sciences. He recently shared his job searching experiences with RedSprouts.

Red Sprouts (RS): Did you start job searching before graduating ?

Max: Yes i did. In fact, I started pretty much at the start of senior year because all of the [chemical engineering] companies were recruiting then. I used school resources for my job search and landed some on-campus interviews and even a couple of second on-site interviews. But I ended up either not having much luck on them or I messed up during my interviews.

RS: Did you adjust your job searching strategy once you graduated?

Max: As the school year wore on, one of my coworkers mentioned another site I should also look at in addition to [school resources], and that was for government jobs. It was usajobs.com and they have a lot of listings, even more so than [the school resources]. I probably should have realized it before, but I should not have been very dependent on [school resources] and instead add my search on other job sites like Craigslist, Monster, and CareerBuilder.

RS: Did you find the job listings on these sites to be genuine?

Max: Most of them, yes, even though over half of the positions listed required 5+ years of experience.

RS: Were there any entry level job postings?

Max: A few. You have to search for it in the search criteria, or else they won't show up and all you get is "process engineer, needs 15+ years experience, [Professional Engineers License] preferred" or other things like that.

RS: Out of the job positions you applied for how many did you get responses for?

Max: Not very many. Probably around 1%. I think I actually did apply to at least 100 jobs and I got maybe 2 responses for further action, like an interview.

RS: What have you found to the be the most frustrating process of job searching?

Max: I think the number one thing is my lack of training. For example, I've seen so many companies ask for [chemical engineers] that know autoCAD and even computer programming but that's in rare cases.

RS: What have you done differently as part of your job search?

Max: I've expanded my horizons a little and looking into possible backup plans.

RS: Please elaborate.

Max: I'm pretty much looking for almost anything. A couple weeks ago, I applied to [the San Francisco Municipal Railway] and the [San Francisco] unified school district. One of my backup plans was to be a teacher, so I was looking into that and the programs available in my area for a credential. I also wanted to end my lack of employment, so one of my friends suggested working at a part-time job. Since my job search has slowed down, I might as well keep myself sharp by working.

RS: Where are you currently employed?

Max: I actually start next Tuesday at Starbucks!

RS: What advice would you give to any potential new job seekers?

Max: Make sure you know what you want to do, and go do it. Say you want to work in a particular field; look up all the companies that have to do with that field and apply to all the positions you think you would like to do. All companies have a lot of opportunities available, but it's also important to show them why you are the best candidate, and that's where career counselors and career literature come in.

RS: Who have you used as a career counselor?

Max: That's a tough one, because I didn't actually use one, but I did go to an interview workshop and that helped tremendously. Just working on body language, appearance, enthusiasm, and all the other important things in an interview helped a lot. Bookstores like Borders or Barnes & Noble usually sell books on career and interview improvement.

RedSprouts would like to thank Max for his time and wishes him good luck in his job search.

Surviving a Pop Quiz

The dreaded words of any classroom, Pop Quiz! Everyone's been caught off guard before but how can you get through one without failing? StudentHacks has a great guide on surviving a pop quiz even if you have no idea what's going on.

How to Survive a Pop Quiz (When you Don't Have a Clue) [via StudentHacks]

Weekly Internship Posting

Marketing Internship
Philadelphia Insurance Companies - Tigard, OR

Internship
PLUS Entertainment - New York, NY

Student Internship
Amerisure - US

Spring Internship 2009 - Finance
Liz Claiborne - New York, NY

Research Internship
Climate Lab - Washington, DC

Student Blogger Roundup

Another great week of posts from Student Blogger.

It's always nice to learn more about another major and what it takes to get a degree.
Tales of a Student Producer [via IWriteWithPictures]

One method of completing to do's called Getting Things Done or GTD is a very effective way to organize your tasks. I have used this method before and it really does help organize your life. This is a highly recommended method.
Getting Things Done for College Students...Made Easy [via StudyHacks]

Racism is played out in this country on an every day basis and it is interesting to understand ones ethnicity take on working in the professional world.
Black at VT [via BlackTieLounge]

I admit that I am procrastinator at times and well if you're going to do it, you might as well get some entertainment.
8 Sites To Help Every College Student Procrastinate [via Broke Grad Student]

Who hasn't sent out an email in anger before? This is a great way to avoid that.
Stop Sending Mail You Later Regret [via Gmail Blog]

Job Search Engine Review - The Job Source

I ran into a job searching website that concentrates primarily on entry level positions and internships. The site differentiates itself from Monster and Career Builder by gearing towards recent graduates who are just starting their career. This is a great idea but the the site is still filled with many non entry level positions and old job postings that should be filtered out. This site is still worth using though use with caution.

The Job Source

The Resume - Format

Understanding the basics of a resume is important, but putting it all together on a piece of paper is a whole other story. Below is a guide towards the formatting basics:

Font Type and Size

If you want a recruiter to take you seriously, use proper font on your resume. Using cute font will make you look immature and not ready to enter the professional world. Stick with Times New Roman, Arial, or Tahoma and you'll be just fine. Font sizes will always be dependent on how much content you have in your resume. The more content you start putting on the smaller the font should be but keep in mind that it still needs to be readable. If you find that your resume is lacking and looking sparse; playing with the font sizes can create some more volume. Stick with a font size between 10 and 14. Anything smaller than 10 can be very hard to read and anything over 14 can create more void than you want.

Using Bolds

Bolding should be used as a way to separate sections in your resume. Every new section such as Objective, Education, Experience, and so forth should be bold as to help organize the flow of information. What you don't want to do is over bold items which will take away from the organization. The section worth bolding sub sections is the Experience section. Bolding each item in your Experience section will draw attention to those items of importance.

Bullets

I recommend starting your first resume by using bullets as a way for organizing information under the Experience section. Each item you list, either an internship or club activity should have at least 3 bullet items underneath. The more information you can list under each section the more information the recruiter will have to make a decision.

Spell Check!

Last by not least, avoid simple mistakes by spell checking and proof reading your resume over and over again.

As your resume changes over time so will your format, so make sure to update your resume and stay flexible with formatting. You can also use a resume template to start out as well and adjust it based on your needs.

Online Medical Advice

Let's face it, when you're busy with school sometimes you don't even have time to go to the doctor's office. I had a very good phone relationship with my doctor for the better part of my college life. Visiting sites like Web MD for medical advice helped but browsing through the site and trying to understand all the medical terms didn't help the headache you were already having. If you're looking for a medical advice site that won't confuse you, then take a visit at Go Ask Alice! This is a great site to ask Alice, aka Columbia staff, questions anonymously and get a great answer that won't have you running to Wikipedia.

Go Ask Alice! [via LifeHacker]

Weekly Internship Posting

Finance Internship
Assurant - Milwaukee, WI

Internship
Saint Mary's Health Care - Grand Rapids, MI

Engineering Internship
Terracon - Kansas

Marketing Communications Specialist Internship
IBM - Somers, IA

Marketing Internship
Kaplan - Chicago, IL

Student Blogger Roundup

Another great week of posts from Student Bloggers:

I've always felt that the internet takes away from a student's productivity with so many distractions on the web.
Whatever it Takes [via Erik Smetana]

I'm all about saving money on textbooks but this is just too funny!
Textbook Underworld and stalking girl [via Philosophiae Agonistes]

I know school just started not too long ago but if you're already behind on your work, these are some good tips:
Oh No! I'm Behind - 5 Steps to Getting Back on Track [via Univeristy Scholar]

I'm an engineer, and I'm glad we know how to have fun.
Engineers have more Fun [via Coffee_Girl]

Finally, with the debates tonight, I felt it was appropriate to learn some lessons from the politicians.
Things Politicians Do In Debates That You Should Avoid When Writing [via School is Hard]

We Compare Books Review

Following an earlier post on textbook search engines, is a review of a site called We Compare Books. The home page is very simple with a search bar that gets straight to the point. A simple search under "Chemistry" brings me to a list of books though of course using the advanced search function would probably help narrow things down. Once you found the book you want, the site kicks into gear and gives you the best price available. Now if you're curious about the other vendor's prices, that information is also available. The priced link takes you directly to the seller making the purchasing experience fast. What is also neat about this site is that it provides a blog that posts articles such as how to not buy books but still have access to them or what an ISBN really is. This makes We Compare Books a unique site by combining a textbook search engine and an informative blog.

Low GPA Job Searching Alternatives

With the job market where it is, job searching is going to become more difficult and if you have a low GPA (<2.5) you might want to try these alternatives:

Alternative GPA

Your overall GPA may be low but you could report other statistical information that might be higher such as your Upper Division GPA or your Major Core Class GPA. Though this does not reflect your total GPA it may be worth a talking point with a recruiter if you find these alternative GPA's to be higher than your total. Just remember to state what kind of GPA you're reporting on your resume.

Going Back to School

If your alternative GPAs don't fair much better than your total GPA you might think about picking up some classes at a local Junior College to help bolster your GPA. Though this takes more of your time and effort you can use this as an opportunity to take classes you wish you had in college or even get a certification that could make you stand out more as a candidate.

Temp Agency

Companies who are cutting back still need certain positions to be filled on a temporary basis but do not want to invest in a full-time employee. These positions could be available to you through a temp agency and could possibly turn into a full-time position with that company assuming the timing is right and you meet their needs. Treat this is as a paid internship as you get to work at different companies while still getting on the job training though not all the company perks or beneifts.

Take a Step Down

Not being able to find a job in your major is very frustrating but when times get tough you may want to think about being flexible and taking a position one step below. However before you make a decision like this, verify with the employer that there is an opportunity for you to be able to move around and finally get to the position you want. I have heard many times of engineers taking lab technician positions being stuck and having too leave the company. They learned valuable information about the industry but felt they needed to apply what they learned in school.

A Great College Credit Card

As a followup to finding the right plastic, I ran into a great website that reviews every conceivable credit card out there. I have been searching for a website that does in-depth reviews for quite some time and have found this site to be very informative. So informative in fact that it even had reviewed a great credit card for college students. The Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa card is a great card as it awards for paying on time and even GPA scores. I would recommend this card to any college student looking to apply for a credit card for the first time. You can find the review for this card via the link below;

Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa Card Review [via AskMrCredit]

College Loans Drive Careers

Since the state of our national economy has been of great importance lately, I felt it was appropriate to post an interesting article in regards to how college loans are affecting the way students are choosing their career paths.

High student loan balances are a factor in post-college decisions. Recent grads report that:

• 40% took a job offer that offered higher pay, but less career satisfaction, in order to help pay off their student loans;
• 47% say that their student loans impacted their decision to pursue a particular career
• 88% said they had to make sacrifices in their budget because of their student loan payments; 23% sacrificed continuing education or graduate school

I find it unfortunate that students are being forced into choices about their careers based on financial reasons alone and not what their passion is. I would recommend anyone in this situation to read Kiplinger's guide on How To Pay Off Student Loans as not to force you to make certain career choices.

Recent College Grads Say Loans Driving Careers [via Austin Business Journal]

Student Blogger Roundup

Another week of great posts from Student Bloggers:

Sometimes when we study for an essay exam we forget the physical fitness required to write in those wonderful blue books.

Writing?!?! Like With Pen and Paper? [via Relatively Journalizing]

Got some free time in college and strapped for cash? This is a great list of ways to make some extra spending dough.

Business Ideas for College Students [via Surviving Joblessness]

Attending office hours are a great way to keep your grades up and rebound from recent test failures.

5 Reasons Why office Hours are Your new Best Friend [via Surviving College Life]

Completing a PhD dissertation is a huge accomplishment and always worth mentioning.

Dear Dissertation Diary [via Out of the Basement]

Last but not least is the Student Bloggers HP giveaway. There's nothing better than winning a package of great electronics.

HP Freshmen 15 Giveaway [via Student Bloggers]

Getting Good Sleep

Getting good rest is a vital part of being energized and focused every day to tackle studying, club activities, and any other errand you have to run. I ran into a great list of ways to get better sleep and I'm glad it pointed out the Power Nap method. The Power Nap is a great way to get a boost of energy without wasting too much time sleeping or money on energy drinks. I use this method whenever I feel sluggish but still have a lot of work ahead of me.

Top 10 Ways to Sleep Smarter and Better [via LifeHacker]

Staying Focused in Class

Let's face it, lectures are boring but paying attention is important towards doing well in any class. I have been guilty of nodding off, spacing out, and even skipping classes and I did horrible. When I finally realized that I needed to deal with my academic probation I knew that staying focused in class was vital part of being being successful in classes.

Taking Notes

If you find yourself just nodding away when the professor is lecturing, I would recommend taking notes regardless if the notes are posted online. Writing notes forces you to pay attention to your professor and keeps you awake in class. Additionally, you may pick up on material that aren't on the posted lecture notes and could find itself into a midterm or final.

The Front is for Achievers

People say that the front of the class are for nerds but I say the front are for those that want to excel and pay attention in class. If you really want to catch some sleep in a class you'll find a group of companions in the back, trust me I've been there. Sitting in the front of the class puts the pressure on to stay awake. You don't want the professor spotting you sleeping so it'll be harder for you to not pay attention. This is an even more effective method with small class sizes.

Leave the Laptop at Home

With so many distractions on the internet how can you possibly stay attention in class. Just by browsing the endless lecture halls on campus you'll notice that most people that have their laptops with them during lecture are either surfing the web, IMing their friends, or playing solitaire. The pen and paper is your friend when it comes to note taking so leave the heavy laptop at home and save your back some trouble.

How do you focus in class?

Weekly Internship Posting

Paid Business Internship
Mountbatten Internship Programme - London, UK

Summer Internship Job
Department of State - Washington D.C.

Internship
American Diabetes Association - Austin, TX

Quality Internship
Abbot Labratories - Lake County, IL

Internship
A-Line Pictures - New York, New York

Student Blogger Roundup

Another week of great posts from Student Bloggers:

I have made the mistake of sleeping through a college midterm before and I must admit it was a traumatizing experience. My advice? Set a clock radio and your cell phone. It also nice to coordinate with other dorm mates to wake each other up if you have the same exam. I Slept Through a College Test - Now What Should I do?!? [via Surviving College Life]

There's not much time to stay healthy in a busy college student's schedule and so avoiding the Freshmen 15 can be difficult. Exercise on a Time-Crunched Schedule [via Student Body]

While we're on the health track. Stay Healthy This School Year (Really) [via Surviving College Life]

Everyone hates math at one level or another. But if youre aiming to seek a career in science or engineering you're going to have to face dealing with math no matter what. Math Test Strategies [via Student Hacks]

If you're moving in with roommates for the first time this year, please heed this advice, try with your best effort not to be a jerk. Uncomfortable living situations with your roommate can create a very bad college experience. Living With Others: Be the genuine article [via The University Blog]

Finding the Right Plastic

As a follow up to an article about some great credit cards, I was directed to a site that does a great job of selecting the right credit card for you based on information you provide such as how much you spend a month, your credit rating, and what you spend on. It provides a list of credit cards that work well with your situation. If you're looking to either get a credit card for the first time or add another to help your credit score this is a good place to start.

BillShrink [via Lifehacker]

Salary Research Tools

It is important to know what your salary will be when you're job hunting but sometimes knowing what a future salary can be is an important decision factor for some when it comes to choosing the right career path. Below is a guide to online search sites for salary information.

www.salary.com

Salary.com provides a good range of data for many types of job titles and positions based on a geographic region. Base salary information is free while a more personalized job profile requires a nominal fee. It is a good way to get a general average of what a starting salary could be.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm Occupational Outlook Handbook

The U.S. Depart of Labor provides detailed job information such as Nature of the Work, Employment, Job Outlook, and Earnings information. I would recommend this site to anyone doing career research and wanted more information on the different types of jobs they could have post college.

www.Payscale.com

Payscale is similar to Salary.com but provides a lot more data that can be used to compare such as education level, years of experience, and location. You do have to create an account before accessing information on the website.

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market

I agree this is an ominous title but that is the reality of the world currently. A recent article from the Seattle Times made some interesting points:

• Unemployment among 20 to 24 years old is sharply higher than for the national population
• Graduates looking to get into the financial-services industry are the most affected due to the sub prime-mortgage crisis
• The most desirable job candidates are those with engineering, information-technology, math and science degrees
• Health Care, accounting, and biotechnology markets are still strong
• Fewer than half of young college graduates receive any form of pension coverage as companies cut back
• Have a Plan B and C
• Tap into every resource you have, including your parents, to get as much experience as you can in college

During the last job market slow down in the early 2000's, I had a colleague that had graduated with an engineering degree but couldn't find a job in his field He ended up bouncing around jobs for 2 years such as being a bank teller and a substitute teacher until the job market got better. Learning to adapt and cope during a slow job market is now a necessary survival skill. I have provided a link to the article below.

New College Grads Face Frustrating Job Market [via Seattle Times]

Banking Basics

On top of all the things going on at college such as studying, clubs, and overall partying, you still need to manage your finances. I am sure that most students at this point don't stash their cash under the mattress at home but have an account open at some major banking instituation. What matters though is avoiding bank fees and getting the most bank for your buck. Below is a link to a great guide towards picking the right bank for you. I personally have a Washington Mutual Free Checking Account as well as a HSBC online savings account.

Best Student Checking and Savings Accounts [via Broke Grad Student]

Recycle Into Cash

An overlooked commodity by most college students is the cash value of recycling. Over a year of living on your own, parties, and social gatherings, a college student can accumulate hundreds of aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and glass bottles. At a conservative estimation of 5 cents per container you could end up with some extra cash at the end of the year to spend on anything you want. Let's do some simple math.

Assuming that the average college student consumes one caffeine drink every day you've already got 365 aluminum cans. Tack on containers accumulated from parties and get together you could end up with at least 500 containers which equates to about 26 dollars at the end of the year.

Obviously you won't make money back on the purchases of your beverage but 26 dollars can go a long way for a college student. I have provided a link to a recycling calculator below:

http://www.bottlesandcans.com/what_calculator.php

The Resume - Basics

Your resume, though just a piece of paper, is a representation of your current life experiences and an advertisement of your skills. Take the time and care to really concentrate on making your resume the best you absolutely can. Below is a guide towards the different areas of a resume.

Objective

This is typically a one sentence statement describing the job position you are seeking. It's role is to help a recruiter remember what you area seeking since they will be receiving hundreds of resumes. Here is an example of an objective statement:

"Seeking an internship position with a top advertisement firm to provide me exposure in printed advertisements"

Education

This is probably the easiest section of the resume. School, Major, and Expected date of graduation is the main information you need in this area. The tricky one is the GPA. If you have a GPA over a 3.0, I would definitely put it on there. For those of you, including myself, who do not have a stellar GPA, I would recommend keeping it off. Some companies require a minimum GPA for their internship positions and some don't. If the GPA is very important to the recruiter they will ask and you must be ready to have an explanation. From my personal experience, I have been able to get many interview spots without having to place my GPA on the resume and it never came up during the interview to be an issue with most companies.

Skills

This area can include just about anything that you feel is pertinent to your field of study. Computer programers should list all coding languages they have experience with while biochemistry majors should list all lab equipment and techniques they have experience with. Being fluent in a second or even third language is a major plus to have and should be listed on the resume as well. Generic skills that should be listed are things like Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

Classes

It may be warranted to list classes you have taken so the recruiter knows your level of knowledge in certain fields. I for one have always thought of this section as a filler to help create more volume in a resume. Most companies will assume your level of knowledge based on your class level and major. If you can avoid putting this section in your resume I would, but if you need a filler section, this is the best one to add.

Experience

This is the major meat of your resume as it contains your previous job positions and a description of your duties for each one. Make sure to list your job title, company, and duration of that job position. At this point of your career, it is ok to add any experiences from High School such as a summer job, club activities, or volunteering you had done. Under each job position, list three bullet points on what your responsibilities were.

Customize

Your resume should be customized for you. If you are in a leadership position through clubs on campus, create a leadership section and list out what you've done. Were you awarded a scholarship or honor? Create a section for that. If you feel that there is information about you that will catch the eye of a recruiter you should definitely include it. Here are some sections worth putting in your resume:

Leadership

Extracurricular Activities

Publications

Presentations

Awards/Honors

A Few More Pointers

Keep your resume to a page. You don't want to list out every detail of your experiences, just the main points. You want the recruiter to interested enough that they want to ask you the details at an interview. Most importantly, do NOT lie on your resume. This is grounds for immediate termination from your position. I have seen new senior hires terminated within days of their hiring because they have a false statement on their resume. There is no reason for you to list skills you do not have and create a level of expectation you can not meet. Remember, your resume is always a work in progress. As you continue to learn new skills, update your resume from time to time so that when a career fair is around the corner you'll be ready.

Redsprouts will continue working on more resume articles that deal with the best way to format and how to add some punch to any resume. Stay Tuned.

Weekly Internship Posting

As a follow up to a posting made last week about applying for summer internships earlier, Red Sprouts will be posting summer internships on a weekly basis.

Fox Sports/IGN Mobile Intern (Unpaid)

Intern Program - Los Angeles, CA

Photobucket Marketing Intern (UNPAID)

Intern Program - San Francisco, CA

Software Intern

HP - Roseville, CA

Intern

Allstate - Northbrook, IL

Events/Trade Marketing Intern (PAID)

Intern Program - New York, NY

Time Management

Let's face it, studying with all the distractions that are on going at college can quickly become a waste of time. This is where time management can help you organize your day better and forecast your schedule better for the rest of the month.

Time to Succeed

Typically, to be successful in a class, you will need to study 3 hours for every unit of a course ever week. At an average of 18 units of classes, that is 54 hours of studying every week. With 168 hours between Monday and Sunday, studying will end up taking 30% of your time during the week. This is of course an extreme case but this should make you realize how much time you need to commit too studying on a weekly basis to be successful.

Planning Your Day

With so many hours in a day, it is important to take the time and figure out your schedule every week. If you studied everyday, its about 8 hours a day of studying and if you take out time to sleep, eat, and go to classes, you'll end up with anywhere between 5 and 10 hours depending on how much you sleep of course. This still leaves plenty of time to do extra curricular activities and goof off. Using programs such as Google Calendar, you can map out your day and view it in a week or even month format. Here is a sample:

You Can't Do it All

In the best case scenario you can do it all in college but realistically, you'll have to remember to say no. The best way to know when to say no is by prioritizing your day. Got a midterm quickly approaching but have some club activities coming up? It is probably realistic to skip out on club activities if you need additional time to study.

How do you manage your time to study?

Who Will You Be This Summer?

It may seem early to be asking what you'll be doing this upcoming summer but based on an article written by the NY Times, it doesn't seem early enough. This article was written earlier this year in January and had a very bold statement: "If you haven't applied for your [internship] yet, you are late" . I am hoping that posting this article in advance will remind prospective interview candidates that application season is fast approaching. Some interesting points made in the article:

• Recruitment for the top 10% of internships start 10 months in advance
• Competition for summer internships is getting higher every year, Google received 5,000 applications for fewer than 1,000 positions
• Having completed a summer internship before graduation is now a necessity
• Using your network (ie. parents, family friends, relatives) is an acceptable way of trying to get any job experience

This article is worth a read to understand how competitive it has become to get an internship. Moral of the story, keep your grades, get experience in school, and start applying early.

Who Will You Be This Summer? [via NY Times]

Student Bloggers Roundup - Back to School

As a new tradition, Red Sprouts will be providing a list of weekly posts from Student Bloggers. Student Bloggers is a great site that lists interesting articles from a variety of bloggers that are currently in school. Back to School is a fitting theme for starting this weekly roundup. Enjoy!

If you're living off campus in an apartment, one of the most important steps towards getting as much of your security deposit back is the Apartment Walkthrough. I have found that land lords will ding you wherever they can so take the walkthrough seriously and mark down everything you see even if it looks like a minor scratch on the wall. School is Hard has a great listing of different items to look at during your walkthrough. What to Look for During an Apartment Walkthrough [via School is Hard]

Starting a new school year is just the same as starting a complete new year and making resolutions is an important part of setting goals. Not Just Surviving has a great list of academic resolutions for the year. School Year Resolutions [via Not Just Surviving]

I have to admit that I don't have the best library etiquette but that doesn't mean you shouldn't have them. Library Etiquette [via Sua Sponte]

Everyone doesn't like brown nosers but having a healthy relationship with a professor is vital, especially if you're looking for letters of recommendation. Building thatImportant Relationship [via University Scholar]

For those student veterans who are looking at a tough senior and know that caffeine will be a major part of their diet, here is a great guide to optomize its effect. Optimize Caffeine Consumption [via Pharmacy Kid]

Dealing With a Low GPA

Having a low GPA in college is a harsh reality some students have to face and creates a frustrating experience, especially when you're looking to get hired. As a junior, I had a 2.5 GPA and decided to attend my first career fair. I had created a very bare boned resume that included only high school experience along with a part time job. Suffice to say, it was a very disappointing experience. All of the top hiring companies at the career fair had a minimum GPA requirement and if you were brave enough to talk to a recruiter anyways it was always the first topic of discussion. It was very defeating to know that your resume would end up on the "trash" pile and realizing your future was looking bleak.

So how did I overcome a low GPA?

Study Habits

If you're serious about your career, then getting that GPA up should be a number one priority. Reevaluate your current study habits since they're most likely not working for you. I have to admit that I did not take studying so seriously during the first half of my college career and I paid for it with my GPA. I began changing my study habits until I found a method that was effective for me. By graduation I was able to raise my GPA to a 2.8 and even though it's still below the highly regarded 3.0 standard, it was a much better position to be in. If an interviewer is very interested in your GPA an improvement can only be positive.

Gaining Experience

I came away from the career fair knowing that I didn't have enough experience on my resume and felt that I had an opportunity to improve in this area. One of options to gain experience while in school, was to help a professor with academic research. It was a good way to expose me more to my major and work closely with a professor. Adding this research experience provided a very positive boost for my resume and created a spring board for conversations with recruiters at following career fairs. This opens more doors and shows that you're being active in pursuing relevant experience in your major.

Networking

Joining professional societies and school organizations provides a lot of unique opportunities to interact with industry. Building a relationship with someone from industry allows you too learn more about the business as well as gaining inside information on hiring needs of the company. A recommendation from someone currently working at the company will give you the leg up and provide an opportunity you may not be able to get through applying alone.

Determination

Giving into defeat is never an option in the real world and shouldn't be an option for you either. Though there will be plenty of blood, sweat, and tears; the rewards are well worth it.

Back to School Tools

If you are a tech savvy student, there is a plethora of tools out there that can make things such as note taking and study planning much easier. As much as I feel technology can aid in your study habits, it can be quite a distraction as well so make sure to evaluate each tool to see if it's right for you.

Back to School Power Tools for the Savvy Student [via LifeHacker]

Are You a Leader?

I attended a career workshop on campus where someone was invited to talk about leadership and management in the working world. It has been some time since I have read through my notes but every statement he made during that workshop made absolute sense. Below is a listing of what he called "Signs of Management":

Interest in Building an Organization

This sounds like I'm talking about building a business but this statement applies to any aspect of your career. This can refer to you building a club on campus and staking out a leadership role to be able to make an impact. For me, in the working world, this means to building a specialized group of team members that are geared towards solving unique project problems. Any good manager should show interest in building either a team, organization, or practice into something more and feel a sense of accomplishment.

Organization

Any good manager needs to know how to organize and I for one can attest to that. When you're managing multiple project, a million things can go on at once and you need to be very organized to be able to stay on top of everything. Currently, I am continuously updating time lines and budgets to ensure that my projects are meeting their targets. These skills came from being in a demanding curriculum while in college. Multiple homework assignments, midterms, and extracurricular requirements forced me to be organized and obtain good time management skills.

Strategic Thinker

In the end, its all about the big picture. A good manager can step back away from the details and look at the whole to ensure that what they're building is meeting existing goals. This is a skill that is hard to obtain while still in college but everyone can always step back and look at the big picture. Maybe you're working on a class project with other students and have been working out the details for a long time. Take a step back and evaluate how the project as a whole is performing. You may be working on one part of the project and your classmate is working on another but when you come together to write the final report and you finally realize that nothing agrees and you've wasted time and effort. You don't want to be in a situation where the details look great but the pieces don't come together.

Like to See Each Others Succeed

This was something that was not obvious to me when I was in college but experience has shown me that if the people you manage succeed you'll succeed. How does this apply in college? If you're running a club on campus and have spent the time and effort to build it, you'll need someone else to run the show when you've graduated. This passage of knowledge and mentorship is an important part of maintaining the life of any organization or business. I always make sure that I teach what I know to my team members so that they can learn to take on projects of their own. This allows me continued advancement as there are others trained to replace me.

Leadership is an important skill to develop because let's face it, the only way to advance your career is to be in a management position.

Career Fair Success Strategies

Thousands of people haggling over prices for the best quality fish is a typical day at a wholesale fish market. Yet in reality this is quite similar to a typical career fair where hundreds of students wait in line to speak with a recruiter and submit their resume in hope of catching the big one. If you’re not prepared, a career fair can swallow you up and spit you back out. I have attended many career fairs and have come away with certain tips and advice towards making a career fair a productive and positive experience.

Many undergraduates who attend a career fair for the first time do not realize that their interview with a prospective company begins with the first conversation with a recruiter. Having helped a company recruit in the past, I can finally understand why making a strong first impression is very important. Impressing a recruiter can involve a number of things such as appearance, self confidence, and extensive knowledge of the company. When hundreds of students are vying for the same position, you need to make yourself stand out.

Typically the career centers of most college campuses prepare for career fairs in advance and will provide information on what the company does and what kind of positions they are hiring for. Trust me you’ll want to be as prepared as possible before attending a career fair. Do your research on the companies so that when you do talk to the recruiter you can tell them about yourself and why you feel you would fit in with the position they have posted. There’s nothing worse for a recruiter than having to explain the position to people over and over again. Trust me they already know who they want and don’t want once you open your mouth.

While you’re talking to the recruiter about yourself, you should also take the opportunity to ask questions about them. The more involved you are talking with a recruiter the better chance you may have getting an interview spot. Try to always get their business card so that you can follow up with them and possibly create a contact.

Most importantly, bring extra copies of your resume. Passing out your resume at a career fair is a long standing tradition, so make sure you have enough copies with you. I have unfortunately had had the experience of not bringing enough resumes requiring me run off to a nearby computer lab to print some more out taking away precious time talking to recruiters. My rule of thumb is to bring an extra 15 - 20 resumes on top of the one's you've already printed. You never know what company will show up at the last minute that is a great fit for you.

Text Book Price Comparison

As a follow up to the recent guide towards saving money on text books, is a review of three text book price comparison sites. All three act as search engines that help find the best price for specific text book titles. For my review, I have used "Principle of Economics" with a list price of $193.95 and will only be searching for new books.

BigWords

www.bigwords.com

This site showed me the best price compared to the other two websites. It provides a description of the text book and what edition it is. The cheapest book they listed was a new international version at $37.91. When you select the book to purchase it automatically redirects you to the site offering the book making shopping for books online easier.

Cheap College Textbooks

www.cheapesttextbooks.com

This site provides much more detail information compared to that of both BigWords and BooksPrice such as shipping price, any available coupon codes, and any restrictions. What the site couldn't do was produce the best price compared to BigWords. The lowest price for "Principles of Economics" was $120.00. Like BigWords, the site redirects you directly the seller.

BooksPrice

www.booksprice.com

Like Cheap College Textbooks, this site provides plenty of information such as shipping costs in addition to a larger list of book vendors. What makes this site different is that it allows you to filter your searches for only new books or different price ranges. Like BigWords, it found the same book listed at $37.91 and directed you to seller of the book. I liked the layout of this site much better than the other two and would pick this site to at least compare prices of textbooks.