Career Marketplace Blog

In his article for U.S. News and World Report, Curt Rosengren shows readers how to Expand Your Career Potential.

Below is an excerpt of Rosengren’s article:

I remember the feeling when I first left home to go to college and realized I didn’t need permission for the way I lived my life. It was exhilarating and liberating. I imagine most people have a similar experience as they transition from dependence to independence.

Part of being an adult is having that independence and control of our own lives. And yet many of us are still limited by an absence of permission. Only this time it’s not our parents who won’t let us do what we want. And it’s not our teachers, or our bosses, or any other authority figure. It’s our own selves.

There are certain things we won’t let ourselves do, or feel, or experience. The reasons why are legion. We don’t give ourselves permission because of what someone else might say or think. We refuse permission because something is too scary, or because “that’s not the way it’s done.” We withhold permission because we think someone else wouldn’t approve. And on and on it goes.

Read more of Rosengren’s article to find helpful advice about when to say no, allowing yourself to experiment, and its okay to be yourself.

About.com Guide, Dawn Rosenberg McKay explains how your ability to listen can benefit your job search. In her article, Now Pay Attention. Here’s Why You Need Good Listening Skills, McKay explains the difference between listening and hearing and explains why you need good listening skills.

Below is an excerpt of McKay’s article. Read Full Article

Wall Street Journal Career Stategies article, Most Promotions Take Place in January, Study Finds, Joe Light references a study conducted by LinkedIn Corp showing when “the greatest percentage of in-house promotions” occur. In this study, the professional networking site found that, “16% of promotions since 2000 occurred in January”.

January is not always the hot month for promotions. Depending on the industry, the study finds June, July, and September are also popular months for job advancement.

Read more of Light’s article to learn how you can secure a promotion in the coming year.

About.com Guide, Alison Doyle shows you, Resignation Do’s and Don’ts. How (and How Not) to Resign From a Job.

Tips to look for in Doyle’s article are:

• Do Give Notice
• Don’t Be Negative
• Do Offer Help

Read On

Wall Street Journal blog, Hire Education, Deloitte CEO, Barry Salzberg shares his thoughts on how students should begin career preparation as early as high school.

Below is a excerpt of Salzberg’s blog. Read Full Blog

Even in a good economy, the transition from college to the workplace can be tricky. Some people sail through academia to work without a hitch. Others have a harder time finding the right fit; they’ll need to adjust their expectations and/or improve their skills before they begin their careers.

So where’s the disconnect? Why isn’t everyone coming out of college career- and future-ready?

For many students, it may be because they had to spend time getting up to speed on college-level work. That leaves them less time to reap the benefits of higher education and grow into the kinds of young professionals employers expect to hire.

As colleges prepare for final exams this month, millions of first-year students will get concrete data on how well they’ve been prepared for higher education. More than two-thirds of high-school students in Deloitte’s 2010 Education Survey told us they felt well-prepared for college, while more than two-thirds of high school teachers fear their students are not prepared to handle college course work.

Which view is correct? The sad truth of the matter is no one really knows.

Read On

In an interview for Susan Adams’ Forbes Magazine article, How to Communicate Better at Work, Karen Friedman has helpful advice on how to simplify and capitalize business communication.

Below is an excerpt from Adams’ article. Read Full Article

The title of Karen Friedman’s new book isn’t exactly subtle.Shut Up And Say Something: Business Communication Strategies to Overcome Challenges and Influence Listeners lays out her no-nonsense philosophy about how to best get your point across, drawn from her 35 years of experience as a professional communicator. As a TV news reporter, she worked at local stations in cities from Milwaukee to Huntsville, Ala. For the last 15 years, she’s headed up Karen Friedman Enterprises, a communication coaching firm in Philadelphia.

How does she apply her ideas in the workplace? Her No. 1 rule, gleaned from two decades in the TV news trenches: “It is absolutely critical to be as direct, to the point and concise as possible,” she says, in a lively, forceful voice with a Philadelphia tinge. Vagueness is all too common in the workplace, she observes, and you easily remedy it by following the newscaster’s drill of spelling out who, what, where, when and why.

Read On

Wall Street Journal article, Make the Most of a Starter Job, Ruth Mantell reports that recent college grads are willing to accept positions outside of their field in order to gain valuable skills and  experience they can use throughout their career.

Below is an excerpt from Mantell’s article. Read Full Article

With the tough labor market, many recent college graduates may take jobs outside their field and settle for lower salaries than they might have hoped for.

But there are steps college grads can take to better position themselves for success down the road.

Entry-level workers can take positions that teach them universal skills they’ll need throughout their career, says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at job website CareerBuilder.com. “Even if a position isn’t what you want, it may be rich in experience.”

Read On

Shine staff writer, Sarah McColl shows readers Low-risk ways to get a better job without jumping ship.

Below is an excerpt from McColl’s article. Read full article

With the job market the downer it is, there’s a certain amount of pressure to stay in your current position even if you’re not happy. But rather than fuming in your cubicle about your dissatisfaction, there are ways to empower yourself without sending out your resume. Here’s how to put out your feelers, amp up your skills, and meet the right people so when the time comes to move on, you’re more than ready.

GET SPECIFIC
The most low-risk way to think about your next career step is something you can even do at your desk: make a list. What is it about your job that you like? What aspects give you a sense of accomplishment? Which leave you feeling depleted? Are the hours great but the work soulless? Do you feel like you’re helping people but the pay barely covers your expenses? Like your co-workers but find you have to work individually more than you’d like? Get specific about where there’s room for improvement, so that when you see the qualities you’re looking for in the next position you’ll recognize them.

BUILD YOUR SKILL SET
Often employers will pay for or subsidize classes that will allow their employees to bring top-notch design, copy-editing or computer skills to the office. Think about certifications that might make you a more attractive candidate or certain skills you need to brush up on or areas where you could use some improvement (spreadsheets, anyone?). You’ll meet people in related fields, gain some extra confidence, and have a concrete skill set to add to your resume.

VOLUNTEER
Is there an organization doing great work that you’d love to be a part of? Start your work on a volunteer basis. You’ll get the inside scoop on job openings and first-hand insight into the inner-workings of the place. While you’re there, though, temporarily shelve your hopes of getting a job and focus on the work at hand. Ulterior motives can turn people off. Keep your eyes open and ears to the ground, be efficient and enthusiastic. Make a good impression. Even if a position doesn’t open up, you now have relevant experience to bring to a similar workplace and an extra recommendation in your pocket.

Read On

In this Channel 10 News story, a recent employment study shows retailers are currently looking to fill seasonal positions for the holidays. Job seekers are encouraged to submit their application now as Retail Managers are taking a more selective approach in their hiring decisions.

Watch this video to learn more about the  employment study:

Study Urges Job Seekers to Apply Now for Seasonal Jobs

In her Wall Street Journal article, Employers Favor State Schools for Hires, Jennifer Merritt discusses a new Wall Street Journal survey showing U.S. companies are switching their focus to big state universities over elite private schools when hiring candidates.

Watch WSJ.com’s News Hub where Merritt discusses the results of this survey.

Read Merritt’s Article