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College Graduates, Avoid Job Shortage: Choose a High Demand Career and a High Demand Major

Here are ten tips for picking a high demand major and the right academic program:

According to the US Department of Labor, only 13% of jobs will require a bachelor’s degree by 2016. This means that there will be over 1.4 million college graduates with a job supply of only 670,000. Selecting a college is tricky, even if you have a major in mind. If job placement is a critical consideration, do your research!

1. Make the connection between high-demand jobs and high-demand college majors. Take some time to read deep into several interesting job categories published the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). Read a few of the job descriptions and you’ll get the hang of how it’s organized.

2. Make sure the job projections published in the OOH reflect a larger than average growth rate and a higher than average number of jobs projected. Of course, if your job growth isn’t higher than average, it doesn’t mean this isn’t a good field for you. Your personal passion and preparedness is really what makes you employable. But it’s good to know how intense the competition for jobs will be!

3. Check further in the OOH information about the regions of the country where you want to work. Is there growth expected there too?

4. Compare the OOH descriptions of training and education required to the academic programs offered by the top colleges you’re considering. The descriptions won’t match perfectly. But you’ll ask better questions in class the more quickly you pick up the “lingo” of the field that you’ll be working in.

5. Check out the coursework offered in the majors. The course catalog is probably online and will describe what each course will cover. Do the classes teach you what the OOH says you need to know to work in this field? Not sure? Call the instructors or ask to speak with them when you’re on a campus visit!

6. Learn about the hiring trends in the industry you’ll be working in. Locate an appropriate professional association and read the blogs and white papers from the leading experts in the field. What are their insights about where the field is going?

Finally, find out about the reputation of your top majors at your top three colleges:

7. Where did the faculty graduate from?

8. Are any colleges cited in the trade or professional association web site?

9. Where did the top industry experts go to college?

10. What awards, publications, student/professional activities and/or research is your college professors involved with? Will you have a chance to work with people in your field while you’re a student?

You might be able to shortcut this research process, if you’re willing to pick up the phone and call people who are working (preferably, hiring) in this field. Explain that you’re a student seeking career advice and you may be surprised at how much information you can find out!

Contact me at www.whatsyourmajor.net for more information.

Please See My New Article at Next Step Magazine! Help your student find the right college fit

Help your student find the right college fit - page one

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Five Simple Steps to Picking a Major!

When you’re down to your final choices of a college, it’s time for you to really scrutinize their academic offerings (courses and majors).

Purchase an easy search tool like “Major Decisions”, published by Wintergreen Orchard House to take with you on college visits. In an easy- to-read and easy-to-carry thin handbook, it describes 150 of the most popular majors and describes the plan of study in plain English.

Compare your college’s offerings with the core subject areas and typical course titles described in the book. This can help you make your final college choice, and to ask better questions when you visit all of your top college choices.

Again, make sure you talk to the faculty of the academic programs, if you have a major field or fields picked out. However, if you’re one of the 30% of freshmen who don’t know what your major will be, at least understand what’s offered and make plans to further explore the majors and career paths, as you enter college.

The college (faculty, your advisor or the career and academic advising departments) can help you get clarity, as you move into your freshman and sophomore years. “Major Decisions” lists career possibilities. Explore them with your career center, and also talk to people in those professions to truly understand the quality of life that you can expect in this job.

In these conversations with the college and working professionals, prepare the right questions to ask. For example, “Major Decisions” tells you what skill areas are critical for success in the major and career. If this field is a passing interest and not a passion, and the skills required seem daunting to you, you need to think carefully about whether this is the right path for you. Consider taking an aptitude assessment such as DAT for PCA to verify your skill level in specific areas like math or language. The career center or psychology department at your college may be able to refer you to a testing center.

You can approach your search for a major three ways:

- A limited search (to learn about all the majors in a given field, such as psychology or engineering).
- An extended search (to also learn about the entries in the “related majors” sections of the “Major Decisions” handbook.
- Or just random reading - to get acquainted with the scope of majors in the Table of Contents and then read deeper into areas that sound interesting.

Linking Majors and Careers was Never Easier! (Still, You Have to Do Some Legwork)

It’s never too soon for students to explore careers; and conversely, it’s never too late for an adult. You can learn about the types of high school and college coursework needed, and -- whether or not you go to college -- the types of jobs that you can prepare for, in each cluster. At the States Career Clusters Initiative, there are 16 Career Cluster Plans of Study; and 81 Pathway Plans of Study across them.

According to the site, “A Plan of Study can serve as a guide, along with other career planning materials, as learners continue on a career path.” Course recommendations should be individualized to meet each learner’s educational and career goals and each school’s entrance and graduation requirements.

Knowledge and Skills Charts are available at the links provided for each Cluster and under the "Resources" tab on the site. Secondary and post-secondary coursework is detailed “across the disciplines” of math, science, social studies and English/Language Arts. Other required courses, electives and learner activities are also provided.

Since many professional jobs these days don’t require a college degree, coursework in both career and technical programs and degree major courses are provided for each cluster. A sample listing of job titles gives you an idea of the types of jobs that can result from following these study programs. For example, in the Marketing, Sales and Service cluster, common job titles include:

►Copywriter/Designer
►E-Commerce Director
►Entrepreneur
►Field Marketing Representative
►Forecasting Manager
►Interactive Media Specialist
►Inventory Manager/Analyst
►Logistics Manager
►Merchandise Buyer
►On-line Market Researcher
►Public Relations Manager
►Promotions Manager
►Retail Marketing Coordinator
►Sales Executive
►Shipping/Receiving Clerk
►Telemarketer
►Trade Show Manager
►Warehouse Manager
►Webmaster

Armed with this information, you can jump over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook to learn about salaries, what the jobs are like, and the growth projections in your region. Contact me at jill@whatsyourmajor.net for help with streamlining this process.

Look and See! Use the New Interactive College Search Tools to Understand the Intangibles

Data are great, but when push comes to shove, your choice of college will most likely be based on intangibles: a feeling of connection that's hard to describe.

When your college meets your hard academic, financial and logistical requirements, AND just feels right, you've found your "best fit".

College search road trips can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Prepare yourself with a "look and see" approach before getting in the car:

1. Start with the usual list of 20-some schools on your consideration list. You'll wind up with fewer than ten at decision time. Contact me at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/index.php/Contact-Us.html for free advice about how to compile your list.

2. Use student-directed interactive tools to develop an understanding about what life is really like at your first 20 choices.

US News and World Report, for example, now offers online videos of 150 campuses, with student commentary and blogs .

Collegeconfidential.com offers a topic-specific forum where parents and students can share impressions and experiences openly. You can submit a question about your colleges and someone with experience is very likely to respond quickly.

Some printed college guides are written from a student's point of view, such as "The Insider's Guide to the Colleges," and "Students' Guide to the Colleges". These are great places to do a first screening of your list of 20 colleges.

3. Visit five to ten schools on your list during the first go-around. Through the visits, you'll find yourself developing the criteria for the intangibles that matter to you: The social culture on campus, the teaching philosophy of the faculty you will meet, and more.

4. If a faculty presentation is not on your campus visit agenda, make sure you make an appointment with a faculty member from either the core curriculum or your field of interest. Ask about the teaching philosophy on campus and how it's realized in the classroom. Inquire about job opportunties and hiring trends in the field.

5. Don't omit any colleges from your list based on indirect internet or book resources. Look and see for yourself! But be sure to get details from college officials about any areas of special interest or concern.

Happy Hunting!

College Grads: Rally Your Enthusiasm During Job Interviews

In a job interview, a recent college graduate was asked what she thought of the opportunity.

Her answer: "It wouldn't be my first choice."

The result: No job offer

Author Barbara Pachter says that many millennials limit their job options by making poor choices in etiquette (http://barbarapachter.blogspot.com/2009/05/mistakes-to-avoid-when-looking-for-work.html)

The graduate above was essentially insulting the interviewer by demeaning the job, in telling the "truth".

It's not necessary to lower your career goals, but it is important to show that you spent your time well right after graduation. You need a job as soon as possible to provide proof of your ambition.

If you're going to accept an interview, make sure that you prepare, demonstrate openness and a positive attitude and followup in a way that keeps everything going in your favor. Don't assume anything about the position you're interviewing for, or the person doing the interview. He or she may even have other "unadvertised" opportunities.

True,

Your first job may not align with your college major.

It may be a hourly rate and not a salary.

It may be part-time.

It may not pay what you think you're worth.

But, in today's job market, you're competing with experienced professionals. They know something that you don't know.

1. Any seemingly great job offer can turn out to be disappointing, once you get there. And..

2. A position that seems inadequate at first can produce unforeseen opportunities, once you get there.

When your expectations about your first job are too lofty, you won't take interviews seriously, you won't get a job offer, and -- worst of all -- you will undermine your own confidence. Handle the interview well, and you're sure to get a boost in your self-image.

In an interview, it's best to focus on evaluating the job positively, thinking of ways it can help you, instead of assuming that it's not what you're looking for. Keep your options open. You don't have to make a decision until you get an offer!

Once you get a job, learn as much as you can while there, build professional friendships that will help you build your future; and create a reputation for reliability and expertise. You'll soon be in a position to control your own destiny.

A College Major is not a Career Choice! Get Out from Behind Yourself and Talk to People

In today's economy, many professional jobs do not require a four-year degree, and there is an oversupply of college graduates. This changes the equation for what the payback of a college education really is, and, the kind of investment you need to make to get the best results.

Many students, and certainly, their parents, say that they choose a major with the expectation of a particular job. The folly of this is that, too often, they act on incomplete information: what someone told them. They omit the critical step of finding out for themselves.

First, most professional jobs accept a variety of training options. College may not even be required.

And, if you are a college graduate, a variety of majors will be viewed by employers as applicable to your job of choice. You might be competing with more applicants that you planned on.

The only way to prove out your expectations for work after college is to use the principles of job shadowing that you learned about in high school: Talk to people!

Seek out people who are employed in the profession. How did they get there? What specific types of education, on-site training and networking would they recommend to you? If you don't know anyone employed in the field, go to the library or search online and find the professional trade association. Locate someone in your area and email them or ask for an in-person coffee meeting (your treat, of course).

College students, remember: You're the "customer" of your college. Use the faculty as a career resource. You're entitled to free access to them. Your instructors know the emerging trends in the profession and, best of all, they are connected. They know people who make the hiring decisions. They can assist you with your search for an internship, which is the best way to try on a job, before continuing to pursue it.

College is not just a monetary investment. It also occupies critical years of your life. Don't let that time produce lost opportunities.

If You Choose Your Academic Program Wisely, It Just Doesn't Matter Where You Go To College

Many students don’t realize that it isn’t their choice of college, or choice of major, that will determine success at college. They should consider your happiness first.
But what does that mean, exactly?

We tell students: If you can engage in the “community,” you will be more likely to optimize your experience, socially and academically, and be satisfied with the “value for the money” from your choice of college.

But the hidden secret of college shopping, is that your WILL depend of your choice of academic program within a college. It’s the “program” that you should be shopping for, once you’re sure that you will be comfortable with the social environment of top choice schools.

The latest National Survey of Student Engagement uncovered that 90% of the variance in student satisfaction campus quality is explained by students at the same schools not having the same experiences. The study reported that there are differences across academic programs at the same college when it comes to important factors like “social support”, “interactions with students from other ethnicities”, and “active and collaborative learning”.

And, this week, Forbes Magazine urged the 3.3 million newly minted high school graduates to save themselves pronounced anxiety by bargain shopping for their educations. Author and recent grad student/blogger Joie Jager-Hyman says that what's most important is a student’s “willingness to engage…, commit to learning and actively take part in classes that challenge…”.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/26/college-admission-officer-opinions-contributors-decision.html

Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/Jill Bernaciak at Linked In

Pursuing The Value-Add of a College Education

Marty Nemko's opinion-editorial in The Chronicle of Higher Education last spring raised challenges to both colleges and families to each create the "value-add" of a college education. Nemko contended that college students who have weak high school records often drop out from college without gaining much. They often leave the college experience with "devastated self-esteem, a mountain of debt, and a job they could have obtained without college."

Nemko, US News and World Report's contributing editor on career and college issues, cited several notable studies of low satisfaction with college among graduate and lack of preparedness for the work force. Among his proposed solutions: College view guides should include detailed scorecards on student progress.

In his blog, Nemko urges families to save money by making the most of college and to make college selection decisions accordingly:

"Choose professors carefully; for example, read online student reviews of them. Pick the professors most likely to teach you to think and write better and who will inspire you.

Take writing-and reasoning centric courses: for example, rhetoric.

Participate in extracurriculars such as debate, student govt, and student newspaper.

Take classes that expose you to a wide range of political perspectives.

Search out great peer and adult mentors."

Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak at Linked In

Four Northeast Ohio Colleges offer Human Resource Specializations, with Job Growth Exceeding 18%

Baldwin-Wallace, Cleveland State University, Ursuline College and Chancellor University offer Human Resource Majors; with job growth exceeding 18% in some specializations.

Generally, with a median salary of $88,510 and job growth exceeding 11 percent through 2016, the human resource profession is a broad category with lots of potential for the well-prepared job seeker. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, job growth approaching 18% is expected in specialties in employment, recruitment, and placement; compensation, benefits, and job analysis specialists; and training and development, whose job holders can seek areas of specialization, for example, as:

- Compensation and Benefits, where managers plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities and staff of an organization. They can specialize in areas such as pensions or position classifications. For example, job analysts collect and examine details about job duties and prepare job descriptions that explain the duties, training, and skills that each job requires.

- Training and Development, where managers perform duties similar to the above and may also plan, direct, or coordinate the training and development activities and staff of an organization, a key employee benefit.

Four northeast ohio colleges offer programs leading to a bachelor’s degree in personnel, human resources, or labor relations:

Baldwin-Wallace College – Human Resources

Cleveland State University – Management and Labor Relations

Ursuline College – Human Resource Management

Chancellor University (formerly Myers University) - Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Human Resource Management

Beyond those four, courses leading to a career in human resources management may be found in departments of business administration, education, instructional technology, organizational development, human services, communication, or public administration.

Coming up! Workshops on College Essay Writing (March 28) and Career Exploration (May 2), Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
Jill Bernaciak at Linked In

With Passion for Fashion, Kent State Students are Well-Prepared to Compete in the Global Industry

There are two strategies that Northeast Ohio college students can take to choose a college major that ensures employment:

- Find a profession with largeness and growth and/or
- Find a school that’s the top in its field

Employment in the fashion design and fashion merchandising is not just a glamour job. Self-employment is common. Most jobs are highly competitive and located in New York and California. Job growth is slower than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

However, with top local training, students have the best chances of success.

Since 1983, the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising at Kent State University’ has been turning out graduates who go on to lead their professions. Guided by a strong advisory board, students work side-by-side with top industry professionals from JCPenney, Sears and Simplicity Pattern Company, among others. Students consistently win national competitions sponsored by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Target.

Recently, the fashion school received a $1 million gift from the Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation. that provides “world-class quality leadership” for the next ten years from Elizabeth Rhodes, an exceptional industry visionary leader, according to Rick Kellar, the foundation’s president.

Over thirteen full-time faculty use hands-on and real-life experiences with over 700 students. Study tours to Europe and Asia are offered on a regular basis. Facilities include a studio in New York City, an international school in Florence, Italy and study opportunities in Hong Kong, London and Paris.

The NYC Studio is a new 4500-square-foot space with lecture room, computer lab and world class design studio, located in the heart of New York City's Garment District, where one-third of all clothing manufactured in the USA is designed and produced and home to America's world-renowned fashion talent.

The Kent State location has several CAD (computer-aided design) labs for digital fabric printing. pattern-making and 3-D merchandising. It houses world-renown library and museum.
A Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design is available on two tracks with different emphasis:

- Conceptual design with illustration

- Problem solving and technical design skills with strong construction skills.

In Fashion Merchandising, a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising and a five-year MBA are available.

Basic coursework includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion history, computer-aided design (CAD), and design of different types of clothing such as menswear or footwear.

In addition to general admission requirements, applicants to the fashion design program must submit a skills assessment, including drawing and machine stitching samples, and a letter of intent and ‘statement of honor”. The school offers Academic Discovery days and shadowing for high school students for an in-depth exploration of the program.

Visit http://www.fashionschool.kent.edu/for more information

Median annual earnings for salaried fashion designers were $62,610 in May 2006. Earnings in fashion design can vary widely based on the employer and years of experience. Starting salaries in fashion design tend to be very low until designers are established in the industry. According to the Department of labor, some fashion designers also combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, especially those who want to run their own business or retail store.

Coming up! Workshops on College Essay (March 28) and Career Planning (May 2)
Register at http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/

Jill Bernaciak
See my Linked In Profile

Are You Efficient and a Strong Leader? Many Northeast Ohio Colleges Can Prepare You to be a High-Paid Administrative Service Manager

One of the only ways that a company can grow in today’s economy is to optimize the efficiency of its operations.

With the right degree and experience, you could be a key player as an “Administrative Services Manager”; which will be a higher-demand, high paid job through 2016 (and probably beyond).

While the job title is about as nondescript of an occupation as you could imagine, it pays an average of $67,000 annually and will have 276,000 people employed by 2016. This is an almost 12 percent increase from 2006.

Relevant majors depend on the work environment and include:
- Business (specifically finance or human resources)
- Engineering
- Architecture
- Construction management
- Facility management

What’s this Job Entail?

You don’t need to be an expert in the functional areas that you’d supervise, but you do need to demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, which is why lower-level experience is so vital. You must enjoy working with details, and a wide range of people; from managers, supervisors, and professionals, to clerks and blue-collar workers. You must be flexible, decisive and effective with meeting deadlines and managing multiple activities at once.

Administrative services managers coordinate and direct a broad spectrum of services that keep a company running smoothly. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, they can oversee:

- Secretarial and reception services and mail
- Administration and payroll
- Conference planning and travel
- Information and data processing
- Materials scheduling and distribution
- Printing and reproduction
- Records management
- Telecommunications management
- Security, parking
- Energy consumption
- Personal property
- Procurement, supply, recycling, and disposal

Specific duties for these managers vary by their level of responsibility and authority. Some advance to upper level positions, such as vice president of administrative services.

Experience and Courses Required

Managerial and industry-specific experience is the key to attaining this position. You might have to start in a non-managerial position and work up the ladder. Your chances for promotion to this position can be enhanced by earning the Certified Manager (CM) designation offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), along with the right experience and education.

The degree required depends on the work environment. In less complex organizations, a high school education and experience could suffice. But other employers, such as in contract administration or facilities management, require a bachelor’s degree. In facilities management, many managers have a background in real estate, construction, or interior design. Courses in office technology, accounting, business mathematics, computer applications, human resources, and business law would be expected, regardless of industry.

Sources: Occupation Outlook Handbook, 2008-09

Building a Career? Look into Construction Management and Cleveland State University

Economic forecasts aside, the long-run job prospects in Construction Management are much better than average, from the perspective of salary and chance of hire.

The number of construction management jobs will grow 15.7% between 2006 and 2016. The median salary in 2006 was $73,700.

A bachelor’s degree in construction science, construction management, building science, or civil engineering or architecture are preferred and work experience is also expected, whether through an internship, a cooperative education program, or a job in the industry. The traditional path to advancement begins with long-term experience as, for example, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, or electrical installation.

In Northeast Ohio, five colleges have relevant four-year programs that would qualify you, after work experience, for a construction management opportunity:

Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland State University
Kent State University
The University of Akron
Youngstown State University

For example, Cleveland State University’s Engineering program has made “large investments have been made in new labs and the renovation of classrooms and office space…” Its co-op program enables students to alternate between classes and work at many (related) “prominent companies”.

According to the Dean’s report in spring 2008, 63% of the faculty graduated from the top 26 engineering schools in the United States, including MIT, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Texas A&M and a variety of others. The Visiting Scholar program has hosted scholars from Carnegie Mellon University and internationally from Myong Ji University and Dankook University in South Korea, Fujian University and Shanghai Polytechnic University in China, Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil and JNTU in India.

In the Cleveland marketplace, there are an estimated 970,000 construction management positions, with an average hourly wage of $42.55 and an average annual salary of $88,510.

According to the Occupational Outlook, construction managers “plan, direct, coordinate, or budget…activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems”. Construction managers help conceptualize the development of a construction project and organize, schedule, and implement related activities with the help of supervisory subordinates. Specialties such as carpentry or plumbing are included in this profession, and job titles include general superintendents, project managers, and constructors.
The biggest employers of construction managers include petroleum and related wholesale, investment pools or funds, and travel accommodations. Most managers are involved with nonresidential, residential, building equipment, foundation, structure and exterior contactors.

Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, http://www.csuohio.edu/engineering/

Case Western Reserve University -- and several others in Northeast Ohio -- offers Best Odds for Hiring and High Pay in the Computer Science Field

Northeast Ohio has always been a tough job market. Unless you have a rich uncle -- it's paramount to have a solid strategy for your college education and career.

If you take the trouble to identify a top-paying occupation early in your college career, would you also want to know about where you can find a top-rated academic program, locally?

-- Or, would you also be interested in finding a top-rated program, locally and at the lowest cost?

Answering these questions may seem unwieldy.

You could define your "best fit" college by finding one that gives you a top education in a top paying, promising field. Of course, for most students, it's not quite that crystal clear. Your college lifestyle is also an important consideration.

In Ohio, Case Western Reserve University and The Ohio State University both offer a top rated program in Computer Science, according to both The Gourman Report and Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges. (The Gourman report was acquired by The Princeton Review in 1997.)

Rugg's includes Denison University in its best Computer Science majors list in the "most selective" category.

Hiram College and Kent State University are also included, although considered by Rugg's to be "very", not "most" selective in admitting students.

Baldwin-Wallace College and Mount Union College also make the cut in the more general, "selective" category.

Majors in computer and information sciences, computer systems analysis, networking and telecommunications or information technology can leads to a position as network systems and data communications analyst, the best job for college graduates, as defined by Laurence Shatkin.

Shatkin and Michael Farr, authors of the "200 Best Jobs for College Graduates", say that Systems analysts design, test and evaluate systems such as intranets and local area networks. The average starting salary is $40,100 and there will be over 35,000 openings for them annually, through 2016.

Sources: Forbes, 1/9/09
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges, 2006
The Gourman Report, 1997

Even High Demand Degree-Holders Need to Get Smart about Developing "Soft" Skills

College Graduates! Do You Know Who is Hiring? Or Who is Being Hired?

Don’t overlook the importance of proving your soft skills to employers when entering the job market for the first time. Everyone – regardless of your degree -- has to overcome employer bias against recent college graduates.

Employers want communication and team work skills but they believe that young people lack them. You will be better off in this flat job market, if you can demonstrate your team work experience and individual contributions from college classes, extracurricular experience, internships and “first jobs”.

According to the 2009 Job Outlook Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the job market is flat. And it's more competitive. There are more job-seekers; recent graduates and job changers are pursing the same positions.

Engineers, accountants and computer scientists with "people smarts" will be very competitive in the 2009 job market.

The highest demand is for bachelor's degrees are in the following fields:

Accounting
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Business Administration/Management
Economics/Finance
Information Sciences & Systems
Computer Engineering
Management Information Systems
Marketing/Marketing Management

At the master's degree level, the highest demand is for:

M.B.A.
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Accounting

These hiring trends are likely to continue for awhile, so undergraduate students who are considering one of these majors will be well-advised to confirm that decision.

Where Should you Target your Job Search?

If you're a newly minted degree-holder in Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration/Management, the Federal Government is the best place to seek a job.

If you're an MBA, you will lead the pack at 60% of employers surveyed by NACE.

Who's Hiring by Employer Type
(Bachelor's Degree)

Accounting:
Accounting (public)
Financial Services
Utilities
Government (Federal)
Mechanical engineering
Government (Federal)
Chemicals & Allied Products
Food & Beverage Processing

Electrical engineering:
Government (Federal)
Electrical & electronic machinery & equipment manufacturers
Chemicals & allied products

Computer Science:
Computer software development& data processing services
Communication Services
Government (Federal)

Business Admin./Mgmt.:
Insurance
Financial Services
Food & Beverage Processing
Government (Federal)

Associate degree holders in business, engineering, drafting, design, and computer-aided design (CAD) are also in demand. Industries that are doing the most hiring for associate degrees are utility companies, research organizations, communications services, electrical/electronic machinery and equipment manufacturers.

High Demand "Soft" Skills

Employers want skills that they say recent college graduate lack; most importantly:

1. Communication skills, especially writing
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
4. Initiative
5. Analytical skills
6. Computer skills
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
9. Problem-solving skills
10. Technical skills

High GPAs and Internships are Other Ways to Get Over the Hurdles

Over 50% of employers use a GPA cutoff of 3.0 to screen out candidates. Adding an internship or two in your field will show an employer that you’ve tested your new knowledge.

Even better, internships are a foot in the door. Employers often use them for try-outs; a talent pool for future employees. So, even if it's an unpaid internship, if it's with a desirable future employer, you should seriously consider it!