"They Didn't Teach That in School!" No Longer an Excuse

Being thrust into "the real world" comes along with some scary tasks we are going to need to do ourselves.  Not only will be full-time, but students graduating often have a hard time adjusting to taking care of personal finances.

College does grant students with a piece of an independent lifestyle, but there are still those things we often let our parents deal with : tax forms, rent checks, insurance etc.

We often say give the excuse our courses don't prepare us for these real-life tasks.  However, you are in luck.  JMU is now offering a new course this spring to help students learn about smart ways to handle your money.

Dollars and Sense- IS 275
Mondays- 3-5:30
Burruss Hall Room 139

The course is 3 credits, and focuses on the basics of handling an adult life.  It is not a high level economics course, and is suggested for all majors.  The topics covered will include budgeting, money and relationships, insurance, saving, debt, house shopping, and other real life applications.

Instruction comes from Brad Barnett, an Accredited Financial Counselor and JMU's Associate Director of Financial Aid & Scholarships.  He will share his vast knowledge and expertise throughout the semester. 

If your schedule permits, this class is a great leg-up to get ready for "the real world."  Don't forgot Spring registration beings Monday, November 1st!

Stick to DC- A Promising Region for Job Hunting

Part of looking for the right job is knowing where you want to be.  While many return to the places they grew up, others look to cities full of jobs and the young urban professional lifestyle.

In our current economic, cities who seem to be at the center for prosperity, including New York, are not offering the opportunities they have in the past.  An important part of being marketable is being flexible on location.  New cities might be scary, but college graduates are at the prime age for travel and new changes.

A recent Business Week study showed the south as a prime region for recent college graduates, including Washington, DC.  Due to the high cost of living in cities such as Boston and New York, cities like DC and Houston, TX are more practical for those with entry- level jobs.

This is great news for JMU students, who have many DC employers seek on-campus interviews for possible job opportunties.  Due to our geographic location, many people originally outside the DC area  have access to an area less affected by the economic drowns.

So why DC?  The expansion of the Federal Government has increased employment opportunities.  The government provides security and benefits, unlike many the rocky businesses of today.

LEARN!  Career and Academic Planning is hosting a Student Webinar with information on Federal Jobs.  Students must reply on Recruit-A-Duke to attend.  The event will show students how to apply, and the benefits of going governmental.

Student Webinar- Federal Jobs
Tuesday, October 26th 4:30-6:00 pm
Festival Conference Room 3

Another great tool is DCJobs, which provides a comprehensive search to everything in DC.

Happy Job Searching !

Want to Get That Edge? Get the Wall Street Journal

I know what you're thinking.  The Wall Street Journal? BORING!

While we like to believe we have tons of time until we become those boring businesspeople reading these types of newspapers, the reality is we do not.  Subscribing to the Wall Street Journal now can enrich your professional side, and give you key information into the business world.

Reading about companies, international news, and stocks gives you an edge by educating you.  Just imagine being able to participate in those adult conversations about the merging of firms.  Exciting right?  Knowing information shows an interviewer you are aware of what is going on around you.  It is also important to know the financial news of a company, especially when they can be your future employer.

The Wall Street Journal is offering educational rates at 75% off the regular price.  Two- year subscriptions to WSJ.com, the print version, and the mobile reader is available for $179.  Seems like a lot, but it is still 75% off!  The WSJ also offers iPad and iPhone apps for on-the-go access.

The apps make the information right at your fingertips. Look how easy it looks in the video.


Start reading!  Check back in a day or two for more tips to help your professional life.

Tidy Up Your Resume at Resume Roadshows

An essential part of finding the job you want is being able to present yourself in a nutshell.  In essence, the resume is that nutshell; it is a one page summary that shows the company your capabilities and who you are.
Resume writing can be difficult, especially for college grads without a ton of experience.  Formatting and keeping it to one page shows an employer you can concisely organize your writing. 

Career and Academic Planning Suggests 3 different types of resume formats.  All are workable to use.  You should chose a resume format based on the job you are seeking.

1. Chronlogical Resume Format- This emphasizes work and experiences with focuses on dates.  This is an easy read to employers and highlights your career growth.

2.  Functional Resume Format- Organizes information under headings of accomplishments or strengths.  Examples of headings are Writing and Editing Experience, Leadership Experience, etc.  This type works well when you want to describe transferable skills, and are looking into a field different than your own.  

3.  Combination Resume Format- This uses aspects of both the chronlogical and functional formats.  It shows off work history and skills and accomplishments.  It makes it easy to highlights experience as well as transferable skills. 

A great program to help you with different formats are JMU's Resume Roadshows. These roadshows offer feedback to your resume draft, and are offered around campus for the entire semester.  Upcoming Resume Roadshows are:

• October 21st- 1-3 p.m. in Harrison Hall 1131
• October 27th- 3-5 p.m. in ISAT 259

Attending one of the roadshows will help you get on the right path to that perfect resume.  With recruiting season coming up, you want to be proud of you in that "nutshell."

More on Resume writing:
http://www.resume-help.org/resume_writing_tips.htm
http://www.questcareer.com/tips.htm

Denise Says...Mock Interviews Are a Must

This week's posts features advice from Career and Academic Planning's own Denise Meadows, the assistant Director of Employer Relations and Recruiting Services.

Her focus is on building relationships between employers and expanding new ones.  She likes to maintain a close relationship with students, and is highly involves with the many services and programs offered through Recruiting Services.

One program Denise would like to highlight is the Mock Interview program.  Students can practice their interviewing skills with REAL employers, who offer them feedback on how to improve.  It is best to dress professionally and bring a copy of your resume to discuss.  Denise adds that mock interviews get students ready for that real life experience, and are an area that can be worked on in any point of one's life.

So get out those jitters now!  Sign up for a mock interview on Recruit-A-Duke
Upcoming interviews are with companies such as ARAMARK and the CIA.  On-campus interviewing is a great tool that is convenient and a good way to start searching for good companies.

Click here for more information on general interviewing techniques and tips.
Denise will also be featured next week, with more tips on landing your dream job.  

Thanks for reading :)

LinkedIn Launches Career Explorer, A Tool for Students to Find Employment

 As I was reading various newspapers today, I found another verfication for my previous post.  LinkedIn is everywhere, and companies are now turning to the site to hire you.

The new part of LinkedIn, Career Explorer, was just announced October 4th.  The new program will first be sent out to 60 different universities as a testing program.  Assuming it will take flight, it will then be available to the rest of the LinkedIn population in coming months.

The new program will have search options for college students seeking jobs, based on their school, level of education, and personal industry.  It will contain information from relevant jobs, salary ranges, and the right people to network.  It also provides insight to facts, statistics, and industry trends about professions and companies.

PricewaterhouseCoopers, one of the 'big four' accounting firms is paying millions to sponsor the program.  Like many accounting firms and companies, they hire thousands of college students per year from different campuses across the country.  This is the first time LinkedIn has worked with a corporate sponsor, and hopes to do it more in the future for further innovation.

My suggestion would be to look out in the coming months for Career Explorer.  It looks like an extremely valuable tool for college students, and contains a ton of information regarding jobs and markets.  I belive it will further LinkedIn's credibility, and expand the site to reach a younger audience.

So keep an eye out!  And until next time...

Link Yourself In

You have a Facebook.  You've played around with Twitter.  You may have some Flickr photos out there, but are any of these professional enough to show an employer?  If you're like most college students, you've hastily made yourself unsearchable on Facebook and blocked your pictures in a frantic attempt to hide the side of college life employers wouldn't quite approve of.

Well it is possible to use a social media tool with those serious adults and professionals looking to hire you!

Let's look at LinkedIn.  With over 75 million users, its not as dominating as Facebook or Twitter, but can be used by those desiring to find jobs or even climb up the ladder in their field.  It's simple and free to use, unless you want some fancy features.

Think of it as an online resume; users create a profile with their past education and experiences.  Instead of Facebook's "friends", you have "connections".  They are past employers, friends, co-workers, and anyone in your direct circle.  It's smart to have lots of content in your profile, and to keep it as open as possible.  Unlike Facebook, we want people to find us!

LinkedIn is a breath of fresh air for social marketing we are willing to share.  Seem confusing?  What is LinkedIn? explains exactly what it is, as simple as a cartoon.  Not convinced? Why Join? shows us that corporate professionals are using this tool daily.  So join the bandwagon, and get LinkedIn.  It can open opportunities as well as creates a web of people in your professional sphere.