Posted on

Top 10 Jobs Trends…Now and Through 2017

Whether you are a student in school or an adult in the workforce, it is important to recognize that many of the millions of jobs and even careers that have been lost in the last 5 years will not return even when the economy gains strength.  Our society as a whole has had a major shift in technology and jobs.  Jobs of the future will be “knowledge jobs”.   Regardless of how expensive education is, it will be vital to the future of our nation and the individuals within.  Education may be a university degree or it may be a trade or technical school certification, but having that education will make all the difference.

So, when thinking about the options,  it is important to pay attention to trends.    Trends of success in the future will include leadership and knowledge jobs.  Just check out this list of “Top 10 Jobs” and see if leadership and knowledge are not key components:

 http://www.boston.com/jobs/galleries/best_jobs/.

Want to know more about trends? Want to know if your natural abilities are well suited for one of these career directions?  Which college degree programs connect best with your abilities for a best fit and optimal success? Contact me.

Posted on

Halloween and Other Scary Times

How perfect to end the month with Halloween and a topic of Scary Times.  If you are a junior or senior in high school or a senior in college you are facing scary times.  There is enough uncertainty in the world to create plenty of anxiety in those who are in pivotal transition points in their lives.

Actually, anyone who is trying to make decisions about college and career direction is facing scary times.  But you can reduce the stress by arming yourself with tools that enhance your decision-making and place yourself in better positions for opportunities.

In a time when information is a key to success, resources can be your most important tools.  Here are some key resources for you to pay attention to regularly:

1.  Athletes in any sport – www.collegesportstrack.com – a terrific resource for understanding the college sports recruiting experience and communicating with coaches to secure your opportunity.  Hans writes a great blog with specific information.  Bookmark it!

2.  College bound students and parents – www.sat.org – a must for registering for the SAT, pacing yourself with a prep program, practicing with their Question of the Day, and they are usually the first indicator of college cost increases.   An underused resource.  Bookmark it!

3.  Anyone thinking about career opportunities – www.bls.gov – a wonderful resource for looking at trends of jobs, sectors of employment and demographic availability of employment.  Another underused resource.  Bookmark it!

Scary times can be made less frightening when armed with effective tools.  Knowing your options, how to manage them and knowing more about yourself enables you to make more effective decisions and capitalize on opportunities.  Need a great resource to learn more about yourself, choosing a college, college major or your career direction?  Contact me.

Posted on

3 Considerations to Avoid Student Loans

At a time when student loan debt exceeds credit card debt in our nation and the national average is that students coming out of college will owe $30,000 in loan debt, it is important to have a plan before you enter college.  That plan needs to include a plan for financing long before the start of college, but even with a savings plan, there are other considerations.  So whether you have lots or little saved for college, here are 3 considerations when determining your financial capability for paying for a college degree.

1 – Evaluate your own financial resources, schools you are looking at and the total cost of a degree.  That doesn’t mean you start eliminating schools strictly because of cost.  But it does mean that you have to know what resources you currently have, consider any potential scholarship awards for sports or academics, and recognize that some degrees require 5 year programs for a bachelor degree.

2 – Estimate the cost of your education at specific institutions vs. earning potential upon graduation.  If the cost of the education far outweighs the earning potential, perhaps other schools should be considered.  On the other hand, if advanced degrees are part of your plan, then the track record of the sending school is important for getting in to advanced programs and costs for education have to be considered over a longer period of time.  If loans are part of that plan, then it is even more important to evaluate earning potential.

3 – Evaluate your position in the equation of Career Directed vs. No Direction.  Twenty years ago college costs were 400% less and students could afford to “change their mind” when declaring majors.  But now, at the cost of a college education and the risk of spending so much on something you don’t want to work at for 30 years or more, the risks are enormous.  Throw in college loans and there is a recipe for disaster.  It is no surprise that John Hennessy, President of Stanford University, addresses the fact that “debt burden” is a huge issue facing parents and students today and that “I Don’t Know” and “Changed My Mind” are the top two choices for majors as declared by culminating freshmen.  Click here to listen to his 7 minute interview on NPR.

A directed plan that helps you sort out majors can save you thousands of dollars and help keep you on a four year graduation track.  Contact me for help with your plan.

Posted on

Follow Up On That Interview

Are you interviewing with a college coach, college admissions staff or with a potential employer?  The rules of engagement are the same, Follow Up!  Making a great first impression is important, but it is also important to leave a Lasting Impression.

Students, pay attention to the articles and tips provided for job candidates.  They carry the same importance for you.  The difference is you will substitute the word “coach” or “admissions staff” for the interviewer as you read the articles.

I can help you structure that targeted follow-up message, but you also need to pay attention to the trends.  Here are some good reads that confirm my message to you and the collegebasics link has some good examples of follow-up communications for high school students making those college visits.

http://www.forbes.com/2011/03/01/job-interview-follow-up-leadership-careers-advice.html

http://www.quintcareers.com/interview_follow-up-dos-donts.html

http://www.job-seekers-edge.com/interview-follow-up.html

http://www.collegebasics.com/applying-to-college/interviewing/59-following-up-after-the-college-interview.html

Contact me for your specific situation to get a great result!

 

 

Posted on

Planning – A Critical Factor in Student Loan Debt

Last week I listed 6 characteristics in considering a college or university.  The 6th factor was “Financial” considerations.  I truly do believe that it can’t be the first or even an initial limiting factor when students are considering lists of colleges.  But it has to become a factor eventually and can even be a positive if you know how to manage the parties involved.

Unfortunately, through a host of reasons, student loan debt has become astronomical.  Please, read this article and make note of the huge implications of choosing unwisely.  The implications are no longer just for the student.  Trends are indicating parents will carry a lot of the debt throughout their own retirement.  Click here for Bottom Line article.

So, by planning wisely and effectively choosing a college major, you can reduce your potential for extending a four year bachelor degree into a 6 year bachelor degree and/or a disappointing employment disaster into a marketable major.  Effective planning is not just about a financial plan.  It’s about how you plan to make a good college decision, how you spend your four years on that first degree, and about how your investment will pay for itself in the long run.  Need help?  Contact me.

Posted on

Natural Abilities in Your Work

According to The Wall Street Journal, June 3, 2010, “Identifying one’s natural abilities is more than just an interest survey, and the value of knowing can have lifelong impact that creates opportunities for great satisfaction.”  The use of abilities in our daily work can make the difference between tolerating a job and loving a chosen career path.   Understanding our abilities helps us to use them more effectively and communicate them to others in a resume’ or interview.

The Resume’ – A successful resume’ is created to target a potential employer and specific job tasks for a posted position.   Natural abilities can be identified as strengths for that position and they are quantifiable.  They can be used to promote you as the best candidate.

The Interview – When the resume’ lands you an interview, your quantifiable abilities provide great examples of the kinds of things you do naturally and quickly.   They can be used as a predictor of future performance.   The winning interview success formula looks like this: situation + action = results.

After all, in a challenging job market, with highly competitive and qualified applicants, shouldn’t you do everything you can to stand out in the crowd!  What’s your evidence?

Posted on

Writing Goals is SMART

Writing goals is smart.  In fact, when we commit goals to written form we increase the odds of achievement by about 94 percent.  Why do you think all of those diet companies have you sign a contract with specific goals and time lines?  A written format works.

So here is the formula for effective goals:

S – Your goal must be specific.

M – Your goal must be measurable.

A – Your goal must be attainable.  Notice I didn’t say easy, but it must be within reason.

R – Your goal must be relevant.  It must be important to you.

T – Your goal must be timely.  It has to be measurable within a given time frame.

That’s it.  SMART goals are that easy.  Write them down according to the formula.

What goals are you serious about for the coming year?   Serious enough to be SMART and commit them to paper?

Posted on

Trends? Where are the Good Jobs?

I hope each week you visit the blog that you gain something for yourself or provide benefit for someone else through forwarding the information.  When I read great articles like the one linked here, I find it affirming that I am on the right path when I talk about the importance of leadership and knowledge based societies.

Whether you are a student in school or an adult in the workforce, it is important to recognize that many of the millions of jobs and even careers that have been lost in the last 5 years will not return even when the economy gains strength.  Our society as a whole has had a major shift in technology and jobs.  Jobs of the future will be “knowledge jobs”.  And regardless of how expensive education is, it will be vital to the future of our nation and the individuals within.  Education may be a university degree or it may be a trade or technical school certification, but having that education will make all the difference.

So it is important to pay attention to trends.    Trends of success in the future will include leadership and knowledge jobs.  Click here to read the article, “Where are the Good Jobs”.  Let me know what you think.

Posted on

Addressing Trends of Need

Throughout the year I try to address topics that are pertinent to the trends of people with whom I work while addressing issues that I think are important in general to all who are looking at career decisions.  There are two comments and a question I want to address as we enter the week of Thanksgiving.

Comment #1 – Community Service is an important part of the “Total Student Package” that I talk about, but it is also an important part of our strength as a nation.  I want to say thank you to all of the students who are giving back to their communities through volunteer efforts at food banks, shelters, camps, food drives, community clean ups, or the multitude of other forms of community service.  Thank you as well to all who give back and address the needs of others.

Comment #2 – Thank you for the many ways in which you have supported my Blog and employed me to work with you or your student to define a college or career path.  I am honored to have the opportunity and grateful for your trust.

Question – In an effort to address your trend of needs as I plan the topics ahead in 2012, what questions do you have that you would like me to address through a blog? Click here to submit your questions.

Posted on

Evidence of a New Trend

Financial experts watch trends in the market, I watch trends in careers.  A couple of months back I wrote about the trend of social media and the importance of paying attention to your social profile as it can impact your career potential. But another interesting trend is surfacing and worthy of your attention.  The power of the Blog.

I have always found it fascinating that there is such a wealth of intelligence at research centers across our country and around the globe and yet the property rights issues seem to inhibit sharing of information.  But that seems to be shifting and a new trend is taking off.  The following Wall Street Journal article is worthy of the time to read it and begs the question, “What other sectors will benefit from this form of social media search for cures, problem resolutions and solutions to cultural challenges?” Click here to read it.

It is important to pay attention to the trends, both personal and professional.  Do you have a clear picture of your career trend?