Career Skills - What's Important in Today's Jobs?

Planning for a new career is often a challenging task. When you take the time to see what's out there, you might quickly realize that the options are slim. Furthermore, you might have trouble even figuring out if jobs are available in your industry, or what you're going to do if they aren't. The career skills that people need today differ greatly from the career skills that were once required in the working world. There more much more specific requirements for jobs in today's marketplace, considering that the positions that are available can be hard to find.

Employers today still look for people with the right skills for the job, but will also hire those who have a broad range of abilities because it gives them more options. It is far easier to move someone around within a company than it is to hire new people for positions and have to train them all over again. You should focus on having the skills necessary for any job that you seek, as well as other skills that you can offer the company. Another essential thing that you have to have in today's competitive market is the ability to prove to the employer that you are worth hiring. When there are 100 applications and only one position available, your application or resume needs to stand out above the rest and scream that you are the right person for the job.

Have the ability to adapt, because employers like that. They like being able to hire people who are grounded in their knowledge and experience, but who are also flexible and willing to adapt to different circumstances and environments. You should be hardworking, committed to the job, and able to work without constant supervision. These might all seem like basic career skills, but they are critical to your success in the very small and highly competitive job market of today. With very few positions to fill and the need to fill them properly the first time, employers want to make sure that they hire the best people every single time.

Being focused and task-oriented are two more career skills that are especially critical right now. With the state of the economy, no business can afford to waste valuable time on people who don't do their jobs correctly or work too slowly. They need efficient people who can get the job done right and quickly so that their business isn't spending more than it needs to. The final two skills that you need to have are the abilities to be innovative and forward thinking. Companies are looking to the future and are always looking for new, better ways to do things, which is why they want employees who are able to do just that.

Choosing the Right Consultant to Give Employment Advice

Employment advice is offered by many consultants to assist companies with business streamlining by improving production and processes, reducing costs, and increasing efficiency. You must be careful who you hire because you want to ensure the company really can help you achieve your goals.

One very important thing to consider is if the consultant you are talking to has any certifications. Ask the consultant if they have a Six Sigma certification or anything else that qualifies them for being a consultant. What is the person's educational background? If it is a company, it is okay to ask for information about all of the employees coming into your place of business. Also, don't just trust the information provided to you is valid. Always make phone calls and verify that the certifications and education presented is in fact, valid.

When asking for employment advice from consulting firms or a consultant it is also important to ask about prior experience with other companies. Can they provide proof that they were capable of helping other companies with business streamlining techniques? If so, how did they help? How much money were they able to save the company? A consultant should be able to provide a portfolio of other businesses he or she was able to assist and the results they have previously shown. You should also be able to call these companies and ask them for a reference about the project. This can help you determine if the type of streamlining this consultant focuses on is right for your business and if you feel comfortable hiring them to come into your company.

Another consideration when hiring a consultant for employment advice is if there are any complaints launched against the individual or their business. You can look for complaints through the Better Business Bureau and confirm if their company is legitimate also. Do your due diligence in analyzing complaints and if there are none and the company has been around for a while, they are most likely safe to bring into your business.

Hiring a consultant for employment advice is a good choice if you need help with business streamlining. There are many things that a consultant can do for a business to help make improvements. However, keep in mind you should always verify the education, experience, and if there are any complaints about the business.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online (http://www.sixsigmaonline.org) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Jobs and Employment - 5 Tips For Choosing a Career

There are many different careers out there to choose from. Picking the best one for your needs is as simple as finding what you like and sticking to it. You should take the time to consider things like what you like and are good at, what is hot as far as careers go, and what will give you the best future possible. The market right now isn't really poised for job success, but it can be simple to choose the career that will benefit you most now and into the future. Here are five tips to help you choose the right career for you:

1. Think back to the naivety of childhood. What do you like? What do you want to be when you grew up? Think of this independent of anything else. Don't consider money, benefits, or anything. Just what you want to be.

2. What are you good at? Sometimes a career is not based on personal preference, but on personal abilities. Figure out what you're capable of and which things you do best in your life, and find a career that suits those abilities.

3. Find a career that has potential. It doesn't matter if you're the best home phone salesman there is because that is a career that is quickly going out of style. Choose something instead that will be needed in the future, rather than the now.

4. Stick with your gut. Most time, your gut feeling offers a lot of insight about your career goals and options. You need to be aware of everything that you have to choose from, in order to be able to make the most of every situation. If you see something factually lucrative and promising, but feel like something else is a better choice, go with your gut because usually, it will know you better than you do.

5. Never rule out options before you do your research. Some people will limit themselves to certain careers before they even start searching. You shouldn't do this, because you might miss out on a great opportunity if you do. Instead, consider every option and only rule out things that you know you don't want or that you've fully researched and decided against.

These are a few tips that can help you in your career search. When it comes to choosing the job that you want to do for the rest of your life, it can be a scary choice to make. However, as long as you are prepared and able to figure out what's best for you, you will be able to make the most of your career decisions every single time.

Source: www.sixsigmaonline.org

Jobs & Career Employment After You Have Graduated From University

University graduates are still sought after, which makes a degree in this difficult financial climate worth its weight in gold. Graduate positions have actually increased over the last year, during the recession, and this is leading companies promoting their HR policies of capturing the best minds straight from university.

Jobs in IT, accounting, mechanical engineering, bio sciences are particularly impressive for the graduate as firms in these sectors offer high salaries and many graduate services that announce jobs, like MilkRound will advertise all of these particular jobs. Some jobs are obviously with companies that could feel the pain of the credit crunch but with any gain of experience, you will become immediately more employable even if the worst does happen to you.

Obviously qualifications and skills will get you so far, but with many graduates applying for the same jobs, how can you set yourself apart and differently then the rest? Well the answer is in your character traits, and making them visible to the recruiter. An attitude of enthusiasm, self- motivation and determination will go a long way in any job interview, some companies who offer jobs at entry level, will make a decision based on this alone!

Obviously verbal and writing skills are a necessity and having problem solving skills and being a team player will also endear you to the employer. It is also important to apply for jobs that you are skilled to do. Obviously jobs with 40k salaries look great and you'd love to be on that one, but you need to stay realistic and gain experience in your first few years after university, so apply for jobs you are happy to do.

If you have a Masters degree of an even higher education award then larger businesses in certain sectors may head hunt you, this is certainly true in the past in the banking, insurance and retail management positions. If you have just a bachelors degree then there are many opportunities out there but it will take you longer to get there!

Source:

http://www.recruitmentrevolution.com/

Giving Yourself an Employment Headstart

Without proper preparation, that can be a terrifying prospect. Luckily, positioning oneself to find employment after graduation is much easier than most people realize. The simple trick is to spend time in college gaining the necessary student work experience to make one into the best candidate for the desired position.

Quite possibly the easiest way to manufacture work experience is through charity work since just about every possible career path has an affiliated charity. Since just about every charity accepts volunteer work, gaining work experience for one's resume is relatively easy. The problem with volunteer work positions, though, is that because many are easy to get, some employers will discount them. To maximize one's "bang for the buck," one should be able to clearly describe how the volunteer work assisted in the development of skills or knowledge that would be directly applicable to an employer's needs. Those who look at working on youth projects should be sure that their desired area of employment will require skills in working with youth. If not, that time could likely be better spent elsewhere.

Many students will attempt to gain work experience through unpaid internship placements. These can be great ways to add experience at prestigious companies to one's resume. In many cases, the actual experience gained will not be particularly valuable, but proof that one can get in the door at top companies will definitely make a resume more impressive to potential employers.

Sometimes the best way to gain work experience is through summer jobs. First of all, employers will likely look askance at any applicant who "wastes" a summer. Second of all, many of these jobs will give specific and useful experience. For example, the skills used to cross sell a pair of socks at The Gap are similar to the skills used to cross sell a CRM software package to a business intelligence user. Finally, these positions indicate that a student both needs and is willing to work at an actual job. Due to the relative wealth of the Baby Boom Generation, there is a perception that many college graduates do not feel the need to work in a traditional fashion. A history of holding down "real" jobs will help to alleviate this perception.

Students should ensure that their work experience placements are relevant to the position sought. A number of applicants contact hiring managers saying that they have had a life-long interest in the field in which the desired position lies. Unless one actually has experience the field, the claim will ring quite hollow and can lead to immediate disqualification from the interview process.

Finally, many positions look for those who can be out-of-the box. Entrepreneurial experience is extremely attractive to a number of employers who want employees that can go beyond just a simple job description. For those who include this on their resume, it is important, though, to be prepared to discuss why the business was shut down and what lessons were learned.

All of the above techniques will work to enrich one's resume. Even better, they will all enrich one's college years by adding a great deal of meaningful real world experience. This process, then, is truly a win-win for today's college students.

Steve Volman: writer, thinker and general muser. Interests include social regeneration, youth work, voluntary work and having a positive impact on society as well as football and the odd spot of golf. Any feedback on my articles is more than welcome. For more information on volunteering visit http://www.vinspired.com

Careers & Employment Choices

Some children will know what their careers and employment choices will be before they finish grade school. Their careers and employment choices might be determined by the visits of many professionals that come to their school to share the experiences that they have on the job. Many boys know straight off the bat, that they want to be firemen or policemen when they grow up.

While growing up, children may change their careers and employment choices a hundred times, before they reach high school. Many high school students are visited by military professionals who offer many careers and employment choices that will last a lifetime. These careers and employment choices are available only if the high school students meets the specific program requirements, and many high school students find out that they qualify for many jobs that are offered by the military recruiters that visit their schools.

The careers and employment choices in any military service are classified according to qualifications that an applicant shows through rigorous testing cycles that are commonly referred to as ASVAB scores. These armed services vocational aptitude battery scores will show the strengths and weaknesses in a person's education. Their careers and employment choices are centered toward the strengths, and weaknesses will be worked on through other military training sources.

With the careers and employment choices offered by all military services, children's dreams of one day becoming a firefighter, police officer, or even a person that works in the medical field and drives an ambulance can be a reality in a very short time. The careers and employment choices offered in the military services are always offered with a guarantee of paid training included in the job offer.

If the person is highly trained in the computer field, there are many careers and employment choices available in the military services, and most of them can be found in exotic overseas locations. There are more choices available to military members after they join the military services. With their careers and employment choices taken care of, they can start to think about how they can use their military benefits to save for retirement, and enjoy the low cost travel opportunities that could take them around the world if they cared to go.

In the military, people can make careers and employment choices, and change their mind at a later date. Their careers can still be centered on earning a retirement, but they are also afforded the opportunity to try new experiences, and switch their jobs to something else, which is especially helpful when their job classification is overmanned, and the only way to move up the advancement ladder is to switch to a job classification that has many job positions to be filled by somebody that is trained to perform that employment position.

Alex Radyushin is an editor-in-chief for All Acronyms - top acronyms dictionary. Website includes medical, technology and business categories of acronyms.

Careers & Employment Information

There are excellent careers and employment opportunities available to recent graduates at universities across the country. These graduates will find these positions using the careers & employment information that is posted on many Internet employment websites.

These graduates will begin to suspect that a great career is ahead of them, when they see the pay scales offered in some of the careers and employment information that they see. Some of these young graduates might not be totally familiar with what a yearly salary should be in their field, and will take the careers and employment information about pay and benefits when they are first offered, without giving it a second thought.

There are many companies that are listed on these employment websites, and all of them are interested in hiring people with stellar qualifications, and they are clearly focused on getting them hired on with their company at the lowest salary price possible. They are not concerned with the careers and employment opportunities that these people have dreamed of for such a long time.

These employment office hiring specialist are interested in the employment information that is contained on their resumes though. They are looking for the best value return on their hiring dollars, and generally prefer to hire people with a lot of experience in the position that they are hiring for.

Many of these career opportunities can be found using the search engines that are offered on many Internet websites. If a person is interested in working for a Government agency, then all they would need is to find the government website that lists all of the careers and employment information for the positions that they are hiring for.

The career information that Government agencies list might be very brief in nature and may seem incomplete. Government hiring agencies will generally list the date that the position became opened, and will also provide the closing date that it will use to determine the last day that applicants can send in their applications.

A position description is normally part of the employment description that is provided on a Government job notice. Any other pertinent requirement to make a suitable application will also be listed in the careers & employment information on the Government website.

Some of the information provided on Government job announcements will also provide preferences for military service too. These are definitely good paying positions of employment and the careers and employment information is always read completely before an interview.

Source:

http://www.all-acronyms.com/