en-us
Work on your soft skills. Employers view good communication and a positive attitude as important attributes when hiring for entry-level positions. Jennifer Floren, founder and CEO of Experience, Inc., says that "employers understand that everything else can be taught, so they look for the most promising raw material to work with." Hard skills, such as knowledge of computer programs, can be easily learned. Soft skills take time to develop.

 Don't rely on social networks. Many students think that the best way to find a job is through social networks such as LinkedIn, but our research says differently. We found that only 16 percent of employers recruit via social networks all or most of the time. They mostly use job boards and employee referrals. My recommendation is to use all of your resources to your benefit; what works for one person might not work for the next.

Develop entrepreneurship ability. Nearly one third of employers are looking for entrepreneurship experience when recruiting. Challenge yourself to start a business or a project that will show that you can think outside of the box. We all have to think like entrepreneurs, whether we start companies or not. I define entrepreneurship as "personal accountability":  We have to drive our careers and not rely on anyone else to do it.

— Dan Schawbel is the founder of Millennial Branding, a Gen-Y research and management consulting company. Subscribe to his updates at Facebook.com/DanSchawbel.

Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages. ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142910--why-internships-don-t-always-lead-to-jobs Sun, 13 May 2012 15:58:14 -0400 NEW YORK http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142910--why-internships-don-t-always-lead-to-jobs
Over the last decade, the mobile food business has exploded across the country. Many in the restaurant industry feel that the prolonged recession combined with a growing interest in gourmet foods has created a perfect petri dish for the meals-on-wheels fad.

"There were a lot of folks from culinary backgrounds that didn't have the capital to get into restaurants. You also had a lot of folks unemployed, without much hope of getting back into their former careers," explains Lewis, who wrote the 2011 book "Food On Wheels: The Complete Guide to Starting a Food Truck." "On the consumer side, people still wanted access to unique food -- but [they] no longer wanted to do $25 for a plate of whatever."

But has the market become saturated? Perhaps in New York City, which now has more mobile food businesses than available permits. But restaurateur Alan Phillips -- who recently authored "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Starting a Food Truck Business" -- sees plenty of opportunity in almost any other U.S. city. 

"For me, there's no bad restaurant spaces, there's just bad restaurateurs," he says. "Same with food trucks: If you know what you're doing, you're passionate about what you're doing and you can manage your costs, you should be successful." ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142908--running-a-food-truck-offers-satisfaction-but-not-without-hard-work Sun, 13 May 2012 15:51:11 -0400 BRUCE WALSH, PHILADELPHIA http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142908--running-a-food-truck-offers-satisfaction-but-not-without-hard-work
If you’re between jobs or have a schedule that allows you some extra time, volunteering could be the way to beef up that résumé. “This is clearly a person who stays in the game rather than waiting for the phone to ring,” says Juan Morales, managing director at the Miami office of Stanton Chase International. “It shows initiative and a strong desire to exercise management skills for a charity or nonprofit organization.”

If you’re lucky — and smart about where you donate your free time — you might just make a professional connection, one that could lead to further employment. “It’s best if you can be strategic when seeking a volunteer opportunity, finding a cause or mission that you’re passionate about but that also has a connection to a current or potential work goal,” says Chuck Pappalardo, managing director at Trilogy Search NonProfit. “Volunteering provides an excellent way to network, stay fresh and learn new skills, either in a job seeker’s current field or one that he or she is interested in accessing.” ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142293--are-you-between-jobs-consider-volunteering Sun, 06 May 2012 19:15:44 -0400 JULIA WEST, METRO http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142293--are-you-between-jobs-consider-volunteering
“I knew restaurants weren’t the route I wanted to take, but I always enjoyed interacting with people — making sure our clients were well taken care of. So the hospitality gene was always in me,” says Bastas.

He initially considered applying for an MBA program, but then discovered the M.S. program in hospitality industry studies at NYU. Bastas earned his degree last year. After a short stint at the Ritz Carlton Central Park, he founded his own luxury travel consultant business, Bastas Travel Consultants.

“A master’s degree [program] teaches you the practical stuff: hospitality formulas, marketing, revenue management. But the most important thing for me in those two years is relationship-building — having professors who are industry leaders and being around other students who are involved in the industry.”

Expert Q&A

Dr. Elizabeth H. Barber is the associate dean of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Temple.

What’s the history of the master’s in hospitality and tourism?

It dates back to the 1920s. Michigan State University and Cornell University tend to fight over who was the first.

Is this degree necessary for a management career in the  industry?

No. It’s still an industry that says, “If you’re going to come in, you better start at the front desk.” But a degree allows you to progress more fluidly.

What skills should a person have before considering this degree?

They’ve got to be a people person. It’s pretty hard to not be surrounded by people in this industry. In hospitality, sometimes people are mad at you, so you better be pretty resilient. You need to be flexible, like to move [and] go where the jobs are. ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142272--behind-the-degree-hospitality-management Sun, 06 May 2012 18:17:57 -0400 BRUCE WALSH, PHILADELPHIA http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142272--behind-the-degree-hospitality-management
“Comfort is no longer a luxury in the office, it’s a necessity, because it’s not good enough to just do your job anymore. The pressure on people in this economy is enormous. To expect them to do that when they’re not in an environment that’s physically comfortable is just illogical,” says Estrin, who holds an M.S. in behavior and systems theory from Columbia University and currently works for a Florida consulting firm. “Making positive changes to a worker’s environment goes a long way, especially in an economy where people may not be getting the raises they anticipated.”

And an ergonomic workspace doesn’t necessarily have to be an expensive one.

“I think we’re finally getting to a place where companies understand that it doesn’t have to cost thousands of dollars to be ergonomic,” says Kevin Costello of US Ergonomics, a major consulting firm. “We’ve worked with companies with absolutely no budget for equipment. There are so many simple little adjustments to make: Some old books or stacks of paper can raise monitors to the proper height. It’s about improving geometry, not raising costs.”

Check your desk

According to a recent study by US Ergonomics, more than half of office workers have never adjusted the height of their desk chair. The height and position of a desk chair in relation to corresponding computer monitors is the highest contributor to “cumulative trauma disorders,” or serious injuries incurred by repetitious movements.

» A monitor should always be placed within the “vision cone” of the worker (roughly, no higher or lower than a 30 degree angle extending from their eyes.)

» Laptop monitors are not within this ideal range and often contribute to injury. ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142270--is-your-office-is-ergonomic Sun, 06 May 2012 18:13:05 -0400 BRUCE WALSH, PHILADELPHIA http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1142270--is-your-office-is-ergonomic
"I knew restaurants weren't the route I wanted to take, but I always enjoyed interacting with people -- making sure our clients were well taken care of. So the hospitality gene was always in me," says Bastas.

He initially considered applying for an MBA program, but then discovered the M.S. in Hospitality Industry Studies at NYU. Bastas completed his degree last year. After a short stint at the Ritz Carlton Central Park, he founded his own luxury travel consultant business, Bastas Travel Consultants.

"A master's degree teaches you the practical stuff: hospitality formulas, marketing, revenue management. But the most important thing for me in those two years is relationship building -- having professors who are industry leaders, and being around other students who are involved in the industry."

Expert Q&A

Dr. Elizabeth H. Barber is the Associate Dean of the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management at Temple.
   
What's the history of the Master in Hospitality and Tourism?
It dates back to the 1920s. Michigan State University and Cornell University tend to fight over who was the first.

Is this degree necessary for a management career in the industry?
No. It's still an industry that says, "If you're going to come in, you better start at the front desk." But a degree allows you to progress more fluidly.

Should you get the master's right after undergrad?
We require two years of experience, and I think that's pretty consistent with other programs.

What skills should a person have before they consider this degree?
They've got to be a people person. It's pretty hard to not be surrounded by people in this industry. In hospitality, sometimes people are mad at you, so you better be pretty resilient. You need to be flexible, like to move, go where the jobs are. ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141806--behind-the-degree-hospitality-management Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:42:11 -0400 BRUCE WALSH, PHILADELPHIA http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141806--behind-the-degree-hospitality-management Through her Oregon-based company, Engineering Education Service Center, she leads workshops for both students and teachers, develops curricula for middle and high school students and even sells kitschy engineering-themed pins and shirts on the EESC website.

She's also published more than two dozen engineering career guides.

Her latest -- "The Green Engineer: Engineering Careers to Save the Earth" -- explores a plethora of job opportunities in the eco-minded economy.

"I look at these career guides from a different perspective. I like to actively ask the reader: 'What is it that you really like to do?' and lead them to the kinds of engineering jobs that involve those things," says Baine. "I feel like Millennials are very altruistic. So this book is an attempt to match that altruism with a career in engineering."

In a brief 146 pages, "Green Engineer" profiles careers in alternative fuels, public transportation, environmental building construction, resources management and more. Each chapter includes a summary pinpointing specific jobs within the field and the training required for each of them.

"A lot of people don't think of engineering and sustainability as tied together. But almost every kind of engineering is dealing with questions of sustainability," says Baine. "If students are interested in a green career, there isn't a specific degree they need. They should get out there and do the thing that is most fascinating to them, and link it back to green engineering when they're looking for employment." ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141688--celeste-baine-on-her-guide-for-do-gooder-millennials Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:41:28 -0400 BRUCE WALSH, PHILADELPHIA http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141688--celeste-baine-on-her-guide-for-do-gooder-millennials
At least that's the idea behind Path.to, a job matchmaking start-up launching on Tuesday.

The new website asks job candidates to fill out a survey about their job preferences including location, salary, benefits and work environment. Other users can vouch for their skills, and endorsements are weighted depending on the reputation of those who give them.

To further verify their interests and expertise, candidates connect their profiles to social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook, and to professional communities, such as Behance, Dribbble, Forrst and Github.

Path.to uses all of this information to create a compatibility rating for each job it recommends. When candidates apply, employers can easily rank them by the same score. Both parties can indicate which results they like and dislike in order to improve future results.

For now, Path.to only lists tech jobs in San Francisco's Bay Area. The start-up has signed up about 120 hiring companies to pay per job listing. It has also accepted a $1.5 million investment from staffing firm Adecco and plans to incorporate a product for third-party staffing firms at some point.

But a recent review of dating sites that use algorithms to match potential couples found their claims of predicting true love don't pan out. Can an algorithmic matchmaking process work any better when it comes to jobs? "What eHarmony is looking for is a deeper, emotional understanding of a person for a broader set of reasons," Path.to founder Darren Bounds says. "Ours is for a more specific purpose." ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141686--new-job-site-thinks-like-a-matchmaker Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:29:41 -0400 SARAH KESSLER, MASHABLE http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141686--new-job-site-thinks-like-a-matchmaker Identified.com of 4 million profiles uncovers that Gen-Y (ages 18 to 29) is inadvertently using social media profiles as an extension of professional personalities. While 64 percent of Gen-Y workers fail to list their employer on their profiles, they add an average of 16 co-workers each to their "friend" groups.

What's more, they spend an average of just more than two years at their first jobs, meaning there's almost a guarantee that their Facebook audiences are full of potential new co-workers.

Here are three tips on how to navigate your Facebook account knowing this:

Set parameters: Decide if you want to add co-workers and managers on Facebook or not. If you don't, then start a professional page and block your personal profile from search. This way, your co-workers will only find and friend your professional page.

Filter yourself: Since you may end up with co-worker friends regardless of who you add or not, it's important to keep in mind that everything you post could become public. Don't say anything you don't want a potential future co-worker to see who might turn your remark into office gossip.

Control tagging: In the privacy menu, go to "Timeline and Tagging" and set your settings so that you must approve all tags before they publish on your wall. Also, turn off the setting that allows anyone to post on your wall. By doing this, you have more control over how you're perceived on Facebook.

- Dan Schawbel is the founder of Millennial Branding, a Gen-Y research consulting company.
Subscribe to his updates at Facebook.com/DanSchawbel.

Metro does not endorse the opinions of the author, or any opinions expressed on its pages. ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141025--when-facebook-friends-become-your-co-workers Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:48:29 -0400 NEW YORK http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141025--when-facebook-friends-become-your-co-workers www.bls.gov/ooh, provides detailed information on hundreds of careers. That includes a description of each job and its work environment.

Jennifer Flynn, the assistant director of career services at Philadelphia University, relies on the handbook to help students identify potential career paths. She's enthusiastic about the updates. "It looks great," she explains. "It's easier for explorers to pop in and look around, and the search function is much better."

You can now search by salaries, educational requirements, on-the-job training, projected number of new jobs and projected rate of growth -- either singly or in combination. So, for instance, if you search for jobs you can get with an associate's degree that pay $25,000 to $34,999, your results will turn up five jobs, two of them with solid growth rates (preschool teachers and veterinary technicians).
One of the new features Flynn especially likes is the "similar occupations" tab for each entry. For instance, the veterinary technician's description gives six other jobs working either with animals or in labs. "This will help people explore their options," she says, whether it's a college student picking a major or an adult looking to change careers.

Job security

According to the handbook, these fields are projecting the fastest rates of growth between 2010 and 2020:

Personal care aides:
70 percent
   
Home health aides:
69 percent
   
Biomedical engineers:
62 percent
   
Helpers, brick, stone, tile:
60 percent
   
Helpers, carpenters:
56 percent
  
Vet techs:
52 percent
   
Rebar workers:
49 percent
   
Physical therapist assistants:
46 percent
   
Helpers, plumbers and pipe-fitters:
45 percent ]]> http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141016--occupational-outlook-handbook-provides-detailed-info-on-careers Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:58:14 -0400 JUDY WEIGHTMAN, PHILADELPHIA http://www.metro.us/boston/life/article/1141016--occupational-outlook-handbook-provides-detailed-info-on-careers