If you're just graduating from college and would like to postpone your all-out job search until later this summer, more power to you. But how can you balance a well-deserved break with the solid job-search preparation you'll need to do? Think R and R: rest and research. In other words, do some digging, but keep it low-key. Here are four ways ...

An accounting graduate gets a job as a passport specialist with the federal government. A music major and an art history major both find their niche in public relations. A sociology grad ends up working for a major nonprofit organization as a speakers' bureau coordinator. They're all true stories and proof positive that you can land a job in a field ...

Graduating from college is a major milestone. Once you have finished celebrating your student’s success, it’s time to help your student determine their next steps. Your student’s college degree is a stepping stone to other future life achievements. So what's next for your student after college? For some students, the career they want to pursue requires a graduate degree; others may ...

Like many people trying to get into HR, Andrea Battle spent months applying for listed positions without success. Battle had decided to make the move from university administration to HR, so she initially focused on rewriting her resume to target her newly chosen field. However, she had little success when she applied for HR vacancies. "I knew I could convey my ...

You're about to graduate with a finance, accounting, economics or business degree. How do you parlay that achievement into a great job? Just as you did when you wrote all those term papers, the first step is to pick a topic, or in this case, a niche. Finance degrees usually lead to jobs with corporations or financial institutions. Corporate jobs include ...

If you’re in school, you’ll likely have a summer job to help save money to pay for school and/or an internship to help build career connections for your future. But, who says you can’t have both? It doesn't matter what type of summer job you choose – you can utilize the experience by taking a few simple factors into consideration when ...

The resume and cover letter were perfect. You look great on paper and you might just be perfect for the job. Time for the next step: The interview. Odds are good that your interviewer will ask you about your experiences as a returning student. Knowing what to expect and planning your answers can help you make a winning impression. Start by ...

When you are fresh out of college and applying for your first job, you want to write a cover letter that stands out from the hundreds that are on the desks of human resources professionals around the country. You want to show that you are not only qualified for the job, but a cut above the rest. You want your cover ...

You've posted your resume online and even applied for a few positions. You're also scouring the newspaper classifieds like crazy, sending off cover letters and resumes for all the job openings that seem to fit you. Is there anything else you can do to look for a job? Absolutely! In fact, the more diverse your job-hunting strategy, the more effective it's ...

It's tough enough landing an entry-level job when you're competing against your peers, but what do you do when more-experienced workers are after the same job you are? This predicament is a common one for new grads and workers these days, due in great part to a lagging economy that has led to significant layoffs. In one MonsterTRAK poll, 90 percent ...

When I am responding to a job posting and a contact name is not given, is it OK to address the letter "To Whom It May Concern"? Or is there a better way to handle this? Answer: "To Whom it May Concern" is a bit outdated, as is "Dear Sir/Madam." You might want to go with "Dear Hiring Manager" when you ...

Question: How can I make my academic and extracurricular responsibilities look more professional? Answer: Be specific in your accomplishments. Use numbers whenever possible. If you were an employer looking at a college student's resume, which of the following entries would impress you more? "Wrote news releases" "Wrote 25 news releases in a three-week period under daily deadlines" Clearly the second statement ...

It's one of the most common and frustrating career dilemmas college students face: "To get a good job after graduation, I need experience. But how do I get experience without having a job in the first place?" One common - and wise - solution: An internship, paid or unpaid, part time or full time. Easy enough. But how do you get ...

If you've got a serious medical problem, the US News & World Report's rankings of top hospitals can point you to the best facilities for treating cancer, heart conditions or just about any other ailment. But what if you're a nurse or allied healthcare worker, or you're considering a career in healthcare? What's different about working at a top hospital? And ...

If you’re already investing in a law degree meant to improve your career prospects, then why would you bypass the many job-hunting services offered by your law school’s career center? “Yes, there are plenty of online [job search] resources, but they’re not a substitute for visiting your school’s career services office,” says Deborah Schneider, author of Should You Really Be a ...

You've been hearing that voice again, the one that says you're not pursuing what you were born to do. That may be true, but how do you figure out what you should be doing? To begin answering this question, examine whether your current career path matches your core interests, beliefs, values, needs and skills. Professional career counselors usually undertake this strategy ...

An interview is an interview, right? Actually, depending on the size of the company, you could go through many interviews before the decision is made. Ace each one by knowing what to expect. Screening Interview Usually a member of the personnel department or an outside recruiter conducts this interview, which is meant to weed out unqualified candidates. This interview is ...

Take a variety of different classes. Don't pigeonhole yourself into one tight line of study. Branch out and take a good look around to see what interests you. Complete a few self-assessment tests. Self-assessment tests can tell you a lot about yourself and may help you match your skills and interests with possible careers. Develop a career inventory. What kind of ...

What makes you tick? What major will fit you best? How will you find a good career? And how can you keep from going crazy trying to sort through this swirl of career-related questions? Many college students feel confused and overwhelmed by all of the career decisions they must make. Fortunately, there's a strategy you can use to make the whole ...

We’re not going to sugarcoat it: interviews can be tough. You’re a bundle of nerves and you really want that position. You don’t want to mess up or say the wrong thing. You think you’re doing everything to prepare but what if you’re making one huge mistake that’s ruining everything? After all, everyone wants to walk away from the interview with ...