What a relief! Your first job offer. But before you say "yes," think about whether it's the right job for you. Start by asking your prospective employer for some time before you make your decision. Anywhere from a few days to a week is acceptable. Take that time to figure out what's most important to you and weigh the job ...

Earning a graduate degree is a big accomplishment -- one many students hope will clear a path to a great job. But grad students typically confront unique barriers to job search success, especially if they're seeking opportunities outside academia. Be ready to work around these internal and external roadblocks, either alone or with the help of a school career counselor, ...

You know how, when you go home for breaks, all your family members and friends ask you the same line of questions: "How's school? How are your grades? How are your friends?" I've noticed a change when I became a senior. The questions are as follows: "Have a job yet? Have you started looking? Will you have a job when you ...

You spend most of your waking hours at work. You rarely get out for lunch, never mind dinner. You'd like to meet that special someone, but you just don't know where to look. Suddenly, Cupid shoots his arrow, and it hits the person in the next office. Out with all reason – love is in the air! Stop. Sure, meetings ...

Just a few years ago a college degree in hand meant an entry-level job was virtually assured. Those days are gone-- right along with the idea of staying with one employer for 5 to 10 years. Here's why -- and what you can expect from this new reality we call the modern job market: Your Degree Is Helpful But Not a ...

In some cultures, bargaining is the norm. A buyer or seller makes an offer, and the other party either accepts or counters the offer. The two negotiate until a deal is made or one of the parties walks away. When you're negotiating your pay with an employer, do you know what you're doing? Do you have any idea of what you're ...

Sometimes the harder you try to figure out what you want to do for a career, the more you wind up beating your head against the wall. Sound familiar to you? If so, then try the reverse strategy: Take a close look at what you don't want to do. That way, you can explore the opposite and start getting at least ...

Whether launching rockets into space or developing the latest medical technologies, engineers solve problems large and small. Engineers use science and mathematical principles to develop innovative solutions to technical problems. Engineering is “taking a lot of data and turning it into a usable product and solving the problems to make everybody happy in the process,” says Lisa Bongiovanni, an environmental engineer ...

Hundreds of books will tell you about getting into college, what college is like, what to do (and not do) while you’re there, and what to do when you’re done. But books won’t tell you everything. You’ll need a map of your campus, a map of your new city, a map of the region or state around you when you make ...

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 ...

It's no secret that education is linked to job security and salary. Those with a high school degree were likely to earn less than half the salary, and experience over twice the unemployment, as those with a master's degree according to research from Salary.com. General facts about education and employment can help your individual career choices, but you have particular ...

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 ...

For Jake Gehrig, Independence Day came early last year; May 15, to be exact. That's the day this Pittsburgh native graduated from college, trading in his childhood for what he thought would be a life of self-sufficiency and a future full of promise. “I thought to myself, life's just beginning. The orientation of life is over,” said Gehrig, 24, who graduated ...

You’ve always been good at math and science, so why not put that talent to good use? Check out these careers. Product marketing engineer National average salary: $79,950 Wendy Logan always liked math and science. So she majored in computer science at Rice University in Houston and got a job at National Instruments in Austin. During college: Even though Logan enjoyed—and ...

College grads this year are facing one of the toughest job markets in decades. As of March 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for people age 20 – 24 was 13.9%. That’s 5.4% higher than the national average, and 3.7% higher than last year. “Graduates who are unable to find jobs are at higher risk of ...

When Ashley Anderson graduated in December 2008 with a BA in marketing, she expected to send out a few resumes before she found a job in her field. But four months, 500 resumes, and countless interviews later, Ashley was happy to land the only job she could-- a customer service position with a computer software company. A far cry from the ...

One MonsterTRAK member writes: "I'm just wondering: What is a good field to go into after college? I'm in my first year of college and have changed my major twice. I want to make at least $90,000 a year and will do just about anything that doesn't involve a lot of math. Could you give me some options?" These words are ...

When J. Scott Johnson, a technology entrepreneur and blogger from Newton Center, Massachusetts, got an email from a forlorn info-tech wannabe, he zipped off 12 tips for post-boom job searching, publishing them on his blog, the FuzzyBlog. Johnson's "12 Recommendations for the New CS Graduate" took off and traveled the globe. Other bloggers reposted them, as have visitors to the Monster ...

On my shelf of forgotten and useless VHS tapes sit two videos I watched frequently as a child: "I Wanna Be a Fire Fighter" and "I Wanna Be a Heavy Equipment Operator". I don't exactly remember wanting to be a heavy equipment operator, but you just never know at that age. These educational videos depicted what a day on the job ...