Services

Career Transition Tips
In this part of the Education Now website, visitors can review strategies that are certain to be useful as they explore career and occupational options and address the various stages of the career development process. Each tip is reflective of the larger, more detailed message contained in the Bound-For-Career Guidebook.
Topic: Summer Job Hunting Begins in Winter
Winter is the time to get an edge over the competition and start looking hard for that "hot" summer job!
"Would you like fries with that?"
While it's true that most "real world" jobs available to high school and college students are in the service sectors, like working at the outlet store or flipping burgers, you aren't restricted to these "traditional" student jobs if you start examining your options when the temperatures are at their lowest.
Here are some tips to follow for summer job-seeking success:
Take a talent inventory! - Do you have a particular ability or skill -- like designing web sites or speaking a second language? Where could you put your special ability to use? Consider researching small Internet start-up companies in your area if you have website development skills or check out local libraries, non-profit organizations, consulting companies, or tutoring centers to capitalize on your language skills.
Network - Do you know people who work in companies or businesses that you think might be interesting? Don't be shy: Ask them to check out the prospects of a summer opportunity for you. Many of the best summer jobs -- ones that aren't advertised -- are discovered through "people" connections! Just ask around and remember to follow through with phone calls, letters, or email.
Lacking experience or special talents? - You don't have to be a prodigy to land a cool job that you love. Think about companies and organizations where business is likely to increase in the summer months. If you love the outdoors, then state parks and summer camps are a great place to start looking for a summer job. If it's business experience you're after, check with the owner or manager of some companies you're interested in and tell them why you'd like to come aboard for the summer. They'll be impressed that you're such a go-getter.
Consider creating your own job - Ever thought about being your own boss? You'd be surprised at how much you can earn by doing things for people. Organize a crew of your friends and create a lawn mowing or babysitting service. Have a flair for cuisine? Plan the menu and then prepare and deliver picnic baskets for busy people who don't have time to cook. Think about other "service" ideas that people would pay you to perform for them. As your own boss, you'll definitely have more responsibilities, but the monetary rewards can far outweigh the extra time and attention you'll devote to these entrepreneurial duties. And beyond the extra dollars, the leadership and management experience you'll gain is priceless.
Build on last year's summer experience - If you had a good job last summer and want to return to it, make your intentions known with you employer right now. But don't stop there -- it may be time for a promotion! Especially if you had a great experience and all signs suggest they'd like to have you come back. Ask if your experience and knowledge can be translated into more responsibilities and/or additional hours.
All great work experiences aren't paid - Consider a volunteer or service learning experience as an alternative or compliment to your summer job. Sometimes finding a paying job in a particular field that interests you just doesn't work out. An unpaid volunteer internship can be a rewarding experience. Volunteering can also give you the background to find a paying job in the field you're interested in for next summer. Think of unpaid internships and volunteering as an investment with big future payback. There's no better way to explore future career opportunities than to rub elbows with professionals who represent your career interests. Be observant, perform as many tasks as possible, and absorb all you can.
Getting started - So you have some ideas about what you might like to do this summer. Now how do you prepare to make the necessary contacts? Though it's not anyone's idea of a great time, landing a great summer job means you need to work on a mini-resume that outlines your interests, skills, training, and experiences.
Sample Resume
Here's a sample resume and instructions to help you to write your own.
Frank Benjamin
1776 Independence Avenue
Freedom, PA 17776
(717) 555-6789
Objective: To use my interests and skills in graphic communications, desktop publishing, and computers in an Internet company.
Education: Freedom High School, member of the class of 2012
Employment: Mowing crew member, Green Valley Lawn Service (Summers, 2010-2011)
Related work and volunteer experiences:
Sales clerk, Freedom Plaza (Holiday season - 2010)
Volunteer, Heritage Community Hospital (2010-present)
Referee, Freedom Community Soccer League (2011-present)
Special talents and skills:
Web site creator
Microsoft Office
Desktop publishing
Honors and awards:
Freedom High School honor roll (Sophomore and junior years)
Student council representative (Junior year)
Science Fair (Third place, Environmental Sciences division) 2010
Activities:
Varsity soccer and lacrosse teams
Photography
Golf
References Available upon request
Student Resume Template
Below you will find instructions on the core information a high school student should convey in a resume. Employers read dozens -- sometimes hundreds -- of resumes from applicants. Do everything you can to make yours "reader friendly" and make it stand out from the rest of the pile.
The four basic rules of resumes are:
1. Provide enough information to create a true profile of yourself.
2. Use the least number of words to describe your background. Employers don't have a lot of time to read resumes.
3. Be assertive and positive without being boastful.
4. Personalize each resume you send out by changing the objective to reflect what you'd like to do for the individual businesses or organizations you're interested in.
Put your full name at the top of the resume and provide your full address, telephone number, and email if applicable.
Objective: State your main goal in seeking employment with the company you are sending your resume to.
Education: Identify your school and student status.
Employment: List in chronological order (starting with the most recent first), your primary employment experiences to date.
Related work and volunteer experiences: List in chronological order any other part-time, summer, or volunteer experiences that you have under your belt.
Special talents and skills: List any specific talents or skills you've acquired that might be useful to an employer.
Honors and awards: Identify any special recognition you've received for academic, athletic, or other related activities.
Activities: List two to four things that you do for enjoyment or pleasure. These might be personal (e.g., reading, cooking, etc.) or school, community or church/synagogue related.
References: If requested, list two to three individuals (name, company, address, phone or email) who can speak favorably about you. Just make sure it's OK with them before you submit their names to a prospective employer. You want your references to be prepared to give you the best recommendation they can -- and no one likes to be caught off-guard.
Just follow these steps and you'll be on your way to an awesome new summer job. Good luck
Note: The original version of this article was written for www.familyeducation.com. It has been revised and updated using information contained in the Bound-for-Career Guidebook for posting here.
Posted: 1/16/12
Permission is hereby granted by Education Now (www.ednow.org) to reproduce and distribute any Career Transition Tip posted here as long as recipients are not charged for acquiring it and it is not edited or shortened in any way. To do so would be a violation of the copyright. Education Now, PO Box 2832, Springfield, VA 22152-2832. Email: info@ednow.org.
______________________________________
Topic: 11 Questions to Ask When Researching an Occupation
Mounting an effective career search means asking lots of questions, but they have to be the right questions and you cannot give up until you get the answers. What you learn will make you a better decision-maker. The better job you do in this research endeavor, the more likely you will be to understand the range of viable options that lie before you.
The eleven research areas that should guide your study of careers and occupations include the following:
1. Nature or role definition - What is the general nature of the work? What are the duties or responsibilities of people performing this career?
2. Settings where work is performed - In what work environments (i.e., hospitals, educational institutions, retail outlets, manufacturing centers, etc.) are you most likely to find this career? Is this a career that could be performed under a telecommuting arrangement?
3. Worker characteristics and traits - What are the individual characteristics or personality traits most commonly associated with people who perform this career?
4. Location - Are career positions more likely to be found in a concentrated region (i.e., Southeastern states, Silicon Valley of California, etc.,) or in a particular community type (i.e., urban, rural, university setting, etc.) of the country or dispersed throughout the country?
5. Education and training - What are the traditional or typical educational paths to this career? Can you prepare for entry through any other route?
6. Supply and demand - How much competition (current or future) exists for people in this career?
7. Subject to change - Is this a volatile career and more subject to change than others? How will technology impact people in this career in both the short-term and long-term?
8. Credentials and requirements - Does this career have any special requirements (i.e., licensing or certification, physical strength, education attainment level, etc.)?
9. Compensation - How are people in this career compensated? Beyond salary and benefits, does this career present any unique benefits (i.e., travel opportunity, on-the-job training, etc.)?
10. Opportunities for career development, growth and mobility - Will meritorious achievements and length of service (seniority) result in both tangible and intangible benefits?
11. Related careers - What careers and occupations are similar to this one? Who do people in this career interface with on a regular basis?
Several hundred career profiles or descriptions have been prepared according to an outline similar to this one and are contained in the online edition of the Occupational Outlook Handbook of the U.S. Department of Labor. Career explorers will find this valuable resource at: http://www.bls.gov/OCO
From: Bound-For-Career Guidebook by Frank Burtnett. Published by Rowman and Littlefield Education (2010).
Posted 1/2/12
___________________________________________
Permission is hereby granted by Education Now (www.ednow.org) to reproduce and distribute any Career Transition Tip posted here as long as recipients are not charged for acquiring it and it is not edited or shortened in any way. To do so would be a violation of the copyright. Education Now, PO Box 2832, Springfield, VA 22152-2832. Email: info@ednow.org.