Career News

Benefit of Internships

* Earn salary to offset educational expenses
* Opportunity to earn academic credit
* Participate in meaningful work assignments relative to their academic area
* Opportunities to apply business school concepts to work assignments
* Exposure to public service careers
* Develop a network of professional contacts for future opportunities

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, MBA Internship Program

MBAs on the Move --Top Reasons MBAs Change Jobs

MBACareers.com reports the top five reasons MBAs are changing jobs.
1. Opportunity for higher earning potential
2. Burn Out
3. Lack of opportunities in my pervious field
4. Family Obligations
5. Relocation

Source: MBACareers.com

For additional career and employment information visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.

Career Change

Did you know: Studies show that the average working American will have three to five careers and between 10 to 12 jobs during his or her lifetime.

The Career Exposure Network™ viewers report that Career Change is a part of a successful professional life.

Top Reasons that prompted a Career Change include:
1. Opportunity for higher earning potential
2. Lack of opportunities in my pervious field
3. Burn Out
4. Family Obligations
5. Relocation

Source: The Career Exposure Network™

CareerWomen.com participating viewers say they aren't inspired by the current job because of:

-- Lack of "fit" with company 72%
-- Working Relationship with co-workers 66%
-- Lack of Advancement Opportunities 47%
-- No upward mobility 41%
-- Working relationship with boss 41%
-- Uninspiring field 17%
-- Pessimistic/negative attitude 9%

For additional career and employment information including job opportunities with some of the best women-friendly employers visit CareerWomen.com.

Source: © CareerWomen.com

Career Women Share Work/Life Balance Tips

What do satisfied working women know about work/life balance that the rest of us can learn from? CareerWomen.com has identified five top strategies based on advice from their viewers.

Budget your time both in and out of the office - Schedule your time efficiently at work. Put yourself on your calendar and take some time for you and your family/friends.
Leave work on time at least three days per week - There are times when working late just can't be helped, but schedule your time to leave on time three days per week.
Control interruptions and distractions - Stay focused while in the office, and budget your time effectively. Try to schedule a block of time during the day without meetings when you can focus on your tasks with minimal interruptions.
Explore the availability of flex-time - Research flex-time options within your organization. If available, it may be a helpful solution.
Seize the weekend - Plan your time off as you plan your work week. Schedule activities with family and friends, a weekend trip, or just something fun. Make your time away from work count!

Additional resources to enhance professional development and advance women’s careers can be found at CareerWomen including career development tools, career and employment news, professional associations and employment opportunities across the US with some of the best women-friendly companies.

--Source: © CareerWomen.com

“10 Negotiation Tips From Women in the Trenches” Revealed

“As business professionals, we negotiate every day on topics ranging from work assignments, project delivery dates and even business travel. Our viewers have routinely reported that women and men approach negotiations differently and have asked for advice from others to develop and refine this critical skill set. Our ’10 Negotiation Tips’ is the culmination of advice from CareerWomen.com viewers and clearly represents a strong desire by women to become better negotiators and ultimately strong business leaders.”

The “10 Negotiation Tips From Women in the Trenches” include:

The Mars/Venus relationship needs to be top of mind in business negotiations. Communication styles between men and women are different and as a result, negotiations can be complex. Our advice: keep your communication style direct by sharing plans, not concepts. Think collaboration not confrontation.
Use mentors to help refine your negotiation skills. Given that you will be negotiating with both men and women, pick a mentor from Mars and Venus to get perspective from both sides of the communication spectrum. Practice makes perfect, so our advice: Practice, practice, practice.
Women tend to think of getting along vs. getting what they want. Be clear about what you want and practice asking for it in a calm, direct manner. Our advice: don’t be confrontational. Getting fired-up and emotional may have an adverse reaction.
Negotiation is a conversation and you may risk getting off-track. Our advice: stay focused; remain on point and on course to avoid a negotiation disaster.
Gaining buy in along the way will get you closer to your goal faster. Making sure that the other party is being heard is a sign of respect and will be appreciated. Our advice: repeat the points of the other side and use language such as “Let me make sure I completely understand your point.”
Successful negotiating requires preparation. Be prepared with a strong understanding of your needs and motivations, as well as the other side. Our advice: do your research, gather together relevant information and if it’s complicated, get outside expertise from a mentor or colleague.
Creative solutions are well respected, especially if they demonstrate a strong understanding for the goals of the business. Our advice: Most points are negotiable and remember; it’s not always about money. Think add-ons, better terms or additional services.
Starting with your bottom line may close the door on negotiations. Our advice: be prepared to compromise and expect the other party to compromise as well.
Being fair is not a loss. It shows that you are willing to adjust your expectations to meet the needs of the other side. Our advice: ask the question, “Why don’t you tell me what you think is fair.” You may be surprised at the answer.
Negotiating is a process not an event. One conversation may not culminate in a final decision. Our advice: be willing to say, “Let me think about that and get back to you in 24 hours.”

The Three R’s to Getting Hired

1. Research -- know as much as you can about the company, the people and the business strategy. Use virtual and in person informational interviews; read, review and consume the company web site including their recent announcements

2. Results -- Develop key messages about how you will help the company achieve its business objectives. Use examples of previous business situations where you have delivered relevant results to a project or task.

3. Relevance -- demonstrate that your skill set is directly relevant to the position by showing the hiring manager how you accomplished goals in a similar position or situation. -- Companies want employees that share relevance in work experience and expertise.

For additional career and employment information visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.

--Source: © The Career Exposure Network™

What do companies need to do to engage their MBAs

What do companies need to do to engage their MBAs? According to MBACareers.com, companies need to focus on finding challenging and fulfilling employment opportunities for these fast-track employees.

1. MBAs are almost always over-achievers. They have been challenged academically, they have excelled and they expect the same in their professional environments. Give your MBAs responsibility for impacting the bottom line, challenge them to stretch their boundaries and reward their progress.
2. Meet with your MBAs on a regular basis to ascertain their career expectations and learn if their needs are being met.
3. Broad management experience is a must for fast-track candidates. Make sure that your corporation offers a variety of experiences, advancement opportunities and responsibilities.
4. Job satisfaction is a key factor in employee retention. These MBAs are your future business leaders. Allow them to prove their worth to your corporation. If you don't your competition will.

Source: © MBACareers.com / The Career Exposure Network™

5 Tips for De-Stressing Your Career

More than 80 percent of working women are stressed out as a result of work related issues according to a new survey released by CareerWomen.com. Women that responded to the poll revealed that most of their stress was a result of ineffective co-workers, too many unproductive meetings and difficult client or office situations. They share 5 tips for de-stressing your career.

Women from across the U.S. responded with their tips on dealing with workplace stress. The top five tips include:

De-clutter your office: an unorganized office can make you feel more stressed.
Seize the weekend: Use your downtime to recharge, exercise and connect with family and friends.
More water, less caffeine: Keeping hydrated improves your sense of well-being and helps you to relax.
Get more sleep: Being well-rested helps with coping. Try to get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
Talk about your stress: Find a friend that can lend a supportive and sympathetic ear.

Read the full story...

MBAs Report That an Internship is Essential for Career Success

MBACareers.com Finds 88 Percent of Interns Receive Job Offers; Men Seek Networking while Women Create Formal Mentoring Relationships.

The highly qualified MBA with an internship will receive a job offer, according to a recent poll by MBACareers.com. 88 percent of interns were offered a position following their internship and reported that the internship led to finding mentors and critical networking contacts that helped them in their career path.

When asked about the top ten essential career skills learned during the internship, MBACareer.com viewers responded with the following.

Professionalism
Getting the inside "scoop" about the firm
Making networking contacts within the firm
Making networking contacts within the industry
Navigating politics within the company
Learning how to make the best impact for the greatest career success
Learning which types of jobs are appealing
Understanding which departments are respected within the company
Making contact with other interns and recent hires
Creating mentoring relationships that will extend beyond the internship

Read the full story...

Source: © MBACareers.com / The Career Exposure Network™

MBA Salary Outlook Looks Good

If the recruiting environment for MBAs in 2007 is anything like it was in 2006, we’ll all celebrate. MBACareers.com looks the recent salary survey from the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®). According to research, MBAs made higher salaries in 2006 than in 2005, with the average business school graduate’s starting base salary topping $92,000.

Amid a healthy recruiting environment built on strong employer confidence in the economy, the average new MBA with a job offer in hand will earn $92,360 during their first year of employment, up 4.2 percent from the $88,626 graduates in 2005 received. Moreover, two-thirds of job offers to MBAs in 2006 came with signing bonuses that average $17,603, up slightly from the previous year.

Further, according to research from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers who said they recruit MBA. graduates are planning to hire 22.1 percent more MBA graduates in 2007 than they did last year.

For additional career and employment information visit MBACareers.com.

Source: © MBACareers.com / The Career Exposure Network™

Employers Share Tips for Getting Your Resume Noticed

Fortune 1000 employer and recruiter partners tell us that the polished resume remains the entry ticket to getting an interview. Here are there 5 top resume tips:

1) Send a cover letter and your resume. The cover letter should explain why you are a good fit for the position.
2) Use appropriate and professional email addresses. Never use addresses that are in poor taste such as hotchick@aol.com.
3) Be a qualified applicant. If you are over or under qualified for the position, beware of burning a bridge with a potential recruiter or employer.
4) Keep your resume factual not fluffy. Overstated accomplishments are a turn-off.
5) Attachments are acceptable, but with conditions. If you send an attachment, make sure it is a Microsoft Word‘ document or send a plain text version.

In a recent poll, employers and recruiters told us how they like to receive resumes. More than 50% responded that they prefer to view resumes in an online resume bank, while only 11% said that they want to receive a resume via postal mail and only 7% prefer to have link to an online resume.

For additional job, career and employment information visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com. Search for a job, post your resume, career news and more...

Source: © The Career Exposure Network™

Resume Tip: Tailor your Resume for Each Job

Don't take a one-size-fits-all approach with your resume or cover letter. Employers can receive hundreds of resumes for a single job opening. Don’t get passed over by submitting a generic, lack-luster resume.

Invest the time to research what the employer is looking for in an applicant. Make sure you showcase why your skills and experience make you the best match for the job. Be as specific as possible. Map your past experience to the specific job requirements and use key words and phrases from the job description. But don’t just stop there. Get to know the culture and corporate values and highlight how you are a good fit. For example, if the organization values teamwork and collaboration, make sure you include examples from your work history that illustrate these traits. Remember to include relevant or exceptional leadership roles, committee assignments, fundraising, or community involvement activities.

Quantify and qualify your experience. Using numbers to describe your achievements and responsibilities can make a lasting impression. For example, when describing management experience, include the number of direct reports, annual sales growth or other examples to illustrate your accomplishments and how goals were met.

Remember, employers aren’t looking for ordinary people to do general jobs. They want dynamic leaders that bring specific skills and attributes to their teams. Taking the time to create a targeted and polished resume can make all the difference in your job search. Think of your resume as a marketing tool – a way to get noticed and give prospective employers plenty of reasons to invite you for an interview.

Additional career and employment information as well as job and candidate search strategies, visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.

...Stressed-out?You Can Attain Work-Life Balance

Tired and stressed out from juggling work, family, and the myriad of responsibilities of modern life. We understand! According to a survey conducted by the National Life Insurance Co., four out of ten employees state that their jobs are “very” or “extremely” stressful. Those in high stress jobs are three times more likely than others to suffer from stress-related medical conditions and are twice as likely to quit. The study states that women, in particular, report stress related to the conflict between work and family. "Many women's lives resemble a juggling act that includes multiple responsibilities at work, heavy meeting schedules, business trips, on top of managing the daily routine responsibilities of life and home," said Jan Donnelly of CareerWomen.com. She reminds employers that "helping employees successfully achieving work/life balance will ultimately create a more satisfied workforce that contributes to productivity and success in the workplace."

Adapting to the changes and demands of today’s workplace, as well as adapting to your personal career goal and the goals of your company, is critical to maintaining healthy work/life balance. Sounds unattainable? It’s not. You can control the balance. You may want to consider alternatives to the traditional work scheduling, including job sharing, flex-time, part-time or contracted services and freelance projects. Be sure to do your research and only approach your supervisor with thoroughly thought-out proposals for alternative solutions. If you're going to propose that you work from home one day a week, how will your work get done? How will people reach you? Do you have the necessary setup at home to handle the work properly? Outlining how the alternative schedule will benefit you, others in your department and your company will help influence decisions. Be patient. Change takes careful consideration and time.

If your proposal is rejected, stay positive and ask for feedback. Then establish a time frame for revisiting your work schedule and stick to it. Nothing is more important than establishing a healthy work-life balance.

For further work/life balance tip, advice and suggestions see CareerWomen.com Reveals Top Five Strategies For Achieving Work/Life Balance

Source: © The Career Exposure Network™

Job Search Strategies: “Six Degrees” to a New Job

Looking for connections to help your job search? Networking opportunities can be found in a variety of places. You never know which tip, connection or venue might lead to your next career opportunity. Be sure to consider these potential sources and utilize your connections.

-- Colleagues in you chosen profession
-- Career fairs and job expos
-- On-line job listings. (Be sure to utilize niche sites.)
-- Professional associations
-- Family members and friends
-- Faculty, advisors and classmates at your school
-- Alumni network at your school
-- College/Alumni Career Centers
-- Private and public placement agencies
-- Professional trade journals and newsletters
-- Job postings at local organizations and companies
-- Friends and their family members and friends of friends

Career Advancement Tool: Note your Achievements

As you network and cultivate relationships with peers, supervisors, mentors and employer prospects on your path to career growth, it's important to tactfully highlight your achievements.

Keep an on-going record of your key accomplishments each year. Review your progress and add new achievements when applicable. Be specific about what you have done, how you did it, and the end result. This is very useful during your annual performance review. It is also helpful when it comes time to update your resume or interview for a new job. You will have an easy reference for articulating your achievements and providing specific examples.

Beyond your annual review, evaluate your accomplishments with your supervisor periodically. Ask for guidance, advice and set new goals.

Recognize others who had a hand in accomplishments and successes. Remember, it usually takes a team or group to achieve workplace goals so share the credit accordingly. Likewise, compliment co-workers on their accomplishments and celebrate their successes. To be a leader means supporting your team.

For additional career and employment information as well as job and candidate search strategies, visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.

Source: © The Career Exposure Network™

Job Hunters: Tap into the power of your Social Network

When it comes to getting a job, who you know does matter. Let former co-workers, colleagues and mentors know you're job hunting and ask them to connect you with prospective employers.

Join professional associations; attend seminars and classes in your area of interest; or volunteer to expand your professional network and community.

Use the Internet to connect and create opportunity. Meet someone at a local seminar? Send them an email to thank them for the chat and ask them to let you know of relevant job openings. Better still, ask them to introduce you to people in their network that may have a job lead or could open doors at prospective employers.

Expand your social network and you expand your employment potential!

For additional career and employment information as well as job and candidate search strategies, visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.

Source: © The Career Exposure Network™

Top Reasons to Get an MBA

If you’re considering an advanced career in business, you probably already know that an MBA can help get you there, and in some cases is essential. People choose to get their MBA degree for a number of reasons; however those most frequently cited include:

• Increase earnings: According to BusinessWeek, a post-MBA employee can expect to receive a pay increase in the range of 10 percent to 82 percent and/or an elevation in position. Further, an MBA graduate will likely experience a return of investment on tuition within three to five years.

• Advance your career: A graduate business degree can provide you with valuable skills and knowledge, allowing you to move into managerial or advanced positions within your field.

• Change your career path: An MBA program not only presents opportunities to explore new career options, but provide you with the training you need to change fields entirely.

• Job security: MBA grads are desirable in any job market, providing important credentials to improve job security.

• Networking and access to career experience and opportunity: The network you cultivate while an MBA student remains a vital and important tool for business and mba career success.

People choose to get their MBA most often to improve their prospects (and earning potential) with their current employer or to move into a different industry sector. Beyond financial benefits and career advancement, graduates site that earning an MBA has given them increased self-esteem, improve business confidence and allowed them to become more effective business leaders.

For additional information and MBA career opportunities, visit MBACareers.com

Source: © MBACareers.com / The Career Exposure Network™

Which Majors are in Most Demand?

The Career Exposure Network™ takes a look at what employers want in new graduates. Do you want a guide on what classes to take to jump start your career? Skip the basket weaving and take a heavy load of business and computer science classes. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ (NACE) annual Job Outlook 2007 report, employers plan to target business, engineering, and computer-related degrees at both the bachelor's and master's degree level. Here is a summary of what employers are looking for:

Top 10 degrees in demand (bachelor's degree level):

1. Accounting
2. Business administration/management
3. Computer science
4. Electrical engineering
5. Mechanical engineering
6. Information sciences and systems
7. Marketing/marketing management
8. Computer engineering
9. Civil engineering
10. Economics/finance

Top degrees in demand (master's degree level)

M.B.A.
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Top degrees in demand (doctorate degree level)

Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Chemical Engineering

For additional career and employment information as well as job and candidate search strategies, visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.

Starting Salaries for College Grads on the Rise

Employers continue to offer higher starting salaries to new college graduates across many disciplines, according to the Summer 2007 issue of Salary Survey, a quarterly report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). According to the survey, nearly nine out of 10 employers reported that theyâre seeing more competition for new college graduates than in past years, and they believe that competition will continue to increase in the coming years. The Career Exposure Network employers report that recruiting ahd hiring qualified candidates continues to be very competitive. Here's are some some of the average salaries. Remember, salaries vary by region, company, qualifications, etc...

Survey results include:
Accounting gradsâ average offer rose 2.3 percent, bringing their average offer to $46,718, and business administration/management graduates saw their average rise 3.9 percent to $43,701.
The average offer to economics (business/managerial) grads was $48,483 and the average offer to finance grads was $47,239.

Management information systems/business data processing grads show a 4.2 percent increase to their average starting salary offer, raising it to $47,648.

Marketing graduates starting salary offer rose 6.1 percent to $40,161.
Computer science grads saw an increase of 4.1 percent, brining their average offer to $53,396.

Information sciences and systems graduatesâ average offer rose 4.6 percent to $50,852.

Chemical and civil engineering grads saw a 5.4 percent increase, bringing their average offers to $59,361 and $48,509, respectively.

Computer engineering grads posted a 4.8 percent increase, boosting their average offer to $56,201.

The average offer to mechanical engineering graduates rose 4.6 percent to $54,128, and electrical engineering gradsâ offer increased by 3.2 percent, bringing their average offer to $55,292.

Most of the liberal arts majors posted increases to their average salary offers as well.

Political science/government majors saw the largest increase over last year, with an increase of 5.9 percent, raising their average offer to $34,590.

English majors starting salary rose 5.3 percent to $32,553.

Psychology majors posted a 4.7 percent increase and now average $31,631;

Sociology majors gained 3.5 percent, bumping their average offer to $32,033;

History majors saw a 3.3 percent increase to bring their average starting salary offer to $33,768.

For additional career and employment information visit CareerWomen.com, DiversitySearch.com, MBACareers.com, and CareerExposure.com.