This summer I received several requests from different friends of mine, wondering if I would work with their new college grad niece or nephew. I am always happy to assist individuals who are ready and willing to start a new career. I was very fortunate to work with a couple of young people who were motivated to find jobs and get started on the next phase of their lives. What I learned from working with them was that college might not equip everyone with the tools that they need to look for work. All that money that was spent on the education helped them become experts in their field, but didn’t necessarily give them what they needed to take the next step of finding a job. Below are some of the things I learned from my own experience and working with new college grads:
Continue reading ‘I’ve graduated from college – now what?’
Archive for September, 2012
I’ve graduated from college – now what?
Published September 24, 2012 Employment ClosedTags: Career advice, Elevator Speech, Employment, Houston jobs, How to find a job, job hunting, Job Search, job seekers, Job Skills, New Graduate, Recent grad, Workforce Solutions
Fair Time
Published September 17, 2012 Employment ClosedTags: Attitude, Career advice, Career Fair, Employment, Hire Event, Houston, Houston jobs, How to find a job, Job Fair, job hunting, job hunting blogs, Job Search, job seekers, jobs, Networking, Workforce Solutions
Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons. The leaves are changing colors, cooler weather is blowing in, football games are being played, the holidays are on their way, and it’s FAIR time! It’s almost like you can feel the excitement in the air. Continue reading ‘Fair Time’
Career Clusters Illuminate Learning and Earning
Published September 10, 2012 Employment ClosedTags: Achieve Texas, Career advice, career clusters, career planning, career readiness, education, Employment, Houston jobs, How to find a job, Job Search, job seekers, Job Skills, New Graduate, occupations, Occupations in Demand, Perkins IV, Preparation, Recent grad, Workforce Solutions, Youth, Youth employment
You may have heard the term “Career Clusters” and wondered what it is. Career Clusters is a college and career readiness initiative that groups similar occupation types and helps prepare students for their career of choice. The Career Cluster Initiative began in 1996 and brought education and industry training together so students could graduate with the job-ready skills needed to compete in the workforce. There are 16 different clusters that students can explore based on their own interests and aptitudes. In some cases, students can even take a personality test to see which cluster appeals most to them.
Continue reading ‘Career Clusters Illuminate Learning and Earning’
New Job Search Skills = New Job
Published September 3, 2012 Employment ClosedTags: Career advice, Elevator Speech, Employment, Hire Event, Houston jobs, Interview, job hunting, job hunting blogs, Job Search, job search techniques, job seekers, Job Skills, Networking, Resume, Unemployment, Workforce Solutions
It was a dark and stormy night. Actually every day seemed to be a dark and stormy night as the weeks turned into months and the months progressed without a job. The monster that I called Mr. Laptop ate my resumes and sent them into a black hole where no one ever responded with a call inviting me to interview. Despite being totally competent after 20 years in my job as a human resources professional, I was getting ZERO responses, other than an occasional rejection post card. At least the post card assured me that somebody actually received my resume!
