Grads: TAKE CHARGE™!

Biz cards for the unemployed: what should they say?

If you're pounding the pavement looking for a job, then you already know that networking is the name of the game. So play with the right equipment: go armed with business cards. But what should they say if you aren't employed?

Read this article on EmploymentDigest and order 100 free cards online. Then get out there and network, network, network!

Is it time to get a dog?

If you're a dog lover, getting a dog can seem like the logical thing to do when you get a place of your own. May it is...or maybe not. There's more than just the desire for furry companionship to take into consideration.

Read the entire article on Examiner.com here.

What are you worth in the job market?

One of the most confusing interview questions you may get is "what kind of salary are you looking for?" or some other version of it. It can be scary to come up with an answer: if your number is too low, you might have been able to get more or you'll be seen as undervaluing yourself; if your number is too high, you could knock yourself out of the running for a job you'd really enjoy.

Read the entire article on Examiner.com here.

Money: Advice for new grads

Graduation time is right around the corner and what an exciting time it is. Like young robins taking those first tentative flights from the nest, off go those new grads into the real world. New jobs, new relationships, new opportunities, and new obligations await them. As a parent, it’s hard to resist offering advice gleaned from years of experience. Some of the most valuable advice concerns personal financial planning. Here are a few tips for the new graduate about to embark upon a career.....

Read the whole article on Examiner.com.

Eat well to get that job!

Grabbing fast food on the way home from work won't help you perform at the top of your game on the job.

Read the entire article on Examiner.com.

Avoiding job scams

Where there's a perceived weakness or a sense of desperation, you can guarantee that someone will create a scam to take advantage of it. With the job market the way it is these days, new college graduates and job seekers of all ages are on the radar of job scammers more now than ever. CNN has a good article on ways to spot a job scam before you get taken for a ride.

Read the entire article on CNN here.

That Crucial First Impression: Part 1

We’ve all heard it a thousand times: you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. That’s important for every job seeker, but because of the state of today’s job market, it’s more important now than ever before for new grads hoping to join the ranks of the gainfully employed.

So when does that first impression actually take place? Your chance at a great first impression is.....

Read the entire article on Examiner.com here.

Your parents need to read this one!

They're called "helicopter parents" because they hover over their children, making decisions and smoothing the way for them. It might seem like a nice ride for a while, but it can get in the way of your job search. If your parents are guilty of hovering, send them this link!

Read the entire article here on Parent Reviewers.

MSCareerGirl: career & money advice for new grads

Can you relate these new grads and their situations?

“I want to move to Chicago after graduation but I don’t have a job yet. It seems like job searching would be much easier if I was already living in Chicago, rather than in Ohio where I live now. What would you recommend?

“I graduated college with about $7,000 in credit card debt and my new job isn’t exactly the highest paying gig. How should I start tackling my credit card debt while not getting into MORE debt?”

Read the entire article here on the MSCareerGirl blog. [hint: it's not just for girls!]

Gen Y: What your older co-workers and boss think of you

As if graduating into the toughest job market in decades weren't difficult enough, the Class of 2009 is doing it with some unsavory labels attached to your generation. Learn what some of those labels are and how to overcome them.

Read the entire article here (on GradSpot.com)