Career Management Alliance Blog » Recent Graduates

Teens: It’s Not Too Hard to Create a Good Resume

Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters — Wed, 05 May 2010 15:20:01 +0000

Teens, there really is not a whole lot of mystery behind developing and writing a good resume. It does take some time and effort — and a good set of eyes to spell-check and proofread it — but if you are serious about making a statement as a job-seeker, then use our worksheet as a guide for creating your resume.

Helping Her Sister Out of Career Limbo

Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:43:14 +0000

This posting is a guest entry from the Career Doctor, Randall S. Hansen, PhD:

Karen writes:

My sister has a bachelor’s degree in sociology (or is it social science?) with a specialization in archeology. (She wanted to become an archeologist, but the college she went to didn’t offer it as its own major, but instead as part of another major.) After she graduated, she worked a few years of archeology “construction detail,” and then gave it up.

She’s not interested in that career field or type of work anymore and has been in career limbo for about two years. She’s currently working at a store in a local mall and is very unhappy. She told me that she since she earned a college degree she’d like to be using it. However, she has no idea what kind of jobs she might be able to get! What sort of jobs are available for someone with her qualifications?

The Career Doctor responds:

I think it’s great when family members help each other out, so kudos to you, Karen. At this point in your sister’s life, the degree is of more importance than her major to employers… thus, her career options are almost limitless. She’s also not alone — I’ve met too many store clerks with a bachelor’s degree who dislike their jobs and wonder about the value of their education.

I suggest that your sister first take some time to think about the things she likes to do — what activities, skills, etc., does she enjoy? If she needs help with this exercise, she may want to try out some of the resources available at Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration Tools. Then she needs to find the types of jobs that use those skills. She may need additional training or education, but it totally depends on what she discovers.

Finally, she is going to need to work on her resume — perhaps changing the format to a chrono-functional rather than chronological — to stress the value of her transferable skills.

Job Options Before Getting Degree?

The Career Doctor Blog — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Persida writes: I wonder if you can help me. I am working on a bachelor’s degree in accounting, have two more years to go (full time work). I’ve been an administrative assistant for 3 years, and would like to do something else for a while, something more challenging, and more fun. Without a degree what are my options? Also, my idea of a perfect job would be one that would change every 3 months (I get bored very easily). What career would fulfill that need for change? I know accounting is not the most interesting position, but it will help me achieve my career goals.

The Career Doctor responds:

While I don’t equate accounting with fun, this is about you, not me… so, here goes. I will give you a short-term and long-term answer.

Even with all the accounting scandals, or perhaps because of them, accounting is still a growing profession. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a strong increase in job openings through the year 2016. Much of this growth reflects the increasing complexity of corporate transactions and growth in government. Demand will be especially high in the tax and health care areas.

Short-term, I would recommend looking into volunteering, working with a non-profit, or temping. Because you have some solid experience and skills, you have a number of options. However, if you want to start making the transition to accounting, you may need to be a bit more creative in your job-search. You could start by volunteering your talents at a local non-profit agency. Once you’ve gained some needed accounting experience, you might consider a full-time paid position at a non-profit…or consider using a professional temping agency so that you have that variety you seek.

Long-term, one of the best career paths for you may be as a business analyst/consultant. These professionals, many of whom come from accounting, work with multiple clients in multiple settings — giving you some of the variety you crave while putting your skills and abilities to the test. However, you could follow numerous paths once you earn your degree, and I recommend you meet with your faculty adviser and/or a career counselor from your university’s career services office.

Some good resources for you include: Careers in Accounting from Careers-in-Business, LLC; StartHereGoPlaces.com, from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Occupational Outlook Handbook, from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.