My first major in college was music. My “dream” was to be a successful entertainer. The definition of “success”, of course, is much like the definition of “happiness”. It is a personal definition that is particular to the individual (“one man’s success is another man’s hell”). When reality hit and I realized that I was not likely to make a living as an entertainer any time soon, I did the next best thing – I worked for an entertainment company doing an entry level accounting job. To me this was the next best thing – if I couldn’t be an entertainer, maybe I could still be involved in the entertainment industry. In the short term it was an interesting experience. In the long term, it was not a viable career option for me (but that’s a story for another time).

So, if you could work at any company in the world, what would it be? I’m assuming you know, regardless of whether you’ve told anyone else or it is your deep dark secret (I already told you mine). Hopefully, your dream company is on your targeted job search list for the right reasons.  Maybe they specialize in what you do (or what you would like to do). Whatever the reason, there should be some logic behind your choice. Some of us would like to work for the most admired companies in the world, while other prefer the biggest or most innovative.

Whatever your preference, a good place to start is the companies at the top of of the heap. Today’s post (the first in a series on this topic) provides a list of the top companies that are also hiring and links to over 5,000 job opportunities.

Best Companies to Work For (and hiring):

• Google – I (hopefully) don’t have to tell you what this company does. Number 1 on Fortune’s list, they continue to hire as they continue to grow and expand into other products. “Let’s work together” is the theme of their careers page (link is at the start of this paragraph). With over 32,000 employees they are considered a large company at this point. They showed up again on the “best companies” list, which is driven by all of the perks and benefits they offer employees (free gourmet food, dry cleaning and much more). You can search by location and/or job category. There were over 1,400 job opportunities when I checked the site.

• Boston Consulting Group – Number 2 on Fortune’s list, BCG (as they are known in the industry) is a top tier consulting company. Over $3 billion in revenue and an average salary of $139,000 per year – need I say more? While they don’t disclose all of their open positions on their site (at least I could not find the link), they have indicated that they are hiring 100′s of consultants this year.

Biggest Companies to Work For (and hiring): (based on the Fortune 500) – Sometimes bigger is better.

• Wal-Mart – Based on sales, Walmart tops the list. Continuing to expand, Walmart has over 1,900 job opportunities posted on their website. Their careers page has a robust job search function. Their lead Careers page lists careers by category. If retailing is your thing, this is the place to get started.

• Exxon Mobil – “There’s gold in them there hills” and there are jobs at Exxon Mobil. Their careers page has a map of the world. Select the region, followed by the country where you would like to work and you are on your way. Jobs are split by experience hires versus campus recruiting. Whatever your level, I’m sure there is a job for your. There were several hundred job search opportunities when I checked the site.

Most Admired Companies: Sometimes life is like a beauty contest, but if you can put up with that you can land a job with one of these companies. The top 50 an impressive list.

• Apple – Not a surprise here. Known as a leader in technology and the customer experience, it is no wonder they are on the top of the list.    Their careers page is pretty neat, and jobs are split along the lines of Corporate, retail stores and students and college grads.

• Amazon – Is number three on the list (Google is number two and we’ve covered that above). Their careers page is really functional, with links to benefits, careers and training available. select your country and the next link will take to a listing of jobs for that location.  As an example there were over 191 job opportunities for the US when  I checked the page.

More leads to follow in the next installment.

Good luck in your search.


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In this economy, finding work can be extremely difficult and time-consuming. But if you are a recent college graduate with only an inkling of what you want to do with your life, finding work can seem practically impossible. I know this, because for four months – including my final two months of college – my life was consumed by the job search. I sent out resumes, scheduled informational interviews to get practice, worked connections I barely knew, and even tried recruiting agencies. Finally, I found a job, and if I can do it, then you can too. Here are some tips I think helped me eventually land my gig.

Get organized and stay organized

When I started applying to jobs, I learned quickly that my typical method of functional disorganization would never work. Work applications vary wildly. Some ask for just a resume and cover letter. Others ask for writing samples and references and critical thinking questions. In order to handle all of the confusion, I created a spreadsheet with each job I applied to and a checklist to make sure I had met all of the application requirements for each one. Some of you might not need a spreadsheet to keep them organized, but whatever your method of organization is, make sure you use it freely; otherwise you will end up with cover letters addressed to the wrong company or an application sent out with four writing samples and no resume. Those aren’t hypothetical situations either, those actually happened to me.

Keep your nose to the grindstone

Some of you just read that piece of advice, shook your head, and wondered how this column made it into the “boring cliché” portion of the advice already. I understand, but this is one cliché that needs to be restated over and over. You can apply to five jobs, turn off your computer, and start watching television thinking you are all set. But that probably won’t land you a job. You need to be applying to dozens of jobs per week, and you can never rest on your laurels. If you throw enough darts at the dartboard, eventually one of them has to hit the bulls-eye.

Selling yourself can be uncomfortable…do it anyway

This was the hardest piece of advice for me to follow through on. I am not lacking in self-confidence, but I am acutely aware of how ridiculous it sounds when I start talking about myself like I am some sort of automaton sent to Earth for the sole purpose of landing this job and crushing the work involved. In a social situation, bragging about you is arrogant and self-centered. But if you are trying to find a job, you should start learning how to brag about yourself, because everyone else applying for that same job is doing it. Employers are looking for the best candidate; it is your job to make yourself look like that candidate by painting yourself in the best possible light.

Don’t be afraid of the informational interview

While I was looking, I used connections to set up what essentially became interviews conducted by me over lunch. The people I had lunch with were in the field that I wanted to enter, but none of them had jobs to offer. This was disappointing at first; I didn’t see the point in going to these interviews if it wasn’t going to help me get a job. But that’s where I was wrong, it did help. Not only did I learn a lot about what prospective employers were looking for and what questions they would ask, but the people I had lunch with usually liked me, and were willing to shop my resume around to other friends in the industry. I didn’t get my job through a connection from an informational interview, but I did turn two informational interviews into actual interviews with other firms. Interviews that don’t result in jobs are practice, and practice makes perfect.

Don’t get discouraged and don’t take it personally

At the height of my employment search, I bet I was sending out 15 or 20 resumes per week. What did I get for all of that hard work? Mostly radio silence. It got to the point where I would have been happy if the prospective employer wrote a rejection e-mail back because at least it meant someone had seen my resume. I would estimate that 90 percent of the applications I sent out, I never heard back from. I started taking a defeatist attitude and wondered whether it was something about my resume that people hated or were turned off by. What I learned is that hundreds if not thousands of candidates were applying to the same job I was, so these companies had no way of reading every resume, so they dealt with whom they could. It had nothing to do with my qualifications and everything to do with the fact that finding a job is a rat race. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if you are the best candidate if you were the first candidate to apply.

If all else fails and you can’t find the job you want, you can always go back to school and aim higher with one of the many schools that offer cost-effective executive MBA programs .

Mike Lemaire is an education content editor who also runs a blog about online schooling. You can find him on Twitter here

This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines.

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1. The Best Companies for College Grads and Entry Level Jobs
2. Dazed and Confused – College Job Search
3. Reader’s Choice – Job Search Resources

“Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.” – Jon Bon Jovi

This guest post is provided by Comparethemarket, a UK price comparison site that helps people save money on a range of financial products, including Life Insurance.

Whether you have just graduated from college into the middle of a rotten job market or your previous job has disappeared, it is essential that you get back into the game and that you do it as quickly as possible! The truth of the matter is that while jobs are scarce, there are a wide variety of options open to you. Consider some of these options and try as many of them as you can; you never know when you are going to get the jobs of your dreams.

Try a new industry: A career change, especially when you’re young, is a good choice if you are worried about being in the wrong field. If you are having issues finding something in your own niche, try someone else’s! While switching to a new industry can be a little risky, you’ll find that it might be the best choice that you have ever made!

Get some extra training: This may mean going to a trade school or going back for a master’s or a PhD. While this does not make you more money in the short term, you are essentially making an investment in your future. Choose training that has an end-goal in mind, and be sure that you know what kind of work you will be doing if you get the degree you are after.

Work on your social networking: Remember that everyone you chat with is a potential contact. Ask people to put the word out for you and to let you know if there are openings at their companies. This is something that can make a huge difference. They say that it’s all about who you know, but at the end of the day, it’s pretty easy to get to know someone.

Volunteer. If you are out of work, chances are good that you are going crazy from boredom. There is a limit to how much time you can spend filling out resumes, so get out of the house and go volunteer for a cause you find important. You never know when volunteering will let you expand your skills or provide you with a contact to a new job.

Consider affiliate marketing if you have a computer and a reliable internet connection. Affiliate marketing is a good choice if you are ambitious and a good people person, and it offers you valuable skills that you can take back with you to the standard work place. There are also plenty of people who try affiliate marketing and never look back. Choose a good company with a product you believe in for the best results.

Start a consulting business. Is there something that you do well? If so, there is a good chance that there are other people who want to do it. Working as a consultant allows you to freelance and to create your own schedule while offering your expertise to others at top dollar.

Start a crafting business. With sites like Etsy and eBay at your disposal, you can turn a crafting hobby into a crafting business. Think about the jewelry that you make or the drawings that you create. You never know when someone might want to hang it up in their den or their living room. This is a great way to start your own business while doing something you love.
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There is no denying the fact that a good college education can open up a lot of doors for you professionally, but finishing a four-year university is not a mandatory prerequisite for having a successful career these days. With the economy the way it is, there are many people who simply cannot afford to go to college, nor are they willing to incur huge amounts of debt for student loans without even being guaranteed a good job following graduation.

Thankfully, there are many lucrative jobs out there that do not require a college degree. In fact, many of these jobs can earn you more money than you would make with a diploma on your wall. Here are ten great professions for people looking to make money and establish a successful career without a university education.

1. Real Estate Broker

You can become a real estate broker by taking a few classes and getting a certification, which costs very little compared to the price of college tuition. This is a recommended job for people who are very personal and good communicators. Being a real estate broker is also good for people who don’t like regular 9 to 5 work hours, but be prepared to work according to your customers’ schedules, not yours.

2. Freelance Photographer

People who are artistic and have a great eye for detail, especially those who have been fans of photography since childhood, can always find a way to make money from their craft. Freelance photography requires an investment for professional equipment and a lot of practice, but if you love to take pictures, this shouldn’t be an issue. There are many great ways to make money taking photos, from weddings to selling stock photos and even paparazzi type photography, which can bring in some really good money.

3. Music Producer

Being a producer is easier today than it has ever been, thanks to all the great advances in recording technology. With the tools available today, anyone can make a bedroom recording that sounds like it was done in the most expensive studio in the city. If you have a good ear and are interested in music production, all it takes is some time and practice.

4. Truck Driver

It might not seem like a very glamorous job, but there are some people that absolutely love the call of the open road. This is a great way to see the world and it also pays very well. There is a course that takes about two months to get a commercial driver’s license, and after that you are ready to hit the road. People who love to travel and do not feel comfortable living in one place for too long make great truck drivers.

5. Personal Trainer

If you are already really into fitness and are a complete gym rat, you can make this into a career. Certification is easily attainable through a few courses and compared to many other trade schools, the cost of fitness training is not that great. If you are always in the gym and love to follow the latest fitness trends while helping others get the look they want, this is a great job for you.

6. IT Expert

It’s not like it was a decade ago – these days, pretty much everyone grows up with a computer. The best thing about the computer world is that most necessary knowledge is easily attainable through Internet tutorials and books. Becoming an expert on all things related to information technologies is something that can be done on your own and without any schooling, as long as you show a sincere interest in the world of computers.

7. Air Traffic Controller

This job demands some very rigorous testing, lots of studying, mandatory and frequent health checks and evaluations of your mental stability. However, it is one of the most well-paying jobs of all, especially as far as jobs that don’t require college degrees are concerned. If such a profession interests you, be prepared to invest a lot of time and effort into becoming an air traffic controller, and expect a lot of stiff competition.

8. Fire Fighter

Though the starting salary usually isn’t that impressive, the more experience you have, the more money you will receive. Also, salaries for fire fighters depend a lot on location, so if you want to make a decent living, expect to work in a city where there are a lot of people who need your assistance on a more regular basis. The training program is also very intense, and you need to be in prime physical condition in order to consider this as a career.

9. Carpenter

There are many trade jobs out there that can earn you a great living without a college education. Electricians, plumbers and other trade workers are always in high demand. Another great occupation is carpentry. It’s one of the more creative trade occupations and can also be very profitable, especially since there is a great market for high end, one-of-a-kind, handmade furniture, among other things. The best way to go about starting a career in carpentry is to seek out an apprenticeship.

10. Commercial Pilot

Commercial pilots are not only paid well, but they also get discounts on flights when they are not working, which makes it a more than ideal job for travel addicts. Training is required in order to become a pilot, and it is demanding, but you will not need a degree in order to take off.

Even though none of these jobs require college educations, all of them require knowledge, a willingness to continue learning, and all of them prove that you can make a living out of doing just about anything, as long as you make a sincere effort.

David Lazar is a blogger at CometDocs.com. With a background in journalism, he enjoys writing about and following a variety of topics, including careers, technology and new media.

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1. Dazed and Confused – College Job Search
2. College Grad – Will Work for Food
3. College Grad Job Search – Home for the Holidays

You are somewhere in your (hopefully) four year college career and, if you’ve not already figured this out, the experience is likely to be different than you envisioned when you began. Whatever your major (and no matter how many times you change your major), your ultimate goal is to have a career in the field of your choice (which is hopefully your dream career). But your four years of college may not be enough to land the job of your choice. Graduation does guarantee a job. On the contrary, your college diploma just means you are now qualified to look for a job. But why wait until you graduate. Why not get a head start on the job hunting process?  To do this, you need to add a second major as early in your college career as possible. Your second major should be Job Search Preparation.

Learn Everything You Can About Your Major – No, this is not about taking “Your Major 101“, this is about understanding how and where your major is applied in the working world. Now is the time to explore the types of careers and jobs that use your major. Use your college years to research companies, connect with industry groups and start to build the network you will need when you graduate.

• Career Research Checklist
• Company Research
• Major & Career Profiles

Experience, Experience, Experience – Need I say more? Education is great, but experience is even better. Use your four years at college to get some work experience in your major. This can be done in many different ways. Internships (as many as you can do), Work/Study, volunteering, etc. There are many ways to get experience before you graduate and hands-on experience is what will give you an advantage over those graduates who’ve not done the same.

• Ways to get career-related experience during college
• Internships as Career Experience
• How to Find an Internship

Job Search Marketing Toolkit – If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you are familiar with my Job Search Marketing Toolkit approach. While most of the “tools” look like they are geared towards experienced workers, this is not always the case. You should start building your resume, cover letters, interview skills and elevator speech now (see the next topic for Networking). Yes, these tools will change as you gain experience, but by creating these documents early in your college career you will have well defined tools by the time you graduate.

• Critical steps for building a resume in college and landing a job after graduation
• Top 5 Reasons You Should Build Your LinkedIn Profile While You Are In College
• Building Your Resume for Life After College

Networking – Build Yours Now – It is never too early to build your network, arguably the most valuable tool during your entire career. So, you may ask, how do you build a network in college? Everyone you meet potentially becomes part of your network. Your family, your classmates, your roommates, your professors, and so on. Build your network now.

• 6 Ways to Network While You’re in College
• How to Quickly Build Your Professional Network in College
• Tips on How to Network While Still in College

Good luck in your search.


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In college on your “own”, trying to figure out midterms, finals, spring break, dealing with roommates, meal plans, rushes, finding time to party, etc. It’s a delicate balance. At some point (hopefully after 4 years unless you are on the “5 year plan”) it will all come to an end and you will need to find a job. Four years sounds like a really long time, but trust me, it will all be over before you know it. The last thing you need when you graduate, as you try to assimilate back to your parent’s house, is to linger on the unemployed line. College grads are finding it more difficult than ever to find jobs in their chosen field, and many have to resort to jobs that were traditionally filed by those without a college degree. Whether you are a freshman or a senior (or anywhere in between), there are lots of things you can do now (or should avoid doing) to improve your chances of getting a job when you graduate.

Internships – Doing an internship (at least once) during your college career is probably one of the most important things you can do. Besides getting hands-on experience, you will meet people who may hire you (or help you get a job) when you graduate. Additionally, it will look great on your resume once you graduate. Even if you are a senior now, you can still do an internship after you graduate and before you look for a full time job.

• Internships, Apprenticeships, & Volunteer Opportunities – If you haven’t visited the Riley Guide in your quest for a job or summer internship then you’ve been missing one of the best career sites on the Internet. Known for their vast listings of career links, their Summer Intern section will not disappoint.  Starting with a list of Internships and Fellowships sites, the site lists additional resources for both study and non-study experience abroad. And, while getting paid would be nice, you should also consider looking at the volunteer opportunities sites listed here as well.

• How to Find a Last Minute Summer Internship – Maybe you waited too long and are scrambling to find your summer internship before your parents make you work at some fast food joint for the summer. Take a look at this site. In addition to give some great advice as to how to approach your search, you can enter your email account and have opportunities sent to you every day. As if that is not enough, the right hand side of the page lists Internships for current week. Take a look.

Study Abroad – It’s not just about visiting a foreign country (although that is certainly a benefit), it’s about getting international experience, learning about other cultures and learning about diversity. Most colleges offer an exchange program. They are very competitive programs, so get started as soon as you can at your college. I’ve listed a few links below, take a look.

• Study Abroad (http://www.afsusa.org/)
• Study, Work, or Volunteer Abroad – A great link with lots of great links.

Protect Your Internet Profile – Your Internet profile will haunt you if you are not careful (and it is not a ghost you can easily get rid of). What you do, say and post on the Internet will likely be found by anyone looking to hire you. While having an Internet profile is fine, you do need to be careful as to what is posted (including pictures, webcams and “unusual postings”. Once the “wrong” information is out there, it is very difficult to get rid of.

• Managing Your Online Profile – Even if you think your internet profile is pristine, it’s not a bad idea to check your own profile (you never know what someone else will post). This is a great article on how to manage your profile.

• Career Advice for Managing Your Online Presence and Social Profile – A short but good article on managing your online profile.

College Career Centers – One of the most under-utilized career resources, you should visit your college career center as early and as often as possible. While every college has different resources, there is something there for you that you can leverage to help find a job.

• Leverage College Career Centers in Your Job Search – An earlier post on this topic, with 5 great links to help you leverage your college career center.

Good luck in your search.

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• College Grad Job Search – Home for the Holidays
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It’s getting close to the “most wonderful time of the year”. Thanksgiving turkey followed by the festive gift giving Holiday Season and then New Years Eve and all of those resolutions none of us will keep. If you are searching for a job as a new college grad, the holidays can be a bit stressful. Way too much time with your relatives who don’t seem to have a problem asking (for the 100th time) -  “Do you have a job yet?”. The good news is, you are not alone (yes, misery loves company). If you can believe the news reports, the last few years have been rough times for college grads. That being said, there are jobs out there. Today’s post will give you some job search stuff to do over the holidays.

Companies that are Hiring College Grads:

• Internal Revenue Service: Yes, the IRS is hiring. Check out their job search page (IRS Jobs) to find your job. And, they have great benefits like work/life balance, Federal health care, life insurance, a retirement program and more.  While you are on the page, check out their search tools.

• Verizon – Over 300 job opportunities (through-out the US) when I checked, 62 of which are marked as entry level. Check out their “Who we Are” and “Working Here” tabs, career areas and career events. You can also search by division, location and job title.

Career Tools for College Grads:

• Nuresume – Nuresume.com is a network for college students which allows them to build an online resume portfolio. They can include photos, blogs, videos, chat, groups, forums, instant messaging, job alerts and social networking. The site is jam packed with resources and options. There are links at the top of the page which provide access to the main areas (including Join and Invite links). The site integrates students, recruiters and employers and provides the tools you need to launch your online marketing campaign. The site is very impressive and well thought out. There is not enough space in this review to give justice to the site, so check it out today.

• How To Find a Job or Internship Through Your Campus Career Center – You can use your college career center even after you graduate and, in fact, you shouldn’t. Besides the fact that they can help you prep for your job search prior to graduation, what about those internships? Better yet, this article (posted on hercampus.com), also provides the “do’s and dont’s” when working with college career enters (such as don’t wait until the last minute.

• College Graduate Jobs – From Simplyhired.com, this specialized search indicated that there were over 66,000 job opportunities for College Grads on this site. You can narrow your search by typing in your location at the top of the page and by using the filters on the left hand side of the page. But that is not all. There are additional links on the bottom left hand side of the screen for Job Search Tools. As with many of the job search boards, you can create your own profile.

• Your Job Search Tool Kit – What better place to help college grads look for jobs than Collegegrad.com? The article tells you what you need to purchase (or should already have) at the minimum as well as other items you should consider buying for your search. But, that is not all, take a look at all of the tools on this site like the featured articles (right hand side of the page) and the related links on the left hand side of the page.

Good luck in you search.

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So what exactly is an entry level job? According to Wikipedia (and this is an excerpt) – “An entry-level job is a job that is normally designed or designated for recent graduates of a given discipline, and doesn’t ask for prior experience in the field or profession. These may require some on-site training.“. Now I’m not sure that is a perfect definition, because not all entry level jobs are for college grads. There are many entry level jobs for people who have not attended college or are college students. So how about this one from BusinessDictionary.com- “Bottom-level employment in a firm which usually requires ordinary-level of education, training, and experience qualifications. It gives a recruit the benefit of a gainful occupation, opportunity to learn and gain experience, and serves as a stepping-stone for higher-level jobs.“. Still doesn’t sound like the best definition but it is a better definition than the first one. Today’s post is about finding the best companies for entry level jobs (however they are defined).

• Top Entry Level Employers – This is “the list” for entry level jobs from Collegegrad.com. The companies are ranked based on the estimated entry level hires. As an example, the 2011 #1 company is Enterprise Rent-a-car and their estimated project entry level hires is 8,500! Each company on the list has an embedded link to a page with more detail and the links back to the individual career pages. There are 93 companies on the list and thousands of jobs. While you are on the page, take a look at all of the related links for your career.

• EntryLevelJobsite.com – This site is a job search site that focuses on entry level jobs (I’m sure you’ve figured that out by the name). There are tabs at the top of the site for Post Resume, Search Jobs and Career Resources. This is followed by a job search box, with advanced search and a job search directory to the right of the search box. Below this is a section for “Search Top Entry Level Jobs” on the left and recent job postings on the right hand side of the page. There were over 287,000 job opportunities posted when I checked the site.

• Monster College – This is Monster.com’s recent college grad and entry level job site.  Just click Search Entry-Level jobs, enter your criteria and you are on your way. Also on the site are resources like hiring and career trends. At the bottom of the page are additional links for internships, career advice and more.

• 10 High-Paying Entry-Level Jobs – If you are looking for an entry level job, you might as well look for a high paying job. This article, from AOL Jobs, lists the high paying entry level jobs (like $73,000 for investment banker). Each job has an embedded link to a page on that job type with tons of information, including a link for finding jobs for that job type. At the top of each of these pages are tabs where you can find out info such as salary, bonus and so much more. Worth a look.

• 50 Top Employers for College Grads – This article is from Business Week and provides a robust list of companies that are great for college grads. Click any picture to link to a page of information on the company. Each page includes key stats such as fields of study and personality types. The list of companies is diverse, from technology to hotels to accounting, there is bound to be a company that fits your needs.

Good luck in your search.

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3. College Grad Job Search – Home for the Holidays

Half way through the summer and no job prospects? Parents on your back (of course they are thinking about your $200,000+ college education)? You are not alone. Some of my friends’ kids are now home from college having graduated a few short months ago. With very few exceptions, most of them have jobs (at the moment) that do not require a college degree. Jobs like, working in the local movie theater, working in a liqueur store or working for a local retail store.  Of course all of these jobs are better than not working at all. But I suspect that these individuals are not focused in their job search. Even in the most difficult of times, there are many more entry level jobs then there are experienced hire jobs. So what’s the point? Looking for a job is not easy. For many, it is more difficult than college. The truth is that for most of us, we really have no clue how to look for a job. In reality, the time you put in is directly related to what you will get out of it. Like most things in life, you need to invest some time and effort to see the results. Job search is much the same. Lots of time up front but results start to come in after the initial investment.

• What Every New Grad Needs to Know About Employment Agencies – Posted on Bestcollegesonline.com, this is a great article for college grads or anyone who is attempting to use employment agencies (recruiters) for the first time. The article not only help you choose agencies that match your requirements, but also provides a warning for those that are less than “above board” (if  it sounds to good to be true . . . ). The article also explains how to get the best out of the agency as well as how agencies work. There are related articles at the bottom of the page, take a look.

• 48 Essential LinkedIn Tips Your Teachers Won’t Tell You – LinkedIn has become, by far, one of the most important job search tools. Besides tracking contacts, LinkedIn’s posted jobs and high profile with recruiters makes it a must have for anyone who is seriously looking for a job. This article, posted on Onlinecolleges.net, provides a bunch (48 to be exact) of great tips to ensure you leverage the site. And, not only are the tips good, but each tip has an embedded link to a more detailed article for that tip. Don’t forget to take a look at the related posts at the bottom of the page.

• 10 tools every new college grad needs to land a first job – Most job searchers think that all they need is a good resume to get a job. This is not accurate and for recent grads, all the more difficult since their resume is a work in progress. This article, posted on Nativetimes.com, provides 10 tools that will help in your job search. Some of the items (like letters of recommendation) are standard, but many of the tips are just as important and often overlooked. A short and concise article, definitely worth the read.

• CollegeGrad.com – No college grad job search is complete if you’ve not leveraged this site (and the one following below). This is one of the best sites for entry level job search. There is a link at the top left hand side of the page for their job search center. The top of the page has tabs for Top Employers, Top Jobs, Top Careers and more. Move further down the page an you will find a link to the 2011 Top Entry Level Employers Survey (a very powerful tool which lists top employers with links to their site). There are a bunch of links on the left hand side of the page which will also help you with your search.

• Collegerecruiter.com – I would be remiss if I did not list Collegerecruiter.com, which is another site that is a must have for college grads looking for a job. Top of the site is a job search box (there are over 2,500,000 jobs posted and no, this is not a misprint) where you can do a quick search or use their advanced search. Newest job postings are on the left hand side of the page and there are links at the top of the page for Job Seekers as well as Advice and Resources. Definitely take a look at the Advice and Resources, which has links to tons of resources (like Best Places to Work and Resume Builder to name two).

Good luck in your search.

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Some of our friends’ kids have just graduated college and are “in the job market”. Besides having little or no clue how to look for a job, the overall incentive level seems to be very low this year in particular. One of our friends, who is a super “success maniac”, is so stressed out that his son is not only not currently employed, he is in the “let them find me”mode. His first day home he restored on a few job search sites and is now waiting for people to call him. Good luck with that. Okay, time to get focused. You need to spend at least as much time looking for a job as you are spending on partying and sleeping.

Where to Start: Okay, you have your degree but have no clue what you want to do or how to get started. Take a look at the following links.

• 33 Gorgeous Job Search Infographs and Infographics – This link is from JobMob and gives a bunch (33 to be exact) ideas on where to look and what to do. From “The Highest Paying Work from Home Jobs” (how I wish) to “The Most Dangerous Jobs in America” (who knows, maybe you like adventure), the links in this article are diverse enough to give you some information and (hopefully) get you focused in a direction.

• After Graduation, What’s Next? – Sound familiar? This article, from Monster.com, one of the original Job Search Boards, asks the right questions (Do You Know What You Want? – plus many more) and then provides some advice and a number of links to get you started. There are a few related links and article links at the bottom of the page. Lots of advice links on the top right hand side of the page.

• Job Search Marketing Toolkit – If you don’t have your Job Search Marketing Toolkit yet, now is the time to start. This is one of the CareerAlley resources, with links to Building Your Resume, Cover Letters, References, Thank You Letters, Interviews, Your Elevator Speech and Networking. You will need all of the tools at some point in your search (and when you are interviewing). Take a look and get to work!

Other College Grad Resources: A few more resources to get you headed in the right direction.

• CollegeRecruiter.com – One of my favorite sites for College Grads on the Job Hunt, there are tons of resources for you on this site. Starting with the job search box at the top of the page, use the simple search (what and where) or click the advanced link. Two links you should look at are at the very top of the page (Job Seekers / Candidates and Advice & Resources). There are resume builders, “Best Places to Work” as well as featured employers.

• The Hunt Begins – getting started on the pre-graduation job search – You are not alone! Great post on “My (anything under the sun) Blog“. Some great personal insights into what most college grads go through. Take a read (it is quick and useful).

Good luck in your search.


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Related posts:

1. College Grad Job Search – Home for the Holidays
2. College Grad Job Search – The Dog Days of Summer
3. The Last Spring Break – Tips for College Grad Job Search