Don't Let a Slow Job Market Slow Your Efforts

(MS) - For new college graduates, reality tends to settle in awfully soon. After the final four years of living off of Mom and Dad, graduation officially releases you into the world, where finding a job can be like finding a needle in a haystack.

Sometimes, such as when the economy is thriving, that haystack can be a lot easier to navigate. However, in slower job markets, grads often take the hardest hit, as their lack of experience tends to leave them on the outside looking in. Some graduates choose to take their first summer as college grads off, figuring the job hunt will be easier once the school year begins anew and the market isn't flooded with resumes. For such grads, there are steps to take once the time comes to rejoin the job hunt.

· Attend local career days. Most college campuses sponsor career days in early fall. While these are designed to put December graduates in touch with prospective employers, nothing is stopping those who have already graduated from attending as well - even if the career fair is not at your alma mater. There may or may not be a small fee. Since this is the first impression you'll be able to make, dress appropriately and bring plenty of copies of your resume. Most schools now list the businesses that plan to attend these days on their Web site, so you might even want to tailor cover letters and resumes to companies that are of particular interest to you.

· Utilize your alma mater's programs. The school you attended wants its graduates to find work as soon as possible. Therefore, many career services are offered to recent graduates and those who are on the verge of graduating. Interview coaching, how to write cover letters and resumes, and a host of other techniques are discussed. If you currently live close to your school, take advantage of these services. After all, your tuition paid for them.

· Accept internships. While internships are generally viewed as opportunities for current students, it never hurts to look for internships available to recent graduates as well. Some internships prefer only graduates. In such cases, these non-paying internships are offered because the company is experiencing a hiring freeze but could still use additional personnel. Accepting an internship with a company doesn't necessarily mean you'll automatically be hired once that hiring freeze is lifted, but it definitely puts you in a far better position than if you weren't to go the internship route.

· Visit your school's alumni Web site. Whereas a school's graduates used to remain largely within the immediate vicinity of the school, more and more schools are seeing their graduates accept positions across the country. This is a wonderful opportunity for recent graduates, as you likely have "friends" in places you never dreamed of. Allow your school's alumni Web site to provide you the first step to start your networking. Just because you went to school 500 miles from where you currently live doesn't mean there isn't a human resources person in your area who went to your school, too. While this won't get you the job alone, it likely will get you an interview.

Some companies even prefer to post jobs specifically through certain institutions. Larger universities often have job boards where you might find job postings that aren't listed anywhere else. This can be for a number of reasons, such as a company's success in the past hiring graduates from your university. If this is available, take full advantage.

CAPTION: The need for a job is one trait nearly all recent grads share.

Keywords: job market college graduates graduation career internship

Time to Move On?

(MS) - When seeking career advice, young people are often told, "Find something you love to do, and make a career out of it." While that's a novel concept, it might not be the most realistic or valuable advice a person can receive. In fact, lots of people realize their ideal field isn't necessarily what they thought it would be, part of the reason the average person changes jobs five to seven times in a lifetime.

Depending on the job market, deciding if you really should change careers can be difficult. Regardless of the job market, a general rule of thumb is not to leave one job without another lined up, or at least without enough financial security to handle what may or may not be a period of extended unemployment.

That said, is it a career change you need, or just a vacation? Certain warning signs will likely exist if it is, in fact, the former.

· Monday "mournings": Have mornings become a period of mourning for you? Few people enjoy getting out of bed when the alarm goes off, but if you've found that you're dreading going to work every morning, chances are you should at least be considering a career change. Especially for recent graduates, entering a highly competitive job market can force you to take a position just to be able to pay your bills and get your post-graduate life started. But many graduates soon realize their chosen field isn't what they thought it would bet. If that's the reason you dread getting out of bed each morning, then it likely is time for a career change.

However, lots of people don't necessarily need a career change, but an environment change. If it's not the job you dislike but the environment (i.e., coworkers, boss, hours, etc.), consider discussing these matters with your superior before you decide to look for another job. Determining if your problems are career- or environment-related is an important first step when trying to decide if it's time to move on.

· Your lifestyle needs aren't being met: A job can offer you many things, from a good salary to social status to the chance to travel. While those are all nice perks, if you're not living the lifestyle you prefer, they can be largely meaningless. Many people experience this problem when they decide it's time to settle down. While the chance to travel can be a great opportunity when you're young, lots of people find it less appealing as they get older and start thinking about a family. For instance, those in sales or consulting often travel quite a bit. However, this can lead to burnout and force you to keep putting off individual goals, such as getting married and having children. If you're finding your current job is acting more like a roadblock than an avenue to your desired lifestyle, it might be time to consider a new career.

· Your dream won't die: Lots of people would prefer to be on their own and work solely for themselves. However, reality often dictates otherwise. If you find yourself dwelling on that dream more and more, it might be time to take the plunge into self-employment. Many people may be shocked at your decision. Though their opinions shouldn't weigh too heavily if it's something you really want to do, make sure it's not just a mid-life crisis and come up with a plan to make your dream a successful reality. In addition to negatively affecting your current work, not taking the chance could be something you regret forever.

CAPTION: If work has become increasingly frustrating, a career change might be in order.

Keywords: career career advice jobs change job job market unemployment financial security

What to Do When Requesting a Raise

(MS) - Most people would prefer to go the length of their careers without having to ask for a raise. A difficult subject to broach, asking for a raise can be uncomfortable for both employee and employer.

Sometimes, however, asking for a raise just needs to be done. To ensure your next request for a salary increase goes well, consider the following tips.

· Do your homework. Before going in and asking for a raise, do some digging and determine how much someone who does what you do with your experience level typically makes. A great, and free, way to do this is by visiting a Web site such as Salary.com, which provides basic information regarding the national average salaries for your job. In addition, the site takes into account where you live, and provides the average for a given profession depending on the city. For example, salaries tend to be higher in larger cities such as New York and Los Angeles because the cost of living in those cities is higher than most other places.

· Be realistic. Your background research should give you a good idea of what you should or shouldn't ask for. Don't throw caution to the wind and ask for the moon. Chances are, you'll not only be denied the moon, but you'll be denied a raise as well. Keep your salary increase request reasonable.

· Be flexible. Particularly if you work for a smaller company, a request for an increase in salary might not be something the company can do. If you don't get all of what you're asking for, that's no reason to offer your two weeks' notice on the spot. Instead, be flexible and ask if other perks would be acceptable, such as possibly working from home (be it full- or part-time) or getting extra vacation time. If your work is appreciated but the company just cannot afford to give you a significant raise, they could very well offer more perks as a token of their appreciation.

· Don't let your work speak for itself. Assuming your work will speak for itself is a recipe for being denied a raise. If your work truly did speak for itself, you'd probably be offered a raise, as opposed to having to ask for one. When requesting a higher salary, have a detailed demonstration ready to show just why you deserve a raise. Include accolades, any added responsibilities since your last review and all other information that's led you to feel you deserve a raise.

· Make your request formal. While you shouldn't need to request a raise in writing, you do want the process to be formal. Schedule an appointment with your boss as opposed to asking in the corridor, elevator or lunchroom. You don't want to blindside your boss with a raise request. It may make your boss uncomfortable and less likely to grant your request, regardless of its validity.

· Don't push your luck. If you've recently receive a raise, you shouldn't be requesting another. This is both unprofessional and makes you look unappreciative of the raise you just received. Similarly, if you were recently turned down for a raise, don't be quick to ask for another as well. Instead, work to get better in the areas your boss mentioned when denying your initial request and you'll be better prepared to discuss why you deserve a raise the next time the subject comes up.

· Don't make demands. Keep in mind you're requesting a raise, not demanding one. Giving your boss an ultimatum could quite possibly get you fired, so keep your cool and calmly request a raise using the information you've already gathered.

· Keep your future in mind. Being denied a raise is not a good feeling, but it's no reason to quit your job. Instead, you need to consider your future with the company. If you've been denied a raise because the company simply can't afford it, that's not a negative reflection on your performance. However, if you've been denied a raise because your boss or supervisor doesn't feel you're deserving, you're either underappreciated or you are, in fact, undeserving of a raise. If you're not being appreciated, it's still no reason to immediately quit, but it is a reason to begin looking for something better. If your boss has good reasons why your performance doesn't merit a raise, inquire as to where you can improve and begin doing so.

CAPTION: When asking for a raise, have a detailed account of why you deserve an increase in salary.

Keywords: raise salary employee employer

Entrepreneurial Advancement: It's Not Just a Guy Thing

(MS) - They say that men and women are quite different in many aspects, hence the "mars and venus" jokes. This may also be the case with the way men and women run businesses and the rate of entrepreneurial growth.

Over the last 12 years, the Entrepreneurial Research Consortium has discovered that women-owned business have doubled in numbers. In the 36- to 45-year-old age group, more women than men have started businesses. What's also proven true is that women run businesses differently from men.

While research into the comparisons between women- and men-owned businesses is still premature, certain trends have emerged. It appears that women entrepreneurs prefer profitability, quality assurance, and contained growth over rapid growth. Women tend to make conservative decisions geared toward long-term advancement. They prefer to cultivate and nurture relationships to provide quality work, because they cannot compete on volume to larger businesses. Many women are also interested in limiting family-work conflicts, realizing that, in the long run, aggressive management styles or inability to compromise may infringe on quality of life both in and out of the office.

It also appears that the hierarchy present in many male-fronted businesses is different when women are in charge. Women prefer a collaborative effort and see themselves as the center of a "hub" rather than an authority figure at the top of the corporate ladder.

Women do have some factors that can be disadvantages. Generally, the capital available to women-owned startups is less than for men. Women-owned businesses also tend to be smaller and less profitable than those owned by men. This could be because women want more time to spend with families and don't want to give up control to an outside party to run things when they're not around. But it also may be due to the less access to funding or availability to resources for growth. Additionally, some women go into business for what some say are the wrong reasons: not for immediate profit, but to escape corporate glass ceilings or work/family balance.

All things considered, however, as women-owned entrepreneurs continue to multiply, the public should see a re-evaluation of these trends and can figure out for themselves whether men or women have the advantage in business.

Keywords: men women businesses entrepreneurial entrepreneurs growth