The Importance Of Work Experience

Students who work as they go through college with internships, part-time and summer jobs give themselves an important advantage in the job market when they graduate. Since not all working students understand how they benefit from their work experiences, it is important for them to think about their jobs as a way to support their career goals. For that to happen, students should understand five factors that improve their odds for employment success:

1. Experience - Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two different things. Employees who are experienced can anticipate problems and know how to handle the issues that crop up. They quickly get things running smoothly again and can maximize productivity. Since some skills and abilities only come with experience, employers love candidates who have already demonstrated their capabilities and work ethic in the workplace. Real world emergencies, accidents, mistakes, equipment failures and the difficulties and pressures that go with them will test any employee. The way students react to them depends on the experience and understanding they gain on the job.

2. Performance - Employers seek candidates who will perform well for them. Although doing well in the classroom is highly desirable, that doesn't always translate into good performance on the job for every student. That's why employers want to see or learn about a student's job performance every place they have worked. The more positive comments they hear from previous employers, the more likely it is that they will have a serious interest in the student.

3. Reliability - Employers select employees who are reliable. They show up every day on time and are ready to work. These employees are highly productive. They regularly exceed quantity, quality and timeliness requirements. They always get the job done, even when they are unsupervised. Being someone an employer can count on is critical to employment success.

4. People - Employers are usually more interested in candidates who get along well with and are respected by others in the workplace. They know that the workplace often requires collaboration, cooperation and teamwork, in order to get the job done well. Students who get along well with coworkers and help them achieve results will be in high demand.

For students, the workplace is where they build relationships with people who can help them in the job market. There are people in the workplace who can help students gain the information and training they need to perform at a high level. Students should also look for other employees to include in their employment networks. Additionally, when students impress company executives with their performance, those executives may be willing to serve as references and may even offer students full-time jobs when they graduate.

5. Accomplishments - Employers try to hire people who learn quickly, work hard, help them make money, create harmony and efficiency in the workplace and strengthen relationships with customers. Therefore, students with Internships, part-time and summer jobs can create an impressive resumé by emphasizing their accomplishments in these areas.

Students who view college jobs as merely a source of spending money, without considering these five points, are missing out on important opportunities to make themselves highly attractive to the employers with the best jobs at graduation. The most effective students always use those work experiences to learn something new, perform at a high level, meet new people, establish relationships, add to their list of accomplishments, build their brands and enhance their reputations.

Bob Roth, a former campus recruiter, is the author of five books, including: A Successful Senior Year Job Search Begins In The Freshman Year. Known as The "College & Career Success" Coach, Bob writes articles for College Career Services Offices, Campus Newspapers, Parent Associations and Employment Web Sites. Bob has created The Job Search Preparation System™ for colleges to use to help students find greater success in the job market. Visit Bob's web site http://www.the4realities.com.

Career Change Options - What's Your Best Way Forward?

Are you getting bored and frustrated in your job? Is it time for a new challenge? Are you wondering what career change options might be open to you?
Well, that all depends on how ready you are to take a big, bold step, or whether you want to play safe for now.
Many people are afraid to change careers, especially with all this talk of recession. A new career seems like a risky move, and discretion often seems the better part of valour.
But career change does not always have to involve a radical shift. Below, I outline the three main career change options open to you. Which is the best fit for you at this moment in time?
New job, same company
If you have worked for the same organisation for some time, they will know you well and will understand what your particular strengths and abilities are. A considerable amount of time will have been invested in you through formal and informal training, so it makes sound business sense for them to continue to take advantage of that investment and keep you on the team.
But if you are feeling bored, or undervalued in your job, why not have an honest and open discussion with your manager or with your HR team about the possibility of a move within the company? This might initially just be some kind of job swop or short to medium term secondment. This could be just the shot in the arm you need to revitalise your interest. It could lead to a permanent role switch or might just rekindle your enthusiasm for your work generally. Why not give it a try? If you don't ask, you'll never know what is possible.
New company, same job
This is an alternative strategy that will allow you to continue to take advantage of the skills and experience you have gained, but put them to use in a new environment. The main change here is the context in which you are working. This is not just about a change to a very similar situation, but one where you intentionally seek out an organisation that is very different. It could be much bigger or much smaller. It could be a switch from private to public sector. It could be a change to an organisation with very different values from your current one.
The advantage of this kind of move is that you can be confident about what you have to offer as you are building directly on your current experience. You can argue that your previous employment will mean that you can bring in a valuable new perspective. Does this sound like what you need?
Complete career change
This is the big one. You need to think carefully whether you feel ready and able to take this radical step and move out into completely new territory. Yes, this is a challenging step to take, but if the two other options listed above leave you feeling uninspired, maybe the time is right to be bold. Sometimes having the courage to take the bigger risk can result in much greater rewards in the long term.
I do not recommend taking an unplanned leap in the dark when you are considering a total change of direction. It is well worth spending time and effort exploring in detail what new career ideas are worth serious consideration. Remember, even a total change can still allow you to use many of the skills you have developed in your work and life so far, but at the same time it can also be an opportunity to develop new skills which have lain dormant in you up to now. Are you ready to give it a try?
And one more option...?
Well, you could always do nothing. Just put your head down and slog through another week in a boring and unfulfilling job. But is that really how you want to spend your life? No, I thought not. So it is down to you to take action, to make some kind of change so that you can feel that you are driving your career rather than your career driving you.
And if you are seriously interested in making a complete career change, then I invite you to visit the How To Change Careers website and download a copy of my free ebook 11? Ways To Kick Start Your Career Change http://www.how-to-change-careers.com/kick-start-your-career-change.html
From Cherry Douglas, Your Career Change Guide