63.2% Graduate With Experience Due To Completion of Internship or Co-op

Marilyn Mackes of NACE

Nearly two-thirds of graduating seniors from the Class of 2013 took part in an internship or a cooperative education assignment during their years pursuing a bachelor’s degree, according to results of a survey of college students by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

NACE’s 2013 Student Survey found that 63.2 percent of graduating seniors from the Class of 2013 reported having taken part in an internship, co-op, or both.

“This represents the highest overall participation rate since we began tracking this with the Class of 2007,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. Continue Reading

Is There a Change Going on in the Entry Level Job Market?

You may have heard of a time when college graduates could get jobs right out of school, but today that’s not always the case.  According to the following post, the need for one particular thing may be creating a change in the entry level job market.

Economic woes have seen school leavers choose quality degrees with better job prospects.

My oldest offspring Tom yesterday joined the ranks of the employed. He is working as a traffic announcer on BBC Radio Oxford. It’s what he has wanted to do since he was 15. Not announce the traffic on BBC Oxford. Work in the radio business.

Read the article:

The changing entry level job market – trefor.net

Returnships — Internships for Experienced Workers — May Be Good for Employer and Employee

The new movie The Internship, coming out today and starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson as obsolete salesmen trying to maintain relevancy in the digital world, identifies an important opportunity for job seekers and hiring authorities. As job seekers struggle to update their skill sets or close an employment gap, and hiring authorities face labor shortages, both sides may benefit from “returnships:” internships for older professionals, returning mothers, transitioning military, and the long-term unemployed, according to one employment expert.

“Employers are consistently wary of employment gaps brought on by a layoff, parenthood, or some other life event that prohibits working. A ‘returnship’ for former or transitioning professionals with otherwise sterling employment records, but prolonged unemployment, solves this issue,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of global outplacement and business coaching consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Continue Reading

You Can Still Get an Entry Level Job as a Developer

According to the following post, you can still get an entry level job as a developer, but there is one thing you will definitely need.

Entry-level developers can overcome the increasingly steep barriers to entry in the field, but only if they are willing to invest the necessary time to get some hands-on experience using the tools that most shops use.

By all measures that I have seen, the job market and demand for developers is doing well. And every prediction out there, both formal and “best guess” is that demand for developers is only getting stronger as the future depends more and more upon software.

Originally posted here:

How entry level developers are being squeezed out of the job field …

Job Hunting Tips For Teens

John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas

As summer break gets underway for most of the nation’s high school and college students, many have already started summer jobs at the mall, day camps, amusement parks and movie theaters.  Those who were unable to secure a job offer may assume it is too late, but nothing could be further from the truth, according to one employment authority.

“We expect summer hiring to improve from last year’s pace, which could mean steady hiring through at least July.  Many employers filling summer positions may have already completed the initial process of interviewing and hiring.  However, some employers may need more workers than expected.  Others may find that the workers they hired were not a good fit.  In any case, summer job seekers should not give up,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., which provides job-search training to people who were laid off by their employers. Continue Reading

10 Best Career Advice Tips for College Grads From Dan Schawbel

Dan Schawbel

One of the greatest advocates and experts on Gen Y is Dan Schawbel. For those who work with members of Gen Y (also known as Millennials), Dan’s blog, books, presentations, and other communications are great sources of information.

Dan published a great blog article yesterday that first summarized the tough job market for many recent graduates of colleges and universities and then listed 10 things new graduates should do to get ahead in their careers along with some details about each.

As well stated by Dan, “The job market is still tough for more graduates, unless you’re an in-demand engineer or accountant. Two-thirds of college students have debt and 39 percent live with their parents. In 2012, 284,000 students graduated into minimum wage jobs, according to the Wall Street Journal. Companies only expect to hire 2.1 percent more graduates this year than they did in 2012 and 66 percent of recruiters believe that college graduates aren’t prepared for the working world. Although there are clear obstacles to finding work, there are also a lot of big opportunities that students can take advantage of.”

Dan’s top 10 list of things new graduates should do were: Continue Reading

7 Tips to Make Your Internship a Success

John Challenger of Challenger, Gray & Christmas

The nation’s employers are increasingly selective in recruiting and now demand that even entry-level candidates have on-the-job experience.  As a result, the once optional summer internship has become a requisite component of any young person’s resume, according to one employment expert, who advises those embarking on internship programs this summer take steps to ensure they make the most of the experience.

“Internships are more important than ever, but not all internship programs are created equal.  Many employers do not have any type of strategy when it comes to utilizing and educating their interns.  In these situations both the employer and the intern lose.  It is critical that young people entering an internship program take a proactive approach to managing and maximizing their experience,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of global outplacement and business coaching consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Continue Reading

Undergraduate Interns Earn Average of $16.26 Per Hour

Marilyn Mackes of NACE

The average salaries for bachelor’s and master’s degree interns held steady this year, according to a new survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE’s 2013 Internship & Co-op Survey found that the average salary for bachelor’s degree interns ticked up just 0.3 percent to $16.26 per hour from $16.21 per hour last year.

“However, interns in several majors at the bachelor’s degree level earned average salaries that topped $18 an hour,” notes Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

Engineering ($20.36), computer science ($18.96), and mathematics ($18.15) majors had the highest average hourly wages among bachelor’s degree level interns. Continue Reading

29% of Employers Plan to Hire Seasonal Workers to Fill Summer Job Openings

Brent Rasmussen of Careerbuilder

Seasonal hiring expectations this summer mark a continued improvement over the years immediately following the recession, according to a new survey. Nearly three in ten employers (29 percent) report they plan to hire seasonal workers this summer. While unchanged from 2012, the number is significantly up from an average of 21 percent from 2008 to 2011.

The nationwide survey—conducted for Careerbuilder online by Harris Interactive© from February 11 to March 6, 2013— included more than 2,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals across industries and company sizes.

Employers in leisure and hospitality (47 percent), manufacturing (34 percent), information technology (34 percent) and retail (33 percent) are the most likely to hire seasonal help this summer. More than half of all employers (53%) will complete their seasonal hiring in May or June.

“The summer forecast shows yet again that although the jobs recovery has been slow, employers are more confident today than they were three or four years ago,” said Brent Rasmussen, president of CareerBuilder North America. “Seasonal work –whether in retail or engineering – is also a good entry point into the labor force for job seekers, as a vast majority of employers – 67 percent – will consider summer hires for permanent positions.” Continue Reading

How Far Internships Have Come; Today Offer Experience for Recent College Graduate Jobs

Today, most college students have probably heard of an internship, and understand that it is an opportunity to gain experience for recent college graduate jobs.  However, that was not always the case.  The following post includes an infographic that takes you through the history of internships.

It’s hard to believe that the predecessor of today’s internship came to life in the 11th century. The interns of the past were actually apprentices seeking practical experience to grow their skill set in a trade, art, or calling. Today, students embark on internships during their college years to gain out-of-the

Continue reading:

The Evolution of The Internship [INFOGRAPHIC]