Best College Majors for a Better World

Americans’ enthusiasm to improve the world around them is booming and there’s certainly no shortage of explanations for why. From the new administration’s initiatives to the “go green” movement to rebuilding the economy, the nation is buzzing with reasons for individuals to become more socially proactive.

College hopefuls and current students are in perhaps the best position to improve the nation’s future. They have the ability to follow dozens of academic paths that will connect them to hundreds of world-improving jobs around the world.

In his book, 10 Best College Majors for Your Personality, Laurence Shatkin, Ph.D., spotlights the best college majors linked to world-improving jobs.

“To do this, I looked at jobs that the O*NET database rated high on one or more characteristics: the value Social Service, the knowledge Education and Training, the knowledge Fine Arts, the knowledge Medicine and Dentistry, the knowledge Public Safety and Security, and the knowledge Therapy and Counseling. Then I connected those jobs to related college majors and ranked these majors by their economic potential to determine which were the best,” explains Shatkin.

According to his research, these are the 10 best majors related to world-improving jobs:

Medicine
Annual earnings of related jobs: $144,916
Growth of related jobs: 24 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 287,000

Graduate Study for College Teaching
Annual earnings of related jobs: $57,770
Growth of related jobs: 32.2 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 329,000

Business Management
Annual earnings of related jobs: $83,211
Growth of related jobs: 16.4 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 481,000

Public Administration
Annual earnings of related jobs: $86,701
Growth of related jobs: 16.4 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 310,000

Nursing (R.N. Training)
Annual earnings of related jobs: $57,280
Growth of related jobs: 29.4 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 229,000

Pharmacy
Annual earnings of related jobs: $94,520
Growth of related jobs: 24.8 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 16,000

Physician Assisting
Annual earnings of related jobs: $74,980
Growth of related jobs: 50 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 10,000

Biochemistry
Annual earnings of related jobs: $74,650
Growth of related jobs: 26.2 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 21,000

Microbiology
Annual earnings of related jobs: $72,437
Growth of related jobs: 26.4 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 21,000

Physical Therapy
Annual earnings of related jobs: $90,798
Growth of related jobs: 14.7 percent
Annual openings of related jobs: 22,000

10 Best College Majors for Your Personality is available at all major bookstores and from the publisher (www.jist.com or 1.800.648.JIST).

You’ve Written Your Resume, Now Maximize Its Results

By now you get it: If you want to land interviews—let alone a job offer—you need a stellar resume. Fortunately, you already have one and are fairly certain it’s strong enough to put you a step ahead of the competition.

Not so fast. Sure you’ve got a knock-out resume, but do you actually know how to use it? Unfortunately, most job seekers don’t, according to career coach Katy Piotrowski.

“Nine out of 10 job seekers do very little with their resumes, hoping that their dream employer will come looking for them. Just like a hammer, a resume is a tool that can help you get the job done. But if the hammer sits in a toolbox unused, it’s worthless. Your resume, sitting on your desk or in your computer, will do little for you unless it lands in the hands of decision makers,” Piotrowski writes in The Career Coward’s Guide to Job Searching.

While working with thousands of job seekers, Piotrowski has seen first-hand which resume strategies significantly increased the number of interviews her clients received. Based on her experience, five sure-fire methods to maximize a resume’s results:

Customize Your Resume Every Time You Apply to a Job Opening.

• Include the position’s job title and any reference code or number provided.
  
  
• Ensure that your resume mimics keywords used throughout the job description.


• Make changes if the resume does not already highlight a key skill area mentioned in the job description.

Tap into Your Network to Identify Helpful Contacts in the Hiring Company.

• If you’ve found a job target, contact friends, family, colleagues and references to ask if they know anyone connected to the company.


• If they do, discuss whether or not you can mention their name in your cover letter.


• Ask if they would be willing to hand deliver your resume to the hiring manager.

Submit Both Electronic and Hard Copies of Your Resume.

• Most employers now require job seekers to apply online, through e-mail or various application processes.


• On the other hand, many hiring managers have expressed to Piotrowski that they miss receiving hard-copy submissions that they can actually hold.


• Sending both an electronic and hard copy ensures that the employer still receives your resume, in case one is lost.

Send a Second Submission of Your Resume Two Days Later.

• Two days after sending both the electronic and hard-copy of your resume and cover letter, resend another hard-copy.
  
  
• In the upper-right corner of your cover letter, handwrite “Second Submission. I’m very interested.”

Go Direct.

• Identify 25 to 100 companies where you want to work and mail your resume and cover letter directly to them, even though they may not be hiring.
  
  
• Consider using a phone book to identify target employers.


• Studies show that one-third of all positions are filled through this method, but less than 10 percent of job seekers actually do this.

“A strong resume and taking advantage of effective job search techniques are what will help you pull ahead of your competition. Then you’ll open many doors to attractive positions that fit your skills and interests,” reminds Piotrowski.

The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching is available at all major bookstores and from the publisher (www.jist.com or 1.800.648.JIST).

Job Hoppers’ Dilemmas Solved in New Resume Guide

Too often, perfectly qualified, talented candidates fail to make it through the initial resume screening stage. In many instances, resume typos or an overwhelming amount of competition is to blame. However, there’s another, often overlooked, culprit that prevents job seekers from scoring interviews. It’s their history as a job hopper.

The term “job hopper” describes an individual who has been employed in a series of short-term stints with a handful of employers, according to Louise Kursmark, author of the recently released book Sales & Marketing Resumes for $100,000 Careers, Third Edition.

Instances of job hopping tend to make employers doubt everything from the candidate’s behavior on the job to their ability to make a long-haul commitment to an employer. In today’s highly competitive job market, these doubts are all it takes to prompt an employer to reject a job seeker before he or she has ever scored an interview.

In fact, forty percent of the recruiters, hiring managers and HR representatives interviewed for Kursmark’s book listed “job hopping” as a reason for immediately discarding a resume. Against odds like that, job seekers have to be savvy about downplaying their job hopping, so that they’ll have a better opportunity to explain it with employers face-to-face.

Kursmark suggests the following tips for presenting a more positive appearance:

• Consider eliminating one or more of your jobs, provided that doing so does not leave a gap that will provoke immediate questioning, thereby spotlighting the very thing you want to downplay.
  
  
• If circumstances beyond your control contributed to your short tenure, consider adding a brief explanation along the lines of “Merger with Megacorp eliminated all regional sales offices in spring 2009” or “Sales unit dissolved when software was discovered to be unready for market.” Generally, Kursmark advises against explaining or excusing in a resume, but says that sometimes brief statements such as these can immediately overcome a negative reaction.
  
  
• Concentrate on finding job opportunities through networking, where a personal referral can get you in the door and you can then wow the interviewer with your capabilities and provide a rationale for the short tenure of your recent jobs.

In addition to these tips, Kursmark adds, “Be as certain as you can that your next position gives you several-year stability, so that you don’t face the same situation again in the near future.”

Sales & Marketing Resumes for $100,000 Careers, Third Edition, is available at all major bookstores and from the publisher (www.jist.com or 1.800.648.JIST).

A Guide to Getting the Big Promotion

You’re convinced you deserve a promotion. However, your boss isn’t as sure, which is why you’re about to stride into his office and dazzle him with every reason you deserve a more important role in the organization.

But before you wind up putting your foot in your mouth—as so many employees do—think twice about how you’re going to make your case.

“Getting promoted is not for the faint of heart,” says Susan Britton Whitcomb, author of 30-Day Job Promotion. “It takes a proactive plan, proof of performance, the right perception of you, perseverance, and a positive attitude.”

And don’t forget if you’re going to ask for a promotion you need to know how to ask for it—appropriately and effectively.

Whitcomb offers the following guidelines:

Do dress the part.
Dress similar to co-workers two levels above you. Be careful not to wear anything that brings the focus to your outfit, rather than what you have to say.

Don’t overuse the words “my career” or “promotion.”
This language can be interpreted as too pushy and may make your manager feel rushed in their decision. Instead, try a softer, less aggressive approach. Whitcomb suggests saying something such as, “I’m committed to being a part of the company’s continued growth and success.”

Do be cautious of asking for too much, too soon.
Be mindful of the experience and knowledge you currently have, and what you’ll need to develop in order to justify a promotion. Asking for too much too soon may jeopardize your opportunity to advance before the thought has even entered your boss’s mind.

Don’t bug your manager with reminders of wanting to be promoted.
If you have already had a conversation with your boss about your expectations and what you need to do to move forward, it is not necessary to frequently remind him or her. Instead, calendar a time in the next few months to revisit the topic with your manager. In the meantime, continue being positive and working hard.

Do consider the big picture.
Understand how your current position and how a promotion will fit in with the company’s goals and profitability. Show your manager that you’re interested in improving the company, not just your career.

Don’t beg for a promotion because of financial pressures.
Most managers and business owners won’t sympathize with you. Because you knew what the job paid when you took it, it’s up to you to live within your income. Instead, ask for a raise based on your performance, rather than your financial need.

Do go above and beyond your position before asking for a promotion.
And the sooner the better. Just because a position is available or you’re up for your annual review, doesn’t mean an employer has to give you a second thought for a promotion or raise. You’ve got to earn it—which means going the extra mile in today’s highly competitive workplace.

Don’t expect a promotion without having made measurable progress.
Consider past performance evaluations. Have you made efforts to improve your weaknesses? Have you done anything to improve your company or organization? If not, there’s little chance an employer will find you worthy of a promotion or raise.

Do be prepared with talking points.
Create a list of points that describe your value to the company and the return-on-investment you’d bring in the new position. Proving your worth to your boss and letting him or her know what else they can expect from you can position you on the right foot for a more prestigious title, better compensation and the respect you’ve worked so hard to earn.

30-Day Job Promotion is available at all major bookstores and from the publisher (http://www.jist.com/ or 1.800.648.JIST).

Catch Sandra Naiman on the Career Success Show this Afternoon

When it comes to getting ahead in the world of work, some people make it look so easy. It’s almost as if they know of a secret fast-track that’s helped propel them from one level to the next. They land jobs at the best companies, impress all the right people, and seem to be promoted even before the ink on their initial job offer is dry.

What’s the secret to their success? Hint: It’s not their gender, age or connections that’s propelled them into the winner’s circle. It's that they possess the corporate savvy needed to position themselves for opportunities and better rewards in their careers.

This afternoon, Sandra Naiman, author of The High Achiever's Secret Codebook, will reveal what it takes to stand out and get ahead in the world of work on the Career Success Show with Andy and Carrie Robinson.

The show airs today at 4 p.m. EST. To tune into the show, click here.