Overcoming the Experience Hurdle

One of the biggest challenges facing new career hunters is the fact that you might not have enough experience to break into the field of choice. It is a true catch-22. You don't have experience, so how can you get a job that requires experience. You can't get experience, because you can't get hired. So what do you do? It's easy. Find Internship and Volunteer opportunities. Internships can be paid or unpaid and can be arranged by employers or education institutions. If you have a career field that you would like to gain experience in, contact employers that hire people in that field and ask about internships, or contact guidance counselors and placement offices at your school. There are a number of internship sites on the web. For one, click Internship Web .The easier way is to just volunteer. Contact businesses, hospitals, community groups and ask if you can volunteer for a brief period of time, once or twice a week, and get in the door. You would be surprised how quickly doors open to the offer of free help. Once in the door maximize the opportunity. Learn as much as you can and meet as many people as you can. And, remember, do a great job! You might be be surprised by a job offer when you prove yourself a valuable asset to the organization. Got any stories of internships that worked out well? Let us know.

Free Enterprise - Teach Your Children Well

It is a known fact, two thirds of all new jobs are created by small businesses. If you want to help the economy, help people start small businesses. But, how do we teach kids, the next generation of entrepreneurs, how to start businesses? Support organizations like the The Foundation for Free Enterprise Education and their Free Enterprise Week. This organization has been teaching thousands of Pennsylvania students each year how to start, run and survive in business. Do you believe that free enterprise is the backbone of this country? Then put your money and your time where your mouth is. Donate an employee for one of the weeks to serve as an instructor or give a scholarship. Pennsylvania businesses have supported this group for decades with tremendous success! Want to know more? Click here. Don't have an event like it in your state? Start one. Businesses can make a huge difference, one entrepreneur at a time. Know any other programs like this? Let us know.

Government Jobs

Hey, want to work for the government? Why not? The pay is usually higher than civilian jobs and the pensions are unbeatable. The are a number of sites that post these jobs. Here is the one for the US Department of Labor. Click on US Department of Labor Jobs , select "all" for departments and then select a field. Let us know if you find anything interesting. Good Luck!

Military Tuition Assistance

Everyone knows that the military will help you pay for higher education. They will also help your family pay for education. The last decade, however, has reminded all of us that being a soldier means putting your life on the line. If you are called to a career in the military, you need to do it for the right reasons and understand the risks. If the education benefits are one of your reasons to serve and you want to know what is available, check out MILITARY EDUCATION BENEFITS. In addition to these benefits, the training you receive will also often transfer to civilian life. Choose your specialty carefully, and don't sign on the dotted line until you get what you want. If you do choose this path, hold your head high and be proud! Bad guys are for real, and you will be the one standing between them and your family & friends.

Consider Healthcare Careers

If you are looking for a career field that will be financially and emotionally rewarding and will continue to grow over the next decade, consider healthcare. According to the US Department of Labor, the need for healthcare workers will grow by an estimated 26% through the year 2018. This will be driven primarily by the aging population. And you don't have to go to school for 8 plus years to work in the field. Careers are available for all levels of education and all sorts of interests. Doctors, nurses, technicians, administrators and aides will be in high demand. If you are interested click on HEALTH CAREERS in this post. Let me know what ya think!

Networking - Getting Hired is About Who You Know

I just saw an article in the Yahoo business pages that made great sense. They said that 80% of jobs are never posted publicly. Amazing! So sitting around waiting for a job to appear in the "Help Wanted" section means you only see 20% of what is available. Ever hear "It's all who you Know?" Well, in job hunting it is never more true. Round up rcontacts and start calling. You'll be amazed who is hiring. Don't have a bunch of friends or contacts? Make them. Join clubs, associations, community service groups. Have a special company in mind but don't have any contacts on the inside? Volunteer. Its about getting yourself in front of and in the minds of as many people as you can who might hear about a job opening. Try it. And have your resume ready because you will unearth a bunch of openings. Want to see the Yahoo article? Go to this page.

Kohl's Community Service Scholarship

Hey ya'll, Kohl's is offerring scholarships to kids aged 6-18 who have served their communities in some volunteer effort. The scholarships range from a $50 gift card to $1,000 or $10,000. Kids can sign up themselves or can be nominated by someone they know. The scholarship entry expires on March 15, 2010. Go to http://www.kohlskids.com/ . Let me know if you hear of others. Pass this around your schools.