Education and Career Support & Advice: From Birth to Adulthood

Job Search Mistakes

2012-03-23T20:22:00.002-04:00

Job search mistakes are not just for those seeking post-graduation employment, but also for teens and college students seeking summer jobs, mature adults making career changes, twenty- and thirty-somethings still searching to find their career niche.

Alison Doyle of About.com offers the following top mistakes to avoid when seeking employment:

Applying for any random job instead of conducting a focused job search
Botching the interview
Not checking your cover letter, letter of application, resume, curriculum vitae, etc. for typos
Not organizing your job search
Not having an online presence and this does not include facebook and Twitter
Failing to research the company to which you have applied and or agreed to an interview
Focusing only on posted jobs within a company or organization
Having a negative attitude; your inner attitude shows in your facial and body language
Hounding the hiring manager
Ignoring job search do's and don'ts
Skipping networking opportunities

Top Job Search Do's and Don'ts (also found at jobsearch.about.com)

Use LinkedIn
Write a customized cover letter
Dress appropriately for an interview
Send a thank you note
Be careful job searching from work
Beware of the following social media do's and don'ts

Create an online presence, be consistent, don't post inappropriate material, Google your name and check what's online, be careful what you Tweet, use Facebook privacy settings, network prior to needing to, help others, don't connect with everyone, don't spend time online on your boss' dime
Avoid the following interview mistakes
Not preparing; dressing inappropriately; poor communication skills; don't answer your cellphone during an interview or take in anything other than your resume, reference, job application; don't talk too much or too little; avoid providing fuzzy facts; giving the wrong answer, or badmouthing past employers; don't forget to followup

Whether or not your job search yields successful results immediately or years later, the stress of conducting a job search can cause you to doubt your abilities and lead to depression. This can create a dizzying cycle of low self-esteem and depression. The more you seek without any perceived success, the more you doubt your abilities and skills and the likelihood that you will find employment, you slow down your search or take "time off" thinking you simply need a break. You then feel guilty that a week or more has past and you have not accomplished anything, nor have you heard from any of the previous employers about your application, which leads to more depression and self-doubt.

According to ProfessionalResumeExample.com, job search stress is real! But they offer simple solutions to avoid it: Perfectionism,Procrastination, Powerlessness feelings, Problem people, and Pessimism. Additionally, in an article, Hired before Graduation that appeared in the US News Education section on November 22, 2011, writer Emily Bennington outlines how to avoid negative thoughts when job hunting. She suggests that job seekers forgive themselves, catch and release negative thoughts, and choose their response. Kathryn Ullrich provides information on how to avoid 10 common job hunting mistakes in TechRepublic.com's blog posted on March 3, 2011.

Ullrich's Top 10 Mistakes

Playing the generalist card
Building bloated resumes
Missing your target
Hibernating online
Sabotaging your networking efforts
Preparing too little (or not at all) for interviews
Missing opportunities on social media
Having weak communication skills
Failing to put in the hours
Going it alone

Clearly, each of these mistakes could be the focus of its own post, but one that appeared the most intriguing to me was number two. As a high school English teacher and college assistant professor, I have written dozens of reference letters for students applying for college admissions or for employment opportunities. I often request students to forward me a copy of their resume. I have read some that were expertly written and others that left me wondering what their jobs entailed. Many, including myself at some point, could benefit from learning just how to remove the bloat from resumes and vitae.

A guest contributor to TechRepublic.com highlighted 19 Words That Don't Belong in Resumes on March 3, 2006. Of course as you read you will observe the tech slant, but the rationale for not using these terms is valid.

Assist, Assisted

Reasons to avoid: Hiring managers want to know what you did, not how you helped. If you're familiar enough with a task to put it on your resume, you can choose a better word than assist.
Example: Assisted marketing director by researching PDAs.
Possible rephrasing: Researched PDAs for marketing department.

Experiment

Reasons to avoid: No one wants to hear about what you tried to do--only what you have accomplished.
Example: Experimented with new LAN management software.
Possible rephrasing: Tested and evaluated new LAN management software.

Skillfully, effectively, carefully, quickly, expert, mastered

Reasons to avoid: Hiring managers often object to words that describe how well you do a particular task. In many cases, it comes across as boastful--and it's unnecessary. "If you aren't good at it, why are you putting it on your resume?" one recruiter said.
Example: Skillfully managed transition from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003.
Possible rephrasing: Migrated organization from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003 with no downtime during business hours.

Cutting-edge, detail-oriented; coordinate, facilitate, transform; proven ability, synergy, and liaison

Reasons to avoid: Hiring managers say such words take up space without communicating much. They've seen them so often that the words have lost their original energy.
Example: Detail-oriented manager with proven ability to oversee day-to-day network operations and to implement major technology initiatives.
Possible rephrasing: Supervised an eight-member IS staff; completed two full-scale platform migrations; consolidated equipment and resources following facilities move.

Responsible for...

Reasons to avoid: You're a manager, so of course you're responsible for something. Specify exactly what your responsibilities are and work in a few numbers to convey the scope of what you do.
Example: Responsible for managing inventory, overseeing network operations, making new equipment purchases, troubleshooting workstation issues.
Possible rephrasing: Supervised the support of 70 users running Windows XP and two servers running Windows Server 2003; implemented asset management plan for inventorying equipment; built a network operations team responsible for the internal infrastructure.

One issue that has come up of late comes from the March 20, 2012, Associated Press article, "Job seekers getting asked for Facebook passwords" which highlights some of the questions prospective employees are being asked. In the article a statistician was asked for his facebook login and password when the interviewer could not access his page. He balked at such invasion of privacy, but for many job seekers in a tight job market, they feel they have no choice to comply. However, facebook responded in another Associated Press article released March 23, 2012, warning employers not to demand passwords. "The social networking company is also threatening legal action against those who violate its long-standing policy against sharing passwords."

Finally, as if you do not have enough to worry about as a job seeker, a recent article highlights the difficulties those who have been unemployed for a long time are now facing:hiring bias. Stephen Singer of the Associated Press pointed to an increase in "...employment ads specifying that the unemployed should not bother applying" as an example of the types of hiring bias that exists. Although there are laws regarding such blatant discrimination, it is not illegal in all states and human resource managers do not have to tell you why you were passed over for an interview. Those interviewed suggested that even if you have been unemployed for years that you maintain some activity on your resume, whether it is volunteer or community work. Employers want to see that you have been active.

Need specific advise? More information about any of the issues presented here? Contact me and I will assist in pointing you in the right direction.

Negotiating Job Offers

2012-02-22T21:59:00.002-05:00

How to Negotiate Job Offers?

Recently, a friend asked was it a given for a company to provide an acceptance date with a job offer. Her worry was that she would be asked to accept or reject the offer immediately without time to weigh her options, or wait to hear from another employer, one she would prefer to work. What if the deadline for Job #1 is set before she hears from Job #2?

This is not an uncommon problem. According to the Division of Affairs at Virginia Tech's Career Services, they suggest you do the following:

First, never accept an offer and then back out later. That's called reneging, and it's considered highly unethical and inappropriate and is very disturbing to employers (and they do talk to each other). You may hear opinions that it's okay. It's not. Ask yourself what your ethical standards are.

Without delay, call employer A and let your contact know the situation. Keep your information simple and factual regarding the offer from B. You don't have to mention organization B's name, but you might be asked. Reiterate to employer A that you really want to work for A. Ask where you stand in the evaluation process and if there is any possibility to have definitive information from A before B's deadline, and if not, when that might be. Your goals: Diplomatically learn more about your status with A, let A know your interest in them, and perhaps stimulate A to speed up their process if they really want you.

Next, without delay, call employer B. Express appreciation for the offer. Indicate that you don't yet have all the information you need to make your decision. (Good organizations will want you to make a well-informed decision and they are aware job seekers are looking at multiple options.) If A will give you a final decision by or shortly after B's deadline, you have the option to ask B for a deadline extension — just don't wait until the last minute to ask. B can say yes or no to your request; you won't know until you ask. Your goals: Maintain your good relationship with B, and perhaps gain some time to make your decision. Bottom line: Be as honest as you can while being diplomatic. Treat everyone with respect; maintaining good relationships with organizations and individuals (who may change organizations) will serve your long-term career success.

The Virginia Tech Career Services website is loaded with information that covers the following:

Skills for meeting employers: Handshakes, Career & Job Fairs, Employer info sessions, Interviewing, Business casual attire, Dining etiquette

Deciding on an Offer: Salary, negotiating, Ethical issues, Acknowledging a job offer, Deadline extensions, Declining, Accepting, Contracts, Relocating

Search Tools & Skills: Resumes and vitae, Cover and other letters, E-mail, Telephone, References, Your online presence, Researching employers

There are tons of sites, resources and local and national agencies to assist you not only with job searches, but also with negotiating acceptance of job offers. There are of course exceptions to many rules of thumb. For example, just because you ask for an extension to accept or reject a job offer does not mean it will be granted.

Of course there are countless factors to consider when deciding to accept an offer or not: Will relocation be necessary? If so, is it only you? You and a spouse? You, a spouse, kids, pets, etc.? If there are other family members to consider, will they also work? Stay at home? Do you have enough saved to cover expenses until you both are employed? Is the company assisting with moving expenses? Can you negotiate the start date of the offer? Do they want you to start a week after you accept? Two months? Six? What can or will you do in the meantime? Will you need to sublease your apartment? Sell your home? What are your real estate options? Will you purchase a home when you arrive, or rent?

The U.S. Department of Labor is another good place to start. There you can find the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-2011. The book provides the training and education needed, earnings, expected job prospects, what workers do on the job, and working conditions for hundreds of different types of jobs. It also provides job search tips, links to information about the job market in each State, and more.

NOTE: The analysis in this edition of the OOH is based on the 2008-18 employment projections and includes May 2008 wages from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) survey. The 2012-13 OOH to be released in late March 2012 will reflect employment projections to 2020 (released on February 1, 2012) and an updated education and training classification system. It also will include May 2010 wages from the OES.

It also discusses Where to learn About Job Openings, Job Search Methods, Applying for a Job, Job Interview Tips, Evaluating a Job Offer, and More.

The Handbook states that "there are many issues to consider when assessing a job offer. Will the organization be a good place to work? Will the job be interesting? Are there opportunities for advancement? Is the salary fair? Does the employer offer good benefits? Now is the time to ask the potential employer about these issues—and to do some checking on your own." Often, during the interview you will have an opportunity to ask questions, but it is best to discuss benefits with the experts, and salary negotiations often occur after you have been offered the position. Don't be afraid however to ask those you meet along the course of an interview questions about the company, relationship between management and workers, lunch breaks, community service requirements, even parking. If possible, speak to current and former employees of the organization.

You should research such factors about the organization as the organization’s business or activity, financial condition, age, size, and location. This information is often on the organization's website or you can contact its public relations office. The organization's annual report is often found among the packet of information given before or after the interview. The publication "tells about its corporate philosophy, history, products or services, goals, and financial status. Most government agencies can furnish reports that describe their programs and missions. Press releases, company newsletters or magazines, and recruitment brochures also can be useful. Ask the organization for any other items that might interest a prospective employee." If you cannot locate an annual report, there are directories that you may find in your local library in print or as online databases. These directories include:

Dun & Bradstreet’s Million Dollar Directory
Standard and Poor’s Register of Corporations
Mergent’s Industry Review (formerly Moody’s Industrial Manual)
Thomas Register of American Manufacturers
Ward’s Business Directory

Magazines and newspapers can tell a great deal about its successes, failures, and plans for the future. You can identify articles on a company by looking under its name in periodical or computerized indexes in libraries, or by using one of the Internet’s search engines. However, it probably will not be useful to look back more than 2 or 3 years.

Long-term projections of employment and output for detailed industries, covering the entire U.S. economy, are developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and revised every 2 years. (See the Career Guide to Industries, online at www.bls.gov/oco/cg.) Trade magazines also may include articles on the trends for specific industries.

Career centers at colleges and universities often have information on employers that is not available in libraries. Ask a career center representative how to find out about a particular organization. During your research consider the following questions:

Does the organization’s business or activity match your own interests and beliefs?

How will the size of the organization affect you?

Large firms generally offer a greater variety of training programs and career paths, more managerial levels for advancement, and better employee benefits than do small firms. Large employers also may have more advanced technologies. However, many jobs in large firms tend to be highly specialized.

Jobs in small firms may offer broader authority and responsibility, a closer working relationship with top management, and a chance to clearly see your contribution to the success of the organization.

Should you work for a relatively new organization or one that is well established?

New businesses have a high failure rate, but for many people, the excitement of helping to create a company and the potential for sharing in its success more than offset the risk of job loss. However, it may be just as exciting and rewarding to work for a young firm that already has a foothold on success.

How important is the job to the company or organization?

An explanation of where you fit in the organization and how you are supposed to contribute to its overall goals should give you an idea of the job’s importance.

What will the hours be?

Most jobs involve regular hours—for example, 40 hours a week, during the day, Monday through Friday. Other jobs require night, weekend, or holiday work. In addition, some jobs routinely require overtime to meet deadlines or sales or production goals, or to better serve customers. Consider the effect that the work hours will have on your personal life.

How long do most people who enter this job stay with the company?

High turnover can mean dissatisfaction with the nature of the work or something else about the job.

Additional questions to ponder:

What valuable new skills does the company plan to teach you? What is the next step on the career ladder? If you have to wait for a job to become vacant before you can be promoted, how long does this usually take? When opportunities for advancement do arise, will you compete with applicants from outside the company? Can you apply for jobs for which you qualify elsewhere within the organization, or is mobility within the firm limited?

You will want to research to determine if the offer is fair. If you choose to negotiate for higher pay and better benefits, objective research will help you strengthen your case. You may have to go to several sources for information. One of the best places to start is the information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data on earnings by detailed occupation from the Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey are available from Bureau of Labor Statistics http://www.bls.gov/OES and Data from the Bureau’s National Compensation Survey are available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Compensation Levels and Trends http://www.bls.gov/eci. You should also look for additional information, specifically tailored to your job offer and circumstances. Try to find family, friends, or acquaintances who recently were hired in similar jobs. Ask your teachers and the staff in placement offices about starting pay for graduates with your qualifications. Help-wanted ads in newspapers sometimes give salary ranges for similar positions. Check the library or your school’s career center for salary surveys such as those conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers or various professional associations.

If you are considering the salary and benefits for a job in another geographic area, make allowances for differences in the cost of living, which may be significantly higher in a large metropolitan area than in a smaller city, town, or rural area. You also should learn the organization’s policy regarding overtime. Depending on the job, you may or may not be exempt from laws requiring the employer to compensate you for overtime. Find out how many hours you will be expected to work each week and whether you receive overtime pay or compensatory time off for working more than the specified number of hours in a week.

Also take into account that the starting salary is just that—the start. Your salary should be reviewed on a regular basis; many organizations do it every year. How much can you expect to earn after 1, 2, or 3 or more years? An employer may be unable to be specific about the amount of pay if it includes commissions and bonuses. Benefits also can add a lot to your base pay, but they vary widely. Find out exactly what the benefit package includes and how much of the cost you must bear.

Works Sites

http://www.bls.gov/oco/
http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco20046.htm
http://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/Index.html
http://www.career.vt.edu/JobSearchGuide/MultipleOffers.html

What Kids and Their Parents Need to Know

2012-02-21T22:10:00.003-05:00

"Students’ Perceptions of Future Job Opportunities Influence their Motivational Level of Output" by Clarissa West-White and Teri Castelow for course EDF 5160 in the Spring of 1999.

Ray and Mickelson argue that the fundamental changes in wages, jobs, and future opportunities in the labor market since 1980 have had a negative effect on youths’ school outcomes, motivation and discipline as new workers. In Restructuring students for Restructured Work: The Economy, School Reform, and Non-college-bound Youths (1993), Ray and Mickelson blame the loss of youth motivation and discipline on corporate restructuring. Corporations, in their quest to cut cost, streamlined the size of their companies as well as their payrolls. As a result of this “downsizing” many over qualified employees from middle and upper management found themselves looking for jobs, with credentials that were no longer required. Americans panicked at the thought of college educated adults not being able to find work, and their fears spilled over into the realm of education. Educators took this one step further and began preaching gloom and doom to their students. Unintentionally, it is believed, teachers led students to conclude that if the job market is strong, they have a better chance at success, therefore, this translated to students that if they had future opportunities for employment, they had better become more motivated and disciplined learners. This ideology, from business leaders’ point of views, translated into more disciplined motivated workers. These change of events led researchers to propose that job opportunities positively predict motivation.

In recent years there have been insurmountable inquiries into what motivates students. Teachers, superintendents, commissioners, and other state and federal personnel have spent thousands of hours and millions of dollars addressing the issue. Researchers have written dozens of grants and have received substantial monetary awards attempting to ascertain the answer. Each segment searching for someone to indict for students’ lagging performance, parents’ irresponsibility, teachers’ inadequacies, schools’ lack of control, and communities’ failure to act as a village. Eventually, the blame falls upon the shoulders of often young, poor and undereducated parents. Ray and Mickelson report from their interviews with varying business and educational leaders that poor discipline and motivation were due largely to inadequate and disinterested parents who fail to socialize their youngsters properly (7).

It is the hope of everyone that these sometime adversaries are able to put aside their differences and find solutions that are capable of being applied generally to all students within the United States and abroad, instead of placing the brunt of the blame on parents. Unfortunately, many have tried and failed at the attempt to find the elusive answer, and others look at so few variables that the data seems irrelevant. Ray and Mickelson report an unexplored motivational predictor for youths: their perception of future job opportunities.

Why the emphasis on student motivation? It is reasoned that if students are motivated to learn, then they will be more likely to earn good grades, score well on standardized and admission tests, go on to college, graduate, find a job and be successful. It is further reasoned that these adults will marry and produce children who will possess the same aspirations as their parents, thereby making it easier for educators, politicians and business leaders to expect and receive higher output from students. This cycle is jarred when non-college-bound students seek jobs that offer adequate pay and benefits. The possession of a high school diploma takes on new meaning. Once, a high school diploma afforded Americans a promise of work. Work that could support a family of four, a home, car, and pet, but today that same diploma carries little weight. With it, most students still can’t find work and the work they find is hardly enough to support one, let alone four. Without it, students appear to be doomed.

Educators and business leaders continue to instill the work ethic in our children and constantly remind them that this high tech world will someday leave them behind if they don’t take their education more seriously. Yet, studies such as Ray and Mickelson found that approximately 55% of all future jobs will require only a high school diploma and some vocational training, and only about 20% of these jobs required at least a four-year degree (7). So, are educators and business leaders wrong in their assumption? The problem appears to lie not in their information or intentions, but instead with their failure at understanding the impetus of children’s motivation to do well in school, to receive good grades, to stay out of trouble, etc. They often point to factors within the home of the child, without taking a closer look at his/her future employment opportunities when speaking the rhetoric of why education is important.

This study builds on the research conducted by Ray and Mickelson. Researchers looked at high school students’ perception of future employment opportunities when attempting to measure the output of motivation, for students in Canada, in addition to those in the United States. Many students, from both countries, stated that they had been inundated with information that the world was turning “high tech” and if they didn’t latch on “they would be left behind”. Teachers seemed to echo this information from television broadcasts or headlines in the paper, which tend to report what they are told by their corporate sponsors, when in fact, the numbers reported by the Bureau of Labor statistics don’t substantiate their “educational crisis.” These statistics report that although 23.4 to 28.6 million jobs were created between 1982 and 1995, only 1 million were in high-tech industries (8). If these statistics are any indication of future job opportunities, wouldn’t students be better served if informed that they do not have to look forward to a life of drudgery and despair, but instead can find good jobs with a high school diploma and/or some vocational training?

CASE STUDY

Six thousand students from urban area high schools in Metropolitan Seattle, United States and Montreal, Canada were randomly selected. Students were asked to complete a survey, which asked them to relay their feelings when they read a number of statements. In our preliminary investigation, it was discovered through discussion of the instruments, that students had varied definitions of “job opportunities.” For some, it went beyond flipping burgers at Burger King, although some felt that that was an acceptable definition. Others had specific references to explain the term for them, phrases like, “office job,” “work requiring computer skills,” and “a job paying more than minimum wage.” Students’ keen intuition is comparable with statistics gathered in 1988 which stated that half of the full-time year-round jobs created since 1980 pay less than $11,000 a year. Fifty-two percent of the new jobs created since 1980 have been contingent, and that 65% of the approximately 17 million new jobs created from 1980-1988 pay less than $11,000 (11). It was settled that for the purposes of this study, good job opportunities were defined as those jobs that offered partial to full benefits and paid above minimum wage. A few of the statements posed to students follow, along with the Lickert scale used.

1 2 3 4 5

Strongly Agree Agree No opinion Disagree Strongly Disagree

1. I feel highly confident that I will find a job after graduation.

2. I think my grades will help determine my success.

3. I think it’s important to do well in school.

4. I feel that there are many job opportunities out there for someone like me.

5. It is important to do well on exams required for college entrance.

RESULTS

To ensure variability in the dependent variable, motivation, a random sample of the population of students from two comparable cities, one in the US and the other in Canada was taken. As of 1996 both cities had approximately 3.3 million residents, encountered similar problems within their urban areas and were experiencing economical and structural growth. Due to the rapid influx of small businesses and corporate expansion, job opportunities would be comparable in both cities.

Responses to the statements from Canadian and US students were used, with the students’ race, sex and SES being assigned as controlled variables. We controlled for these variables since we did not want them to unduly influence the outcome of the remaining variables. US job opportunities and Canadian job opportunities, as perceived by students, were used to see if they were predictors of motivation, and to see if there is a major difference among US and Canadian students’ responses.

Table 1. Regression Estimates of the Determinants of Students’ Motivation (N=6,000)

Variable	b	Beta	T
Race	-.003	-.0003	-.012
Sex	.005	.0005	.035
SES	.102	.065	1.22
US Job Opportunity	.124	.87**	4.21
Canadian “ “	.120	.88**	4.23

* p<.05

** p<.01

Table 2. Regression Estimates of the Determinants of Students’ Motivation (N=6,000)

Variable	b	Beta	T
Race	.013	.0013	.032
Sex	-.018	-.0018	-.015
SES	.002	.065	.22
US Job Opportunity	-.034	-.007	-.21
Canadian “ “	-.030	-.008	-.25

Race (0=White, 1=non-white)

Sex (0=Female, 1-Male)

SES (Mother and Father’s occupation + Mother and Father’s Education)

Table 3. Correlation Matrix (N=3,000)

	Motivation	Perceived Opportunities
Motivation (US Students)	----	.87**
Motivation (Canadian Students)	----	.88**
Perceived Opportunities in US Students	.87**	---
Perceived Opportunities in Canadian Students	.88**	---
GPA	.55	.50
GPA (Canadian)	.56	.51
ACT scores	.60	.58
ACT scores (Canadian)	.61	.59
In class participation	.56	.52
In class participation (Canadian)	.57	.53
Time Spent on Homework – In school	.78	.77
Time Spent on Homework – In school(Canada)	.79	.78
Time Spent on Homework – Out of school	.85	.80
Time Spend on Homework – Out of school(Canada)	.84	.81

** Significant at the .01 level

Table 1 shows that students’ perception of future job opportunities is a strong, positive predictor of students’ motivation. When variables associated with student performance were tabulated, the findings showed that those who were motivated by their perception of the future job market, also performed better in class participation (discussion), standardized test scores, spent more time on homework (in and out of school) and have higher GPA’s. Also, in Table 1 perceived Job Opportunity for students in the US and Canada both show a strong, positive and significant prediction on student motivation. The US and Canada job opportunities are significant at the .01(99%) level. When either of these variables increases, students’ motivation increases as well. For instance, when a US student’s perceived job opportunities increases by one standard unit, student motivation will increase by .87 unit deviations. However, according to Table 2 when Job Opportunities (US and Canada) scores increase, students’ motivation decreases. Obviously, Table 1 supports the proposition that job opportunities positively predict motivation. Table 3 is a correlation of various variables upon motivation and perceived opportunities. There is a weak to strong relationship (correlation) with all variables and motivation and perceived opportunities. For example, .57 for in class participation for Canadian students mean that there is positive and strong relationship between in-class performance and motivation. .53 means that there is a strong and positive relationship between participation and perception of future job opportunities. Therefore, it can be said that because they hold positive beliefs about their future job opportunities, they perform better in class (participate more).

CONCLUSION

This study discovered that not only must educators look toward other explanations for motivation, but that they should factor students’ perceived future job opportunities into their equations. Instead of being overly concerned with such social phenomena as race, sex and parents’ income/education, students’ impressions regarding job opportunities must be used as a primary indicator in what motivates students to succeed. This is not to exclude all of these traditional indicators, but rather to state that the quest for obtaining the key to motivation should not stop there.

DISCUSSION

Educators and business leaders often look for scapegoats when a solution to a problem is more complex than simply passing a few laws or issuing mandates. And as usual, they have chosen parents as their convenient patsies. These defenseless parents are held accountable for the poor work and motivational habits of their children not only at school, but “later at work” (7). Many of the “low-income” parents they targeted place little or no faith in the educational system to educate their children so that they can be productive, because it did not work for them. This could explain their lack of hope and motivation, and the senseless cycle that is created from such impoverished homes. Ray and Mickelson further “contend that the current “educational deficit” and “motivational gap” emanate from sources beyond putatively unsatisfactory public schools or allegedly inadequate parents” (14). Clearly, educators and business leaders should converse more succinctly in order to meet the growing concerns students have about future job opportunities.

Purpose

2012-02-21T20:48:00.002-05:00

The College and Career Support blog provides resources for navigating and fine tuning all steps between high school graduation and employment, and beyond. From completing applications, creating a resume or vitae, interviewing, negotiating a salary and or an increase, to composing college entrance essays, providing tips and guides for studying for the SAT or ACT, LSAT or GMAT, along with other exams, completing a FASFA and finding available funds and scholarships, these are only a few of the services the site offers in an effort to assist you in soaring to new heights and achieving the best YOU possible. Oh, the places you can indeed go!

To begin, select which page interests you: College Articles, Websites, and Resources or Career Articles, Websites, and Resources. Some information will of course overlap, but every attempt will be made to place information on the most appropriate page.

This blog is intended to assist not only high-school and college students, and employment seekers with college and career support, but it is hoped that those seeking resources for grantsmanship, teaching ideas that incorporate college and career readiness skills, to name a few, will also find the information posted here useful.

As the site becomes more robust, should you seek information and are not able to find it, please send me a request for information and I will post my research findings on the site.