Hot jobs in America today

How to get the job you want

By: Erin Edwards

Posted: 9/18/07

With the American economy growing at a modest pace, job markets continue to open up, giving way to lowering the unemployment rate.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the job market for recent graduates is the best in years, with surveyed employers reporting a 19.2 percent increase in hiring college graduates than last year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also reports that healthcare, biosciences and technology industries are expecting the most new jobs in the upcoming year, along with customer service and sales associates.

Money Magazine recently published a research compilation of the "Top 10 Careers in the USA." This list was thoroughly researched through hundreds of jobs, with consideration to many factors including pay, growth and stress level of the job. The list includes careers of a psychologist, pharmacist, real estate appraiser, computer IT analyst, market research analyst, physician assistant, human resources manager, financial advisor, college professor and software engineer.

These careers rank high in the United States, but no matter what career one decides to choose, it is important to have a plan and prepare well for the right job that you want. In order to do this, potential job seekers must know exactly what it is that companies want and the means of how to get it.

After graduation, fresh faces begin their exploration into the "real world," scouting for jobs and putting their degree to use. However, with any job application, there comes the interviewing process. A job interview gives the potential employer and employee a chance to learn more about each other. It is crucial for job seekers to be adequately prepared for the interviewing process.

On average, it takes a new graduate six to eight months to find a job. Recent graduate Maggie Robertson knows this all too well, saying that she is still in the midst of a job search.

"I just finished an internship, but I have been almost non-stop at putting in my resume at different companies around the US and doing interviews," said Robertson.

Although she says she does not desire a certain place to work at, Robertson says the entire process can be stressful and scary, but it is exciting to be handling such a big responsibility.

Catrina Davis, Assistant Director/Liaison for the College of Education at the ECU Career Center, works closely with students seeking internships and helps with obtaining jobs with their new degrees. Davis is part of a team that provides resources to students and teaches them the right way to the job that they desire.

"After narrowing down what one wants to do, there are three steps that one must accomplish soon after," said Davis, naming what she refers to as "The Trilogy," a three-step breakdown of what many do in order to obtain a job.

"It is important for students to develop a resume and cover letter, take on a certain strategy for a job search by concentrating on what drives them and what they seek an emphasis in, and also the interviewing process with companies."

Davis believes that challenges can hold this "trilogy" back, including a lack of preparation and fore planning, along with unrealistic goals and a lack of actual goal clarification. Davis also urges that new and expected graduates explore options with the degree that they have to be more successful.

In any case, it is important for students to be aware of steps to be taken in order to adequately prepare for their post-graduation plan.

The Career Center is a valuable resource for students looking for internship and job options, as well as help with resume building and interviewing skills. Every potential job seeker should be aware of what career it is that they desire and exact the means to get it.

To make an appointment at the Career Center call 252-328-6050.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com