By Eileen Shackleford and Barbara Ellis
Contributors, Career Services and Corporate & Strategic Relationships

Where do most people start career searches? Often it begins by thinking about the dream companies from which they’d like to receive a job offer. Those companies are usually the highly branded companies we see or hear about in the media and experience in our everyday lives – Coke, UPS, Raytheon, Dell, Disney, or Price Waterhouse Cooper. These are just a few of the Fortune 500 companies with whom many of us interact on a daily basis and might think of first for a new job search. The question is: Is bigger really better?

By Marcia Powers
Contributor, Career Services

You’re ready to apply for a job. You possess all of the required skills and qualifications, and you’re sure that you are the best candidate for the position. You’ve polished up your resume, but you’re still a bit hesitant to submit it. What if the employer scans over some of your qualifications? If only there was a way to immediately highlight who you are as a professional and why you are the ideal candidate for the position. Fortunately, there is, and it’s called a profile statement.

By Cathy Francois
Contributor, Career Services

I believe that tenured professionals have a lot to offer employers, and many hiring managers appreciate the experience and knowledge that “seasoned” professionals bring. However, let’s face it: we live in a culture that values youthfulness – as shown by our billion dollar beauty industry. Given that there are laws to protect workers age 40 and older against age discrimination, I think job seekers owe it to themselves to keep age off of their resume and avoid unintentionally aging themselves.

By Dr. Chuck Russo
Program Director, Criminal Justice at American Military University

When you don’t earn a promotion that you feel you deserve, expect to feel surprise, anger, confusion, frustration, hurt, and disappointment. It seems unfair to be passed over when you have proven you have the knowledge, skills, and abilities.

By Christine Muncy, M.Ed., GCDF
Contributor, Career Services

Seasoned career searchers will tell you that the most successful job searches will have a plan, involve being organized, and knowing your material. However, that is often easier said than done, particularly with the overwhelming number of open positions available. While there are a plethora of sites, blogs and job boards to choose from, often the most effective ones are provided and administered by a university’s Career Services office.

By Tiffany Young
Online Career Tips Contributor

For most people, lessons happen along the way. It’s what you do with those tidbits of vital information that is most important. Just when we think we’ve learned something, life comes along and shows us there’s more. Here are four tips that are a result of my most recent life lessons while working on the job.

Jaymie Pompeo
Contributor, Career Services

Starting a career can seem like an overwhelming process. Having a variety of influences coupled with not knowing the resources that exist can bring confusion.

Cathy Francois, MBA, GCDF
Contributor, Career Services

A seasonal position can be more than just an opportunity to make some extra cash. It could also serve as an opportunity to network within an organization, or feel a position or industry out. When searching for seasonal opportunities, consider your long term career plan and the skills you would like to acquire or enhance. These skills may include customer service, sales, marketing, communication, inventory management, loss prevention, and event planning. Top seasonal industries include retail, warehouse & production, sales & marketing, customer service, media & entertainment, hotel & hospitality, law enforcement and security.

By Kristen Carter, GCDF
Contributor, Career Services

Recently, I spoke with a mother who indicated that her daughter was interested in studying criminal justice based on her desire to work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Initially, I was impressed – her daughter’s career goal was quite specific, implying that she had done the necessary research to learn the requirements to be hired in this position. However, after asking a few questions, it turned out that she was only familiar with this part of the agency because she was an avid viewer of the TV show, Criminal Minds.