Part One: The College Graduate’s Guide to Securing and Nailing an Interview

BY ANDREW HEIKKILA

It used to be that a college degree all but assured a graduate would be able to find a job and a career after leaving university. Nowadays, things have changed. The job market has grown more competitive, and that competition is stiff.

So what can you do to stand out in a sea of prospective employees? Here are a couple of tips for before, during, and after the job interview that will help you land a job after college.

1. Before the Interview

Ben Franklin once said “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” and he’s right — the first step to any successful venture is proper planning and foresight. When it comes to securing and nailing that job interview, that means doing your research, perfecting your resume, and preparing yourself in the days, hours, and minutes before the meeting.

Research

Even before applying to work for any organization, job seekers should be thoroughly researching the companies that are offering the positions that interest them. Visit the company website and social media, check their “About Us” page and mission statements, and even use Google News to discover any noteworthy public information concerning the organization (good or bad).

If possible, try to check resources like LinkedIn or Glassdoor to gauge employee (past and present) sentiment toward operations, management, and the organization as a whole.

Lastly, if you happen to know an employee that currently works at the company, ask them about these things as well as what their day to day looks like. For example, experts believe that telecommuting will approach or even reach 50 percent by 2020 — does your prospective employer work in one office onsite, in multiple offices around the world, or does everybody work from home?

This type of research will reveal details that will help you tailor your resume to the specific company, understand the organization from multiple levels, and help you decide whether you want to work there or not in the first place.

Resume & Cover Letter

While it might be tempting to send the same template resume and cover letter to prospective employers, tailoring them to each organization and recruiter you’re applying to is worth the extra work. The Freshdesk blog has an article titled “How to Make a Great Resume for Your First Job in Customer Support” in which they implore readers to make sure their resume and cover letter answer:

1. Listing the reasons you want to start a career in customer support
2. List any relevant experience and skills
3. List instances when you’ve resolved customer issues
4. Talk about your familiarity with the working of customer support

However, if you take “customer service” and replace it with whatever field you’re going into, you’ve got the same solid advice.

1. Why you want to start a career in this field?
2. List any relevant experience and skills in this field OR that would be applicable in this field.
3. List instances when you’ve successfully executed components of or demonstrated skills related to the position you’re applying for.
4. Talk about your familiarity with the field or industry, including current events or applicable trends.

Don’t ramble on. Keep your answers succinct, as your cover letter should be no longer than one page. The same goes for your resume proper.

CompTIA offers resources generally geared toward career change, but some of their advice is extremely pertinent for those transition from being a student to being an employee. For example, from their post on how to write a resume:

• Pick the right resume style:  There are three commonly used resume styles: chronological, functional, and a combination of the two. Chronological might not work for students with a thin background, while functional de-emphasizes the jobs you’ve had and focus on your skills and abilities. Combining the two, however, shows applicable skills and work history, and will help the employer get an overall idea of who you are.
• Highlight transferable job skills and nontraditional experience: Whether it be volunteer experience, internship experience, training, certification programs, work-study skills, educational collaboration, or something else, make sure to include anything the recruiter might deem relevant. Focus on your soft skills, as these are often universal.
• Keep it short and sweet…: …just like this bullet point. Again, one page is optimal.
• Include references: Anybody that you’ve interned with, worked for, or have been supervised by that can attest to your work ethic and ability should be listed as a reference. Even if it’s just a professor that noticed your upstanding ability in a class relevant to the industry you’re applying for, you should list them. Let them know you’re doing this.

Once you’ve got your resume golden and sent in, all you can do is wait until you’re contacted for an interview. When you are, that means it’s time to get preppin’.

Preparation

If you’re reading this article, you’re already preparing! However, in the days leading up to the meeting you should be envisioning how the meeting will go in your head. Practice anecdotes and answers to questions (you’ll find those in the next section).

As the meeting draws near, make sure that you’re well-rested and have eaten something before you go in. Dress nice, but conservatively — anything too loud might distract from your actual character and conversation, and anything too casual might seem unprofessional.

Plan what you’re going to bring, and set these things in a place where you will not forget them. All of these things should fit into a single folder, making them easy to organize and transport:

• Extra copies of your resume and cover letter on professional stock paper
• A pad and pen to write with
• A list of your references
• Any information or supplementary material you might need for onsite applications or pre-employment testing
• If relevant, your portfolio with professional samples

Lastly, give yourself time to get to the interview 15 minutes early. That way, if there’s any unexpected delays such as traffic or construction, you’ll still be able to show up on time.

 During the Interview: Coming Next On November 15

Andrew Heikkila is a Millennial (whatever that means), a writer, an artist and musician, and a small business owner. He believes in the power of change and the power of people. By combining those two elements, he believes, anything is possible. Follow Andy on Twitter @AndyO_TheHammer

 

 

 

7 Alternatives to Cars on Campus

BY JANE HURST

Being in college is a fun and liberating time for students. You are leaving home for the first time and are ready to spread your wings. One thing you might consider while you are getting ready for college is transportation. Here are 7 alternatives to cars on campus.

 

1. Bike – Bicycles are an inexpensive alternative to cars on campus. They are good for the environment and provide exercise and a quick way to get to your classes. You can bike around campus and into town. Your college should have a number of bike racks located in convenient spots for you to park your bike. Usually these racks are located near the dining halls, dorms, and classrooms. The racks should be located near where campus safety officers patrol so your locked bike will be safe and sound. Also, more cities are adding bike lanes to their roads so you will have a safe commute to and around campus and town.

 

2. Walk – Another even less expensive option is walking. You will build up your core while walking around campus. You will get fresh air and be able to converse with other walkers on your way to dinner or classes. You will get exercise and meet new people while walking around campus. Most colleges have things within walking distance off campus so you will not be restricted to just hanging around the college.

 

3. Uber, Lyft, taxi – If you do not want to walk into town or you need to travel a further distance, you can call for an Uber, Lyft, or taxi. It may cost a little but you are not spending money on gas or car maintenance. Most of these services run into the late hours and will pick you up wherever you are located. You can consider selling you car for cash and that will provide money for other alternative transportation needs. Sell car for cash websites are easy to find on the internet and with the money you save from not having to pay insurance or maintenance you will be able to spend on food, housing, or other transportation.

 

4. Bum a ride – You might be lucky and know someone who has a car and has a similar schedule as you. If you do you might be able to bum a ride with them to class or off campus. Usually if you offer to pay them a small amount for gas your friend will consider letting you hitch a ride.

 

5. Skateboard – Another easy way to get around campus is on a skateboard. You will be able to weave in and out of the crowd while moving toward your destination. Skateboarding is good exercise and you can even take your board into class where you know it is safe.

 

6. Public Transportation – If you need to get around college there is usually some sort of campus or public transportation available. The cost is usually minimal and you can relax while you commute around campus or into town.

 

7. Moped – This is a fun way to maneuver around campus. While there are many far away parking spots for cars, there are usually small spots closer to your classes for mopeds. You can zip around campus and get to your classes on time.

Whatever method you chose as an alternative to having a car on campus, know that it is healthier for you and better for the environment. You will enjoy not having to find a parking spot before your class and being able to move around campus quickly and efficiently. You will still enjoy your independence with at a lower cost.

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter

The Best Tech to Improve Your Academic Research

BY ANTON LUCANUS

Digital tools have made everyone’s lives easier, and academics can benefit from a range of tools designed for learning, collaboration, or study. Many of them are free, and most support successful research, project organization, and management.

Here are a few examples of tech that could turbocharge your school research and help you to keep on top of complicated referencing or editing.

Reference Management

Learning how to appropriately reference materials in the right format can be difficult. Fortunately, there are digital tools to organize reference material and convert your citations into the right format each time you need to use them. This can save a lot of time when working with referencing and footnotes before a deadline.

Mendeley is one of the best-known tools for reference and bibliography management; it also has built-in social networking features for academics, if you choose to use them. Zotero is an open-source alternative aimed more at research alone, offering a familiar interface and optional syncing. Zotero is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux too.

Image Editing

Editing images is no longer the chore it used to be thanks to free desktop tools and cloud services. Today’s digital tools are also cheaper — and, in some cases, free.

Pixlr is a great choice for cloud image editing in a browser and so is Canva. If you’re familiar with tools like Adobe Photoshop or Pixelmator, you’ll find the basics easy to get to grips with, and you can use it on any computer for a quick sketch or image crop.

For accurate technical drawings or diagrams, Gliffy Diagram is even better. It’s essentially a cloud alternative to the ubiquitous (but expensive) Microsoft Visio. It’s not free but is available for a monthly student-friendly subscription fee.

Geo-Unlocking and Privacy

A VPN is a vital tool when you’re researching obscure or potentially sensitive subjects. When you’re connected to the internet through a VPN, you have much more control over what you can access and who can trace you as you browse.

For example, you may need to watch a geo-restricted video. With a VPN, it’s simple; just select an appropriate server location and the content will be accessible from anywhere. A VPN can also be very handy if you need to look at websites that could be considered politically or culturally sensitive in your part of the world. When you access these sites through a VPN, your traffic is encrypted to hide your real IP and location.

Make sure to do your research and choose a trustworthy VPN provider with a solid reputation and strong privacy and logging policies. There are hundreds of services out there, many of which can be unreliable. In some cases, disreputable providers can potentially share your browsing activity with third-parties, so it is imperative that you choose a trusted and reliable VPN.

Journal Search

While all over the world, you can find academic databases to suit your needs, both Google Scholar and Microsoft Academic provide valuable, searchable databases; Microsoft carries 48,000 journals, and will soon add well over 200 million papers.

Microsoft is proud of its semantic search engine on the Academic portal. It’s smart enough to understand the context of search terms, rather than simply using everything you type as a keyword. It clearly shows the author behind the work, along with their affiliated institution.

Google Scholar carries content from the world’s top journals, including Nature, The Lancet, and Science. It has a clever feature that allows you to link your Google account with article citations.

If neither of these digital tools carries what you’re looking for, you can test-drive DeepDyye free for two weeks. It pulls in results from Google Scholar, PubMed, and its own document library.

Organization

The business world has ensured that plenty of time and project management tools have cropped up in the cloud, and many of them make ideal project organization tools as well.

To visualize and organize your research, take a look at Trello, Google Keep, or Padlet. The latter is simple enough for school children, yet powerful enough to satisfy corporate teams.  All will support collaboration, too, although Trello is probably the leader in that field.

Make sure to set your Trello board’s permissions and privacy appropriately; public boards routinely appear in Google search, which might not be ideal if you’re mid-way through your research project.

Develop Your Research Skills

No digital tool will do the work for you, but a good tool can certainly make a research project faster, easier, and sometimes cheaper. Armed with some of the tools highlighted here, your next research project should score your highest grade yet.

Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to guide current students to achieve personal and academic goals.

 

 

What Happens When Someone Searches Your Name? SEO And College Image

Authority Building & SEO: Considerations for Upcoming Grads

BY ANTHONY MASTERTON

What happens when someone searches your name? As you move towards graduation it’s a good idea to consider how you appear to potential employers or investors who look you up online.

What is SEO?

SEO stands for search engine optimization. It’s the process of adjusting your online presence so you can show up higher in the search results when someone searches for you, your business, or something related to you or your business.

Let’s say for a moment that an employer searches for you via Google. What pops up first, is it your LinkedIn profile (you’ll want to have one of these prior to job hunting), a website you’ve made, an online portfolio of yours, a presentation you’ve created, an article you were mentioned in, or do you not show up at all?

Separately, let’s say that you want to apply for funding for a business, if potential investors search for your business entity, you should have a firm understanding of what shows up online.

Everyone needs SEO

Once upon a time, only tech or ecommerce companies really needed to worry about the internet. But in the modern world, every type of business — from the local auto repair shop to the local bakery — needs to have a web presence, and increasingly so do individuals.

That’s because, more than ever, people are starting their decision making processes online, from looking up what businesses exist (restaurants, car dealers, furniture stores) to narrowing down a pool of candidates for a role or position. More than two-thirds of Americans have a smartphone, and an even higher percentage of Americans have other kinds of internet-capable devices, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, or tablets.

The rise of mobile searches plays a big part in making SEO more important to small businesses, since mobile devices are less tab-friendly, users rely more heavily on the information they find in their initial search results, and only tend to check (click into) the first handful of results. From personal experience, I can also tell you the number of people who meet each other in a business setting a do a quick Google search is on the rise. How we appear online is rapidly becoming our prevailing reputation.

How SEO works

Let’s take Google for example, they want to surface the information and answers that their users are looking for with every search, however “for a typical query, there are thousands, even millions, of webpages with potentially relevant information.”
“So to help rank the best pages first, [Google] writes algorithms to evaluate how useful these webpages are.” These algorithms take into account things like how recently the content was updated, how many times words relevant or associated with the search appear in the content of the page, how many other sites that are relevant to the topic link to the page, and more.
The tricky thing about SEO is that nobody knows for sure exactly how the search engine algorithms actually work, except the folks who work on the search engines themselves, and that the algorithms are constantly changing as Google works to improve results. There are  however many companies that can help you approximate how your content, or content about you is viewed by Google (ex: AHREFs, MOZ, etc).

Local SEO vs. International SEO
One of the things the Google algorithms can do is prioritize results close to a searcher. To check this out for yourself try searching “doctors office” or “restaurant” and take a look at the results. This can be useful because location-specific long-tailed keywords (or search terms) are usually easier to rank for with a few good SEO choices, because with a smaller market (specific location) you have less competition. However, in larger markets things can skew the other direction – for example ranking for local results in New York, Toronto, or Mexico City can sometimes be more challenging because of the number of businesses competing for attention in those population-dense areas.

With that knowledge in mind, we begin to see how targeting a non-local market can be a challenge. There are all sorts of small items that need to be changed to effectively reach a non-local market from image alt text to the differences in spelling and popular search terms from state to state and from country to country. According to experts on SEO in Brisbane at Bambrick Media in Australia: international SEO is its own struggle, from having to change URL structures  (ccTLD domains, geo-targeting, etc), to specifying hreflangs and linking to local content.

Just Get Started

My advice to you is not to try to do everything at once, just get started. Whether it’s setting up your LinkedIn Profile, uploading a presentation associated with your name, or beginning to create a blog where you write about the field your interested in. If you’re interested in becoming an entrepreneur start thinking about picking up a domain name for your business, and look into setting up some initial content. Something you might not know is that domain age can even help you out when it comes to SEO. So try to get started, and work to make sure you’re getting something new out there online about you or your venture(s) on a regular basis. Future you will appreciate it.

Anthony Masterton is a young entrepreneur trying to break through in the tech world. When he’s not working on growing his young startup, he writes about everything from tech advancements to his own experiences as a young CEO. A self-starter, he likes to help others learn from his own successes and failures, as it’s always most impactful to learn from experience.

Why Healthy Fear of Failure Makes You More Likely to Succeed?

BY DANIELA McVICKER

The literature on business and entrepreneurship often deals with questions such as how to overcome the fear of failure. However, it is not stressed enough that the fear can actually be turned into a motivator for success.

I’m not talking about the unhealthy fear of failure that paralyzes, I’m talking about a dose of uncertainty that will keep you cautious and push you to do better. If you want to know how you can turn that fear to your advantage, keep reading and find out.

 

Creating Awareness

In most cases, people who don’t think about failure or don’t even see it as a possibility get completely demotivated when things don’t work out the way they panned and eventually they give up.

One of the common characteristics of those who failed was that they all once thought the failure to be impossible.

This is where the healthy fear of failure steps in and helps you out. This feeling shows that you are aware of the possibility that your business plan can go in a different direction than you hoped it will.

Being aware of the possibility of failure will help you to cope with all the obstacles and follow your ultimate goal.

 

Getting Creative

Believe it or not, but the fear that we might fail is more likely to stir the creativity pot.

That feeling of necessity can lead to some quality ideas.

David Ogilvy, a British advertising executive known for his emphasis on creative copy and campaign themes and a founder of the agency of Ogilvy & Mather once wrote: “The copywriter lives with fear. Will he have a big idea before Tuesday morning? Will the client buy it? Will it sell the product? I never sit down to write an advertisement without thinking this time I am going to fail.”

This definitely hasn’t made him stop. It made him push harder and do better.

Keep in mind that we are talking about a healthy dose of fear because if the insecurity is unbearable it will definitely make you unfit to go forward.

 

Better Preparation

Those who fear that they will not succeed will often dedicate more time and patience to prepare before they venture on a business risk.

Source: Pexels

Some people tend to think that after graduation their learning days are over. But they never really are if you want to excel. You can always learn a new language or enroll in a new course or a program in order to attain new skills and work on the existing ones.

John Mayer, a freelance writer for Stanford University says that before he engaged in professional writing or even showed his work to anyone, he read numerous blogs, works of other authors, reviews of top wrters, etc. He was afraid that his work would be rejected so he wanted to make sure that he learned as much as he can about his trait. John claims that the fear helped him to always give his best.

The fear can motivate you to perfect your skills and at the same time working on your skills will help you to minimize the fear.

Learning from Others

One of the things that makes successful people who they are is their willingness to always learn more.

Source: Unsplash

Take advantage of all available resources and inquire about actions which drove people in your field of business to failure.

If you fear not to end up like them, use them as an example of what NOT to do. The realization of potential failure can humble us and helps us to do better.

Some of the resources you can use are:

• Blogs
• Stories about successful companies (most of them confronted failure at some point)
• Articles
• Reviews on services in your field of business
• Asking people in your field of business about their journey

Pay attention to the steps which people claim that led them in the wrong direction. The reviews from people on the services you are planning to offer will show you where experts in your field make mistakes so that you can avoid them.

To summarize, read, inquiry, learn, and implement.

 

 

Identifying and Confronting the Fear

Confronting your fear can help you to realize your weaknesses. The fear of failure usually comes from the subconsciousness which is telling us that we are not good enough. Even though you should be confident and focus on your strengths, use this fear to identify what you are struggling with.

A research conducted by Harward Business Review writers which consisted of interviewing 65 entrepreneurs in the UK and Canada, identified seven sources of fear:

1. financial security
2. ability to fund the venture
3. personal ability/self-esteem
4. the potential of the idea
5. threats to social esteem
6. the venture’s ability to execute
7. opportunity costs

 

The research also found that worries concerning opportunity costs, personal financial security, or the ability to obtain funding for the venture are all positively associated with an entrepreneur’s persistence in pursuing their goals.

James Hayton and Gabriella Cacciotti from the Harward Business Review explain that if entrepreneurs contemplated the choice they had made in pursuing their venture, and how this necessitated missing out on other opportunities, whether in their professional or personal lives, they were more motivated to carry on with the venture.

That is the reason behind realizing what your fear is and embracing it.

Not to mention that by identifying what intimidates you and what you find to be your weak spots, you will be able to work on those issues.

Some Final Thoughts

To conclude, the fear of failure can make us strive for more and not get stuck in the comfort zone. It can help you to be aware of your weaknesses and to be cautious about the actions you make and the steps you take.

You should never let the fear stop you from taking risks but you should let it be your guide and help you to become the best version of yourself.

 Daniela McVicker is graduated from Durham University and has an MA in Psychological Science. Besides doing her work as an editor at Grabmyessay, Daniela has been applying her knowledge of psychology in order to help ambitious students to find their place in the world of business by sharing her experience with a broader audience.

Things graduates need to know before starting a business venture

BY MELISSA BURNS

Starting your own business while at a college or immediately after graduation is likely to be the most difficult thing you’ve ever done. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot succeed – and even if you fail, you will acquire valuable experience that will come in handy later on. Nevertheless, plunging into the world of business head first without any preparation is not a very good idea – in this article, we will cover some of the most important things you should know and understand before you try it out.

1.    You don’t necessarily need a unique product

Many first-time entrepreneurs labor under the delusion that in order to achieve success a newly-founded business has to bring something entirely new to the market. However, if this were true, we would hardly see any new businesses appear at all. In reality, the opposite is often true – truly original new businesses often fail while those that come after them and take their mistakes into account prosper. Learning from the mistakes of others is much more efficient than learning from your own errors.

2.    You need a formal business plan

A formally prepared business plan is much more than, well, a formality. It gives validity to your business idea and demonstrates that it is implementable. You may believe that you know what you are doing, but until you have a detailed business plan that takes all potential contingencies into account, you are woefully unprepared. Considering your lack of expertise in this field, it may be a good idea to hire professional business plan writers to help you out the first time around.

3.    The best time to start out is most likely the middle of your second year

By that time you will get used to the college routine, learn how to deal with your studying duties more efficiently and, what is probably the most important, will be a more independent and responsible adult than before. It is also the period when you generally have more time than either before or after – having founded a business at that moment means that it is going to be well-established by the time you near the end of your education and again have less time. Counter-intuitively, having a host of additional responsibilities associated with running a business is likely to take a positive effect on your studies – when you have to juggle so many things it is easier to see your life in perspective and make better decisions about the relative value of things.

4.    You will have to put your own money into your business

You may believe that you have a billion-dollar idea that every investor should gobble up happily if he is at least partially sane. In reality, every second would-be entrepreneur believes something similar about the idea he has, and there is little to no chance of attracting the attention of somebody ready to pay for your attempt to study from your mistakes. Until you put a fair amount of your own money and effort into an enterprise, you are never going to be taken seriously. Before you start looking for investors, you absolutely have to try and implement your idea with what you have at hand. How successful you are at that will define whether you attract money or not.

Starting a business while at college is difficult, and no amount of tips and advice is going to change that. However, any challenge is more manageable when you know what you are up against – and we hope that what you’ve read in this article will help you make the right decision.

Melissa Burns graduated from the faculty of Journalism of Iowa State University. Nowadays she is an entrepreneur and independent journalist. Follow her @melissaaburns or contact at burns.melissaa@gmail.com

Business and Digital Communications Are Evolving and Popular Fields For Students

BY ANNABEL MONAGHAN

Deciding whether to go to a college or university after graduating high school is a huge decision that a student must make. It involves first picking a school, and then a major. After making all of these initial decisions, students have to schedule their courses within their selected majors. Many students enter into their undergraduate careers deciding on a career in the business industry. Interestingly, business majors make up a large percentage of the workforce, and even more so as the field continues to expand in varying ways.

As the digital era continues to take over the consumer industry, business executives and marketers have to develop new and creative ways to connect with their audiences. Because of the shift in the use of business marketing tools and the rise of digital media, new career options are now available and rising in popularity. For example, even twenty years ago, a digital media marketer was not a sought after position. Now, more than ever before, businesses and advertising agencies are looking to hire people who understand both traditional and modern applications of business and marketing.

Providing new and in demand careers helps companies expand their services in the areas of digital media, branding, email marketing, social media marketing, and, more generally, digital  knowledge. Because digital business and digital media are still relatively new to the consumer industry, it’s still a learning process for all organizations and employees involved. Digital media allows businesses to expand into providing full-service consulting, and many companies are doing just that by starting to focus their efforts in the areas of full-service advertising and consulting. One of these successful and innovative companies blending traditional and modern approaches is MDG Advertising.

MDG Advertising is a strategic, full-service advertising agency and digital marketing firm with offices in Boca Raton, Florida, and New York City. The company creates branded experiences, rather than focusing only on traditional advertising efforts, like traditional print marketing. MDG Advertising aims to be innovative and creative in their advertising approach. Undergraduates wishing to pursue a career in advertising or digital media should look to MDG, and similar companies, as an example of the type of innovative organization where they can work, should they pursue a career in marketing or business.  Because advertising and marketing are rapidly evolving, MDG Advertising uses a data-driven approach to ensure successful results for their clients. It’s not just about pitching an idea; it’s about analyzing the relevant research and data to develop successful strategies and goals. Full-service advertising agencies like this provide a 360-degree approach to their communication with clients and their audiences.

The founder of MDG Advertising, Michael Del Gigante, plays a crucial role in the success of his business. As the president and director of the company, he wears many hats, working as a creator, writer, and storyteller.  Based on his experience in the advertising industry, Michael Del Gigante provided insights into what organizations can do to ensure success during changing times.

“The organizations that will succeed going forward are those that aren’t purely traditional or purely digital, but rather a hybrid of both. Why? Because that’s what consumers, especially younger ones, respond to best. Overall satisfaction among Millennial consumers of financial services who use both branches and mobile offerings is 20 index points higher (on a 1,000-point scale) than among those who only use the branches, and 37 points higher than among those who only use mobile offerings.”

If a recent graduate is looking to start a career with a marketing or advertising agency, they should make sure they have the professional skill set required to succeed in a digital media driven company. This goes back to picking the right courses and selecting a major that will set the student up for post-graduate success in the field of digital media and full-service advertising. Students must understand all facets of business and how  diverse teams can work together to create strategies and campaigns that resonate with clients and their audiences. MDG Advertising looks for sharp, driven, and passionate people who love marketing and advertising. Having a professional degree and the requirements necessary to succeed are important, but displaying passion and a mindset for marketing are what set potential job candidates apart. MDG Advertising strives to create a collaborative culture that inspires, innovates, and rewards.

If a college student is undecided about his or her major, digital media and advertising are  always great selections. Picking anything in the realm of business or marketing will continually set the student up for success after they graduate. These majors are versatile, providing the student multiple career options and paths after they graduate. Because the business and marketing industries continue to move in a digital direction, both industries will demand that the people entering those fields are flexible, innovative, and hungry for knowledge in their field. Business is always changing so it demands that the workers in the industry are up to the challenge of an ever-evolving industry. Marketing tactics and business tools will change as technology and industrialization create more efficiency. As software and digital platforms continue to change and grow, it’s necessary that the people in the field change and grow as well.

Annabel Monaghan is a writer with a passion for education and edtech. She writes education and career articles for The College Puzzle with the aim of providing useful information for students and young professionals. If you have any questions, please feel free to email her at annabelmonaghanwriter@gmail.com. 

 

 

 

5 Financial Benefits of a College Degree

By  Danielle Phillips

Apart from too much hard work involved, college degree costs a lot of money for students. Consequently, at a number of times students start wondering whether they should opt to study for a college degree or not. Time and again they stat confused if their large investment and important years are worthwhile spending on a college degree.

Honestly, there are some great financial benefits often enjoyed by college graduates. These benefits help students secure their future and live a comfortable life in the coming years.

In this post, we will take a quick look at the top five financial benefits of a college degree.

1. Students Enjoy a Higher Earning For Life

According to the recent survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people with a bachelor’s degree under their belt earn around 66% more than their peers that only have a high school diploma.  Moreover, students with an associate degree still earn 25% more than the high school diploma holders.

Though these figures vary from field to another, however, they clearly prove that college graduates are better off in making more money by investing in their studies.

2. Students Automatically Increase Their Chances of Employment

The overall percentage of unemployment is lowest in western countries in people with advanced degrees. It is generally found that people with at least an associate degree have a higher percentage of employment that than the ones with only high school diplomas.  A genuine reason for this is the tough job market where employers are more interested to hire people that are more educated and fit their corporate environment well.

On a general note, it’s crucial to be a graduate to find yourself on top of any competition in the job market and get better employment opportunities as early as possible.

3. Students Get More Access to Resources

Another benefit of getting a college degree is to take advantage of all resources available at your college. Facilities like your college career center or internship programs are very handy to get a solid foundation to start your career. Moreover, your subject professors can also provide you with assistance on finding a job relevant with their wide professional connections in the field.

On a whole, you will get all the help you need through the college resources to find better employment opportunities that are almost possible to get when studying in a high school.

4. Students Get To Make a Professional Network Beforehand

It’s important to learn the importance of a professional network in the job market. Not only it will assist in steering yourself in the direction towards a bright and prosper career, but it will ultimately help in finding good job opportunities at the very first place.

Studying in a college for a degree program can help you create a network of decades of value from an investment of just a few years’ time that is surely worthwhile.

5. Students Can Take Benefit of Indirect Financial Benefits

Getting a high paying job and getting its direct benefits is one thing. Meanwhile, there are many financial benefits associated with a college degree.

With a college degree under your belt, you will likely to meet all your financial obligations in a much better way. In addition, you will be much better at saving a decent amount of money each month and later invest in different financial programs and earn monthly profits. This can help you to avoid going into any sort of debts and ultimately have a prosperous and bright future.

As you may see, students can acquire a number of direct and indirect financial benefits with their college degree. So why not go for one if you have been thinking about it?

About the author

Danielle Phillips is a talented blogger and editor working on different projects on a day to day basis. She is also associated with a reputable UK assignment company that operates online. She has a passion to help students do well at their students by offering them outstanding academic writing assistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What to Do If You Dislike Writing Research Or Academic Papers

BY DAVID GUTIERREZ

Unfortunately, even if you hate writing academic papers more than anything else in the world, you still have to do it if you want to graduate successfully. However, it is possible to alter one’s attitude towards something – often to a greater degree than you may believe. Here are some techniques that can make writing your next academic assignment bearable, if not outright pleasant.

1.    Take breaks

Taking regular breaks is important in any kind of work, and writing is no exception. Divide your assignment into a number of reasonably small parts and promise yourself to take a break after you successfully complete each of them. Both the parts and the breaks may be as large or small as it is useful for your situation. For example, if you write an essay, you can take 5-minute breaks every 200 words. If you write something more substantial, both the parts and the breaks can be larger. Do something pleasant in the course of your breaks – this will motivate you to complete each part faster.

2.    Eliminate distractions

When you do something you hate, every potential distraction is twice as enticing as it usually is. This means that if you are surrounded by distractions while you write your academic paper, you are likely to get distracted all the time. To prevent this, single out the things that are likely to attract your attention as you work and remove them from you. If it is structure and general layout of the paper that give you trouble, consider custom term papers for sale. Block distracting websites using Leechblock or RescueTime, turn off notifications, switch off your smartphone, block out the external noises by some music in your earphones.

3.    Find a writing place that works for you

If you do something you hate, you should at least do it somewhere you feel comfortable. Where it exactly depends on your preferences: some like to work at home, others prefer a nice café; still others find it inspiring to work in the park. Take your pick.

4.    Don’t try to write like somebody else

One of the reasons why you may hate writing is because you believe that you shouldn’t write in your own voice. You think you need to imitate either someone else or to write in an affected manner that has little in common with your own way of thinking and writing. Most likely, you are wrong, and your writing will only be improved if you choose to follow your heart and write the way you like.

5.    Practice

Another reason why students hate writing academic assignments is that they are not very good at writing. The reverse is true as well – once you learn how to write more or less well, you start feeling pleasure doing it. Do a bit of practice writing assignments of the type you have to write most often. Who knows? Perhaps, it will grow on you.

6.    Don’t be perfectionistic

Perfectionism is equally deadly both for enjoyment received from writing and the results achieved. Don’t try to make every sentence perfect – it is impossible. Write reasonably well, don’t go crazy correcting what you’ve already written because you will never finish doing it.

Learning to love writing is hard and long work, and we don’t claim that everybody is capable of doing it at first attempt. But making writing pleasant is achievable – and you can do it.

David Gutierrez has worked in the field of web design since 2005. Right now he started learning Java in order to get second occupation. His professional interests defined major topics of his articles. David writes about new web design software, recently discovered professional tricks and also monitors the latest updates of the web development.

 

University is stressful, make sure to take care of You

BY ANTON LUCANUS

 If you have made the decision to go to university, you are likely already feeling the winds of change. Going to university is amazing, and there are so many upsides to elevating your education through university or college, but it also comes with its challenges. Higher education demands a kind of accountability that compulsory schooling does not – you make the decision of if you want to go to university or college, and you alone are responsible for carrying out and committing to your studies. This is an easy enough concept to grasp, but it is a little more difficult to put into action sometimes. The single, best piece of advice that any university student can get is to make sure that they take care of themselves above all else. Grades are important, school is important, but nothing is worth sacrificing your health. First and foremost, your biggest responsibility is to yourself – even when that is difficult to remember amid the chaos of university or college life.

Students around the world find themselves under immense pressure throughout the school year. Going to university demands a standard of dedication towards assignments, examinations, and research. There always comes that inevitable point during the semester when it feels like you have more assessment than hours in the day, and competing (and acing) it all seems near impossible. During these busy times of the school year, many students sacrifice sleep, social time, and even shifts at work to get in those precious extra hours of study time. It is also during these times that it becomes a peak time of mental health strains among students. With so much going on at the one time, it is easy to get lost in the chaos.

Thankfully, there are now multiple tools and support systems that you can access to give you the assistance that you need, when you need it most, including online course groups (support systems), school psychologists (professional support), and even assignment help from experts (channels to ease the stress). The increase of campus treatment centres over the last few years speaks volumes of the issue at hand. While struggling with mental health as a student can make life at university feel like the loneliest place in the world, you are never alone. With thousands of individuals around you every day you are on campus, it is important to know the support channels in case you ever need them – especially if you have moved away from home to attend the university or college that you go to.

There should be at least one registered psychologist on campus, as well as student support groups that are available to bring together those that find themselves in similar circumstances – there is much to be said about comradery. Actively building friendships is another of the best things you can do to strengthen your mental health. When you have a few select people around university that you can trust and that have your back, it makes talking about the struggles easier – again, especially if you have moved away from home and your familiar, usual support network. Never underestimate the power of meeting new people – again, comradery runs deep.

Your mental health should always be your top priority. The stresses that will inevitably come with studying could potentially bring with them additional struggles as well, such as not living up to expectations (your own or of others), feeling inadequate, not feeling supported, and feeling lost in the chaos of what can feel like limitless work. It is not uncommon for students to feel like they are not being supported, and while it is likely not the intention of universities and colleges to make their students feel this way, they need to make the available channels more openly public. Universities and colleges have the means and the reasons to make all students aware of the available support networks, but for some reason the general awareness among students regarding these systems falls between the cracks sometimes. When you begin to feel overwhelmed, actively seek out channels that can help you; some students even make it their business to know how and where to find these channels before they have need of them, and it ends up being incredibly helpful down the road.

At university, you are constantly in a state of studying; whether it be research, revision, assessment writing, or examination preparation, there is always an element of your degree that demands your attention. University (or college) is one of the most rewarding things that you can do for yourself (if that is something that you want to do), but it also comes with immense challenges that should not be underestimated. During your time as a student, you will find yourself feeling the pressures of university life. It is always so important for you to ensure that you are taking care of your mental health, but as a student who is more susceptible to additional stresses and pressures, you must make a conscious effort to consistently check in with yourself, and take the appropriate measures to keep yourself healthy. Courses can be taken again, but you only have one life.

Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to guide current students to achieve personal and academic goals.