Baby Boomers Keep Job Skills Up

Older Americans are realizing that in order to stay in the game, their skills need constant updating.  They are finding that a great place to begin is at community colleges.  It would be worthwhile to take a look at the programs offered here in Memphis, as well as opportunities to audit a class (not pursuing a degree while attending college).

Click on this link for more on this subject.

Can You Afford to Quit?

Normally, at the Job & Career Center, we are focused on helping people get jobs.  But some families might need to determine if one member can quit and they can live on one income–while the other goes back to school, tries to start a business, or takes time away from work to raise the kids.  So, those of you who are considering these options might find this tool from Kiplinger.com helpful.

25 Things You Should Never Put On Your Resume

HR World has a number of great resources for people in the HR field and for jobseekers who need to understand more about how Human Resources/Personnel offices work.  This article is a must-read for anyone writing a resume or looking for a job.

What’s in a CV?

A curriculum vitae (sometimes called a CV or vita) is used, like a resume, to market your skills and abilities.  It is quite common in some fields (such as education or science) to have a CV instead of a resume.

QuintCareers has a really nice overview of what to include in a CV, along with links to samples and other helpful sites.

Go to Harvard for Free!

Harvard University has made some monumental changes to their financial policies in order to make college more affordable for middle- and low-income families.  Families with incomes under $60,000 will no longer be expected to contribute financially to the cost of sending their child to Harvard.  In turn, families who make between $60,000 and $180,000 will find their costs reduced as well.

For more information, take a look at this page from the Harvard Financial Aid Office.

(Now let’s just hope lots of other schools will follow suit!)

Community Foundation Scholarships

The Community Foundation of Greater Memphis offers a number of scholarships for local students.  At the Central Library, we have just received this year’s booklet, which contains guidelines, applications and more.  You may pick one up in the Job & Career Center on the 3rd floor, as long as supplies last.  You can also check out the Community Foundation’s website  for more information.  Most applications are due by April 1, 2008.  Good luck!

JobNewsMemphis.com Job Fair

I noticed an ad in the Memphis Flyer for an upcoming Job Fair at the Memphis Marriott East (2625 Thousand Oaks Blvd) on Wednesday, January 23, from 10am-3pm.  If you go to their website, you can view other upcoming fairs, search job postings and read articles on job searching.  If you’ve been to one of these job fairs before, please feel free to let us know what you think in the Comments section!

Memphis Summer Youth Employment Program

The Memphis Summer Youth Employment Program provides opportunities for students between the ages of 14 and 21 to work for the summer in a variety of jobs.  Applications must be submitted by February 9, 2008, and a lottery will be held for positions.  For more information, check out the the city’s website.

Future Leaders Scholarship

“The 100 Black Men of America’s Future Leader Scholarship Program is available to students who maintain full time status at an accredited, post secondary institution beginning in the fall of the year.  Applicants must meet all of the eligibility requirements and deadlines to qualify.”  The deadline is February 28, 2008, and the application and eligibility requirements can be found here.

How to Write a Cover Letter

WikiHow has a really nice, step-by-step guide to writing a winning cover letter.  If you need a little help, this is a great place to start!

Students, Get Organized

For you students who want to keep track of all of your course materials, notes, and schedules online… you might take a look at Notely.net.  Notely has a place for all of that and more–grade tracking, whiteboards, translation, etc.  A free registration is required.

Rule of Thirds

TheJobBored has a great article about applying the Rule of Thirds to your job search.  Essentially, you add structure to your job search by creating three categories for your job search: dream jobs, ‘gettable’ jobs, and random jobs.  This is an alternative to sending out one resume to every job you see posted.  Check out the link and feel free to comment!

Occupational Outlook Handbook

If you’ve never used the Occupational Outlook Handbook, it is certainly time to start!  The OOH is the ultimate resource for information about particular types of jobs–how much they pay, what kind of training is required, and what the future might hold for the field. 

The print version of this resource is published every two years, but the most recent information is available on the website.

Networking Tips for Shy People

This is a great article from CIO Magazine for introverts who want to improve their networking skills: How to Network: 12 Tips for Shy People

Memphis Opportunity Scholarship Trust

I had the good fortune to run into a friend who works for MOST last night.  If you are not familiar with this organization, MOST provides scholarships for Memphis students to attend private schools, and they currently support 667 Memphis students.  If you are interested in the program, they will be having an informational session at the Central Library on Wednesday, March 28th at 6:00 pm.  Please see their newsletter for details of what should be brought to the meeting.