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S P O N S O R S

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July 11, 1997

HUMAN SERVICES

Residential Counselor
Group homes for the developmentally disabled have grown in number by 29 percent in the past two years, as governments continue to close mental institutions.

INFORMATION SERVICES

Web Master
Say no more...

LAW

Employment Lawyer
One New York legal recruiter, Ann Israel & Associates, has seen the number of requests for employment lawyers jump 200 percent in the past year alone.

MEDIA

On-line Content Developer
Media watchers expect the number of online publications to triple or quadruple in the next two years. Magazines and newsletters, too, are creating on-line editions -- and new slots for pros who can infuse text with visual and audio life.

MEDICINE

Internist In Infectious Diseases
The spread of hepatitis, gonorrhea, tuberculosis and HIV is contributing to demand for the doctors who treat -- and when possible, prevent -- contagious diseases.

SALES

Wireless Salesperson
Salespeople will be needed to market not only the new phones but mobile fax machines and pagers, too. The best-paid sales jobs tend to be with manufacturers who sell to retailers and other companies.

SCIENCE

Research Genetic Researcher
The scientists who are mapping human chromosomes are well along toward their goal: Nearly half of the body's 80,000 genes have been located so far.

SOCIAL WORK

Geriatric Case Manager
The number of people age 85 and up -- now 3.5 million -- will more than double by 2025, the year the whole baby boom bulge will pass 65.

SPORTS MANAGEMENT

Corporate Sales Representative
Companies in North America spent a stunning $3.05 billion as sponsors in 1995, up 44 percent since 1992. The sales force cuts the deals, which generally give a company logo rights.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Computer Security Expert
Companies want computer security pros to design and monitor the protections for computer-stored trade secrets, employee data, etc.

July 10, 1997

A report by U.S. News & World Report identified the twenty "Hot Jobs" with the greatest potential for expansion over the next decade.

If you are undecided on a career, you may wish to consider one of the following. (Somewhat surprisingly, not all of them required highly developed computer skills - at least, not at the moment...)

ACCOUNTING

International Accountant
The number of international accountants at the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche has increased more than fourfold in the past five years and is expected to double again in the next five.

ARCHITECTURE

Design/Build Specialist
About 28 percent of new nonresidential buildings are now put up through the design/build process, up from about 10 percent in 1989. By 2005, that share could reach nearly 50 percent.

CONSULTING

Human Resources Pro
Experts say the "outsourcing" of HR duties to independent contractors now represents about a quarter of the $20 billion yearly consulting revenue in the United States; that $5 billion is expected to grow about 10 percent in the next two or three years.

EDUCATION

Specialist In English As A Second Language
Half the student population of Fairfax County, Va., has a native language other than English; some 100 languages are spoken in the school system. All told, the population of U.S. students who are designated as "limited English proficient" has jumped 22 percent in just two years.

ENGINEERING

Software Engineer
It shouldn't come as a revelation that software is hot -- or that the engineers who feed the hunger for new applications have become a precious commodity.

ENTERTAINMENT

Computer Animator
Much of the demand will be at smaller firms focused on television and video game animation, which are springing up rapidly as equipment prices plummet.

ENVIRONMENT

Computer Mapper
Geographic information systems software allows a visual understanding of a project's impact on surrounding areas; GIS specialists are the technical pros who create the maps and help analyze the results.

FINANCE

Investment Manager
Hungry for fee-generating business, financial institutions have rapidly expanded their mutual fund and pension fund operations -- and they need pros to manage the investments.

HEALTH CARE

Information Specialist
According to one estimate, the need for staffers conversant with medical information and computer databases is expected to outstrip supply by 54 percent by the year 2000.

HOSPITALITY

Food Service Manager
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that by 2005, jobs in food service management will jump by 44 percent; besides restaurants, hotels, hospitals and contract food service companies will be recruiting.

Tomorrow: Part II

July 09, 1997

The C areer Planning Process looks like an interesting tool to help you focus your career search.

It "encourages individuals to explore and gather information which enables them to synthesize, gain competencies, make decisions, set goals and take action".

Each individual varies in their progress through each stage. Some advance rapidly through each or all of the stages while others progress more slowly. Individuals may repeat all or parts of the career development process at various points throughout their lives as values, interests, abilities, and life circumstances change.

There are fours steps to using the model.

The first step involves gathering information about yourself to assist in making a decision about a career. You should develop an understanding of self including values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, personal traits, and desired life style, and become aware of the interrelationship between self and occupational choice

The second step allows individuals to investigate the world of work in greater depth, narrow a general occupational direction into a specific one through an informed decision making process, and declare a major.

In Step III individuals evaluate occupational choices and gain practical experience through internships, cooperative education, relevant summer employment, volunteer work and campus activities. In addition, more specific decisions about occupational choices are made.

An initial occupational choice is made in Step IV. Individuals prepare for and begin conducting a job search, or apply to graduate or professional schools.

This is well worth a look.

July 08, 1997

Task-Oriented Interviews

Candidates are given test exercises or asked to solve problems to demonstrate their analytical, creative and problem-solving abilities.

Tip: Try to relax as much as possible. You'll be more creative if you are not saddled with anxiety.

Personality Evaluations

Behavioral testing also is in vogue at larger corporations. These tests supposedly reveal how you'll perform on the job -- particularly in a team-oriented workplace.

Tip: Keep your answers truthful. If a company values "fit" so much that it pays someone to evaluate your personality, you probably don't want to work there unless you do fit in.

Structured Interviews

All candidates are asked the same series of carefully constructed questions, which are designed to flesh out a profile of creativity, leadership and ability to work in a team.

They can be inflexible and dehumanizing. However, in order to structure the questions, the employer has to really think about the job in question. This usually results in a job with clearly defined duties, expectations and meaning within the organizational structure.

Tip: Don't give short answers. Let your response go beyond the question to give the interviewer a full view of your abilities.

Electronic Phone Interviews

Electronic interviews are a favored technique for employers hiring a high volume of grunt workers.

Job candidates take a call-in interview by answering a series of multiple-choice questions posed by computerized voices. Answers are punched into the phone keypad, although some systems have microphone capabilities built in to see if you can actually speak English.

Tip: The speed of your response counts, so be quick!

And good luck.

July 07, 1997

To increase job retention and build a team-oriented workplace, many high-tech employers are turning to a host of new techniques to find workers.

Here are some of the latest trends.

Group Interviews

These are grill sessions in which two or more people interview you at the same time.

Remember, you can't please all the people all the time. What wins one interviewer over may disappoint another. Tip: Make eye contact with all interviewers, no matter who asked the question. It's important to try to establish rapport with every individual on the interviewing team.

Stress Interviews

Still fairly rare, stress interviews are those in which the interviewer tries to bait you, to see what you're made of. The objective is to find your weaknesses and test how you hold up under pressure.

Tip: Cut out now and don't bother with a follow-up call.

Computer-Assisted Interviews

Some corporations that screen hundreds of candidates, such as retailers, hotels, insurance companies and hospitals, are using computer-administered tests to evaluate job seekers.

The routine usually is this: Upon arrival, you're led to a windowless cell with a computer terminal. You must plow through 50 to 100 multiple-choice questions that plumb your background, job qualifications, values and employment history.

Your test will be compared with those of other applicants, as real humans evaluate the answers and even the length of time it took you to take the test.

Tip: Consistency is a big factor, so watch your answers for any discrepancies.

Tomorrow - Task-Oriented Interviews, Personality Evaluations, Structured Interviews, Electronic Phone Interviews

More Resources

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