Which college degrees provide better job security?

A new study from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce implies that your degree choice can have a big impact on keeping a job. According to the findings, risk of unemployment for recent graduates varies considerably depending on their major.

You can check out the full report, Hard Times, College Majors, Unemployment and Earnings: Not All College Degrees Are Created Equal, but here are some of the takeaways we’ve gleaned from it:

- Specializing is great, but develop skills that can be applicable in a number of ways. Case in point: The highest unemployment rate in the study was for architecture graduates (13.9 percent), a direct reflection of the struggling real estate market, and there’s little work outside of that industry. On the other hand, those with financial or computer expertise can transfer those skills to work for most any corporation or organization.

- Now might be a good time to get that advanced degree you’ve been mulling over. The overall unemployment rate for people with graduate degrees is just 3 percent.

- Look for ties to strong industries. Recent graduates in Engineering, the Sciences, Education, or Healthcare are tied to stable or growing sectors, and therefore, offer opportunities with the most staying power (with just a 5.4% unemployment rate).

On the bright side, any degree is still better than not having one at all. Recent bachelor’s degree earners have an 8.9 percent unemployment rate, while job seekers with just a high school diploma are at 22.9 percent, and high school dropouts are at 31.5 percent.

-Dawn Papandrea

Apparently, we’re nearing the end of Update Your Resume Month – as designated by Career Directors International – but you don’t have to rush around to meet a fall deadline. While back-to-school season is an ideal time to start fresh with a clean, crisp resume, it’s never too late to get this all-important document up to snuff. Review these tips (and more here) for your resume revamp.

>> Take note of where you’ve been.
When it comes to professional development, nothing is ever wasted. Maybe your boss made you go to a bunch of conferences, or you just decided to attend a few workshops and events on your own. Whether you loved ‘em or hated ‘em, they’re still worth listing on your resume. Include the title, date, and location of the event, the sponsoring organization, and the specific sessions you attended. If the training was relevant to your current career focus, list it closer to the top of your resume instead of the bottom.

>> Take note of what you’ve done.
Unless you’re stagnating at work (time for a job hunt?), chances are you’ve accomplished something in recent months. Special projects, cost-savings initiatives, leadership roles, and new business are all worthy of inclusion in your resume update. The more specific you can be about what you accomplished, the more relevant it will be. If you won an award or received a specific honor, list the exact name and date. If you’re drawing a blank, start saving all those “attaboy” emails in a separate folder to remind you what to include in your next resume update.

>> Think beyond work.
Yes, there is more to life than work… and your activities outside your job can actually benefit you on the job! Volunteer work marks you as a contributing member of society, and the leadership roles you take in nonprofits or industry groups can help you hone skills that are useful in your career. So don’t dismiss your work in the community watch program or at church as separate from your professional life. It’s all connected, and your involvement in outside activities reveals important aspects of your character and your commitment.

>> Consider what you want.
Now it’s time to think strategically. Spend some time evaluating your current career goals, and then peruse your resume to see if it reflects those objectives. Add a focus statement at the top of your resume to clarify who you are and what you do, and then review your resume to see if each item is relevant to your stated focus. If you have concerns about an item’s relevance, try using targeted keywords to rephrase the description so that it connects to the rest of the document.

>> Commit to ongoing updates.
Updating your resume feels overwhelming if you only pull it out when you’re looking for a job. Do yourself a favor: don’t let your resume gather dust while you plug away in your current position. Take a few minutes at the end of every month to review any new accomplishments and skills, and record them on your resume right then and there. If you think of your resume as a living document, always ready to be modified, it’s much more likely that it will be an accurate reflection of your true skills and abilities. And when the next job opportunity arises, you’ll be ready for it!

-Robyn Tellefsen

Sorry, Penelope Trunk, We Disagree

Let me preface this post by saying that I think Penelope Trunk is pretty cool. She’s the founder of Brazen Careerist and two other startups, and her career advice is always fresh and fun – if not a bit irreverent. But in one of her recent posts, she basically says that graduate degrees in the humanities are useless. Here’s why she’s wrong:

>> Employers still look for graduate degrees when hiring.
Even if a graduate degree is not required for entry into a particular field, many employers still say that, given the choice between a candidate with a master’s degree and one without, they’ll hire the one with the degree. A recent New York Times article confirms this notion, calling the master’s degree a “sorting mechanism.” Plus, plenty of non-science professions (e.g., teaching, clergy, psychology) do require graduate degrees just to get in the door, and that trend will continue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, careers that require first professional or master’s degrees are expected to grow by about 18 percent each; those that only require on-the-job training are expected to grow by 8 percent each.

>> Graduate degrees can get you promoted.
Trunk’s post seems to be directed at students who have never worked a day in the real world, but one doesn’t need to get a graduate degree in a vacuum. Many students go to grad school while they’re working – with the blessing (and even the tuition assistance) of their employer. When grad school is directly applicable to your field and can help you do better on the job, everyone benefits. Workers who are committed to self-improvement will always be in greater demand than those who are resting on the laurels of old accomplishments.

>> You can make more money with a graduate degree.
In a conversation about making a living with graduate education, it would be shortsighted not to mention the salary potential of advanced degrees. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, in 2008, the median annual earnings of young adults with a master’s degree or higher was $55,000. That’s 20 percent more than bachelor’s degree holders earned ($46,000). And for those who say you have to take grad school debt into account, remember that there are lots of ways to do grad school on the cheap (fellowships, scholarships, teacher assistantships, etc.).

>> You do need a graduate degree in order to teach.
Teaching jobs may not be easy to come by these days – especially at the college level – but they are out there. And you can’t get in without an advanced degree. Maximize your employability by choosing your school and program wisely, and making good connections once you’re there. Given a choice between two grad schools, go with the one that has the best reputation in your field, one with a high employment rate for graduates of your program.

>> Education is never a waste of time.
Even if none of the above points were true, and grad school didn’t enhance career prospects, I’d still make the case that education is valuable for its own sake. Grad school gives you an opportunity to focus your attention and delve deeply into a topic, to do research and consider new possibilities, and to gain philosophical understanding. Not only are these kinds of activities helpful in your career, they make a difference in your life as a whole. And we are whole people, not career robots. Anything you can do to challenge yourself and broaden your perspective – including grad school – is inherently worthwhile.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to grad school. While there are certainly “wrong” reasons to go to grad school, there are plenty of “right” reasons, too. Be selective in your search, and you’ll be amazed at the doors that a graduate degree can open.

-Robyn Tellefsen

If you think the tests stop once you have your degree, think again.

But one test that’s becoming more common in the job application process often has nothing to do with what you’ve learned in college.

It’s the personality test, which companies are using to help determine job seekers’ behavior and work style.

The Wall Street Journal reports that: “More than 80% of midsize and large companies use personality and ability assessments for entry and midlevel positions as either pre-employment or new-employee orientation tools.” The stat is from Development Dimensions International, a global human-resources consultancy. You’ll find the tests in industries such as health care, technology, finance, operations, and retail, the WSJ reports.

These assessments have been widely used in retail positions but are quickly spreading to other industries, including finance, technology, health care and operations.

If you’re taking one as a job applicant (Msnbc.com reports that this is happening even before the initial email or phone interview, when folks apply for a job online), the results could help a company determine your chance of succeeding or failing in a certain job. While this is a company decision, when you’re searching for a major, it may be worthwhile to take a personality test (even common ones like those by Myers-Briggs) to make sure you have the personality to be in a particular industry.

But some groups are concerned that the tests could discriminate against mentally disabled job candidates. CVS, for example, agreed to remove statements that candidates were required to respond to, including “You change from happy to sad without any reason” 
and “There’s no use having close friends; they always let you down,” after the Rhode Island ACLU filed a complaint with the state Commission for Human Rights.

Yes, you need to know the subject and how to do the job, but the use of personality tests show that it’s not just the degree that makes a job candidate.

-Lori Johnston

According to a recent New York Times article, master’s degrees are now outpacing bachelor’s degrees. The number of people earning bachelor’s degrees is certainly greater, but the master’s degree has become the fastest growing. Just look at this leap: In 1990, 6.7 million people had a master’s degree; in 2009, 12.3 million had a master’s degree.

The suggestion, then, is that a bachelor’s degree is no longer enough to help you get hired – you need a master’s degree just to get in the door. While this can certainly be true in such traditional liberal arts disciplines as psychology, art, and history, there are plenty of great professions you can enter without a master’s degree, including software engineering, personal financial advising, and athletic training, to name just a few.

Unless you’re locked into a profession that absolutely requires a master’s degree – like a physician assistant – there are lots of ways to leverage a bachelor’s degree and get the job of your dreams:

>> Cultivate experience. Bachelor’s degree programs offer tons of opportunities to get real-life experience in your field – the key is to take advantage of those opportunities. Yes, we’re talking about internships. Not only do internships provide you with great work experience and help you figure out what you really want to do with your life, they also show employers that you can handle the rigors of the real-world workplace.

>>Make connections. A master’s degree program is not the only place to create a professional network. In your undergraduate work, you’ll have access to professors who can mentor you and also help you get your foot in the door at various organizations. Without connections, a candidate with a master’s degree might just trump one with a bachelor’s degree – but if you commit to establishing a strong professional network in your bachelor’s degree program, you might find that, when push comes to shove, credentials matter less than connections.

>>Keep up with industry trends. If you’ve been out of school for a while, don’t let the dust settle on your education. Information is everywhere, but you have to commit to getting it. Join a professional organization, read news articles, and attend workshops and conferences in your field. These actions can boost your resume and prove that you have up-to-the-minute information and ideas, no matter when you earned your bachelor’s degree.

>>Market yourself. When hiring, most organizations are seeking candidates with a specific skill set. And just knowing that a candidate has a degree – bachelor’s, master’s, or otherwise – doesn’t guarantee that he or she has what it takes to get the job done. So it’s on you to research the organization, determine the skills and qualities sought, and prove that you’ve got ‘em in spades. Make specific bullet points on your resume that address those issues, and prepare interview-worthy anecdotes to show that your skills are the perfect match for the position.

A master’s degree can be an excellent credential, but it’s not the only path to professional advancement. For many of us, bachelor’s degrees are still getting the job done. Don’t rest on your laurels, though – commit to learning something new every day, and you may find that you already have everything you need for career success.

-Robyn Tellefsen

It’s a puzzling predicament: people can’t find jobs, and employers can’t find people to hire. It’s called a “skills gap,” and it basically means that workers don’t have what it takes to get hired or to get the job done.

Some say the answer is to get more people go to college. This is certainly an important piece of the puzzle, since post-secondary training can impart the kinds of skills needed to succeed in today’s jobs. But just making sure more people get certificates or degrees isn’t the answer. The key is to get the right kind of training, the kind that is needed to keep our changing economy afloat.

The good news is that there are already some national and state-wide initiatives in place to help workers get up to speed.

Developed by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), Lifelong Learning Accounts (LiLAs) are employer-matched, portable accounts that workers use to finance their education and training. The Lifelong Learning Accounts Act of 2011 is still in the first step of the federal legislative process (if it passes, workers can get tax benefits from their LiLA), but several states have already launched these 401(k)-like programs for their workers. Maine was the first state to launch a state-based LiLA program, and Illinois was the first state to pass legislation for a pilot in the health care sector that provides matching dollars for LiLA contributions. Washington state has also adopted a LiLA program, and California has passed legislation to establish a LiLA program in 2014.

Michigan is bridging the skills gap with its very own “No Worker Left Behind” initiative, which provides unemployed or low-wage workers with up to $10,000 in free tuition for community college, university, or other approved training. Workers must pursue a degree or occupational certificate in a high-demand occupation or emerging industry (e.g., advanced manufacturing, health care, biotechnology, renewable energy) or in an entrepreneurship program. In an increasingly knowledge-based economy, Michigan is taking serious steps to get its workers up to snuff.

Exciting things are taking place at the federal level, too. The Aspen Institute, an international nonprofit, is spearheading a national campaign specifically designed to close the skills gap. Through Skills for America’s Future, a nonpartisan initiative, employers are connecting with community colleges in order to train students for 21^st century jobs. In one of its most recent endeavors, Skills for America’s Future joined forces with the National Association of Manufacturers to give students the training and industry credentials they need to make it in today’s advanced manufacturing workplaces.

If you don’t live in an area that’s offering special skill-building opportunities like these, all is not lost. It just means you have to be especially proactive and take your career preparation in your own hands. Going to college is an important step, but what you do there is more important than just showing up or getting a piece of paper at the end. And one of the best experiences to incorporate into your education is an internship or apprenticeship. Internships offer a great opportunity to determine and hone the kinds of skills employers really need. That way, once you have your coveted piece of paper in hand, you’ll already have real-world experience and demonstrable skills.

With opportunities like these in place, we’re hoping the “skills gap” goes the way of the dinosaur.

-Robyn Tellefsen

Stop and share this news with your smartphone: More American adults (35 percent) own a smartphone than a bachelor’s degree (27.5 percent)!

I have both – a two-year-old Blackberry Storm (although I’m eagerly waiting for the new iPhone to give it a try), and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia, which I earned in 1995.

I love my smartphone (oh, the instant access to e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, photos, TV shows, and more!) and my degree. So I figure that’s enough of a qualification to share my three reasons why a bachelor’s degree is more important than a smartphone.

1. A smartphone may make you feel smart, but a degree gives you a key credential to show potential employers.

It takes dedication and determination (not to mention a financial investment) to earn your bachelor’s degree. Once you have it, it shows employers that you have met the college’s requirements and have a strong aptitude for the subject. Sure, you may be able to quickly pull up restaurant reviews, the latest YouTube videos, and beat friends in Scrabble by using your smartphone, but I doubt any of those will impress an employer during a job interview.

2. A smartphone helps you be connected at all times, but a degree gives you potential connections for a rewarding career.

If you love the instant access to email, text messaging, photos, videos, and other information that you get from a smartphone, you’re likely the type of person who likes to be in the know and on top of the latest trends and news about your friends, celebrities, or things that you’re passionate about. A degree offers those same kind of connections. You’ll form relationships with professors and students who could lead to your first job or big career steps. You’ll learn about industry groups and major companies to follow (even by using Twitter on your smartphone) to find out about the latest trends in your field and make you a smarter employee or job candidate.

3. A smartphone’s battery life will lessen as you watch TV, movies, and video, and just use it on a daily basis, but a degree will boost your life professionally.

My biggest problem with a smartphone is how much just daily use sucks the life out of my battery, often causing my phone to die until I plug it in and resuscitate it. Earning your bachelor’s degree won’t harm any of your career aspirations, but will juice up your professional life, increasing your earning potential and allowing you to find a job in a field you love.

There’s one thing a smartphone and a bachelor’s degree have in common – it takes research when deciding what type of smartphone to purchase and what type of bachelor’s degree program you want to pursue. We can’t live without our smartphone, but if you’re only living with your smartphone, consider pursuing your bachelor’s degree, too!

-Lori Johnston

Every summer, my TV is constantly tuned into Wimbledon, where with every serve, volley, and amazing backhand, I am amazed by how important the medical staff is to the players battling to win the championship.

Some matches are paused as players seek help of trainers to diagnose problems and give them the medical help they need to make it through each game, set and match.

In defending champion Rafael Nadal’s match Monday, he called for a trainer, who taped his left foot and give him cream to help with the pain, and then he went on to beat Juan Martín del Potro to make it to the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Nadal got an MRI exam on his foot to determine the severity of the injury, a procedure that requires the expertise of a radiology technologist.

There’s not only the physical strain when playing tennis, but mental strain in often evident when playing solo or communicating with a partner. Even viewers can feel mentally and emotional exhausted after seeing favorites such as the Williams sisters and Andy Roddick lose or watching intense matches. Sports psychologists can be beneficial to players, whether they’re at the height of their career or not living up to expectations, or just needing to control their outbursts (remember Serena Williams’ profanity-filled tirade against a lineswoman at the 2009 U.S. Open?).

Other professionals, such as chiropractors, massage therapists and physiotherapists, also can make up a tennis players’ entourage or be used by players at tournaments. Of course, it’s not just for tennis but all other sports, where the medical profession is a key behind-the-scenes member of the team.

As you’re considering job choices, realize how choosing the health care industry is not only leading to jobs in hospitals and doctors offices but in active settings where immediate attention often is needed. For tennis players at Wimbledon, the medical assistance can be a factor in dominating opponents in this summertime Grand Slam event.

-Lori Johnston

It sounds like an absurd proposition, doesn’t it? After all, conventional wisdom suggests that getting fired is one of the worst things that can happen in your career. But Jim Camp, negotiation coach and author of “No: The Only Negotiating System You Need for Work and Home,” says the opposite is true – getting fired can actually work to your advantage.

The secret is, well… don’t keep it a secret. Employers don’t want to hire someone who’s got something to hide. That’s not to say you should use the interview as an opportunity to air your dirty laundry, but you can maintain control of your own information and the process by which you reveal it.

Instead of trying to avoid the issue, says Camp, make sure you’re the one who puts it out there. Be assertive, and show that you’re not afraid of a challenge and that you can navigate your way through a potentially uncomfortable situation. “Be honest, direct, and authentic,” he advises.

To do this, you first have to deal with your own negative emotions. If you walk into an interview feeling incompetent, uncomfortable, or in any way “less than,” your interviewers will catch the vibe quick. All the confident buzzwords in the world will fall flat if your nonverbal communication reveals that you don’t believe them yourself. You’ve got to “be comfortable in your own skin,” says Camp.

There’s a scene in the movie “The Pursuit of Happyness” that I think illustrates the point perfectly. On the morning of his interview for a competitive internship at Dean Witter, Chris Gardner (played by Will Smith) is in jail for unpaid parking tickets. He makes it to the interview in time, but he’s still dressed in the undershirt and paint-splattered jeans he was wearing when he got arrested the night before. He has no chance to get cleaned up, but he manages to take control of the situation in his interview:

I’ve been sitting out there for the last half hour trying to come up with a story that would explain my being here dressed like this. And I wanted to come up with a story that would demonstrate qualities that I’m sure you all admire here, like earnestness or diligence or team-playing, something. And I couldn’t think of anything. So the truth is I was arrested for failure to pay parking tickets… and I ran all the way here from the police station.

With his can-do attitude and direct approach, Gardner helps the interviewers get past his ridiculous appearance, and he gets the job. What could have been a deal breaker became an opportunity to shine in spite of obstacles.

In your next job interview, the way you handle a prior termination (or any obstacle) will speak volumes about your ability to communicate effectively and to turn a negative into a positive – skills that every organization needs.

-Robyn Tellefsen

If you’re headed back to the classroom and haven’t had the time for Facebook and Twitter or only use it to check up on your child or connect occasionally with old high school friends, now’s the time to learn how social networking can help you in school.

Social media can help college students make vital education and career connections, a recent Associated Press-Viacom poll found.

Seven out of 10 students reported that the social media sites are good for creating study groups, working with peers on assignments, and getting information about school activities or assignments.

We see it all the time. On Facebook, students discuss upcoming tests, what they missed if absent, and schedule times to meet up to quick study sessions or all-nighters. That way, you don’t have to try to call classmates to arrange a study group while your kids are wanting a snack or needing you to help them with their homework. Virtual connections are essential during a fast-paced semester!

Students also are using Twitter to keep connected with each other and their professors, some of whom use Twitter to fuel class discussions, too.

If you are unfamiliar with how to use those social media sites, you’ll want to brush up on using social media wisely. If you’re on Facebook, you may want to create a secure group that only your classmates can see to discuss a project or test. If you want to keep your schedule private, message a classmate to plan a study group instead of posting it on their wall. Also, realize that what you’re writing about a certain class could be seen by others (including possible employers), so watch what you’re sharing with all of your Facebook friends.

At the same time, 74 percent of students who responded to the poll say social media is a “good way to distract themselves,” the AP reported.

Keep watch of how much time you spend time on those sites. Jumping onto Facebook or Twitter could be a brief reward you earn after writing a paper or studying a couple of hours. But if you can’t resist checking out the sites every few minutes, you’ll need to come up with a plan for keeping in touch with classmates via social media without harming your GPA.