Are you considering going back to school? Maybe you’re thinking about a career change or looking for a way to get ahead in your current career. Whatever the reason, furthering your education is rarely a bad idea. Determining your educational path is a lot like mapping out a road trip. If you have a destination in mind, you can figure out a route, estimate how long your trip will take, and the gather resources you need to get from Point A to Point B. So before you rush out and enroll at a four year university or sign up for a trade school certification course, tap the brakes for a moment and consider your career destination before you set off down a particular education path.
At the close of 2015, Forbes released a list of academic degrees that revealed which college majors will get you noticed by employers based on a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
We’ve taken the top four degrees from that list to help you understand what’s most sought after by employers. To view the full list and accompanying article, click here.
1. Accounting
If you enjoy business mathematics, focusing on the details, and analyzing and comparing data, an accounting degree may be right for you! According to WorldWideLearn.com, accounting degrees lead to some of the more low stress, high compensation jobs available today. It’s also among the top degrees for quick career placement after graduation.
2. Computer Science
A degree like this not only provides a variety of opportunities, it is becoming more in demand as companies try to keep up with emerging technology trends. Companies need employees with computer science knowledge to help them problem solve, analyze, and provide a broad understanding of technology.
3. Finance
A finance degree is very appealing because most companies need people to crunch the numbers. No business can run without having its finances managed, so it’s easy to see why this kind of education will catch an employer’s eye. And, your opportunities within the finance realm are many. You can find a wide range of jobs from economics, personal finance, retirement advisory, and more.
4. Business Administration/Management
Employers are also likely to notice those candidates with a business administration degree. This field opens doors in a wide-range of capacities for a company, including general business operations, marketing, management, sales, and more.
Earning a degree is a commitment of both time and money, but it can prove invaluable in your job hunt.
Are you currently pursuing a degree, or want to get started? What path would you choose? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
The decision to get a higher education is an important one. Often, a lot of money and time goes into earning a college degree, so it’s vital that you choose a career path that works best for you. If you’re thinking about getting a higher education, you may be wondering which college majors are currently in demand.
According to the National Recruiting Center of Express Employment Professionals, there are a handful of college majors that businesses are continually looking to hire. Are they in your career path? To find out, take a look at these five college majors employers love.
Finance
A bachelor’s degree in finance may lead to a career in banking, financial planning, money management, insurance, or tax preparation. Often, graduates with a degree in finance will qualify for a wide range of jobs in public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Examples of core courses in the financial degree path include accounting, economics, business law, and personal finance. According to Payscale.com, financial analysts make between $40,000-$70,000 a year, with monetary increases as you work up the ladder to management. In fact, according to Forbes, finance is one of the college degrees with the highest starting salaries.
Accounting
While finance is generally described as the study of how to manage money, accounting is the study of obtaining, collecting, and dealing with financial information. If you’re interested in becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a degree in accounting is the right choice. Careers for those with accounting degrees include bookkeepers, CPAs, auditors, tax specialists, and personal accountants, and courses in an accounting program typically include statistics, business law, cost accounting, and auditing. Payscale reports that the salary for accountants ranges from $35,000-$66,000, and CPAs range from $42-$106,000 annually.
Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a study that focuses on all aspects of business. Business administration programs are designed to teach a wide range of topics, including marketing, management, finance, human resources, and economics. The Master of Business Administration (MBA) requires additional schooling and is a professional degree. Business graduates may seek careers in human resources, marketing, or management, and many even land roles in high-level leadership. According to Payscale, office management jobs pay around $40,000 a year, while career paths requiring an MBA may pay anywhere from $53-$156,000.
Mechanical Engineering
If you’ve always been a builder, inventor, or designer, you may be interested in a mechanical engineering degree. Mechanical engineering graduates are sought by employers in many industries, including aerospace, automotive, chemical, construction, electronics, utilities, and energy. Typical courses in a mechanical engineering program may include calculus, chemistry, physics, and programming. The average salary for mechanical engineers, according to Payscale, ranges from $50,000-$93,000 a year.
Computer Science
A diverse field with many opportunities, computer science careers are in high demand. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job openings for this career path are expected to grow by more than 20% through 2022. Courses include computer programming, web programing, information technology, programming languages, digital design, and more. There are many career paths for computer science graduates, including software developers, computer programmers, network administrators, web developers, database administrators, and software testers. Payscale reports that computer science degrees bring an average annual salary of $53,000-$150,000.
Vocational/Technical Education
College isn’t the only path to higher education. For many, there’s a better option: Career Technical Education (CTE). For those who don’t think college is the best option or want to enter the workforce sooner, a CTE can provide the skills and training they need for other in-demand jobs. According to Express, those sought-after jobs include medical assistants, welders, machinists, dental assistants, hygienists, CNC operators, and licensed nurses.
Non College Grads
If higher education isn’t for you, you’re not out of the race. A recent survey from Express revealed the hottest fields that are hiring the most non-college grads include office services, industrial, health care, marketing, and more. Take a look at the full list to help you build your career path.
Do you have a college degree? What does your educational path look like? Share your story with us in the comments section below.
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Education and experience are hot topics when it comes to your chances of finding a job. Since professional opinions are mixed on whether or not your education plays a primary role in your search for employment, we asked Movin’ On Up readers how soon after graduation they secured a job.
What the Survey Revealed
With 167 votes, the survey revealed that 27% of readers were hired immediately, or even had a job lined up before graduation. The rest of the respondents who found work after graduation reported their time table as follows:
- Less than three months – 15%
- Three to six months – 10%
- Six months to a year – 11%
- More than a year – 14%
While the largest majority of readers found a job immediately after or before graduation, those who found work a few months after graduation were mixed in their responses. According to the results of the survey, it could take anywhere from one month to one year to secure a job after earning your degree.
Additionally, 16%, the second largest group of respondents to our poll, reported that they are still looking for a job after graduation.
Respondents could also select the “Other” option and provide their own responses to the poll. Of the 7% who selected “Other,” responses included:
- I got hired before finishing my degree
- I went to USMC Boot Camp the next day
- Three years
- Seven years
- 10 years
- 15 years and still looking
- I found work, but not in my field
Keep Focusing On Your Goals
The results of the poll are a mixture of graduates who found work right away and those who are still looking after several years. While it’s easy to feel discouraged by long job searches, it’s important not to give up. Recent surveys from universities and other institutions suggest that hiring is on the rise for recent graduates, and there are ways you can help yourself stand out from the competition.
If you got a job after graduation, what tips do you have for other recent graduates? Let us know in the comments section below!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
If you answered yes, you may want to consider studying business, engineering, or nursing.
According to a new report released by Express Employment Professionals, college graduates who have a business, engineering, accounting, or nursing degree will have a much easier time finding jobs than graduates in other professions.
By the Numbers
More than a quarter of the survey’s 115 respondents said business was the best major for finding employment, followed by engineering, accounting, nursing, computer, and information sciences.
“Business is still a good bet for a college major, according to our survey,” said Bob Funk, CEO and Chairman of the Board for Express. “Once again, our findings tell us that if you earn a degree that’s associated with a particular skill set, you will do better in the job market.”
In the second year of the survey, business remains the top answer.
“I advise people deciding what to study to consider both what they’re passionate about and what the market demands,” Funk said. “If those intersect, they’re in good shape. The most important thing is to be informed about and aware of which degree can give you a competitive advantage, both in the short term and the long term.”
A Closer Look
For college-bound students, here are the full results of the survey:
| What college major makes someone the most employable? | ||
|
2014 |
2013 |
|
| Business |
27% |
26% |
| Engineering |
20% |
16% |
| Accounting |
14% |
14% |
| Nursing |
6% |
3% |
| Computer and Information Sciences |
5% |
13% |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies, and Humanities |
5% |
2% |
| Engineering Technologies |
4% |
3% |
| Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences |
3% |
8% |
| Marketing |
3% |
3% |
| Education |
1% |
1% |
| Math and Statistics |
1% |
1% |
| Science Technologies |
1% |
1% |
| Communications Technologies |
0% |
1% |
| Finance |
0% |
3% |
National Numbers
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the salaries for these jobs are also competitive. Consider this: the second most in-demand major is engineering, which averages a median starting salary of $51,700 to $97,900. Computer science has a median starting pay of $56,000 while nursing’s median pay is $65,470 per year.
Do these in-demand college degrees surprise you? Have you had success with these jobs? Share your stories in the comments section below!
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Are you looking for a job or thinking about changing careers? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, a recent survey by CareerBuilder indicated that 21% of full-time employees plan to make a job change. This averages to one in five workers making a switch! In March, CareerBuilder also stated that more than half of all employers have open positions but can’t find qualified candidates, while 35% of employers said their organizations have had positions open for an average of 12 weeks before filling.
So, what’s the deal?
Training vs. Already Trained
Companies today are no longer seeing the value of on-the-job training for new employees like they once did, according to Bloomberg BusinessWeek. This is credited to employees changing jobs more frequently today than in the past. Instead of training employees themselves, companies are hiring for certain pre-existing skill sets and want employees to hit the ground running.
If education and experience are musts for landing the job you want, what industries are worth going to back to school for?
Future Top Industries
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top occupations expected to experience growth between now and 2022 are:
- Healthcare Support (28.1%)
- Healthcare practitioners and Technical occupations (21.5%)
- Construction (21.4%)
- Personal care (20.9%)
- Computer and mathematics (18%)
To see the complete BLS report, click here.
Today’s Top Jobs
According to US News Best Jobs for 2014, the top 20 current jobs are:
- Software Developer
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Dentist
- Nurse Practitioner
- Pharmacist
- Registered Nurse
- Physical Therapist
- Physician
- Web Developer
- Dental Hygienist
- Information Systems Analyst
- Database Administrator
- Physician Assistant
- Occupational Therapist
- Market Research Analyst
- Phlebotomist
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Civil Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Veterinarian
For a complete list, click here.
If you’re not satisfied with where you are professionally, there is still time to change and plenty of opportunities waiting. From traditional education to career technical education, your options are limitless. Seize the day!
How has your education impacted your career path? Share your story in the comments section below.
Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.
Congratulations to all of you who will be earning a college degree this month. After years of late-night studying, taking early morning exams, and living on a budget as thin as your ramen noodles, you’ve finally made it! But after receiving the important piece of paper and the celebration high is gone, you will probably ask yourself the same question I asked myself after it was all said and done:
“Now what?”
There are those fortunate few who are able to get a job right after or just before graduation; but for many, including me, there is a greater priority put on working unpaid internships, second jobs, and whatever else needed to keep a roof over their heads. While the job search should start before graduation, it’s not too late to begin after graduation.
We’ve got your back. Transitioning into the real world and finding a job doesn’t have to be an overwhelming and confusing journey. If you follow these guidelines on what to do after graduating from college, your job search might be a little easier.
Set a Goal
Before you do anything, you should have an idea of what you’re trying to achieve. Your goal, “to find a job,” is a given, but consider making smaller objectives that will help you achieve that goal, then build a plan to accomplish them. The more defined and realistic your plan is, the more likely you are to stick with it.
Start small by trying to make a few new contacts, send out resumes, or read a certain number of industry articles every week. Take some ideas from the rest of this blog to make small baby steps toward your goal.
Brake on the Break
Graduating from college is a notable achievement. I spent several years of my life working diligently to make my dream a reality. Since I worked so hard for so long, I felt entitled to take a break and enjoy my freedom for a month… or two. Looking back, I wish I hadn’t.
In a way, I felt entitled to a job since I sacrificed so much for a college degree. When I finally got around to starting my job search, I learned that opportunities wouldn’t fall in my lap – I had to earn them. While you may be tempted to take a break to clear your head, now is the time to make the job search a priority. The harder you work, the more likely you will get noticed.
Fail Fearlessly
Be prepared to fail. Trust me; you might fail more than once. You may be perfectly qualified for a job opening and perform all of the best job search activities, but for one reason or another, the potential employer may choose someone else. Your failures don’t define you, but how you bounce back from them does. Try harder, learn better, and then work smarter so you can be more prepared the next time around.
Monitor Your Social Networks
While it’s important to express yourself on social networking sites, it wouldn’t hurt to treat the content you post with a little class. If you are mindful and tactful on sites like Facebook, your growing professional network can prove to be a valuable asset to potential employers. Don’t forget that sites like Twitter and LinkedIn can be great tools to connect with leaders in your field and learn about job opportunities.
Don’t Stop Reading
Just because you may not be as skilled as other seasoned veterans in your industry, it doesn’t mean you should be lacking knowledge on the latest issues and trends. Find out what your industry leaders are reading and mimic them. It sounds cliché, but as the G.I. Joe shows always said, “Knowing is half the battle!”
Practice the Power of Positivity
When trying to get your foot in the door after college, showing passion and a positive attitude can set you apart from your competition. Your skills are still fairly limited, so displaying a willingness to learn with an optimistic point of view can help potential employers see that you are a worthwhile long-term investment.
Beggars Can’t Be Choosers
We all aspire for that dream job, but many times we aren’t qualified to perform the duties that come with dream jobs just yet. When starting at the entry level, you have to keep your expectations realistic. You may have to adjust the goals you set earlier to not only find a job, but develop your career for that dream job. In most organizations, you have to learn to serve at the bottom before you can work at the top.
Network Like There’s No Tomorrow
It really is all about who you know. It’s not so much the amount of people you know, but the right people you network with. You’ve learned how to build relationships with a diverse group of people, so take those skills and network with peers and leaders in your field who can help you accomplish your goals.
There’s a lot to figure out after graduating from college. But, you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. Take these guidelines and start searching for a job now. What was your job search like after college? Let us know in the comments section below.