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Heading Back to School? Tips for Juggling Work, School and a Personal Life

By Megan Malugani | Monster Contributing Writer — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:04:00 -0700

If you've decided to pursue a higher degree after working for a few years, you may need a little help getting organized. Try these survival tips for juggling work, school and your personal life.

h2. Choose Your Program Carefully

Many schools tailor programs to working healthcare professionals by offering evening and weekend classes. Some schools provide distance learning opportunities, which allow students to take courses via the Internet or by teleconferencing.

h2. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

Set a goal for completing the program, even if it's a long-term goal. Always keep in mind that what you're doing will open doors for you in the long run.

h2. Think Ahead

Many healthcare employers encourage employees to attain higher degrees and will accommodate students' schedules. If that's the case, alert your employer to your class schedule as far in advance as possible.

h2. Stay Organized

Make daily and weekly to-do lists, but don't panic if unexpected problems arise and set you back. Keep work and school separate, even if your employer supports your efforts.

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h2. Don't Neglect Yourself or Your Responsibilities

Keep your energy level high by eating well and exercising. Although sleep may seem like a sinful indulgence the week before a test, you can hurt yourself or your patients if you don't get your rest.

h2. Banish Guilt

Enjoy time with your loved ones rather than feeling guilty about the schoolwork you could be doing. Plan time for yourself that's not related to school.

h2. Take a Break If You Need One

Take a semester off if you're overwhelmed, or reduce your courseload.

h2. Study Anywhere, Anytime

Review your notes or course readings while waiting in lines. Tape-record lectures and listen to them when you're driving.

h2. Take Advantage of the Internet

Communicate with professors via email. Research projects online.

Eight Reasons to Get an MBA Now

PINK Magazine | DivineCaroline.com — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:41:00 -0700

*1. Today’s flexible programs make enrollment easy.* Degrees or certificate programs can be completed in as little as one day to two years. Weekend or evening classes, summer sessions,
Internet courses, distance learning, open enrollment, and full-time modules accommodate busy professionals. Harvard Business School (HBS) offers Forty-five Executive Education programs, and Rutgers University offers a 12-week Mini-MBA certificate. And many top schools now have multiple campuses. The University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School has a campus in San Francisco, and Columbia Business School merged resources with the University of California’s Haas School to create the Berkeley-Columbia Executive MBA Program.

*2. The MBA network never stops growing–and neither should yours.* Business education introduces students and alumnae to a diversified world of organizations, business leaders, and outstanding colleagues around the globe. A particular college network can boast tens of thousands of alums (HBS has more than 65,000 alums and Wharton has 81,000) all representing an enormous network of knowledge and opportunity.

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*3. Business courses are more diversified than ever.* As business topics become more heterogeneous, schools are offering courses that are increasingly applicable to the business world. Colleges like Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management offers training in specific programs like “Fundraising and Marketing,” “Performance Counts!” and a targeted “Women’s Senior Leadership Program.” Emory University’s Goizueta Business School teams up with corporations like The Home Depot to create customized leadership and development programs.

*4. Business skills deliver success in the office–and in life* A business degree rewards graduates with both quantitative and qualitative skills. A general curriculum will include the essentials of business: finance, operations, marketing, accounting, and economics. But it also teaches negotiation, communication, governance, teamwork and ethics, valuable skills for aspects of life.

Next Page: Access to Business Tools and Technology →

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Featured Author: DivineCaroline

At DivineCaroline, you’ll be spending time with women who embrace the fact that life isn’t always easy or beautiful or fair. Our dream is to give you a place to come together to express yourselves. What brings you joy. What breaks your heart. Makes you giggle. What pisses you off. Confuses you. Entertains you. What keeps you strong. Check them out here!

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*5. MBA candidates gain access to limitless knowledge, business tools, and technology.* MBA schools boast world-class faculty consisting of consultants, experts, and executives with real-world experience. Students also gain access to extensive business libraries (like the 550,000 items at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business Jackson Library), progressive digital centers, classroom discussions, and field-based projects.

*6. Alumnae enjoy lifelong learning.* An
MBA education continues long after graduation. Graduates have access to alumnae networking events, research, faculty, libraries, technical support, conference invitations, online resources, and discounts to executive education sessions. Many programs publish an alumni magazine or online newsletter, like HBS’s Executive Education Update, with cutting-edge business advice.

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*7. An MBA is your ticket around the globe.* With today’s global economy, most schools offer exchange programs or courses at worldwide partner institutions from Singapore to France. For example, The University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business has a London campus; Kellogg has partnership schools in Hong Kong and Germany; and Columbia offers an EMBA-Global joint program with London Business School.

*8. An MBA creates your legacy now.* Ethics and community reinvestment have become hot topics for business schools, sparking new and progressive modules for outreach and education. For example, Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business developed the Allwin Initiative for Corporate Citizenship to proactively integrate social and environmental consciousness into their MBA curriculum. Business graduates from many schools go on to work at nonprofits and invest in community projects globally. Business degrees craft new and exciting careers for women, increase professional gender equality and create positive role models for our daughters.

Start your search for an MBA program at our "education page":http://edu.excelle.com.

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Grad School is Not an Escape

Alison Green | Ask A Manager — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:00:00 -0700

From a Monday New York Times article on the job market for new grads:

Liam O'Reilly, who just graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in history, said he had applied to 50 employers -- to be a paralegal, a researcher for a policy organization, an administrative assistant -- but he had gotten hardly any interviews. While continuing to search for something he truly wants, he has taken a minimum-wage job selling software that includes an occasional commission.

"Had I realized it would be this bad, I would have applied to grad school," Mr. O'Reilly said.

Nooooo.

Grad school is not a way to prolong the day of reckoning.

You go to grad school if you want to pursue a career that requires it. You do not go to grad school for the hell of it, or because you don't know what else you want to do, or because the job market is bad and it's somewhere to hide out for a while.

Liam isn't alone in thinking this way. I see countless job applicants with freshly minted masters degrees that they're not going to use, and I see countless people making plans for grad school when they can't explain why they need to.

Grad school is expensive. It's time-consuming. And it generally will not make you more marketable, unless you're going into a field that specifically requires a graduate degree. What it will do is keep you from getting work experience for that much longer, meaning that when you're done, your peers who have been working full-time while you were in school will be more competitive than you. It might also limit you by requiring you to find a higher-paying job than you might otherwise need, in order to pay back those loans (without actually increasing your earning power). And if you apply for jobs that have nothing to do with your graduate degree, employers will think you don't really want the job you're applying for, since it's not in "your field."

Being a new grad entering this job market is scary. I can understand why staying in the warm bosom of academia a little longer would be appealing. But using grad school as an escape isn't a good answer.

P.S. 50 applications isn't that many for an entry-level candidate, especially when it apparently produced some interviews. Keep persisting!

What do you think? Should you take a job, any job, or go to grad school?

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Mixing Education with a Full Time Job

Steve Berman | HRPeople — Fri, 28 May 2010 09:39:00 -0700

The alarm goes off at 5:30 am, and you could swear you went to sleep five minutes ago. First a quick shower, followed by the finishing touches on that homework assignment due tonight over coffee and breakfast — if there’s time.

Then it’s off to work, a solid eight-plus hours of time where you’re busy with reports, meetings and other assorted tasks as an HR professional. At the end of your workday, your coworkers are heading home to their families or to the local watering hole for a cold one. You, on the other hand, are heading to class.

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Going back to school can be one of the most challenging undertakings of your life. Continuing education is different than going to school back in your youth because now you have to fit schooling around a full adult life with responsibilities like a mortgage, bills, and children. But it can be done.

Follow this advice to reach your educational goals while keeping some semblance of your sanity.

Set Your Expectations

You know going to school at the same time you’re working 40 (or more) hours per week is going to be tough. Now it’s time to get real about how tough it’s going to be. If you expect to get eight hours of sleep and three leisurely meals a day, you’re going to be very disappointed. Don’t be surprised if you have to pull some late nights studying. You can’t skip out on your work responsibilities even if you’re completely drained when that alarm clock wakes you up out of a deep slumber.

The best solution is to create a written log of how you expect to spend your time before you start your schooling. Be honest! Listing all the responsibilities in your life that you can’t afford to neglect will alert you to how much spare time you really have. This will help you figure out if combining the two is feasible and you’ll probably be more likely to avoid every student’s worst enemy: procrastination.

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Know Your Goals

Don’t go back to school because you’re bored or hope you’ll be inspired to some greater heights than you can imagine right now. If you don’t have a tangible reason to learn new skills or pursue a higher degree, you’ll be far less likely to succeed.

Remember, school can be costly in terms of money and time. Make sure it’s worth your while. Only learn new skills for your current job if it will make you a markedly better employee, and preferably, put you in line for a promotion or raise. If you are going for a degree, have a clear plan as to how that degree is going to help your career aspirations.

Next Page: School = Job →

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Treat School Like it’s Your Job

Many people are tempted by online schools because they think the curriculum will be easier than traditional in-the-classroom schooling, like the difference between an open-book or closed-book test. Wrong. As online schools become more mainstream, their reputations are at stake. As a result, the curriculum at online universities and colleges can actually be more intensive than what you’re used to.

If the way you attend class is at home via your computer, treat it like any other kind of school. Give yourself a private area to study where loved ones or the TV can’t distract you. And if you’re attending classes after work in an actual classroom, don’t be tempted to skip out because of an unforeseen distraction. It’s really true that a large part of success is showing up. Miss one class and it’ll be easier to miss another. And another…

Don’t Go at it Alone

You can’t make your friends go to work for you, and you definitely shouldn’t copy anybody else’s homework. Still, it is almost impossible — and definitely foolhardy — to work a full-time job and go to school at the same time without any help. Let people you trust know that you’re going to need some support.

Whether it’s a relative picking up your daughter from soccer practice or your spouse taking over dinner duties, it’s extremely important to accept help when offered, and to ask for it when needed. One person can only handle so much, and your true friends and loved ones should be happy to help as long as they aren’t being taken advantage of. Reward them with small tokens of appreciation and remember to thank them after you’ve reached your educational goals.

And finally, remember that you can do it. You can work hard during the day and still have the ability to focus on your schooling at night. It won't be easy, but the payoff can be tremendous. Just make sure to understand what exactly it is you're working toward, focus on time management and build a solid support system you can lean on when times (and classroom assignments) get tough. If you can do those things, continuing education is an investment in yourself that's sure to pay off.

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Don’t Be Stupid: Buying a Fake Degree Online is a Mistake

Lance Haun | Rehaul — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 17:14:00 -0700

I honestly can’t believe I have to post this in 2010 but after running across another LinkedIn profile that pointed to a degree mill for their MBA, I’ve got to tell you this with all certainty:

- You’re wasting your money

- You’re wasting your time

- You’re killing your credibility

- Recruiters will catch you

What’s crazy is that this happened frequently when I was hiring. If I didn’t recognize the name of an institution, it took all of five seconds to figure out it was a fake. You know how?

GOOGLE!!!

Yes, your degree mill may say they will act as your registrar, provide transcripts and have a semi-legitimate looking web presence (well, sometimes). What they can’t do is kill the power of Google to strike through the heart of their scam and bring your ridiculous investment to light.

The state of Oregon even made it easier for me by providing a list of such institutions. Glad my tax dollars are going to something helpful.

Now when I’ve called to contact a candidate about their fake online degree, you know what usually happens? I get hung up on. Or I get some lecture about how accreditation is bogus or that the educational system is a scam or that employers have ridiculous requirements for education. It’s the system, man. The system!

Listen pal, just because you were scammed by some diploma mill doesn’t mean you’re going to rip on hundreds of years of non-faked education. That’s bush league. And yes, some employers have out of touch policies regarding required education but guess what? You don’t combat that by throwing a fake degree on the old resume.

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Want a clue for next time? Go to your Microsoft Word templates and pick out a nice award template and write yourself a degree. Give yourself whatever you like, go to the store to grab some nice paper and a frame and print it out. Sure, you’ll still be a liar but at least you haven’t spent hundreds of dollars on something that is only worth the paper it was printed on.

If you’ve got $600-1,500 burning a hole in your pocket, use that money to arrange networking meetings for coffee and lunch. With $600, you could have 20 coffee meetings and 10 lunches (and that’s assuming you’re buying). $1,500 could buy you several real courses through a public university too. Those meetings and courses are going to be worth a lot more than anything you’ll spend on a fake degree.

Quiz: Are You Ready to Go Back to Work?

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The Ultimate International Job Guide for College Graduates

Adam Starr | HRPeople — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:07:00 -0700

The International Job Guide

What do you do if you graduate during the worst American economic recession in a generation? Simple: Leave America. Just because your options for employment have been limited by the highly competitive job market doesn’t mean that the world is out of jobs, it just means you need to broaden your horizons. MonsterCollege has compiled a guide for international job opportunities that will help you navigate the foreign waters of global employment.

International Career Path: Teaching

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Teaching Abroad

You know all of that English you’ve been speaking your entire life? It is actually a highly valuable asset in the global job market. People all over the planet are working hard to master your native tongue. This means that you can find an array of teaching positions in a wide variety of countries from Asia, to Europe, to Latin America.

There are many private and government programs that recruit English teachers to come and live in their country for a year or two. Examples include:

French Cultural Services: This French Ministry of Education program places 1,500 Americans into English assistant posts in French schools anywhere from large cities to small villages. You are required to have some knowledge of French and to work 12 hours of conversation classes per week in exchange for a monthly salary. These positions are available from Oct 1- April/June. You should be between the ages of 20 and 34-years-old.

For more information visit the Official Website.

The Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship: Institute of International Education places recent graduates in schools in Germany, Hungary, Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, Luxembourg, Belgium, and France. The program is highly competitive. Please visit the Offical Website for more information.

The JET Program (Japanese Exchange Teaching) is a program administered by the Japanese Ministry of Education that is the world’s largest English teaching program. The position for ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) does not require any previous Japanese experience. For people who do speak Japanese, there are positions for Coordinators of International Relations and for Sports Exchange Advisors. The JET program draws teachers from a variety of countries including: the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Scotland, England, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Sweden. Applicants should be under 40-years-old and hold a bachelors degree.

The JET program is highly competitive. Many applicants that don't gain admission to this program seek alternative employment at private English companies like: Nova, Peppy Kids, Aeon.

A great general resource for global teaching opportunities in Korea, China, Thailand, Latin America etc, can be found at Dave’s ESL Café.

International Career Path: Volunteering

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Volunteering Abroad

Created by President Kennedy in 1961, the Peace Corps is one of the largest work-abroad opportunities for U.S. citizens. Offering a plethora of jobs, it is a great way to volunteer in developing parts of Africa, Latin America, South Eastern Asia, Eastern Europe, and former Soviet states. While popular, teaching is far from the only volunteer experience available with the Peace Corps. Other popular jobs include working on: Youth and Community Development, Health, Business Information & Communication Technology, Agriculture, Environment, HIV/AIDS programs, and Food Security.

International Career Path: Healthcare/Nursing

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Medicine Abroad

Americans certainly aren’t the only people that want quality healthcare from dedicated professionals. Why not pack your scrubs and give travel nursing a shot?

There are many advantages to taking your career on the road. Learning a new language and culture, a complete change of scenery, higher salaries, and a buffed up resume are all potential boons of paying it forward with your passport. If diversity is the spice of life than you’ll have plenty of medicine with nursing and healthcare jobs peppering the map from the UK, to the Middle East to the antipodal shores of Australia and New Zealand.

Check out our sister site NursingLink for more details on nursing and at AllHealthCare, finally, look for international jobs for healthcare workers here and in for international nursing jobs here.

International Career Path: Office Jobs

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Corporate Jobs Abroad

Who said that Sales, HR, IT, Admin, and Accounting had to take place in boring office parks scattered around suburban enclaves? The fact is, these jobs are plentiful in international business. Every company operating in a competitive global market has to have a fairly similar strategy and infrastructure which means that all of these departments are going to need professionals working in every far-flung branch from Berlin to New York to Sydney to Tokyo.

Many global companies like Coca-Cola, Monster.com, Google, and Intel have operations running in dozens, if not hundreds of countries. Sure, you could play it safe and work at Coke in Atlanta, or you could run with the bulls and work from their Spanish office. Joining a financial team as an accountant or auditor, keeping the logistics smooth as an administrative assistant, hiring and firing new employees in the HR division and closing million Euro deals on the road from Athens to Amsterdam as a sales executive are just a few of the international career paths available to you after college.

International Career Path: Office Jobs Part II

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Advertising Abroad

As you may have noticed, advertising is a very international phenomenon. No need to dive right into Madison Avenue, why not spend a few years in a foreign ad shop? There are jobs for Art Directors, Creative Directors, Copywriters, Designers, Account Executives, Traffic Coordinators, Supervisors and Digital Media Managers in every single advertising agency whether you’re in Dubai, Istanbul, or Johannesburg.

The best part about working in a global ad agency is that you will likely be familiar with the products and clients you are marketing, advertising and branding. The T-Mobile account in Munich will have certain similarities to the one being run out of Seattle. Global brands like Nestlé are hoping to maintain consistency from sea to shining sea, your job is to make sure they do so in a voice that is impactful for the culture of your country.

International Career Path: Gap Year Down South

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Gap Year Abroad

Countries like New Zealand are in a unique situation wherein they have a small population of around 4 million people, many of whom love to travel after university. This creates a vacuum where many of their young qualified professionals are gone for several “gap years” traveling and working in Australia, the UK and the United States. With a constantly mobile work force they recruit young professionals from America and other English speaking nations to help them fill the holes left by their traveling population.

New Zealand is a beautifully country with a diversity of employment needs with jobs ranging from: Film Animation, IT, Electronic and Civil Engineering, Project Management, Anesthesiology, Audiologist, Dietitian, Construction, Architecture, Lab Research, Radiology, Agriculture, Viticulture, and Horticulture Doesn't look like a bad place to spend a year or two does it?

Find International Jobs on Monster!

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Is Another Degree Your Ticket to Management?

By Linda Wiener | Monster Contributing Writer — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:09:00 -0800

I received my BS (1980) and MS (1982) in education and health sciences and worked in medical research until the mid-1980s. Since moving from the East Coast to California, I have changed careers and worked in computer support (three years) and mortgage banking (10 years). While these jobs paid the bills, I haven't been able to progress to a management position. I enjoy working in finance and business entrepreneurship. Would getting an MBA or JD at 46 be worthwhile?

WHAT THE EXPERT SAYS: Perhaps you have more vocational options to consider than whether an advanced degree will give you the greatest market advantage. You already have a wonderfully diverse educational and work history, and generalists are highly prized in some arenas.

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Instead of jumping right to the either/or question about graduate school, consider doing more in-depth self-assessment as well as some preliminary market research. One key question to ask yourself is whether your desire to return to school is motivated solely by career application, or in part by a desire for more personal satisfaction.

California's community colleges and universities are known for their excellent career centers. A good next step would be to make an appointment at a school near you. An experienced vocational counselor can be an invaluable partner in helping you develop a strong foundation on which to base your ultimate decisions.

After figuring out who you are and what you really want to do at this stage in your life, you're ready to begin your research. This will help you decide if you are still on target for advanced studies. In addition to job requirements, study company Web sites for other pertinent information about industries you've targeted.

You will probably also want to go on some informational interviews with folks currently doing the type of work in which you're most interested. These are not job-seeking interviews, but rather informal opportunities for you to gather additional data to help clarify your goals. You'd surely get solid insider information about new-to-you fields. Informational interviewing will help you develop your network of professional contacts and may yield leads or referrals.

Finally, have you considered revisiting your degree in education? Teaching is one of the 21st century's growth fields. Shortages in some states are so severe that school boards are trying a variety of creative techniques to recruit and certify new teachers; some are even offering signing bonuses. Not surprisingly, in many areas, more than a few mid-career (and midlife) refugees from other industries have made this career change.

Take your time, and do your homework before making a decision.

This article first appeared on Monster.com.

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How to Score a Loan for College

Anne Tergesen / BusinessWeek — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:13:00 -0800

With lenders dropping out of the business due to credit-crunch stress, students and their parents should study up on these options…

Families struggling to pay for college need all the help they can get. With lenders spooked by the credit crunch abandoning the business, borrowers seeking loans for the coming academic year may encounter problems, including higher interest rates on some loans, and lenders that balk at lending to any but the most credit-worthy.

Your Loan Choice

Federal Loans

Apply for a Federal Loan

Compare the Benefits

Private Loans

Where to Find Private Loans

Compare Loan Rates

Do You Need a Co-Signer?

Look for Discounts

Set Up a Backup Plan

Refinance Your Loans

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h4. Your Loan Choices

There are two types of college loans. Federally backed loans include the Stafford for students and the PLUS for parents and graduate students. Private loans are not federally backed. For that reason, they tend to be more expensive and should only be used as a last resort. Parents can also borrow using a home-equity loan or line of credit.

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h4. Federal Loans

Because federal loans are less expensive than private loans, borrow up to the maximum you’re eligible for before considering a private loan. With a Stafford loan, an undergraduate can currently borrow up to $3,500 for freshman year, $4,500 sophomore year, and $5,500 annually thereafter, for a total of $23,000. Parents can then follow with a PLUS loan for the balance of what’s owed for tuition, room and board, and fees—or if they choose, up to the full cost of attendance.

Stafford loans charge a maximum fixed rate of 6.8%, while PLUS loans charge 8.5%. These loans have other advantages: Anyone can qualify, regardless of income, and borrowers who encounter financial hardship can request repayments be suspended or reduced.

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h4. Apply for a Federal Loan

The first step is to fill out the paperwork. Start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.ed.gov. Even those who don’t qualify for aid should fill it out, since FAFSA is a requirement for government-backed loans. In addition, you’ll have to complete an application for each loan for which you apply.

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h4. Compare the Benefits

Most Stafford and PLUS loans feature at least one of three types of discounts: fee waivers, principal reductions, and interest-rate reductions. To crunch the numbers, use the calculator at FinAid (finaid.org/calculators/loandiscountanalyzer.phtml). It factors in the effect of fee reductions and other discounts and comes up with a “discounted interest rate.”

As a rule, favor discounts that kick in early in the life of a loan and cannot be canceled. Discounts contingent on good behavior—such as paying on time for the first 48 months—are less valuable. Fewer than 10% of borrowers ever qualify.

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h4. Private Loans

Many families use private loans to bridge the gap between the rising cost of college and the maximum students can borrow in Stafford loans. Some choose them over PLUS loans because private loans leave the student, rather than the parent, on the hook for repayment. Private loans generally have variable rates, which now range from 6% to 16%. The rate a borrower will pay depends in part on his or her credit score. Fees on these loans can be as high as 11.5%.

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h4. Where to Find Private Loans

Ask your school’s financial aid office for a recommendation. Some schools negotiate special deals. Then check with state-affiliated nonprofits, such as South Carolina Student Loan Corp. or the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA). Since the credit crisis hit, several of these lenders have suspended at least some student loan operations, but those still making loans tend to offer competitive rates and fees.

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h4. Compare Loan Rates

Don’t simply pick the lender advertising the lowest rate. The percentage all but the most creditworthy consumers pay will be higher than what’s publicized. Fill out applications with more than one lender, but since each new application can reduce your credit score by five points, only apply to three or four lenders total—and do so within a period of a few days.

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h4. Do You Need a Co-signer?

Because the interest rates on private loans depend mainly on a borrower’s credit score, even students with relatively sound credit can typically benefit from having a relative or friend with a more established credit history co-sign the loan’s promissory note. Co-signers should know that they are on the hook for repayment should the student default.

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h4. Look for Discounts

Due in part to the credit crunch, lenders are reducing discounts they offer on rates and fees. But borrowers who agree to make payments while in school may still qualify for a lower interest rate.

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h4. Set Up a Backup Plan

Many lenders have left the business due to the credit crisis. If you have already taken out a student loan, check to see if your lender is still in the business. Have a backup, in case your top choice decides to drop out. Larger banks are least likely to get out of the business since they can rely on customer deposits as a source of funds.

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h4. Refinance Your Loans

Those who want to refinance or consolidate their loans by combining variable-rate federal loans to lock in a fixed-rate loan, should wait until after July 1, when the rates reset. Why? Rates are likely to fall by a significant amount from today’s level. But with lenders representing a large chunk of the consolidation market having left the business, your lender may no longer offer this service. You can always consolidate through the federal government at www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov.

How Much Will an MBA Raise My Salary?

HRPeople and Payscale — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:45:00 -0800

In general, more education will result in higher pay, especially when it comes to business. That’s why so many professionals decide to pursue an MBA. MBAs often lead to career acceleration as well as higher salaries. In fact, according to a Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) survey, MBA graduates in 2005 could expect to earn an average salary of $106,000, with some even earning average signing bonuses of $40,000. Many MBAs even find themselves in high demand after graduation with two or more job offers that give them leverage to command a higher salary.

On average, a person with a Master's degree earns $31,900 more per year than a high school graduate—a difference of as much as 105%!

Get on the path to professional success now!

Median Salary by Job - Degree: Master of Business Administration (MBA) (United States)

Compare your salary: Get a free Salary Report

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Grow Your Business and Your Confidence with Professional Communication Courses

HRPeople.com — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 11:01:00 -0800

Human resources is becoming an increasingly popular career field. Competition for HR positions is growing, and superb oral and written communication are a requirement.

HRPeople, in partnership with Monster and Cornerstone OnDemand, is now offering an online Business Communication Training Bundle to help you differentiate yourself from other HR Professionals.

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For a low cost of $139, you will have three months of access to material from two specialized courses: Interpersonal Communication Skills for Business, and Business Writing Skills

Access over 50 hours of skills training and simulations at your own pace.

The Business Communication Bundle will cover essential skills to help you:

• Understand the causes of poor communication.

• Improve your mechanics of communicating

• Critique voice, listening skills, and body language.

• Better your negotiation skills.

• Artfully manage conflicts in the workplace

• Communicate effectively with those you lead or manage

• Craft your business writing to be crisp, persuasive, and effective.

• And many other invaluable communication skills for business!

Monster’s online training programs are designed to help you…

∙Add skills and professional certifications to your resume

∙Get ready for a promotion

∙Re-enter the workforce with updated computer skills

∙Do it all in your spare time!

How can I benefit from the Business Communication Bundle?

These courses will teach you how to communicate effectively with colleagues, contacts, and customers. Learn how to resolve conflicts, craft messages, and reach your audience. Furthermore, taking online courses in communication will give you the skills to propel your career in HR to the next level.

Why should I choose Monster’s online training programs?

Monster’s online training programs allow you to define your career, on your terms. If you want to stay up-to-speed in today’s fast-paced business environment, Monster’s Professional Development can help. It’s flexible, it’s easy, and it’s geared toward your busy schedule—and your tight budget.

HRPeople, in partnership with Monster and Cornerstone OnDemand offers affordable online training program to help you advance your career.

You will have on demand access to specialized courses over three months for only $139.

How do I sign up for the Business Communication Bundle?

1. Click the orange "Purchase this bundle" button

2. Create a Monster Professional Development Account

3. Confirm your choices and invest in your future

Why wait? Get started now

Want to Get into Graduate School? Here's How...

By Bridget Kulla, FastWeb.com — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:05:00 -0700

If you’ve decided to head back to the classroom for an advanced degree, get ready to face some competition. Between 2004 and 2016, the number of masters degrees granted is expected to increase by 35 percent. To stand out from the pack, get organized to make your graduate application shine.

Graduate school applications generally require:

* Transcript

* GRE or other standardized test scores

* Letters of recommendation

* Personal statement and/or admissions essay(s)

* Audition, manuscript, portfolio – usually only required for creative fields like visual arts, dance or creative writing

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For students planning to start graduate school in the fall, application deadlines can range from as early as August to as late as spring, although most deadlines fall between December and March. Don’t wait until then to start your application. Follow a general timeline:

* Summer:

* Ask for letters of recommendation

* Sign up for graduate school exams like the GRE (Graduate Record Examination, required for graduate programs that do not require one of the following subject-specific tests), MCAT (Medical College Admissions Test, required for medical school), LSAT (Law School Admissions Test, required for law school), DAT (Dental Admissions Test, required for dental school), or GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test, required for business school).

* Fall:

* Take graduate school exams

* Request application materials

* Research sources of financial aid

* Arrange for official transcripts to be sent

* Late Fall:

* Complete your applications (Don’t forget to save a copy!)

* Finalize your essays

* Winter:

* Send in your completed applications

* File your FAFSA

* Apply for financial aid

* Spring:

* Visit campuses

* Prepare for interviews

* Submit your acceptance or decline admission

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Getting your graduate application together will take some time, but it will also take money. Schools charge application fees that can range from $20 to $90, with an average cost of about $50. Additionally, you will have to cover costs of $112 to $240 for standardized test fees. Getting official copies of your transcript will set you back an average of $5 per copy. These fees tend to go up each year, so check for the latest costs. Also factor in mailing, printing and copying costs, which can add up if you are applying to more than one school. Get your application budget in order before you get your applications ready.

Admissions committees want to make sure you will be a good fit for their program. In addition to your undergraduate GPA, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and personal statement, admissions committees also look for students who are passionate about a field of study and will succeed in graduate school and beyond. Background preparation in your field and other relevant experience will also be considered. Committees want to see that you are a hard worker and are open to academic challenges.

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Your graduate field of study will be more specific than your undergraduate major and so will the application review process. Unlike undergraduate admissions, your application will most likely be reviewed by two separate committees. In addition to the graduate office of admission, each graduate department will assess applications. Since your application will be evaluated by faculty members who are knowledgeable about your field, you will be under greater scrutiny.

Spend extra effort ensuring your application reflects your motivation and passion for your field. Your personal statement and letters of recommendation are the best venues to get this across. Have professors read and offer advice on your personal statement. Carefully choose faculty members who know you well and understand your academic goals to write your recommendation letters.

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Finally, make sure you send everything in on time. All your hard work will be for nothing if you miss the application deadline. Some graduate programs require that separate application materials be sent to the school to which you are applying and to the graduate admissions office. Check with your program to ensure that your application will reach all of the necessary offices by the deadline date. Applying with an online application can save you the trouble of going to the post office, but make sure you submit a completed application and print a hard copy for your records.

Getting organized and spending a little extra time on your application is the first step to earning a graduate degree at your top-choice school.

This article originally appeared on Fastweb, one of our sister sites.

Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 10:55:00 -0700

A public administration degree can prepare you for many different upper-level careers in public service, including HR careers such as human resource management. The curriculum includes leadership and management skills, strategic planning for single departments but also for major disaster response, communication skills, media relations to name a few. One can expect to come away from a program in public administration with a clear understanding of how to react, manage and direct in emergency situations, making it a perfect companion to the fire and rescue field. Any human resources professional with a public administrative degree can expect to be in high demand.

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A public administration degree provides an academic background for individuals pursuing a career in both government and non-governmental/non-profit organizations. There are several areas of overlap between these pursuits, so an education which combines both will give you competitive strength and allow you to move into either area, according to your own career interests. For example, you may start your career in fundraising, and later become a member of a governmental grant-awarding body. A public administration degree or public policy degree gives you great flexibility in changing career titles.

Like a regular degree in management, a public administration or public policy degree can focus on organizational governance, finance, and administration. With this specialization you can look into jobs in local, state, or federal government; in public service sectors such as fire and rescue or healthcare; or non-profit organizations such as arts or international relief agencies.

Median Salary by Employer Type - Degree: Public Administration (United States)

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Master of Human Resource Management

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:59:00 -0700

The most common option for advanced education in Human Resources is the Master of Human Resource Management (HRM) or Human Resource Development (HRD). Masters degrees in Human Resources generally take two years and include a mix of required courses such as general HR, compensation basics, statistics and employment law and electives such as international HR, HR strategy and organizational psychology. Students will also take classes covering leadership and strategic management concepts and organizational design. Many HR Masters programs offer joint courses with related departments such as business, law, and psychology. You can also receive a Masters degree in Labor Relations, or a specialization in Labor Relations, which involves deeper learning in union law, negotiation and collective bargaining.

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Whether you choose an MBA in HR or a master's in human resources management, you will receive practical exposure to human resources strategies and hands-on experience that will serve as strong credentials when you step up to the next level in your career.

Another popular option with HR professionals is a Master’s degree in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology. Industrial-Organizational psychologists (called I-O psychologists) are behavioral scientists specializing in human behavior in the work place. I-O psychologists apply research to the practice areas of human resources and may work as external or in-house consultants on a number of projects. Most masters programs in I-O psychology last two years, and include a combination of academic theory and practical work through internships.

Median Salary by Job - Degree: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Human Resources Management (HRM) (United States)

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Doctoral Degrees in HR

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:43:00 -0700

Doctoral degrees in HR should be pursued by those who have identified a subject area that they would like to work on for multiple years, or those who enjoy statistics, psychometrics and research methodologies. Ph.D.'s in HRM take about five years, and include course work, internships or teaching assistantships, and a dissertation.

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Doctoral degrees in Organizational Development or Organizational Behavior involve deep dives into organizational theory and scholarly research. Most OD/OB programs are split into two focus areas: micro-organizational topics such as decision-making, emotions, power and influence, and macro-organizational topics including culture, change, networks, etc. Many OD/OB Ph.D. programs offer the opportunity for interdisciplinary research with related programs such as business, psychology, and sociology.

_Practical tip on doctoral degrees in HR_: IO or OB Ph.Ds are an extremely specialized function in corporations, which means that your employment options are not as flexible. In some cases you may be disregarded as being “over qualified” for HR generalist or program management positions. Therefore, it is wise to go the doctoral route if you are sure you have a subject area that you would like to become an expert in, or if you are interested in going the academic route.

Associate's Degree in Human Resources

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:40:00 -0700

An associate's degree in human resources prepares graduates to begin or advance their careers in human resource management or to eventually complete their HR bachelor's degree.

Programs typically provide students with working knowledge of human resources policies and procedures and relevant computer applications, along with the skills needed to manage people in a workplace environment.

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In general, course work for an HR associate's degree covers personnel recruitment and evaluation, employee relations, staff training and development, employment law, business ethics and compensation and benefits. Students should also expect to take some general education courses, such as math and writing.

Graduates with an associate's degree in human resources management qualify for entry-level positions, such as basic human resources generalists. HR associate's degree holders often also enter into specialized HR roles in private, public and nonprofit organizations; human resource clerks, HR assistants and assistant recruiters are some of the most popular jobs. Others work as training and development coordinators, payroll assistants and compensation or benefits specialists.

Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:34:00 -0700

Human resource management covers a wide variety of tasks and functions within an organization, including: recruiting and hiring, employee compensation and benefits, corporate policy, employee assistance, and training. Within the field of human resource management there is an endless list of possible jobs. Some of these include: recruiters, EEO officers, employer relations specialist, benefits managers, training and development managers, and labor relations, just to name a few.

A bachelor's degree in human resources equips graduates with the necessary background and tools to enter a human resources career in a variety of business settings.

Programs typically include a comprehensive overview of human resources principles and practices, business and technology training and communication courses.

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In general, course work for a bachelor's degree in human resources covers contemporary HR issues, organizational theory and design, behavioral science, legal issues in HR management, performance management and assessment, employee training and development, and compensation and benefits.

Students can also expect a human resources bachelor's program to include core business training in areas such as accounting, finance, information technology and marketing. Additionally, most programs require an array of general education courses to meet various general studies distributions and also allow room for electives.

With a bachelor's degree in human resources, graduates qualify for human resources leadership roles in private, public and nonprofit organizations. Specific HR competencies covered in these bachelor degree programs include training and development, strategic staffing, labor and employment law, managing organizational change, compensation and benefits, leadership and team building. Undergraduates with a bachelor's degree in human resources often work as human resources generalists, corporate recruiters and employee benefits managers, while others take positions as training specialists, employee relations managers and HR information systems managers.

Jobs in the human resource industry are plentiful. Because human resource management is needed in every industry, and just about any company with 50 or more employees has human resource workers, human resource professionals have a great deal of options available to them. Specific job availability and salary depend on the specific area one pursues. However, the Bureau of Labor statistics reported that human resource jobs are expected to grow 36 percent or more through 2012, and in 2002 the average annual salary for human resource managers was just under $65,000.

Median Salary by Job - Degree: Bachelor of Science (BS/BSc/SB), Human Resources (United States)

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Master of Business Administration (MBA)

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:55:00 -0700

The master of business administration, or MBA, is often considered the top degree in the business world, although PhDs in certain specialties are certainly available. No matter what industry you're in, an MBA degree will be an enormous asset. Some companies will provide tuition assistance or reimbursement in exchange for your commitment to continue working for them after you earn your degree.

MBA's are a popular graduate degree for the following reasons:

• Earn approx X% more than before

• Prepare you for a promotion to management or executive positions

• Prepare you to launch your own business

• Build an invaluable network through your classmates

In traditional 2 year business schools students typically take a core group of classes during year one, and then may pursue their own interests during the second year through elective courses.

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h4. Topics you may learn in business school:

h4. The Core Curriculum may include:

• Marketing

• Business Strategy

• Organizational Behavior

• Finance

• Economics

• Accounting

• Manufacturing & Production

• Operations

h4. Some of the more common areas of specialization are:

• Entrepreneurship

• Brand Management

• International Business

• Human Resources

• Corporate Finance

• Information Technology

• Product Management

• Business Ethics

2 Year MBA: Full-time, weekday programs for 4 semesters.

Accelerated MBA: Full-time, 1 year, with an increased course load.

Distance Learning MBA: The most flexible option for prospective MBA students. Accredited Online Programs vary in terms of schedule

Evening & Weekend MBA: Part-time; Usually over a 3 year period. Students are usually working and going to school.

Executive MBA: Part-time; designed for managers and executives who are working.

Median Salary by Job - Degree: Master of Business Administration (MBA) (United States)

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Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration

HRPeople & BusinessSchools.com — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:47:00 -0700

Do you wind up the leader of almost every group project you get involved in? Do other people frequently ask you for financial advice? Do you watch _"The Apprentice"_ and similar TV shows and say to yourself, "I could do better than all these people"? You might never get to be the president of a multi-billion-dollar company, but businesses all over the world need people with managerial and financial skills. They can promote non-managerial employees into management or positions of financial responsibility. If you get training in business administration, you'll have skills that firms everywhere are looking for.

Whether you're finishing high school and want an important, rewarding career, or you've been working for a few years and want to improve your prospects, a business degree can be the avenue to fulfilling your dreams.

h4. Here are some of the subjects you might learn if you choose to study business:

• You will be called on to write memos and reports, give presentations, and much more, so *business communication & correspondence* polishes your verbal and written skills to a professional level.

• *Economics* is the science of money and the distribution of resources; microeconomics examines it on the personal and small-business scale, while macroeconomics examines it on a big-business and government-policy scale.

• *Finance* teaches you how the banking, capital, and debt markets work; how to use them to raise money for your firm; and how to wisely use that money through budgeting and cash-flow and risk analysis.

• Study *accounting* to understand how to track and report your company's financial activity, and how to use those reports as a basis for business decisions.

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• *Leadership and organizational behavior* show you how individuals and groups function in an organization, how to set goals for an organization, and how to lead and motivate the organization's people and groups toward those goals.

• Especially in today's business climate, *ethics & corporate responsibility* are tremendously important. You and your firm need to make decisions that are morally right, not just for yourselves but for your shareholders, employees, community, environment, and society.

• *Marketing* is the study of making customers aware of your product, making the product optimally available to them, and motivating them to buy it.

• *Negotiation* will prepare you to get what you want when bargaining with employees, vendors, customers, and others.

• Developing and manufacturing products is the province of *operations management*; learn *technology management* to integrate new devices and processes, especially relating to information technology, into your business.

• In *entrepreneurship*, you'll learn how to identify potential business opportunities, get the backing you'll need to start them up, and develop them into viable organizations.

• *Strategy* shows you how to evaluate the information you have about your firm and its resources, the marketplace, the industry, and society in order to make better decisions about what your firm should be doing in the future.

Median Salary by Job - Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) (United States)

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Gain More Education to Improve Your HR Career

Roberta Chinsky Matuson | Monster Contributing Writer — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:15:00 -0700

There usually comes a point in your career when you know you need more education to move up in an organization. Deciding to continue your education is the easy part; figuring out the best way to do it is the real challenge. Nowadays, there are a number of choices.

Certifications

Choices include certifications offered by HR professional associations such as the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). HRCI issues the Professional in Human Resources Certification (PHR) and the Senior Professional in Human Resources Certification (SPHR). These certifications require passing the examination and fulfilling other requirements such as a minimum two years of HR exempt-level experience.

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Nonprofit educational associations also offer certifications, including the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS). This program was designed by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is administered by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. Candidates pursuing this certification must complete 10 courses and pass the CEBS national examinations. Courses are generally offered through colleges and universities.

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Certificates

Some colleges and universities are now offering certificate programs in human resources. These programs generally require a bachelor's degree or relevant experience and can be fairly intense. For example, Penn State's program requires individuals to take six 30-hour courses. They are often noncredit programs, so you won't have credits to apply toward a degree if you choose to go for one later.

Master's Degrees

Many universities offer master's degrees in HR as well as MBAs with HR concentrations. If you are not 100 percent sure you will stay in the HR field, you might be better off pursuing the more general MBA.

If you think earning a master's degree will take too long, look at universities that offer intensified programs that allow you to earn your degree in less time. This may require attending class four nights a week or on weekends to cut the number of years it would normally take in half.

Next: Questions to Ask Yourself

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Ask Yourself the Following Questions

How much time am I willing to commit? Some programs may take several years to complete. Are you willing to commit to that?

Which is more valued in the job market? Look at job postings and help-wanted ads. What type of education do the positions you are most interested in require?

Ask people who are currently working in those jobs about their education. Seek their opinions regarding the programs you are considering.

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What will it cost, and will my employer reimburse me? Some programs can be quite expensive and may not be covered by your company's tuition-reimbursement policy, so remember to ask before enrolling.

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Are you really done when you're done? Check to see if the programs you are considering require re-certification. If they do, make sure you know what that entails.

What happens if down the road I decide to pursue a different career? Will the route you have chosen still be helpful to you? Can you apply credits earned to another program? Be careful; some programs provide you with Continuing Education Units, which usually cannot be applied to degree programs.

Once you have taken the time to answer these questions, you will be in a much better place to figure out your next move. Regardless of the route you choose, education is never wasted.

This article originally appeared on Monster.com.

Global Human Resources

Nina Segal / Monster — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 14:42:00 -0700

With business and the economy becoming globally focused, many companies are sending their employees overseas. This global workforce has created new career opportunities for job seekers interested in the human resources field.

What does a global human resources professional do? A little bit of everything. Individuals being sent abroad by their companies have many questions and need a variety of services coordinated, from getting the correct visas and figuring out salary and tax status to obtaining settling-in services, housing assistance and cross-cultural training. HR professionals are responsible for pulling all of this information together and making sure that all of the necessary hurdles (like visas, for example) are taken care of so that ex pats have a smooth transition into their new work and living environments.

Some organizations use their internal human resources staff to provide such services, but many contract these services out to global relocation firms, which are usually based in the US. But whether you are working for a specific company that provides information and support to its own employees or an organization that specializes in global relocation, you need a certain core skill set that is slightly different from that of a human resources generalist.

Here's a brief overview of the most important qualities a global human resources professional must have.

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Strong Attention to Detail

You will be dealing with paperwork and legal documents like visas and leases that are often in different languages and subject to different conditions and laws. Thousands of dollars are at stake, so you'll need to be organized and detail-oriented in order to deal with the challenges unfamiliar bureaucracies and languages may present.

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Patience, Perseverance and Interpersonal Skills

There is often a great deal of anxiety associated with going abroad, and you must handle the concerns of expatriates and their families with care and concern. In most human resources jobs that don't involve issues like relocation, you’ll tend to work mostly with the employee. In this case, relocation is a family affair, so patience is critical when dealing with cultural issues in countries different than your own. It's not always easy to navigate an unfamiliar system when assisting employees with finding housing, schools and other services, so perseverance and strong interpersonal skills can make all the difference in making sure that everyone is comfortable with what lies ahead.

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Good Time-Management Skills

Sometimes individuals are sent abroad quickly, so time-management skills and the ability to work well under pressure are crucial. You never know when you might have to drop everything to assist a senior-level executive who must be sent abroad -- tomorrow. The challenge here is dealing with different time zones and cultures where urgency has a much different connotation than it does in the US.

Global relocation specialists traditionally have a background in human resources, and many have some international experience. While the job can offer many rewards, it can be very stressful and frustrating, especially when you're dealing with red tape or a demanding employee. But as many global HR professionals will tell you, the chance to work in an international setting far outweighs the challenges and frustrations.

This article originally appeared on Monster.com.