Thank you to one of our successful alumni for sharing this article. :)
BECOMING A DF PROFESSIONAL
Many who are just starting out routinely ask about how
to start a successful career in digital forensics. These
individuals range from completely inexperienced to
individuals who have 15 years experience in the information
security profession and are looking for a fresh job. Regardless
of your background, starting out with new skills may seem
intimidating. Here are some thoughts on how to prepare you
to take the plunge into digital forensics.
/ Why Is Becoming A Digital Forensics
Expert Challenging?
Science is usually based on that for each science that certain
rules will exist that do not change over time. DNA can help
match identity. Gravity will not change. Water molecules can
be a liquid, solid, or a gas. None of these sciences change on a
yearly or even daily basis.
However, with digital forensics, it does change. It radically
changes month by month as new technology is released or
introduced to the world. Just a simple service pack update to
a machine could change everything that you used to know
about it. The forensic artifacts could and have completely
changed as a result. You can never assume that what works
today to solve cases will still work a month from now. In
addition, the amount of data being produced yearly is growing
fast. It is growing faster than we can keep up with. How can
we expect to be able to analyze it all?
For digital forensics, the science is constantly changing
and the data potentially used in our analysis is growing
exponentially. Digital Forensics is a very challenging fi eld to
remain an expert in. So where should you begin if you decide
to become an expert in digital forensics.
/ Do You Have A Passion For Digital Forensics?
Do You Have A Capacity To Learn?
There are two factors that I personally look for when I’m
talking to an individual who is just starting out. The fi rst is a
passion for computer forensics and incident response. The
second one is a very large capacity to learn. This individual
realizes that everything is consistently changing and that
they’re always seeking opportunities to educate themselves.
These individuals are never truly satisfi ed. They are always
chomping at the bit to get that additional experience so they
are moving forward.
Formal education is great and should be sought if possible.
However, in the computer forensics world, there is more
unknown than is known. As a result, regardless of background
or education, the best in the digital forensics fi eld are experts
who jump right in when they encounter something that is new
that they have not seen before.
/ Do You Have A Desire To Be An Expert?
The individuals I have seen succeed in any career are those
who crave to become an expert in their jobs. Not only do they
show this in their professional life, I routinely witness that
So, You Want To Be A Digital Forensics Professional!
Do You Have What It Takes?
by Rob Lee
/ ENTRY
THE FIRST IS A PASSION FOR
COMPUTER FORENSICS AND
INCIDENT RESPONSE.
THE SECOND ONE IS A VERY
LARGE CAPACITY TO LEARN
75
/ FEATURE
they have this desire in their out-of-work lives as well. For
example, if an individual decides that this summer they will
finally learn how to play golf, they would dedicate the time
required to not only learning it quickly, but also achieving
a level of mastery. By the end of the summer they are not
competing with the pros, but usually they are playing “bogey”
golf and consistently shooting under a 100. This is a huge
accomplishment in that little time frame.
This is not random luck. Usually this individual has these
types of moments littered through their life. It isn’t that they
are talented. They are just tenacious and their desire to learn
is so great it overcomes the usual point where most people
might give up.
During interviews, I seek these individuals out through
conversations not involving technology. I can usually get
the individual to discuss the year where she learned to
snowboard in a season. Or where the individual had to learn
basic French because he liked a foreign exchange student.
Typically these individuals will be successful at anything they
choose to do.
The hard part here is that this is a personality trait, not a
skill. This is a trait I happen to seek when I am looking to hire.
It just happens to be a good sign of future success.
/ Do You Have The Right Background?
What skills and experience and skills do you need? I would
definitely recommend that someone should become an
expert at the Microsoft Windows operating system family.
Windows operating systems are extremely complex and
challenging to analyze despite their ease of use for the end
user. Since 90% of the systems we are investigating are
Windows-based, everyone in the field kind of has to have
that core. Understanding completely where evidence exists
on a windows operating system is crucial. You should also
know how to find evidence if your automated tool fails
as well. Knowledge of both the file system and operating
system is crucial to your future success as a digital forensics
professional. The core area is currently Windows, so I would
start with the mastery there.
Once you have mastered the core areas in one operating
system, I usually recommend that individuals develop a
specialty niche area to become an expert in. There is a great
need for experts in mobile device forensics. Mobile device
forensics would therefore be a very good niche area for
obvious future demand.
/ Get Certified In A Reputable Digital
Forensic Certification
The debate over whether to get certified is over. Most
career fields have a gateway test that will enable you to
practice your chosen profession. Regardless of the color
of certification, I personally feel that in order for the
profession to be recognized on equal footing with other
fields, we need a gateway test. The certifications serve as
a way for individuals to independently show their skills
meet the minimum standards through testing. Simply
taking and passing a test does not make you an expert,
but it helps establish you are credentialed with the basic
foundations of the profession. For our peer professions
to take us seriously, certification and testing of personnel
should take place. As a result, become certified in one of
the popular certifications.
Since 90% of the systems
we are investigating are
Windows-based, everyone
in the field kind of has to
have that core
/ MORE INFO
http://blogs.sans.org/computer-forensics/
http://computer-forensics.sans.org
Handbook of Digital Forensics and Investigation by Eoghan Casey
Windows Forensic Analysis DVD Toolkit, Second Edition by
Harlan A. Carvey
76
/ FEATURE
Digital / ForensicS
/ Where Would Someone With Forensic
Skills Find The Best Opportunities Today?
It comes down to location. Look where your large government
centers are found, for example, Washington D.C., London,
Singapore, or Canberra. These locations should probably
be the first on your list of locations that have the highest
concentration of digital forensic specialists. For large
corporate forensic jobs, look to business capitols and
trading centers such as Hong Kong, Dubai, Chicago and New
York City. Smaller cities would also be possibilities if the
individual concentrates on working for local law firms, local
law enforcement, or remote fortune 500 corporate locations.
To get your career starting faster though, I would consider
moving to one of the larger cities or government centers.
/ Want To Know Where The Growth Opportunities
Are For Digital Forensics?
From my perspective, there are two growth areas for
professionals in digital forensics. First, commercial firms are
realizing that they need internal digital forensic and incident
response experts to help with ongoing and eventual incidents.
Everyone is at risk these days. These companies are seeing
that they need incident responders and a dedicated computer
forensic capability for eDiscovery and operational forensics
associated with security operations. They agree they need to
grow their own teams.
The second area where I see the largest future growth
in digital forensics is in e-discovery. E-discovery has
traditionally focused on email and documents retrieval and
production with a sprinkle of digital forensics. I see that
sprinkle growing to a flood for digital forensics. We are
starting to see e-discovery litigation requesting records
of chat sessions, social networks, and twitter. E-Discovery
lawyers have been handicapped with the thought that many
case-changing digital forensic artifacts are deemed too
difficult or costly to produce. However, it is theoretically
possible with digital forensics today to ask specific
questions that could alter the outcome of important cases.
For example, a USB device was discovered outside the main
door that contained stolen data on it. You could scan the
enterprise network easily to identify which workstations
that specific USB device had been plugged into and possibly
show specifically who placed the stolen files on the device.
With e-discovery and digital forensics moving closer together,
more cases will be won by those utilizing a technical digital
forensics team than those who use the simple document
retrieval e-discovery methods currently being used.
In the end, I always tell individuals that in order to succeed
in digital forensics you must have.
• Passion for digital forensics
• Capacity to learn
• Desire to become an expert
Even if an individual does not have the complete
background yet, I would usually take the risk at giving an
individual a chance to prove themselves if they can clearly
show that they have the first three traits. For more specific
advice for your situation, please feel free to contact me
(see our 360 page). /
For large corporate forensic
jobs, look to business
capitols and trading centers
such as Hong Kong, Dubai,
Chicago and New York City
/ Author Bio
Rob Lee is a Director for MANDIANT
(http://www.mandiant.com/), a
leading provider of information security
consulting services and software to
Fortune 500 organizations and the U.S.
Government. Rob is also the Curriculum
Lead for Digital Forensic Training at the
SANS Institute (http://forensics.sans.org/). Rob has more than
13 years experience in computer forensics, vulnerability and
exploit discovery, intrusion detection/prevention, and incident
response. Rob graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy
and served in the U.S. Air Force as a founding member of the
609th Information Warfare Squadron, the first U.S. military
operational unit focused on Information Operations. Later, he
was a member of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations
where he conducted computer crime investigations, incident
response, and computer forensics. Prior to joining MANDIANT,
he directly worked with a variety of government agencies
in the law enforcement, Dept. of Defense, and intelligence
communities where he was the technical lead for a vulnerability
discovery and exploit development team, lead for a cyber
forensics branch, and led a computer forensic and security
software development team. Rob also coauthored the
bestselling book, Know Your Enemy, 2nd Edition. Rob earned his
MBA from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Finally,
Rob was awarded the “Digital Forensic Examiner of the Year”
from the Forensic 4Cast 2009 Awards.
77
Showing posts with label Tidbits. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tidbits. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Article:
How to write your resume with quantifiable results.
http://newgradlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/resume-writing-sample-resumes-resume.html
Companies are looking for potential employees who can help them generate revenue, reduce cost, and/or increase efficiencies. Thus resumes should include quantifiable results of accomplishments. However, some job seekers have a hard time quantifying their accomplishments. Below is a 5 step approach job seekers can follow to enhance their resumes.
1. Determine which Accomplishments to Highlight: Review the reasons why you were hired, the problems you solved, and/or tasks you completed in your previous positions.
2. Identify Appropriate Metrics: Review how your performance was measured to determine the appropriate metrics that can highlight your results. Sample metrics are below for various professions:
• Operations – inventory turns, out-of-stock rate, service levels, product rejects, warranty costs, customer satisfaction, and raw material costs
• Finance/Accounting – COGS, gross margin, SG&A and operating expenses, operating margin, DSO, cash flow
• HR – absenteeism and turnover
• Project Management – time, cost, and quality
• Web Design – pages/visit, average time on site, clickthrough rate, and cost per thousand impressions
• Marketing – brand penetration, cannibalization, customer retention, and market share
• Sales – pipeline, closing ratios, new business, and quotas
• Customer Service – customer complaints, consumer satisfaction index, average call time, and dropped calls
• Collections – overdue accounts and collection costs
3. Quantify Your Results: Determine the percentages and/or amounts (which include dollar figures) for the metrics you selected. For example, the initiative increased revenue from $100M to $150M or by 50% ($150/$100M – 1).
4. Combine Your Accomplishments with Quantifiable Results: Below are examples for various professions:
• Operations – Streamlined processes resulting in a 25% increase in inventory turns, a 15% decline in product rejects, and a $30M decrease in warranty costs.
• Finance/Accounting – Successfully implemented restructuring initiatives resulting in a 10% decrease in COGS from $683M to $613M, a 10% increase in operating margin, and a 60 to 40 days reduction in DSO.
• HR – Implemented new policies resulting in a 10% decrease in both employee absenteeism and turnover.
• Project Management – Completed all of the project tasks 30 days ahead of schedule saving the company $5M or 25% in actual expenditures.
• Web Design – Successfully revamped company website resulting in a 35% increase in pages/visit, 10% increase in average time on site, a 1% to 3% clickthrough rate increase, and a $30 to $20 reduction in cost per thousand.
• Marketing – Developed growth strategy for a brand with the goal of increasing global revenue by 72% or from $29M to $50M within two years.
• Sales – Implemented a referral system, resulting in $0.48M additional revenue or a 33% increase in new business within local retail division.
• Customer Service – Resolved 92% of customer complaints on the first call resulting in a 11% increase in Consumer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores.
• Collections – Developed new initiative resulting in a 68% decline in overdue accounts and a $48M decrease in collection costs.
Professional Resume Writing Services | Get a resume that gets you hired…Learn more
(get 5% off by using the coupon "newgrad5off")
5. Provide Numbers for Amounts: Provide numbers for budget, number of people supervised, revenue of company or department, and so on. For example replace this statement, “Serve as a general manager for the beverage category while working with companies such as Kraft,” with this one, “Serve as a general manager who presides over a staff of 50 direct reports and a $500M beverage category while working with vendors such as a $37B food company.”
How to write your resume with quantifiable results.
http://newgradlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/resume-writing-sample-resumes-resume.html
Companies are looking for potential employees who can help them generate revenue, reduce cost, and/or increase efficiencies. Thus resumes should include quantifiable results of accomplishments. However, some job seekers have a hard time quantifying their accomplishments. Below is a 5 step approach job seekers can follow to enhance their resumes.
1. Determine which Accomplishments to Highlight: Review the reasons why you were hired, the problems you solved, and/or tasks you completed in your previous positions.
2. Identify Appropriate Metrics: Review how your performance was measured to determine the appropriate metrics that can highlight your results. Sample metrics are below for various professions:
• Operations – inventory turns, out-of-stock rate, service levels, product rejects, warranty costs, customer satisfaction, and raw material costs
• Finance/Accounting – COGS, gross margin, SG&A and operating expenses, operating margin, DSO, cash flow
• HR – absenteeism and turnover
• Project Management – time, cost, and quality
• Web Design – pages/visit, average time on site, clickthrough rate, and cost per thousand impressions
• Marketing – brand penetration, cannibalization, customer retention, and market share
• Sales – pipeline, closing ratios, new business, and quotas
• Customer Service – customer complaints, consumer satisfaction index, average call time, and dropped calls
• Collections – overdue accounts and collection costs
3. Quantify Your Results: Determine the percentages and/or amounts (which include dollar figures) for the metrics you selected. For example, the initiative increased revenue from $100M to $150M or by 50% ($150/$100M – 1).
4. Combine Your Accomplishments with Quantifiable Results: Below are examples for various professions:
• Operations – Streamlined processes resulting in a 25% increase in inventory turns, a 15% decline in product rejects, and a $30M decrease in warranty costs.
• Finance/Accounting – Successfully implemented restructuring initiatives resulting in a 10% decrease in COGS from $683M to $613M, a 10% increase in operating margin, and a 60 to 40 days reduction in DSO.
• HR – Implemented new policies resulting in a 10% decrease in both employee absenteeism and turnover.
• Project Management – Completed all of the project tasks 30 days ahead of schedule saving the company $5M or 25% in actual expenditures.
• Web Design – Successfully revamped company website resulting in a 35% increase in pages/visit, 10% increase in average time on site, a 1% to 3% clickthrough rate increase, and a $30 to $20 reduction in cost per thousand.
• Marketing – Developed growth strategy for a brand with the goal of increasing global revenue by 72% or from $29M to $50M within two years.
• Sales – Implemented a referral system, resulting in $0.48M additional revenue or a 33% increase in new business within local retail division.
• Customer Service – Resolved 92% of customer complaints on the first call resulting in a 11% increase in Consumer Satisfaction Index (CSI) scores.
• Collections – Developed new initiative resulting in a 68% decline in overdue accounts and a $48M decrease in collection costs.
Professional Resume Writing Services | Get a resume that gets you hired…Learn more
(get 5% off by using the coupon "newgrad5off")
5. Provide Numbers for Amounts: Provide numbers for budget, number of people supervised, revenue of company or department, and so on. For example replace this statement, “Serve as a general manager for the beverage category while working with companies such as Kraft,” with this one, “Serve as a general manager who presides over a staff of 50 direct reports and a $500M beverage category while working with vendors such as a $37B food company.”
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Division of Continuing and Professional Studies
In partnership with the NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences
Present:
Becoming a leader in the Life Sciences
A certificate program designed to meet the professional development needs
for those seeking careers and career advancement in the emerging Life Sciences Industry.
Your pathway to career success…
The path starts here:
Tuesday's 5:30PM to 8:00PM March 2 – April 27, 2010
Zebro Room, NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences
701 Ellicott Street - Buffalo, 14203
Who Should Enroll?
Individuals with work experience from any industry now interested in a life sciences career; Masters or Doctoral-level students considering mid-level to advanced career opportunities in the life sciences; and current employees in the life sciences industry seeking a higher level and/or entrepreneurial position within their own companies.
Program Overview:
This program offers a mid-level introduction to the life sciences industry and its unique elements, providing individuals an opportunity to explore career options at the middle and advanced levels in this growing sector through topic-based discussions and several subject matter experts covering:
- Life science industry segments/types of companies - Intellectual Property
- Product Development and Validation - IT & Biomedical Informatics
- Regulatory Affairs - Corporate Culture & Career Development
- Entrepreneurship (within an existing company & a start-up) - Financial Models
What Results Should You Expect?
Participants who complete this program will be better prepared to compete in the Life Sciences job market which includes over 120 companies in Western New York. The program will empower participants to develop leadership skills in this growing high-tech area, combined with industry-specific perspectives, to effectively leverage their talents within this unique business environment.
Primary Instructor:
Eric Cornavaca, Co-founder and Partner, Buffalo BioSciences. Mr. Cornavaca is an accomplished
business management executive who has attained progressively increased responsibilities in life sciences
companies.
Cost:
$399 per participant. This fee includes course notebook and all related instructional materials. Organizations registering 5 or more participants are entitled to a reduced fee. Please call for details.
To register or for more information:
Contact Michael Spence, Program Manager/Advisor, University at Buffalo Millard Fillmore College
Email: mwspence@buffalo.edu Phone: 716-829-3481 Website: www.mfc.buffalo.edu
In partnership with the NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences
Present:
Becoming a leader in the Life Sciences
A certificate program designed to meet the professional development needs
for those seeking careers and career advancement in the emerging Life Sciences Industry.
Your pathway to career success…
The path starts here:
Tuesday's 5:30PM to 8:00PM March 2 – April 27, 2010
Zebro Room, NYS Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences
701 Ellicott Street - Buffalo, 14203
Who Should Enroll?
Individuals with work experience from any industry now interested in a life sciences career; Masters or Doctoral-level students considering mid-level to advanced career opportunities in the life sciences; and current employees in the life sciences industry seeking a higher level and/or entrepreneurial position within their own companies.
Program Overview:
This program offers a mid-level introduction to the life sciences industry and its unique elements, providing individuals an opportunity to explore career options at the middle and advanced levels in this growing sector through topic-based discussions and several subject matter experts covering:
- Life science industry segments/types of companies - Intellectual Property
- Product Development and Validation - IT & Biomedical Informatics
- Regulatory Affairs - Corporate Culture & Career Development
- Entrepreneurship (within an existing company & a start-up) - Financial Models
What Results Should You Expect?
Participants who complete this program will be better prepared to compete in the Life Sciences job market which includes over 120 companies in Western New York. The program will empower participants to develop leadership skills in this growing high-tech area, combined with industry-specific perspectives, to effectively leverage their talents within this unique business environment.
Primary Instructor:
Eric Cornavaca, Co-founder and Partner, Buffalo BioSciences. Mr. Cornavaca is an accomplished
business management executive who has attained progressively increased responsibilities in life sciences
companies.
Cost:
$399 per participant. This fee includes course notebook and all related instructional materials. Organizations registering 5 or more participants are entitled to a reduced fee. Please call for details.
To register or for more information:
Contact Michael Spence, Program Manager/Advisor, University at Buffalo Millard Fillmore College
Email: mwspence@buffalo.edu Phone: 716-829-3481 Website: www.mfc.buffalo.edu
Thursday, November 19, 2009
http://www.suntech-power.com/
From: http://www.mygreeneducation.com/
What is Spurring Chinese Alternative Energy Companies to Build in US?
China based Suntech Power aims to boost its share of the U.S. market with a solar-panel manufacturing plant to be built in Arizona, according to Business Week. As MyGreen Education and Career reported last week, a significant amount of US stimulus funding goes to China and other countries to build the green components used for solar and wind energy projects.This situation bucks that trend with China set to launch a US based plant, for US based production and consumption.
China’s Suntech Power Holdings (STP) is no newcomer to the U.S. Last May, President Barack Obama toured the U.S.’s largest solar panel installation at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. There, row upon row of shiny black Suntech solar panels span 140 acres, cranking out up to 14 megawatts of electricity on sunny days.
Suntech landed that project the same way it has raced to the top of the fast-growing global solar market: by focusing on price and scale. Now the world’s largest supplier of solar panels is boosting its stake in the U.S. market.
On Nov. 16 in Beijing, the company announced its first American manufacturing plant. The facility, to be located in the Phoenix area, will begin production by next October. “The U.S. market is on the cusp of greatness,” says Steven Chan, Americas president and chief strategy officer for Suntech. With the announcement, Suntech becomes the first major Chinese cleantech player to bring factory jobs to the U.S.
The announcement comes amid President Barack Obama’s visit to China focusing on collaboration in green technologies. Suntech’s move may soften criticism from U.S. lawmakers worried that low-cost factories in China will snare new green manufacturing jobs before they even have a chance to take root in the U.S. “[Suntech's] decision to bring manufacturing here to the U.S. is a great sign of the increasingly important collaboration between Chinese and American leaders in the renewable-energy industry,” said Dan Kammen, a professor in the energy and resources group at the University of California at Berkeley, in a statement provided by Suntech.
most U.S. cleantech grants go overseas
Suntech’s investment comes as anxieties are rising in Washington over foreign domination of the U.S. cleantech space. In late October the announcement of a Chinese-U.S. consortium planning to build a wind park in Texas using imported Chinese turbines led to calls that federal subsidies should be pulled from the project.The same month, a report from the Investigative Reporting Workshop found that in the wind sector, where foreign manufacturers dominate the market, overseas companies have received 84% of more than $1 billion in federal clean-energy grants released since Sept. 1. The study did not focus on solar energy, but the majority of solar panels are also produced by European and Asian companies.
By industry standards, Suntech’s first U.S. facility will be modest. When its doors open, it will have capacity to make 30 megawatts of solar panels per year, enough to outfit around 7,500 homes. The site will have the flexibility to boost output to 200 megawatts in time.
By comparison, U.S. sales peaked at 494 megawatts in 2008. After the recession softened sales this year, U.S. solar sales are expected to climb to more than 1,000 megawatts in 2010, predicts Chan, buoyed by the growing effects of federal and state subsidies for green-energy installations.”It’s a toss-up as to whether the U.S. or China will be the largest market in the world next year,” says Chan. Based in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, Suntech is the top vendor of crystalline photovoltaic solar panels in both countries.
Suntech settled on the Greater Phoenix area because of Arizona’s strong encouragement of solar energy and research, says Chan. The state has a Renewable Energy Standard, requiring that 15% of all electricity come from renewable sources by 2025. The rules also favor so-called distributed generation, where power is made locally at houses or businesses from solar panels or other renewables. Finalists in the contest for the factory site included California, New York, Oregon, and Texas. “This is the first step in what I see as a long-term strategic investment in the North American market,” said Suntech Chairman and CEO Zhengrong Shi in a statement.
shorter delivery, lower costs
Starting with a staff of 75, workers at the factory will create finished panels from subcomponents. Solar cells, manufactured in Suntech’s Chinese facilities, will be imported and assembled by factory workers into grids mounted on metal frames. Once the cells are soldered together, the assembly will be laminated in durable layers of glass and sealants before the finished panel can be shipped and installed on a house or business rooftops.
Locating assembly in the U.S. will lower delivery time and costs, as well as reduce the overall carbon footprint of getting finished panels to U.S. customers, says Chan. Suntech declined to reveal its costs for the facility, slated to be approximately 80,000 to 100,000 square feet, but analysts estimate starting costs in the tens of millions of dollars.
Even a slight pricing advantage could help fortify Suntech’s market edge. Last year market prices for finished panels collapsed by about 50% across the industry. The fall was good news for consumers. In some high-cost electricity markets, such as Hawaii, panel prices fell low enough to compete on cost with electricity from conventional sources. In California, where three of every four panels are sold in the U.S., the price for a standard four-kilowatt rooftop installation on a home fell by half in the past year and a half, to just north of $10,000, including state and federal incentives.
The pricing collapse hurt solar stock prices, though. During the run-up of cleantech stocks in 2007, Suntech was the darling of the solar sector. Its shares peaked at $85 that December before falling by over 50% in the first quarter of 2008. Dragged down by the broader recession, a glut of solar inventory, and worries about excess industry capacity, the shares bottomed out in early 2009 at under $6 and have since been trading between $12 and $20.
From: http://www.mygreeneducation.com/
What is Spurring Chinese Alternative Energy Companies to Build in US?
China based Suntech Power aims to boost its share of the U.S. market with a solar-panel manufacturing plant to be built in Arizona, according to Business Week. As MyGreen Education and Career reported last week, a significant amount of US stimulus funding goes to China and other countries to build the green components used for solar and wind energy projects.This situation bucks that trend with China set to launch a US based plant, for US based production and consumption.
China’s Suntech Power Holdings (STP) is no newcomer to the U.S. Last May, President Barack Obama toured the U.S.’s largest solar panel installation at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. There, row upon row of shiny black Suntech solar panels span 140 acres, cranking out up to 14 megawatts of electricity on sunny days.
Suntech landed that project the same way it has raced to the top of the fast-growing global solar market: by focusing on price and scale. Now the world’s largest supplier of solar panels is boosting its stake in the U.S. market.
On Nov. 16 in Beijing, the company announced its first American manufacturing plant. The facility, to be located in the Phoenix area, will begin production by next October. “The U.S. market is on the cusp of greatness,” says Steven Chan, Americas president and chief strategy officer for Suntech. With the announcement, Suntech becomes the first major Chinese cleantech player to bring factory jobs to the U.S.
The announcement comes amid President Barack Obama’s visit to China focusing on collaboration in green technologies. Suntech’s move may soften criticism from U.S. lawmakers worried that low-cost factories in China will snare new green manufacturing jobs before they even have a chance to take root in the U.S. “[Suntech's] decision to bring manufacturing here to the U.S. is a great sign of the increasingly important collaboration between Chinese and American leaders in the renewable-energy industry,” said Dan Kammen, a professor in the energy and resources group at the University of California at Berkeley, in a statement provided by Suntech.
most U.S. cleantech grants go overseas
Suntech’s investment comes as anxieties are rising in Washington over foreign domination of the U.S. cleantech space. In late October the announcement of a Chinese-U.S. consortium planning to build a wind park in Texas using imported Chinese turbines led to calls that federal subsidies should be pulled from the project.The same month, a report from the Investigative Reporting Workshop found that in the wind sector, where foreign manufacturers dominate the market, overseas companies have received 84% of more than $1 billion in federal clean-energy grants released since Sept. 1. The study did not focus on solar energy, but the majority of solar panels are also produced by European and Asian companies.
By industry standards, Suntech’s first U.S. facility will be modest. When its doors open, it will have capacity to make 30 megawatts of solar panels per year, enough to outfit around 7,500 homes. The site will have the flexibility to boost output to 200 megawatts in time.
By comparison, U.S. sales peaked at 494 megawatts in 2008. After the recession softened sales this year, U.S. solar sales are expected to climb to more than 1,000 megawatts in 2010, predicts Chan, buoyed by the growing effects of federal and state subsidies for green-energy installations.”It’s a toss-up as to whether the U.S. or China will be the largest market in the world next year,” says Chan. Based in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, Suntech is the top vendor of crystalline photovoltaic solar panels in both countries.
Suntech settled on the Greater Phoenix area because of Arizona’s strong encouragement of solar energy and research, says Chan. The state has a Renewable Energy Standard, requiring that 15% of all electricity come from renewable sources by 2025. The rules also favor so-called distributed generation, where power is made locally at houses or businesses from solar panels or other renewables. Finalists in the contest for the factory site included California, New York, Oregon, and Texas. “This is the first step in what I see as a long-term strategic investment in the North American market,” said Suntech Chairman and CEO Zhengrong Shi in a statement.
shorter delivery, lower costs
Starting with a staff of 75, workers at the factory will create finished panels from subcomponents. Solar cells, manufactured in Suntech’s Chinese facilities, will be imported and assembled by factory workers into grids mounted on metal frames. Once the cells are soldered together, the assembly will be laminated in durable layers of glass and sealants before the finished panel can be shipped and installed on a house or business rooftops.
Locating assembly in the U.S. will lower delivery time and costs, as well as reduce the overall carbon footprint of getting finished panels to U.S. customers, says Chan. Suntech declined to reveal its costs for the facility, slated to be approximately 80,000 to 100,000 square feet, but analysts estimate starting costs in the tens of millions of dollars.
Even a slight pricing advantage could help fortify Suntech’s market edge. Last year market prices for finished panels collapsed by about 50% across the industry. The fall was good news for consumers. In some high-cost electricity markets, such as Hawaii, panel prices fell low enough to compete on cost with electricity from conventional sources. In California, where three of every four panels are sold in the U.S., the price for a standard four-kilowatt rooftop installation on a home fell by half in the past year and a half, to just north of $10,000, including state and federal incentives.
The pricing collapse hurt solar stock prices, though. During the run-up of cleantech stocks in 2007, Suntech was the darling of the solar sector. Its shares peaked at $85 that December before falling by over 50% in the first quarter of 2008. Dragged down by the broader recession, a glut of solar inventory, and worries about excess industry capacity, the shares bottomed out in early 2009 at under $6 and have since been trading between $12 and $20.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Job / Internship Hunting Myths Busted....
CHICAGO, October 7, 2009 - Looking for an internship or a job after graduation, but think there's none out there? CareerRookie.com, a division of the nation's largest online job site, CareerBuilder.com, busts common myths many college students believe about the current hiring environment in a recent survey of more than 200 college students nationwide.
Myth #1 - No one is hiring.Forty-four percent of respondents said they feel that there aren't any organizations that are hiring right now.
Fact: In the next 12 months, more than half of employers plan to hire full-time employees, four-in-ten will hire contract, temporary or project workers, and four-in-ten will hire part-time employees. This is according to CareerBuilder and Robert Half International's EDGE report.
Myth #2 - In this economy, employers are more likely to hire older workers with more experience.Nearly seven-in-ten (68 percent) of college students report that they feel that due to high unemployment, more experienced workers are applying for entry-level jobs, and that employer are more likely to hire them instead of entry-level candidates.
Fact: While the job market is more competitive now than in past years, 43 percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, according to CareerBuilder's 2009 College Job Forecast . In addition, one-in-five (20 percent) employers said they would be hiring interns in 2009, with 48 percent of them likely to hire interns as full-time, permanent employees.
Myth #3 - A high GPA is necessary to get a job or internship offer. Fifteen percent of students surveyed said they agreed with this statement.In this economy, employers are more likely to hire older workers with more experience. Nearly seven-in-ten (68 percent) of college students report that they feel that due to high unemployment, more experienced workers are applying for entry-level jobs, and that employer are more likely to hire them instead of entry-level candidates.
Fact: Only 13 percent of employers said they require a GPA of 3.5 or higher. More than half of employers (55 percent) don't have any GPA requirements. This is according to CareerBuilder's 2009 College Job Forecast.
These job and internship hunting topics and others are discussed on the new CareerRookie.com, which features a variety of advice on everything from writing resumes to on-the-job success. Users can also apply for jobs and internships, post resumes, get the latest news on companies and industries and sign up for automatic job alerts. For more information, visit www.CareerRookie.com.
CHICAGO, October 7, 2009 - Looking for an internship or a job after graduation, but think there's none out there? CareerRookie.com, a division of the nation's largest online job site, CareerBuilder.com, busts common myths many college students believe about the current hiring environment in a recent survey of more than 200 college students nationwide.
Myth #1 - No one is hiring.Forty-four percent of respondents said they feel that there aren't any organizations that are hiring right now.
Fact: In the next 12 months, more than half of employers plan to hire full-time employees, four-in-ten will hire contract, temporary or project workers, and four-in-ten will hire part-time employees. This is according to CareerBuilder and Robert Half International's EDGE report.
Myth #2 - In this economy, employers are more likely to hire older workers with more experience.Nearly seven-in-ten (68 percent) of college students report that they feel that due to high unemployment, more experienced workers are applying for entry-level jobs, and that employer are more likely to hire them instead of entry-level candidates.
Fact: While the job market is more competitive now than in past years, 43 percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, according to CareerBuilder's 2009 College Job Forecast . In addition, one-in-five (20 percent) employers said they would be hiring interns in 2009, with 48 percent of them likely to hire interns as full-time, permanent employees.
Myth #3 - A high GPA is necessary to get a job or internship offer. Fifteen percent of students surveyed said they agreed with this statement.In this economy, employers are more likely to hire older workers with more experience. Nearly seven-in-ten (68 percent) of college students report that they feel that due to high unemployment, more experienced workers are applying for entry-level jobs, and that employer are more likely to hire them instead of entry-level candidates.
Fact: Only 13 percent of employers said they require a GPA of 3.5 or higher. More than half of employers (55 percent) don't have any GPA requirements. This is according to CareerBuilder's 2009 College Job Forecast.
These job and internship hunting topics and others are discussed on the new CareerRookie.com, which features a variety of advice on everything from writing resumes to on-the-job success. Users can also apply for jobs and internships, post resumes, get the latest news on companies and industries and sign up for automatic job alerts. For more information, visit www.CareerRookie.com.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
From Going Global...
EU Blue Card: an invitation to skilled non-EU nationals
www.expatica.com
Our experts at Ernst & Young update you on the recently adopted Blue Card Directive and what that means for highly qualified third-country nationals thinking of working in the EU.
On 25 May, the Council of the European Union adopted the Blue Card Directive, aimed at establishing more attractive conditions for third-country workers to take up highly qualified employment in the EU, by creating a fast-track procedure for issuing a special residence and work permit: the ‘EU Blue Card’.
The Blue Card is intended to facilitate the holder’s access to the EU labour market and thereby attract and retain highly qualified third-country workers to the EU, with the ultimate goal of creating the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy worldwide.
To this end, the directive determines the common criteria to be set by the EU member states for applicants of the Blue Card, without prejudice to the member state’s autonomy to maintain and introduce new national residence permits for any purpose of employment, and without compromising its autonomy to determine how many third-country workers are admitted.
Common criteria for admission The admittance criteria for an EU Blue Card mainly concern:
Employment contract: the applicant must have been offered a job in the EU for at least one year.
Level of pay: the gross monthly wage must not be inferior to a national level defined by the EU member states which shall be at least 1.5 times the gross monthly or annual average wages in the member state in question.
Qualifications: higher education qualifications or higher professional qualifications are required to qualify.
Application procedure The third-country worker must lodge their application for the Blue Card in the EU member state where they wish to work. The competent authorities there must take a decision within 90 days of the application being lodged.
Blue Card holder rights The Blue Card will allow third-country workers to be employed in any EU member state except Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark, and enjoy certain social and welfare rights for themselves and their family members for a renewable period from one to four years. A Blue Card holder will also have the right to move freely with their family within the Schengen area for a total of up to three months.
After 18 months of legal residence as an EU Blue Card holder in one member state, the person concerned and their family may move, under certain conditions, to another member state for the purpose of highly qualified employment.
Next steps The 24 member states who have signed up for the Blue Card Directive have two years—till 19 June 2011—to transpose the directive into national law. Since the move to national law may result in simplified immigration procedures for third-country workers in some countries, its progress will be watched with anticipation by those intending to move to the EU for employment. For further information, please contact your local Ernst & Young Human Capital professional or Edith de Bourgraaf (tel. +31 10 406 85 42, email edith.de.bourgraaf@nl.ey.com) or Anne Kwint (tel. + 31 88 407 12 54, email anne.bijleveld@nl.ey.com).
Source: http://www.expatica.com/be/employment/employment_information/EU-Blue-Card_-inviting-skilled-non_EU-nationals-to-Europe_14446.html?ppager=0
EU Blue Card: an invitation to skilled non-EU nationals
www.expatica.com
Our experts at Ernst & Young update you on the recently adopted Blue Card Directive and what that means for highly qualified third-country nationals thinking of working in the EU.
On 25 May, the Council of the European Union adopted the Blue Card Directive, aimed at establishing more attractive conditions for third-country workers to take up highly qualified employment in the EU, by creating a fast-track procedure for issuing a special residence and work permit: the ‘EU Blue Card’.
The Blue Card is intended to facilitate the holder’s access to the EU labour market and thereby attract and retain highly qualified third-country workers to the EU, with the ultimate goal of creating the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy worldwide.
To this end, the directive determines the common criteria to be set by the EU member states for applicants of the Blue Card, without prejudice to the member state’s autonomy to maintain and introduce new national residence permits for any purpose of employment, and without compromising its autonomy to determine how many third-country workers are admitted.
Common criteria for admission The admittance criteria for an EU Blue Card mainly concern:
Employment contract: the applicant must have been offered a job in the EU for at least one year.
Level of pay: the gross monthly wage must not be inferior to a national level defined by the EU member states which shall be at least 1.5 times the gross monthly or annual average wages in the member state in question.
Qualifications: higher education qualifications or higher professional qualifications are required to qualify.
Application procedure The third-country worker must lodge their application for the Blue Card in the EU member state where they wish to work. The competent authorities there must take a decision within 90 days of the application being lodged.
Blue Card holder rights The Blue Card will allow third-country workers to be employed in any EU member state except Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark, and enjoy certain social and welfare rights for themselves and their family members for a renewable period from one to four years. A Blue Card holder will also have the right to move freely with their family within the Schengen area for a total of up to three months.
After 18 months of legal residence as an EU Blue Card holder in one member state, the person concerned and their family may move, under certain conditions, to another member state for the purpose of highly qualified employment.
Next steps The 24 member states who have signed up for the Blue Card Directive have two years—till 19 June 2011—to transpose the directive into national law. Since the move to national law may result in simplified immigration procedures for third-country workers in some countries, its progress will be watched with anticipation by those intending to move to the EU for employment. For further information, please contact your local Ernst & Young Human Capital professional or Edith de Bourgraaf (tel. +31 10 406 85 42, email edith.de.bourgraaf@nl.ey.com) or Anne Kwint (tel. + 31 88 407 12 54, email anne.bijleveld@nl.ey.com).
Source: http://www.expatica.com/be/employment/employment_information/EU-Blue-Card_-inviting-skilled-non_EU-nationals-to-Europe_14446.html?ppager=0
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Possibly a new trend in college recruiting... http://www.groupereye.com/
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Thursday, September 3, 2009
The Engineer's place for News and Discussion...
http://cr4.globalspec.com/
-Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
http://cr4.globalspec.com/
-Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Engineering students find valuable work experience by volunteering in developing countries. See how they do it. http://www.america.gov/global/develop.html
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Article from CollegeGrad.com "Fact or Fiction? A masters degree is the key to career success."
http://www.collegegrad.com/articles/benefits-of-a-masters.shtml
Holly M. Justice
Engineering Career Counselor
http://www.collegegrad.com/articles/benefits-of-a-masters.shtml
Holly M. Justice
Engineering Career Counselor
Monday, July 20, 2009
IMPORTANT UPDATES ABOUT THE NYS Civil Service Exam:
I am writing to inform you of changes to the New York State Civil Service examination for the title of Junior Engineer. Please advise the students that are currently enrolled or graduates in your engineering program of the following information. A new Junior Engineer exam (20-880) was recently issued by the New York State Department of Civil Service. The exam will continue to be a continuous recruitment exam, where applications are accepted continuously. Additionally, applicants will continue to be scored based on their education and experience. However, the exam has changed significantly, please see below the important changes to the Junior Engineer exam that applicants should be aware of:
1. Candidates with the following engineering disciplines will now qualify for this exam: civil engineering, civil engineering technology, forestry engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics engineering, materials engineering, materials science and engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, architectural engineering, architectural engineering technology, electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, electronics engineering technology, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, engineering science with specialty in mechanical or electrical engineering, construction engineering, construction management engineering technology or nuclear engineering.
Please note the following engineering disciplines were added to the exam: architectural engineering, architectural engineering technology, forestry engineering, construction engineering, material science and engineering, electronics engineering technology, electrical and computer engineering, engineering science with a specialty in mechanical or electrical, and nuclear engineering.
2. Junior Engineer exam 20-880 will separate the eligible list into four groups: Civil/Transportation, Architectural, Electrical, and Mechanical. List use will be determined by the position to be filled. Please be aware that the majority of Junior Engineer positions are at the Department of Transportation and will be filled from the Civil/Transportation list. For more information on the four groups, please see the announcement for Junior Engineer exam (20-880) on the New York State Department of Civil Service website.
3. The following engineering disciplines will no longer be accepted as qualifying degrees for the new Junior Engineer exam: construction management technology, engineering systems, industrial engineering, industrial engineering technology, and industrial and management engineering. Those students who previously took exam number 20-875 will stay on the list until their year of eligibility expires and will not be admitted to the new exam. Students with these degrees should visit the New York State Department of Civil Service website, www.cs.state.ny.us, for information on other positions within New York State government.
4. Candidates will no longer be able to reapply for the exam every 6 months, they must wait for their year of eligibility to expire. It is the applicant’s responsibility to know when their eligibility on the Junior Engineer list expires and to reapply at the appropriate time.
We encourage students to apply immediately for the new Junior Engineer exam (20-880) at https://www.nysdot.gov/jobs/perm_positions
Also, please find attached a flyer for the Department’s non-paid internships/co-ops.
If you have any questions, please call (518) 457-6460 or 1-877-DOT JOB1, or e-mail DOTPersonnel@dot.state.ny.us . Thank you for your assistance in sharing this information.
I am writing to inform you of changes to the New York State Civil Service examination for the title of Junior Engineer. Please advise the students that are currently enrolled or graduates in your engineering program of the following information. A new Junior Engineer exam (20-880) was recently issued by the New York State Department of Civil Service. The exam will continue to be a continuous recruitment exam, where applications are accepted continuously. Additionally, applicants will continue to be scored based on their education and experience. However, the exam has changed significantly, please see below the important changes to the Junior Engineer exam that applicants should be aware of:
1. Candidates with the following engineering disciplines will now qualify for this exam: civil engineering, civil engineering technology, forestry engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydraulics engineering, materials engineering, materials science and engineering, structural engineering, transportation engineering, architectural engineering, architectural engineering technology, electrical engineering, electrical engineering technology, electronics engineering technology, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, engineering science with specialty in mechanical or electrical engineering, construction engineering, construction management engineering technology or nuclear engineering.
Please note the following engineering disciplines were added to the exam: architectural engineering, architectural engineering technology, forestry engineering, construction engineering, material science and engineering, electronics engineering technology, electrical and computer engineering, engineering science with a specialty in mechanical or electrical, and nuclear engineering.
2. Junior Engineer exam 20-880 will separate the eligible list into four groups: Civil/Transportation, Architectural, Electrical, and Mechanical. List use will be determined by the position to be filled. Please be aware that the majority of Junior Engineer positions are at the Department of Transportation and will be filled from the Civil/Transportation list. For more information on the four groups, please see the announcement for Junior Engineer exam (20-880) on the New York State Department of Civil Service website.
3. The following engineering disciplines will no longer be accepted as qualifying degrees for the new Junior Engineer exam: construction management technology, engineering systems, industrial engineering, industrial engineering technology, and industrial and management engineering. Those students who previously took exam number 20-875 will stay on the list until their year of eligibility expires and will not be admitted to the new exam. Students with these degrees should visit the New York State Department of Civil Service website, www.cs.state.ny.us, for information on other positions within New York State government.
4. Candidates will no longer be able to reapply for the exam every 6 months, they must wait for their year of eligibility to expire. It is the applicant’s responsibility to know when their eligibility on the Junior Engineer list expires and to reapply at the appropriate time.
We encourage students to apply immediately for the new Junior Engineer exam (20-880) at https://www.nysdot.gov/jobs/perm_positions
Also, please find attached a flyer for the Department’s non-paid internships/co-ops.
If you have any questions, please call (518) 457-6460 or 1-877-DOT JOB1, or e-mail DOTPersonnel@dot.state.ny.us . Thank you for your assistance in sharing this information.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Just got the information below from "GottaMentor e-Newsletter" http://www.gottamentor.com/
Best Job Listings -->
The number of career websites and job boards can be intimidating. There are thousands of resources to help job seekers find work. We've selected our favorites below:
10 Best Websites for the Job Search
10 Best Websites to Find Jobs in Startups
10 Best Websites for Techies
Best Research Resources
Many people bomb their interview because they don't have a good understanding of the company or what their salary expectations should be. Don't let that happen to you!
10 Best Websites for Researching a Company
10 Best Websites to Research Salary Information -->
Best Social Networking -->
Networking is a critical part of any job search. Here are the best social and professional networking websites to network online.
10 Best Websites to Network Online
Best Interview / Resume Prep -->
Your resume gets you in the door to the interview and the best interview strategies land the job you want. Below are some great resources to get fully prepared.
10 Best Websites to Prepare for the Interview
10 Best Websites to Create and Post your Resume
Best Websites for Entrepreneurs -->
Here's a list of websites that entrepreneurs can refer to in order to help grow their companies.
10 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs
Best Job Listings -->
The number of career websites and job boards can be intimidating. There are thousands of resources to help job seekers find work. We've selected our favorites below:
10 Best Websites for the Job Search
10 Best Websites to Find Jobs in Startups
10 Best Websites for Techies
Best Research Resources
Many people bomb their interview because they don't have a good understanding of the company or what their salary expectations should be. Don't let that happen to you!
10 Best Websites for Researching a Company
10 Best Websites to Research Salary Information -->
Best Social Networking -->
Networking is a critical part of any job search. Here are the best social and professional networking websites to network online.
10 Best Websites to Network Online
Best Interview / Resume Prep -->
Your resume gets you in the door to the interview and the best interview strategies land the job you want. Below are some great resources to get fully prepared.
10 Best Websites to Prepare for the Interview
10 Best Websites to Create and Post your Resume
Best Websites for Entrepreneurs -->
Here's a list of websites that entrepreneurs can refer to in order to help grow their companies.
10 Best Websites for Entrepreneurs
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
News Article Just released from National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)
http://www.naceweb.org/press/display.asp?year=&prid=301
SUBJECT: College Class of 2009 Graduates With Fewer Jobs in Hand
BETHLEHEM, PA—The 2009 crop of college graduates is stepping off campus and into the “real world” with fewer jobs in hand than their 2008 counterparts, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
NACE’s 2009 Student Survey shows that just 19.7 percent of 2009 graduates who applied for a job actually have one. In comparison, 51 percent of those graduating in 2007 and 26 percent of those graduating in 2008 who had applied for a job had one in hand by the time of graduation.*
Interestingly, fewer 2009 graduates sought out jobs than their predecessors. Approximately 64 percent of the Class of 2007 and two-thirds of the Class of 2008 had started looking for a job by this time.
In comparison, “just 59 percent of this year’s class has started the job search,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.
This may be due, in part, to considerable attention to the increase in nationwide unemployment, the global financial crisis of recent months, and the impact of these developments on the recruitment and hiring of new graduates by specific industries.
Data indicate that among specific majors, engineering and accounting graduates are more likely both to have started their job search and to have a job in hand. They are also more likely to accept an offer they received. Additionally, the study shows that liberal arts majors were more likely to turn down the job offers they received.
Salary may have played a role in acceptance of job offers.
“On average, engineering graduates expect to earn an annual starting salary of approximately $62,000, while accounting majors expect to earn an average of about $45,000,” says Mackes.
Those expectations match up fairly well with the reality. In a separate survey, NACE has found that salary offers to engineering graduates average more than $58,000, while the average offer to accounting graduates exceeds $48,000.
Despite the lack of jobs, “most respondents say they expect to enter the job market. Surprisingly, at this time we do not see a strong indication of increases in the number of students planning to go to graduate school,” says Mackes.
Approximately 24 percent of Class of 2008 graduates reported plans to forego the job market in favor of graduate school, while approximately 27 percent of those graduating in 2009 report such plans.
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
http://www.naceweb.org/press/display.asp?year=&prid=301
SUBJECT: College Class of 2009 Graduates With Fewer Jobs in Hand
BETHLEHEM, PA—The 2009 crop of college graduates is stepping off campus and into the “real world” with fewer jobs in hand than their 2008 counterparts, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
NACE’s 2009 Student Survey shows that just 19.7 percent of 2009 graduates who applied for a job actually have one. In comparison, 51 percent of those graduating in 2007 and 26 percent of those graduating in 2008 who had applied for a job had one in hand by the time of graduation.*
Interestingly, fewer 2009 graduates sought out jobs than their predecessors. Approximately 64 percent of the Class of 2007 and two-thirds of the Class of 2008 had started looking for a job by this time.
In comparison, “just 59 percent of this year’s class has started the job search,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.
This may be due, in part, to considerable attention to the increase in nationwide unemployment, the global financial crisis of recent months, and the impact of these developments on the recruitment and hiring of new graduates by specific industries.
Data indicate that among specific majors, engineering and accounting graduates are more likely both to have started their job search and to have a job in hand. They are also more likely to accept an offer they received. Additionally, the study shows that liberal arts majors were more likely to turn down the job offers they received.
Salary may have played a role in acceptance of job offers.
“On average, engineering graduates expect to earn an annual starting salary of approximately $62,000, while accounting majors expect to earn an average of about $45,000,” says Mackes.
Those expectations match up fairly well with the reality. In a separate survey, NACE has found that salary offers to engineering graduates average more than $58,000, while the average offer to accounting graduates exceeds $48,000.
Despite the lack of jobs, “most respondents say they expect to enter the job market. Surprisingly, at this time we do not see a strong indication of increases in the number of students planning to go to graduate school,” says Mackes.
Approximately 24 percent of Class of 2008 graduates reported plans to forego the job market in favor of graduate school, while approximately 27 percent of those graduating in 2009 report such plans.
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Monday, May 4, 2009
Are you looking for something different?
Interested in giving back to the national community?
Consider Americorps:
On Tuesday May 12th from 5-8pm Western New York AmeriCorps will be hosting a National Service “Job Fair” at the University of Buffalo’s Gateway Building in downtown Buffalo to fill somewhere between 300-700 service positions that will be made available this year.
Recovery Act funds are starting to come in and with that Americorps will be experiencing a significant growth as a whole.
This is a great opportunity for college graduates especially for those looking for a way to give back.
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Interested in giving back to the national community?
Consider Americorps:
On Tuesday May 12th from 5-8pm Western New York AmeriCorps will be hosting a National Service “Job Fair” at the University of Buffalo’s Gateway Building in downtown Buffalo to fill somewhere between 300-700 service positions that will be made available this year.
Recovery Act funds are starting to come in and with that Americorps will be experiencing a significant growth as a whole.
This is a great opportunity for college graduates especially for those looking for a way to give back.
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Monday, April 27, 2009
Microsoft Certifications - http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9663143
The Microsoft IT Academy Student Pass is a special no-cost online learning opportunity for university students in technical studies. IT Academy Student Pass provides free e-learning courses to verified university students who are interested in extending their IT or developer skills with Microsoft technologies. Students may want also to explore Microsoft technical certifications, and the IT Academy Student Pass is a perfect entry point to five different certification paths.
IT Academy e-learning tracks:
1.
Windows Developer
2.
Web Developer
3.
Database Developer
4.
Windows Server IT Professional
5.
Windows Client IT Professional
More information can be found here: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9663143
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
The Microsoft IT Academy Student Pass is a special no-cost online learning opportunity for university students in technical studies. IT Academy Student Pass provides free e-learning courses to verified university students who are interested in extending their IT or developer skills with Microsoft technologies. Students may want also to explore Microsoft technical certifications, and the IT Academy Student Pass is a perfect entry point to five different certification paths.
IT Academy e-learning tracks:
1.
Windows Developer
2.
Web Developer
3.
Database Developer
4.
Windows Server IT Professional
5.
Windows Client IT Professional
More information can be found here: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9663143
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
hmmm. A much more cautious job forecast:
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
CareerBuilder’s Annual College Job Forecast Finds New College Graduates Will Have to Compete Much Harder for Jobs
CHICAGO, April 15, 2009 - The class of 2009 will face the most competitive job market in years, as companies continue to proceed with caution amid economic uncertainty. Forty-three percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, down from 56 percent in 2008 and 79 percent in 2007. This is according to CareerBuilder’s Annual College Job Forecast that was conducted from February 20 and March 11, 2009, among 2,543 hiring managers and Human Resource professionals.
The economic downturn is also having an impact on entry-level salaries. Among those employers planning to hire recent college graduates, more than one-in-five (21 percent) said they will decrease starting salaries for recent college graduates in 2009 as compared to 2008. An additional 68 percent of employers plan to keep initial salary offers the same as last year and 11 percent will increase them.
Thirty-three percent of employers plan to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between $30,000 and $40,000. An additional 17 percent will offer between $40,000 and $50,000 and 14 percent will offer more than $50,000. Thirty-six percent will offer less than $30,000.
"While recent college graduates are facing a highly competitive job market right now, there are still opportunities out there," said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. "The biggest challenge is showing relevant experience, which employers say is one of the most important factors they look for in applications from recent college graduates. This isn’t limited to professional work experience, so don’t get discouraged. Class work, school activities and volunteering also qualify as relevant experience and can be included in your resume as well."
Employers reported that the following activities qualify as pertinent work experience for recent college graduates to include on their resumes:
Best, Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
CareerBuilder’s Annual College Job Forecast Finds New College Graduates Will Have to Compete Much Harder for Jobs
CHICAGO, April 15, 2009 - The class of 2009 will face the most competitive job market in years, as companies continue to proceed with caution amid economic uncertainty. Forty-three percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in 2009, down from 56 percent in 2008 and 79 percent in 2007. This is according to CareerBuilder’s Annual College Job Forecast that was conducted from February 20 and March 11, 2009, among 2,543 hiring managers and Human Resource professionals.
The economic downturn is also having an impact on entry-level salaries. Among those employers planning to hire recent college graduates, more than one-in-five (21 percent) said they will decrease starting salaries for recent college graduates in 2009 as compared to 2008. An additional 68 percent of employers plan to keep initial salary offers the same as last year and 11 percent will increase them.
Thirty-three percent of employers plan to offer recent college graduates starting salaries ranging between $30,000 and $40,000. An additional 17 percent will offer between $40,000 and $50,000 and 14 percent will offer more than $50,000. Thirty-six percent will offer less than $30,000.
"While recent college graduates are facing a highly competitive job market right now, there are still opportunities out there," said Brent Rasmussen, President of CareerBuilder North America. "The biggest challenge is showing relevant experience, which employers say is one of the most important factors they look for in applications from recent college graduates. This isn’t limited to professional work experience, so don’t get discouraged. Class work, school activities and volunteering also qualify as relevant experience and can be included in your resume as well."
Employers reported that the following activities qualify as pertinent work experience for recent college graduates to include on their resumes:
-Internships
-Part-time jobs in another area or field
-Volunteer work
-Involvement in school organizations
-Class work
-Involvement in managing activities for sororities and fraternities
-Participation in sports
When asked to identify the biggest mistakes recent college graduates make during the application and interview process, employers reported the following:
-Acting bored or cocky - 63 percent
-Not dressing appropriately - 61 percent
-Coming to the interview with no knowledge of the company - 58 percent
-Not turning off cell phones or electronic devices - 50 percent
-Not asking good questions during the interview - 49 percent
-Asking what the pay is before the company considered them for the job - 38 percent
-Spamming employers with the same resume and/or cover letter - 21 percent
-Failure to remove unprofessional photos/content on social networking pages, Web pages, blogs, etc. - 19 percent
-Not sending a thank you note after the interview - 12 percent
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 2,543 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time; not self-employed; with at least significant involvement in hiring decisions; non government) ages 18 and over between February 20 and March 11, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset US Employers, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 2,543, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.94 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.
About CareerBuilder
CareerBuilder is the global leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset – their people. Its online career site, CareerBuilder.com, is the largest in the U.S. with more than 23 million unique visitors, 1 million jobs and 31 million resumes. CareerBuilder works with the world’s top employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to talent acquisition. More than 9,000 Web sites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI), Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company (NYSE:MNI) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Asia. For more information, visit www.careerbuilder.com
From ResumeBear.com
TEN COMPANIES HIRING NOW!
We have great news for you if you are looking for a job. Not everyone is laying off. The following 10 companies have over 15,000 job openings as of mid April.
Walmart currently has thousands of job openings in all departments. Apply today online.
Motorola currently has 550 job openings in engineering, sales, accounting, marketing and project management. Visit Motorola’s online career center to apply.
Aetna has over 500 Job openings. The majority of openings are in customer service, claims and health care, including nurses. Visit the Aetna Career Center to apply.
Abbott Laboratories has over 500 job openings available for immediate hire. Abbott has openings in the following departments - sales, legal, IT, administrative, engineering, clinical research, manufacturing, QA, finance and accounting. For more information on Abbott Jobs click here.
Liberty Mutual has over 500 jobs open at present. Liberty Mutual has positions available in the following departments - accounting, nursing, legal, sales and customer service. Apply online at the Liberty Mutual Career website.
HCA: If you are looking for Medical job openings HCA is hiring 9000 people. HCA has positions available for RNs, LPNs, clinical technicians and patient care support workers. Apply online at the HCA Career Center.
HP has 150 job postings on their career website as of today. HP has the following positions available - IT, HR, Accounting, research and development, marketing, and administrative. Visit the HP Career Center for details the various positions and instructions on applying for the HP jobs.
Best Buy has 2400 positions available. Best Buy has job openings in IT, Sales, Management, Tech Support, Accounting and Mobile Wireless Sales. Apply online at the Best Buy Career Center.
Microsoft has over 600 jobs available. Positions are available in customer service, marketing, software development, IT, business sales, operations, program management, software testing, administrative, operations, user education, game design, content publishing, marketing communications, legal and accounting. Apply online at the Microsoft Career Center.
Coca Cola has 160 Job openings. Coca-Cola is hiring for a variety of different positions including accounting, bottling, retail, production, customer service, delivery and food chemistry. Visit the Coca Cola career center to apply.
Best,
Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
TEN COMPANIES HIRING NOW!
We have great news for you if you are looking for a job. Not everyone is laying off. The following 10 companies have over 15,000 job openings as of mid April.
Walmart currently has thousands of job openings in all departments. Apply today online.
Motorola currently has 550 job openings in engineering, sales, accounting, marketing and project management. Visit Motorola’s online career center to apply.
Aetna has over 500 Job openings. The majority of openings are in customer service, claims and health care, including nurses. Visit the Aetna Career Center to apply.
Abbott Laboratories has over 500 job openings available for immediate hire. Abbott has openings in the following departments - sales, legal, IT, administrative, engineering, clinical research, manufacturing, QA, finance and accounting. For more information on Abbott Jobs click here.
Liberty Mutual has over 500 jobs open at present. Liberty Mutual has positions available in the following departments - accounting, nursing, legal, sales and customer service. Apply online at the Liberty Mutual Career website.
HCA: If you are looking for Medical job openings HCA is hiring 9000 people. HCA has positions available for RNs, LPNs, clinical technicians and patient care support workers. Apply online at the HCA Career Center.
HP has 150 job postings on their career website as of today. HP has the following positions available - IT, HR, Accounting, research and development, marketing, and administrative. Visit the HP Career Center for details the various positions and instructions on applying for the HP jobs.
Best Buy has 2400 positions available. Best Buy has job openings in IT, Sales, Management, Tech Support, Accounting and Mobile Wireless Sales. Apply online at the Best Buy Career Center.
Microsoft has over 600 jobs available. Positions are available in customer service, marketing, software development, IT, business sales, operations, program management, software testing, administrative, operations, user education, game design, content publishing, marketing communications, legal and accounting. Apply online at the Microsoft Career Center.
Coca Cola has 160 Job openings. Coca-Cola is hiring for a variety of different positions including accounting, bottling, retail, production, customer service, delivery and food chemistry. Visit the Coca Cola career center to apply.
Best,
Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
CollegeGrad.com is a reputable company with data to support it's claims. I am very glad to see them projecting increases in entry-level hiring. Although I am happy to see it, I have many students and recent alumni that I have been working with who are not seeing this to be the case. Many graduating students and recent alum who are excellent candidates are simply not getting a response from employers. Many have also found that when they are searching for jobs the results bring back few for entry level and many more results for 2+ years experience or senior level positions. Perhaps the CollegeGrad.com list of top employers (or Top Internship employers) will provide you with more companies to research.
Best,
Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
CollegeGrad.com, the #1 Entry-Level Job Site, has announced the Top Entry-Level Employers for 2009.
Despite difficult economic times, 2009 faces the second largest projected increase in entry-level hiring CollegeGrad.com has seen since 2005, down 1.5 percent from last year, but up 11.4 percent from 2007. Good news for graduates as entry-level job opportunities look to remain stable in 2009.
Foster City, CA - April 21, 2009 -- As college graduation ceremonies commence nationwide, CollegeGrad.com, the #1 Entry-Level Job Site on the Web, announces the Top Entry-Level Employers for 2009. Despite difficult economic times, 2009 faces the second largest projected increase in entry-level hiring CollegeGrad.com has seen since 2005, down 1.5 percent from last year, but up 11.4 percent from 2007.
The Top Entry-Level Employers list represents nearly 158,000 jobs for the class of 2009, and is available online at http://www.CollegeGrad.com/topemployers/ 2009_entry_level.shtml. Verizon Wireless tops the list with plans of hiring more than 13,000 new grads, while the smallest featured employers will hire as few as 10; good news for graduates, as entry-level job opportunities look to remain stable in 2009.
"The hiring landscape is ever-changing and provides challenges to the employer and employee alike," Staff VP for Verizon Wireless, Leighann McGinnis said. "Despite these challenges, there is a continued need to identify and attract top talent...College graduates are highly engaged, technically adept and compliment our culture."
Although entry-level job seekers face one of the worst economic recessions in recent history, college recruiting remains stable... Continued Online> Read the full Press Release / Download <
Selected List of Top Employers from CollegeGrad.com list:
1
Verizon Wireless
Telecommunications
13,198
2
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Automotive Rental, Leasing
8,000
3
Internal Revenue Service
Financial Data Services
5,000
4
Progressive Insurance
Insurance: Property and Casualty (stock)
4,200
5
Teach For America
Education
4,000
6
DDP Holdings
Diversified Financials
4,000
7
AT&T
Telecommunications
3,428
8
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
Other
3,051
9
Hertz
Automotive Rental, Leasing
3,000
10
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Security and Law Enforcement
2,950
11
Ernst & Young
Other
2,450
12
KPMG LLP
Other
2,400
13
Boeing
Aerospace and Defense
2,200
14
Lockheed Martin
Aerospace and Defense
2,025
15
Walgreens
Internet Services and Retailing
2,000
16
Northrop Grumman
Aerospace and Defense
1,600
17
PNC Financial Services Group
Diversified Financials
1,500
18
City Year
Education
1,500
19
Intel
Electronics, Electrical Equipment
1,500
20
National Security Agency
Security and Law Enforcement
1,500
21
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Other
1,464
22
Chevron
Energy
1,400
23
Southwest Airlines
Airlines
1,400
24
General Electric
Energy
1,350
25
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
General Merchandisers
1,340
Best,
Holly M. Justice, Engineering Career Counselor
CollegeGrad.com, the #1 Entry-Level Job Site, has announced the Top Entry-Level Employers for 2009.
Despite difficult economic times, 2009 faces the second largest projected increase in entry-level hiring CollegeGrad.com has seen since 2005, down 1.5 percent from last year, but up 11.4 percent from 2007. Good news for graduates as entry-level job opportunities look to remain stable in 2009.
Foster City, CA - April 21, 2009 -- As college graduation ceremonies commence nationwide, CollegeGrad.com, the #1 Entry-Level Job Site on the Web, announces the Top Entry-Level Employers for 2009. Despite difficult economic times, 2009 faces the second largest projected increase in entry-level hiring CollegeGrad.com has seen since 2005, down 1.5 percent from last year, but up 11.4 percent from 2007.
The Top Entry-Level Employers list represents nearly 158,000 jobs for the class of 2009, and is available online at http://www.CollegeGrad.com/topemployers/ 2009_entry_level.shtml. Verizon Wireless tops the list with plans of hiring more than 13,000 new grads, while the smallest featured employers will hire as few as 10; good news for graduates, as entry-level job opportunities look to remain stable in 2009.
"The hiring landscape is ever-changing and provides challenges to the employer and employee alike," Staff VP for Verizon Wireless, Leighann McGinnis said. "Despite these challenges, there is a continued need to identify and attract top talent...College graduates are highly engaged, technically adept and compliment our culture."
Although entry-level job seekers face one of the worst economic recessions in recent history, college recruiting remains stable... Continued Online> Read the full Press Release / Download <
Selected List of Top Employers from CollegeGrad.com list:
1
Verizon Wireless
Telecommunications
13,198
2
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Automotive Rental, Leasing
8,000
3
Internal Revenue Service
Financial Data Services
5,000
4
Progressive Insurance
Insurance: Property and Casualty (stock)
4,200
5
Teach For America
Education
4,000
6
DDP Holdings
Diversified Financials
4,000
7
AT&T
Telecommunications
3,428
8
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
Other
3,051
9
Hertz
Automotive Rental, Leasing
3,000
10
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Security and Law Enforcement
2,950
11
Ernst & Young
Other
2,450
12
KPMG LLP
Other
2,400
13
Boeing
Aerospace and Defense
2,200
14
Lockheed Martin
Aerospace and Defense
2,025
15
Walgreens
Internet Services and Retailing
2,000
16
Northrop Grumman
Aerospace and Defense
1,600
17
PNC Financial Services Group
Diversified Financials
1,500
18
City Year
Education
1,500
19
Intel
Electronics, Electrical Equipment
1,500
20
National Security Agency
Security and Law Enforcement
1,500
21
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Other
1,464
22
Chevron
Energy
1,400
23
Southwest Airlines
Airlines
1,400
24
General Electric
Energy
1,350
25
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
General Merchandisers
1,340
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